Mango Tipping Help

[noochka1]

OK, so for years I've been watching the Fairchild mango videos on YouTube and all I keep hearing TIP TIP TIP to control tree size, but I've been doing just that for 3 years now and I have one single mango to show for it.  Just one.  So I'm obviously doing something wrong.  I get nice new vegetative growth every year, but no blooms and no fruit.  I'm not fertilizing with nitrogen, and I'm tipping right after the tree across the street (a Hayden, I think) is finished fruiting (late May / early June).  What am I doing wrong??   

[bsbullie]

How old are your trees that you are tipping?  Are you tipping every flush?  There is a method to the madness of tipping...and while developing and shaping the tree through tipping, dont worry about bkooms or fruit.  To be honest, if I am shaping young trees, I dont want them to bloom or fruit.

[noochka1]

Hi Rob,

Thanks for the response!  The trees are 3 years old now and, at least in my crazy mind, should be fruiting.  I'm happy with the basic shape and size (8-10 ft).  I do tip every flush, but only once per year after "harvest season."  Should I be skipping some?   

[bsbullie]

Hi Rob,

Thanks for the response!  The trees are 3 years old now and, at least in my crazy mind, should be fruiting.  I'm happy with the basic shape and size (8-10 ft).  I do tip every flush, but only once per year after "harvest season."  Should I be skipping some?   

There is no harvest season to worry about on young trees.  A 3 year old tree should not be fruiting at all.  I would be tipping almost every flush, depending on the nature of the flush (single shoots vs multi shoots).

If you have a 3 year old tree holding a fruit, pull it off now.  Let the tree establish and maybe after its 4th year slow or stop the tipping and let it try and fruit.

[simon_grow]

Here is some more info on pruning mango
http://www.growables.org/information/documents/MangoPruningStrategies.pdf

Simon

[noochka1]

Great article.  Thank you!

[mangomongo]

Tipped my Maha a few weeks ago and it really woke up. Almost a whole year in the ground without any signs of growth then wham... took off like crazy. After seeing that I tipped everything mango tree in my yard that didn't have a fruit hanging off of it!

[behlgarden]

I have found tipping and sometimes pruning to do the trick. several grafts that pushed little and then stayed there with anemic growth after pruning woke up hard. its a great tool we all have and should exercise.

[shinzo]

I have found tipping and sometimes pruning to do the trick. several grafts that pushed little and then stayed there with anemic growth after pruning woke up hard. its a great tool we all have and should exercise.

Hi behlgarden, in another thread you talked about tipping a mango tree each 10 inches and that this worked great for your tree, do you have pics?

[behlgarden]

yes, replying on that thread shortly

[Mr. Clean]

You need to stop tipping in September/October; or you won't get any flowers.  No flowers, no mangos.