Seasonal produce
When are pecans in season?
Pecan harvest is a fall job. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension says that, depending on variety and climate, pecan harvest takes place anywhere from late September to late December. University of Georgia Extension’s pecan management calendar puts early harvest in October and continues through November and December. Dates below name their source.
Pecan season at a glance
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (Larry Stein and Monte Nesbitt, AgriLife Today, November 2020): nut filling is typically mid-August to early October, and harvest runs late September to late December, depending on variety and climate. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Circular 1174 (Pecan Management, full review April 2023): for bearing orchards in the Southeastern U.S., October notes “Early harvesting may begin”; November says “Harvest early for top quality and price”; December says “Continue harvest and marketing of crop if not complete.” Mid-October sits inside that window.
Early vs late varieties
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Circular 898 (Pecan Varieties for Georgia Orchards; Wells and Conner; full review February 2015) lists average nut-maturity dates from Tifton, Ga., cultivar trials. Examples from Table 1: ‘Pawnee’ Sept. 17, ‘Kanza’ Sept. 20, ‘Desirable’ Oct. 14, and ‘Sumner’ Oct. 29. C898 notes that early harvest supplies the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday market, and that growers should plant very early cultivars like ‘Pawnee’ only if they can harvest promptly. These are Georgia trial dates; other states differ.
Month by month in the orchard
UGA C1174 calendar (Other Production Activities, bearing trees): October — prepare for harvest (mow, remove debris, service equipment), watch preharvest intervals, and “Early harvesting may begin.” November — “Harvest early for top quality and price,” do not leave pecans on the ground for an extended period, and market the crop. December — “Continue harvest and marketing of crop if not complete.” This is Southeastern orchard timing from UGA, not a nationwide retail calendar.
New-crop vs holdover nuts at the holidays
Monte Nesbitt (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension) says pecans sold at the beginning of the holiday season can sometimes be holdovers from a previous harvest. Older nuts stored properly can be better than poor-quality nuts from the current crop, but many buyers prefer the current year’s crop. Over time, oil in pecans can oxidize and flavor can drop, so look for kernels that are a light, bright golden color. Except where a variety is naturally darker, brown kernel color tends to indicate rancidity, improper storage, or a stressed tree. Ask to taste before you buy when you can. Retail shelled pecans often sit at room temperature, and most packaged kernels have about a three-month window for adequate freshness at room temperature.
How to store pecans
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s storage advice: moisture is the enemy. Ideal moisture for storage is about 6%; kernels that bend instead of snap when bent with force are not dry enough. In-shell pecans kept in a cool, dry place can remain usable for six to 12 months. Shelled pecans in an airtight glass jar or plastic bag in the refrigerator keep up to nine months; packaging should keep out air and moisture. Fat in pecans absorbs other food odors, so double-bag or use heavy plastic containers. In a freezer at 10 to 31 degrees F, shelled pecans keep about two years; at 0 degrees F, up to five years. Pecans that will not be used for more than four months — in-shell, cracked, or shelled — should go in the freezer. Frozen kernels can be thawed and refrozen over that two-year freezer window without losing flavor, per Nesbitt. National Pecan Shellers Association guidance cited in the same AgriLife article: place shelled pecans in plastic bags for freezing.
Using them now
Holiday baking lines up with late harvest and with sweet potatoes and pumpkins already on the site. See the sweet potato and pumpkin season guides, the October and November produce guides, and the produce checklist.
Recipes and related guides
November produce guide · October produce guide · When are sweet potatoes in season? · When are pumpkins in season? · When are chestnuts in season? · Produce checklist
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