Question
I have a pecan tree that was here when I build on this lot two years ago.  The tree was overgrown with vines and was evidently being strangled and starved by the undergrowth.  Since then, the tree has doubled in girth (now about 8"dia) but not tremendously in height.  The problem is that last year there were very few pecans and those were hollow, poorly formed, or had holes in the husks.  I haven't done anything to the tree other than water it.  This year I have an abundance of nuts but again, they're experiencing some drop, and a coating of a light purple powder on the husks.  I picked up one of the dropped husks and sliced thru it with my knife quite easily.  The inside showed a developing kernal but was very moist and actually had water inside it.  I don't know if the water was from inside the kernal or seeped inside it while it was laying on the ground.  I'd like to be able to treat the tree so that in subsequent years, I'll be able to enjoy nuts from the tree....if it's of a variety that produces good fruit and not what my grandfather called a "pig pecan" tree.  I live outside Charlotte NC now and pecan trees are different from those in my naitve Louisiana.

Answer
OK---several things are going on with your tree.  First of all, be glad it is not too tall.  You will need to spray the tree for disease and insects and the shorter the stature, the easier for you to do this.  The water inside is normal development.  The nut will actually have water pour out of it when cut into at this time of year.  It should actually be a little more mature than that but we will take what we get.  Secondly, the holes are most likely pecan weevils, especially if the holes are perfectly circular and about 1/10th of an inch in diameter.  They will cause the nuts to fall off and be rotten on the inside.  Thirdly, the purple or gray brown mold on the outside of the nutshuck is pecan scab, a fungal disease that can also cause nut defoliation and rot.  Next spring, when the tree begins to leaf out, you will need to begin spraying the tree with Sevin insecticide and Daconil fungicide mixed together.  There will need to be 2 sprays about 14 days apart very early in the season.  Then you will need to spray the tree about every three weeks with this mixture through the month of August in order to keep the weevil and scab off the nuts, especially during rainy periods.  You can look up specific spray schedules from msucares.com and look under publications and search for homeowner pecan.  There are some guidelines there.  I hope this helps the tree make good quality nuts for next year.  Good Luck.