Can somebody please tell me what's going on with my Pickering mango?

[bbates123]

I'm wondering why my leaves are going brown like this.  The new growth looks fine for a while then they get chewed by bugs and eventually start turning brown from the tips on up.  I did have problems with anthracnose last year and I've been spraying with copper fungicide about once a week.  This seems to be a year-round problem and it happens to my Sweet Tart as well but not as bad.  This tree is small and has been in the ground for about 3 years now.

[Cookie Monster]

What does your fertilization regimen look like?

[FMfruitforest]

How much have you been spraying “ copper sulphate”? Could be a toxic build up in your soil. Copper sulphate is no good fororganisms in the soil.

[bbates123]

What does your fertilization regimen look like?

I've been pulling back the mulch and applying about 2 cups of all purpose fruit tree fertilizer around the base about every 2 months.  Too much fertilizer or not enough?  None of my neighbors fertilize their trees and they all look great but they're also a lot more mature.

[bbates123]

How much have you been spraying “ copper sulphate”? Could be a toxic build up in your soil. Copper sulphate is no good fororganisms in the soil.

Just enough to wet all the leaves and fruit, about once ever 1-2 weeks for the past few months.  It's a small tree so it really doesn't take much.

[Cookie Monster]

Doubt it's copper toxicity. I see some sort of fungal issue on the newer leaves, probably powdery mildew. The burnt tips could be salt injury. Not sure why the youngest set of leaves towards the bottom have that cupped appearance. Zinc deficiency?

[Squam256]

2 cups for a tiny tree like that is a bit much. I suspect salt burn and possibly foliar scab judging by the mis-shapen leaves, which Sweet Tart used to get for me in Loxahatchee though it was rare on Pickering.

[Bananimal]

I've been using the Citrus Avocado Mango blend they sell in Home Depot.  Works fine.    But you must apply a rate matching your tree size.  Do the research for rates.   My Pickering has exploded with flowers and is setting fruit well.  It's 10 years old and produces lotsa fruit each year. 

[bbates123]

I don't think it's powdery mildew from the pics I've seen online and wouldn't the copper sulfate take care of that too?  I'll check more closely at the rate of fertilization I should be applying to that tree in case I'm applying too much.

Could it be a watering issue during the dry season?  These plants get water only from the lawn irrigation which runs 3 times a week in that area.  Or are there bugs that I need to worry about with these mangos?  I'm hoping as the trees mature I'll have to worry less about this stuff.

As I think I mentioned this seems to be way more of an issue with the pickering, not so much with the sweet tart which is 15ft away.

[Guanabanus]

Copper Sulfate is quite effective against anthracnose, but only slightly effective against Powdery Mildew.  If you keep your spray mix constantly shaken, you can spray with elemental Sulfur--- do not mix elemental Sulfur with Copper Sulfate, or with most other Copper molecules, as Copper ions become very toxic to plants in highly acidic tank mixes.

Spread more than half of that fertilizer out on the grass outside the ring.  Make sure you use fertilizer containing micronutrients, including Zinc.  Make sure your soil has plenty of Calcium, or add Calcium Sulfate--- it provides also protection against fertilizer-imbalance burns and excess salt build-ups.

Occasionally provide a deep watering--- not just grass root-depth watering--- perhaps just once a month, since the tree already looks reasonably well.

[bbates123]

Copper Sulfate is quite effective against anthracnose, but only slightly effective against Powdery Mildew.  If you keep your spray mix constantly shaken, you can spray with elemental Sulfur--- do not mix elemental Sulfur with Copper Sulfate, or with most other Copper molecules, as Copper ions become very toxic to plants in highly acidic tank mixes.

Spread more than half of that fertilizer out on the grass outside the ring.  Make sure you use fertilizer containing micronutrients, including Zinc.  Make sure your soil has plenty of Calcium, or add Calcium Sulfate--- it provides also protection against fertilizer-imbalance burns and excess salt build-ups.

Occasionally provide a deep watering--- not just grass root-depth watering--- perhaps just once a month, since the tree already looks reasonably well.

Thank you!