Author Topic: Growing Mango trees in Southern California  (Read 180039 times)

simon_grow

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6729
  • USA, San Diego, CA, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #75 on: June 16, 2017, 01:38:31 PM »
Mango trees on Florida rootstocks do droop and expose some branches to the burning sun but the die back is caused by Phomopsis and other issues. Die back often occurs on branches that have no sun burn and a friend sent in sample from trees with die back and it came back as Phomopsis. Thanks again for the links to Laguna Hills Nursery Annonamangolord, much of the information they posted is spot on with the latest methods recommended for backyard horticulture.

Simon

AnnonaMangoLord45

  • LeafyMango
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 296
  • I love Mangoes
    • SoCal zone 10b
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #76 on: June 16, 2017, 02:10:15 PM »
Good to know, thanks and no problem

EvilFruit

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1257
    • Dubai, UAE
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #77 on: June 17, 2017, 08:19:29 AM »
Evilfruit, thanks for the picture of the Mango tree. Is that a seedling? It's even cooler because there's also peaches growing in the same area. I hope the fruit from that tree is tasty.

Simon

You are welcome.

No Idea about the fruit quality but, It could be a turpentine mango seedling because It is very popular in this part of the world.

By the way, We don't call it turpentine mango,  we call it Hambaa Omani (Hambaa = Mango).
Moh'd

surfcardiff

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 6
    • san diego,ca,encinitas
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #78 on: July 07, 2017, 08:54:38 PM »
i planted two mangos in November. 1x winters and 1x kiett. after reading this post i'm thinking it might have been a mistake and waste of $$$.

the winters sent out one flower stock but no new leaves. existing leaves do not look that great and it does not look like it is growing.

the kiett keeps sending out flowers and i have started removing the fruit. it does have new growth on the main trunk, but it does not look very healthy and no new leaves on the main branches.

everything else in the yard (avocado, citrus, pineapple guava, plumeria, passion fruit, etc.) is doing great. Papaya in pots are also doing great.

i am coastal san diego county, so cold is not an issue. but high temps are mild and maybe not hot enough?
should i remove growth from the trunk on the kiett?
i am working on finding a soil test kit, lab, etc. maybe need to adjust ph and fertilize???
soil here is very sandy and seems to drain good, so i don't think that is an issue.

any input is appreciated.

simon_grow

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6729
  • USA, San Diego, CA, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #79 on: July 08, 2017, 04:20:52 AM »
i planted two mangos in November. 1x winters and 1x kiett. after reading this post i'm thinking it might have been a mistake and waste of $$$.

the winters sent out one flower stock but no new leaves. existing leaves do not look that great and it does not look like it is growing.

the kiett keeps sending out flowers and i have started removing the fruit. it does have new growth on the main trunk, but it does not look very healthy and no new leaves on the main branches.

everything else in the yard (avocado, citrus, pineapple guava, plumeria, passion fruit, etc.) is doing great. Papaya in pots are also doing great.

i am coastal san diego county, so cold is not an issue. but high temps are mild and maybe not hot enough?
should i remove growth from the trunk on the kiett?
i am working on finding a soil test kit, lab, etc. maybe need to adjust ph and fertilize???
soil here is very sandy and seems to drain good, so i don't think that is an issue.

any input is appreciated.

Lavern and a few other nurseries may be grafting trees on something other than Florida Turpentine so if you got lucky, you may have a rootstock that actually performs a bit better here. The problem is that Grafted trees want to constantly fruit here in our relatively cool weather.

We are just starting our Tropicalfruit summers where nightly lows are almost above 65F so most mango trees should be pushing vegetative growth if you remove the blooms now.

Can you post a picture of your tree? This will help to answer wether or not to remove the growth from the trunk of the Keitt. If your Citrus and Plumeria are growing fine, your Mango shouldn't be too far off.

Simon

spaugh

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5126
    • San Diego County California
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #80 on: July 08, 2017, 10:09:58 AM »
Surfcardiff, I am in a similar position.  Bought florida trees before being clued in by Simon.  Its a lot warmer here 16 miles inland and my trees are starting to flush so give yours a few weeks they will probably start doing it too.  Although I have 5 florida trees and some are flushing and at least one of them just keeps blooming.  So even the trees can't agree on what they want to do.  This is the 3rd time this tree has bloomed this year.  Simon, should I cut the blooms off?  The previous round of blooms, the tree set about 20 fruits and I picked them off and cut off the blooms. Haven't messed with these yet. 

Brad Spaugh

simon_grow

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6729
  • USA, San Diego, CA, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #81 on: July 08, 2017, 10:46:11 AM »
Yup, it's time to remove those blooms. Eventually the tree will have a vegetative flush. The mango trees love this heat that we currently have and as the soil warms up, the trees roots are better able to uptake more of the minor and trace elements. Now is also a good time to give the trees some balanced fertilizer if you haven't already done so.

Simon

spaugh

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5126
    • San Diego County California
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #82 on: July 08, 2017, 11:06:24 AM »
Yup, it's time to remove those blooms. Eventually the tree will have a vegetative flush. The mango trees love this heat that we currently have and as the soil warms up, the trees roots are better able to uptake more of the minor and trace elements. Now is also a good time to give the trees some balanced fertilizer if you haven't already done so.

Simon

Is it ok to feed with fertilizer containing phosphorous?  The best stuff I have is gro power avocado/citrus 8 6 8
Brad Spaugh

simon_grow

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6729
  • USA, San Diego, CA, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #83 on: July 08, 2017, 12:59:44 PM »
Yup, it's time to remove those blooms. Eventually the tree will have a vegetative flush. The mango trees love this heat that we currently have and as the soil warms up, the trees roots are better able to uptake more of the minor and trace elements. Now is also a good time to give the trees some balanced fertilizer if you haven't already done so.

Simon

Is it ok to feed with fertilizer containing phosphorous?  The best stuff I have is gro power avocado/citrus 8 6 8

I have the same food and that is a great fertilizer. Young trees still need Phosphorus for growth even though we don't want them to flower at such a young age.

Simon

surfcardiff

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 6
    • san diego,ca,encinitas
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #84 on: July 08, 2017, 03:23:49 PM »
We are just starting our Tropicalfruit summers where nightly lows are almost above 65F so most mango trees should be pushing vegetative growth if you remove the blooms now.

Can you post a picture of your tree? This will help to answer whether or not to remove the growth from the trunk of the Keitt. If your Citrus and Plumeria are growing fine, your Mango shouldn't be too far off.

Simon

Is it ok to just cut the blooms off now, or do I need to wait until fruit begins?

Here are a few pictures. The Winters looks dormant. Hope it does something soon  :)

The Keitt keeps blooming but no new vegetative growth??? Hopefully the heat kicks it into the growth gear.




« Last Edit: July 08, 2017, 03:27:49 PM by surfcardiff »

simon_grow

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6729
  • USA, San Diego, CA, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #85 on: July 08, 2017, 04:22:48 PM »
Your Winters is in pretty good shape, I would leave it alone and then stake up the branches as new growth begins to weigh down the branches.

Your Keitt has growth all over the trunk. It looks like it's on Florida Turpentine rootstock and the trunk may be stressed with gummosis, cracks or soft spots on the trunk. You may want to remove all growth below about 3 feet and then stake up the remaining branches. Your tree will be extremely droopy because if the growth habit of Keitt combined with the rootstock. Make sure you supply good micronutrients, especially Manganese.

Simon

surfcardiff

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 6
    • san diego,ca,encinitas
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #86 on: July 08, 2017, 04:45:34 PM »
Your Winters is in pretty good shape, I would leave it alone and then stake up the branches as new growth begins to weigh down the branches.

Your Keitt has growth all over the trunk. It looks like it's on Florida Turpentine rootstock and the trunk may be stressed with gummosis, cracks or soft spots on the trunk. You may want to remove all growth below about 3 feet and then stake up the remaining branches. Your tree will be extremely droopy because if the growth habit of Keitt combined with the rootstock. Make sure you supply good micronutrients, especially Manganese.

Simon

I will remove the growth below about 3'.

I picked up a test kit from Armstrong in Encinitas. The ph appears to about neutral, ~7.0. So may need to lower? I will re-read beginning of post to look at options to do this. The kit info pack says 5.0-6.0 for mango. Does this seem correct?
Working on determining nutrient levels next.

simon_grow

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6729
  • USA, San Diego, CA, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #87 on: July 08, 2017, 07:06:30 PM »
7.0, isn't too bad but at 6.5, your tree should have no issues uptaking all the micronutrients. The cheap soil test kits are not very reliable and it depends on where you take the sample. For example, the top inch of soil may have a different pH than if you dig down a foot or two. You may want to take many samples from different areas of your yard. My soil has different pH values when I sample the front vs Back vs side yard. The areas where I have been amending the soil are slowly approaching 6.5 and I started with  about 8.2.

Simon

surfcardiff

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 6
    • san diego,ca,encinitas
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #88 on: July 09, 2017, 06:47:01 PM »
7.0, isn't too bad but at 6.5, your tree should have no issues uptaking all the micronutrients. The cheap soil test kits are not very reliable and it depends on where you take the sample. For example, the top inch of soil may have a different pH than if you dig down a foot or two. You may want to take many samples from different areas of your yard. My soil has different pH values when I sample the front vs Back vs side yard. The areas where I have been amending the soil are slowly approaching 6.5 and I started with  about 8.2.

Simon

The kit does seem more sophisticated than others I have used, but don't know how repeatable and accurate results are. It is this one http://www.lusterleaf.com/nav/soil_test.html

I did measure at a few locations and all are about the same, 7.0 ph.

Can you recommend products to lower ph and also fertilizer.

simon_grow

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6729
  • USA, San Diego, CA, Zone 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #89 on: July 09, 2017, 07:01:17 PM »
Granular soil sulfur is what I use. I also use cotton seed meal and pH down which you can order online. The pH down works immediately but gets washed away just as quickly. The soil sulfur acts more long term. The cotton seed meal has nutrients and will decrease soil pH slightly.

Simon

Johnny Eat Fruit

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 360
    • So. California, Huntington Beach. Zone 10b
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #90 on: July 10, 2017, 10:58:18 AM »
The only local Nursery that has grafted mangos on Manilla root stock is Mimosa Nursery in LA. I am taking Simon's advice and planting my Kent and manilla seedling in the ground and letting them grow for several years prior to grafting. I have some mango trees on Turpentine root stock I purchased from Florida two years ago but they are in containers and are only used for creating scions for my mango seedling I planted in the ground. Based on my two years of experience doing this, the Florida mango's do appear to look droopy and in general do not grow as well relative to my non turpentine trees. I would avoid using Florida root stock in California.

Johnny

barath

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1114
    • Southern California, USDA Zone 10b
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #91 on: July 11, 2017, 12:59:51 AM »
I can't speak to the effectiveness for mango trees, but for various subtropicals that need lower pH soils I have had great luck with tons of coffee grounds.  I guess I've had better luck with this than others have, because most folks I've suggested it to haven't found it to work as well, but I think it's because I use way more grounds.  I get them from coffee shops and give each tree a lot (during the growing season you can give each tree a 5 gallon bucket of grounds every couple weeks, mixed with a bit of tree trimmings / woody mulch to prevent it from forming a hard layer).

shinzo

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 342
  • High Density Urban Cultivator
    • Tunis (Tunisia) - 10 b
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #92 on: July 11, 2017, 03:57:18 PM »
I can't speak to the effectiveness for mango trees, but for various subtropicals that need lower pH soils I have had great luck with tons of coffee grounds.  I guess I've had better luck with this than others have, because most folks I've suggested it to haven't found it to work as well, but I think it's because I use way more grounds.  I get them from coffee shops and give each tree a lot (during the growing season you can give each tree a 5 gallon bucket of grounds every couple weeks, mixed with a bit of tree trimmings / woody mulch to prevent it from forming a hard layer).
Do you aplly coffee grounds when it is very hot during growing season also?

spaugh

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5126
    • San Diego County California
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #93 on: July 11, 2017, 04:22:26 PM »
I can't speak to the effectiveness for mango trees, but for various subtropicals that need lower pH soils I have had great luck with tons of coffee grounds.  I guess I've had better luck with this than others have, because most folks I've suggested it to haven't found it to work as well, but I think it's because I use way more grounds.  I get them from coffee shops and give each tree a lot (during the growing season you can give each tree a 5 gallon bucket of grounds every couple weeks, mixed with a bit of tree trimmings / woody mulch to prevent it from forming a hard layer).

Opinions on this are all over the place.  It would be best to do an actual test of the PH of the grounds.  Using sulfer is a more surefire way to lower soil PH.  Or if you garden on a small scale, using RO water and PH adjusting the water with nutrients/buffers is best.

http://www.gardenmyths.com/coffee-grounds-acidifies-soil/

Brad Spaugh

barath

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1114
    • Southern California, USDA Zone 10b
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #94 on: July 11, 2017, 10:17:32 PM »
I can't speak to the effectiveness for mango trees, but for various subtropicals that need lower pH soils I have had great luck with tons of coffee grounds.  I guess I've had better luck with this than others have, because most folks I've suggested it to haven't found it to work as well, but I think it's because I use way more grounds.  I get them from coffee shops and give each tree a lot (during the growing season you can give each tree a 5 gallon bucket of grounds every couple weeks, mixed with a bit of tree trimmings / woody mulch to prevent it from forming a hard layer).

Opinions on this are all over the place.  It would be best to do an actual test of the PH of the grounds.  Using sulfer is a more surefire way to lower soil PH.  Or if you garden on a small scale, using RO water and PH adjusting the water with nutrients/buffers is best.

http://www.gardenmyths.com/coffee-grounds-acidifies-soil/

I do use sulfur, sometimes.  But I prefer coffee grounds because: 1) it builds soil organic matter, 2) worms seem to love it, 3) it serves as a mild, relatively balanced fertilizer, 4) it gently adjusts pH, 5) it's widely available, and 6) most importantly, it seems to work really well to correct the problems associated with high pH soils for subtropicals around here.

sapote

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1020
    • USA, CA, Burbank, 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #95 on: July 12, 2017, 03:07:09 PM »
We are just starting our Tropicalfruit summers where nightly lows are almost above 65F so most mango trees should be pushing vegetative growth if you remove the blooms now.

Can you post a picture of your tree? This will help to answer whether or not to remove the growth from the trunk of the Keitt. If your Citrus and Plumeria are growing fine, your Mango shouldn't be too far off.

Simon

Is it ok to just cut the blooms off now, or do I need to wait until fruit begins?



Here are a few pictures. The Winters looks dormant. Hope it does something soon  :)

The Keitt keeps blooming but no new vegetative growth??? Hopefully the heat kicks it into the growth gear.






The soil seems too dry at this time of year. If day time with above 80F, then water every other day about 2 gallons each tree, new shoots would come.

sapote

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1020
    • USA, CA, Burbank, 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #96 on: July 12, 2017, 03:16:52 PM »
Spaugh & Surcardiff,

My trees used to have the same look as yours until I changed the way I watered them. Dig a trench 12" around away from the trunk and water the trench and not near the trunk. This encourage root to grow outward instead of root bound and trees will be more healthier and grow faster.

surfcardiff

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 6
    • san diego,ca,encinitas
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #97 on: July 16, 2017, 07:47:45 PM »
thanks for all the input.

the winter's is is starting vegetative growth, yeah!!!

i picked up some soil sulfur and Gro Power 8-6-8. How often do i reapply the soil sulfur?

i didn't do the trench, but a ring of 1/2-inch poly tube around the perimeter with adjustable drips. this way i can modify configuration as tree grows. i'm going to do this on all my citrus/avocado.

« Last Edit: July 17, 2017, 01:27:45 PM by surfcardiff »

surfcardiff

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 6
    • san diego,ca,encinitas
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #98 on: July 17, 2017, 12:38:38 PM »
few picts








Clay

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 61
    • USDA Zone 10B, 75' ASL, Orange County, California
    • View Profile
Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #99 on: July 17, 2017, 01:04:26 PM »
Is anyone in California using SOP (Sulfate of Potash/Potassium Sulfate) on their mangoes? I can't seem to find the 0-0-50 anywhere.

Clay
<<<< Clay >>>>
Orange County, CA 92626