When do you pick up the pecans?  Pecans are meant to be picked up and harvested normally September through November.  In the south of the United Sates the harvest usually peaks in October, but can vary due to droughts, and varying temperatures.

To understand when you pick up pecans off the ground you must first ready the grounds to pick them up.  The first step is to keep an eye on the nuts growing on the limbs.  This will give you an idea of the crop size, as well as the timing of them falling off the trees.  Before they fall to the ground the husks began to crack open revealing the pecan.  It is strongly advised to clear any debris off the ground and mow the grass short before the pecans fall.  This will allow any machine, like the Bag-A-Nut, to pick up the pecans with ease and without jams.  When a pecan orchard is dense mowing should be started weeks before the pecan falls so the grass mulch will not interrupt picking up the pecans.

The first sign of maturity is when the husk opens to reveal the pecan. The goal is to pick them up when the pecan has reached its peak kernel oil content, which is normally when they fall to the ground.

The sooner the nut is picked up off the ground the better the nut quality should be.  If the nuts fall in drier climate than it should not hurt the nuts being on the ground for a few days.  If the grounds are damp from rain or fog it is in best interest to pick up the nut as soon as possible.  This will ensure that the moisture does not spoil the pecan.  Beware of other animals that would like to harvest your pecans for their winter!  The sooner you are able to pick up the pecans the less of a chance they have to steal your pecans.