Author Topic: Need advice what to do with this lanky mango branches  (Read 2465 times)

Samu

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Need advice what to do with this lanky mango branches
« on: January 26, 2018, 02:33:53 PM »


This is my Lemon Zest, from 3G size planted Springs 2015 purchased from TopTropicals. I didn't know at the time that Turpentin rootstock's characteristic is not desirable for Southern California area, which I suspect this tree's rootstock is. This is 2nd year flowering, didn't have any fruit that held to maturity size last season. The tree has been growing quite rapidly, but mostly long and lanky branches. It's planted next to a manila rootstock only a foot away, but this LZ seems to dominate the manila rootstock tree's growth; in fact it's hard to see the other manila tree from this photo!
 
I kind of able to visualize, that, as others may have reiterated times and again, that since almost all the branches are so long and so skinny (due to Turpentine's rootstock characteristic grown in S. California), so any fruits that may develop on them may well required some extra supports. If that's the case, that I have to provide the branches extra support yearly, then I prefer not to have this tree.

Is this the only prognosis of this tree behavior going forward, or is there other way to tackle this undesirable growth habit?
Or should I just start again from scratch and dig out the tree? Please advice if there is a way to live happily with this lanky mango tree...Thank you, guys!
Sam

Squam256

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Re: Need advice what to do with this lanky mango branches
« Reply #1 on: January 26, 2018, 03:19:29 PM »
Have you pruned it at all?

Samu

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Re: Need advice what to do with this lanky mango branches
« Reply #2 on: January 26, 2018, 04:15:23 PM »
Yea, I pruned 1 foot off, leaving to about 2 ft high in March 2015 shortly before planting it in the ground.
Here' what the "back side" looks today:


When pugged to 2ft in March 2015:
Sam

FrankDrebinOfFruits

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Re: Need advice what to do with this lanky mango branches
« Reply #3 on: January 26, 2018, 04:20:37 PM »
Lemon zest needs pruning a little more than other varieties. Most I prune once a year, lemon zest gets a haircut twice a year.

pineislander

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Re: Need advice what to do with this lanky mango branches
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2018, 04:46:49 PM »
Lanky growth may be influenced by the amount of light the tree is getting. Trees will grow towards the light they see and away from shade or other trees. The mango tree's nature is trying to become something 20 feet in diameter, and it appears you haven't given it what it wants so it it trying to find a place for itself. Until it finds it's place in the sun or you show it where to go it will wander.

simon_grow

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Re: Need advice what to do with this lanky mango branches
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2018, 09:42:01 PM »
Hey Sam, there are several things you can do. Lemon Zest is one of the varieties that does grow really well even here in SoCal, even on Turpentine rootstock but it will be droopy as heck. You can stake up the scaffold branches to prevent too much leaning. You don’t want to overstake, allowing some of the smaller branches to flex and blow in the wind will actually make those branches stronger.

Your Manilla Mango may not grow very fast if it’s too close to the LZ due to shading or competition from the more established LZ but it’s a good insurance policy. I would just keep doing what you are doing and allow both trees to grow. Once your Manilla Mango is larger and is fruiting size, top work the tree.

My LZ tree that I ordered from Florida is growing very well(although with cracks in trunk and droopy branches) and flowers like crazy but it only holds nubbin fruit with non viable embryos. The nubbins are golf ball sized at maximum size. This may at least partly be caused by LZs high susceptibility to Powdery Mildew which heavily infects the bloom pannicles.

Oddly enough, I took scions from my Florida LZ tree and grafted onto Lavern Manilla rootstock and the blooms appeared less susceptible to PM and the scions produced perfect full sized fruit.
Simon

simon_grow

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Re: Need advice what to do with this lanky mango branches
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2018, 09:51:24 PM »
See reply 64 pictures for differences in fruit between the two rootstocks.
http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=15673.0

I was so fed up with my Florida tree not producing full sized fruit that I hit it with Abound systemic Fungicide this year and I alternate it with other fungicides that are not from group 11. I used a Non systemic Sulfur spray directly on the pannicles when the pannicles were fully elongated but before the blooms opened up. Some Fungicides may have growth promoting side effects, I have to do more research.

Here’s how my Florida tree looks now. My Neighbors Huge Bannana tree blew over into my yard and fell directly onto my Multigraft Manilla rootstock tree, I’m still pissed. Heres the Florida treein full bloom.



Simon
« Last Edit: January 26, 2018, 09:53:48 PM by simon_grow »

Samu

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Re: Need advice what to do with this lanky mango branches
« Reply #7 on: January 27, 2018, 01:16:29 AM »
Thanks for all your useful advice!
Appreciate your answer Simon plus that related thread that you started in 2015, lots of reading materials to ponder...In fact I probably should have entered this thread in THAT thread instead...

Lemon zest needs pruning a little more than other varieties. Most I prune once a year, lemon zest gets a haircut twice a year.

If you keep on pruning the branches twice a year, will this result in stronger structure?
Sam

Samu

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Re: Need advice what to do with this lanky mango branches
« Reply #8 on: January 27, 2018, 11:58:36 PM »
See reply 64 pictures for differences in fruit between the two rootstocks.
http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=15673.0

Simon

After the photos of inferior LZ fruits on reply 64 you referred to, and seeing your tree today, I am inclined to do the same Simon. I think I'll do it after checking the fruits later in the year, to see if this tree is worth keeping; meanwhile I already grafted this LZ scion on another Manila tree last year at different location of my yard and it's doing just fine...
Sam

simon_grow

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Re: Need advice what to do with this lanky mango branches
« Reply #9 on: January 28, 2018, 08:28:59 AM »
In order to get more branching, I prune off the tips of branches where old bloom spikes used to be. The branching seems to form better this way and you may get less disease. I’ve noticed that the tips of branches where old bloom panicles used to connect usually have an indentation that is brown and potentially have high bioburden.

I saw in a video that Dr Noris Ledesma, Dr Crane or Dr Richard Campbell mentioned that they remove old bloom spikes because it is a source for fungal spores to rain down on other parts of the tree. They didn’t say to prune the tips off but I’ve noticed that my branching forms faster probably due to removal of apical dominance and I also get rid of the old, usually brown and scabby looking tissue.

Simon