Container Growing Dwarf Mango's

[FlMikey]

Thanks for the reply guys.  I know bsbullie recommended Fafard 3 mix(http://www.sungro.com/professional-products?brandID=2&catID=1&productID=185), Fafard Nursery Mix (http://www.sungro.com/professional-products?brandID=2&catID=1&productID=189), or Fafard 52 (http://www.sungro.com/professional-products?brandID=2&catID=1&productID=187), but I wonder if those are superior to the Fafard Professional Potting Mix (http://fafard.com/products/?id=166)?

[bsbullie]

Thanks for the reply guys.  I know bsbullie recommended Fafard 3 mix(http://www.sungro.com/professional-products?brandID=2&catID=1&productID=185), Fafard Nursery Mix (http://www.sungro.com/professional-products?brandID=2&catID=1&productID=189), or Fafard 52 (http://www.sungro.com/professional-products?brandID=2&catID=1&productID=187), but I wonder if those are superior to the Fafard Professional Potting Mix (http://fafard.com/products/?id=166)?

That is not the commercial product.  Dont be fooled by a name on the package.  The options I posted are commercial and far superior products.

[FlMikey]

Thanks BsBullie.  It looks a little harder than I expected to find those Fafard soils down here in South Fl.  I think I can probably get ProMix much easier.  Is Pro Mix BX Mycorrhizae a good one (http://www.pthorticulture.com/en/products/pro-mix-bx-mycorrhizae/), or Pro-Mix HPCC Mycorrhizae (http://www.pthorticulture.com/en/products/pro-mix-hpcc-mycorrhizae/) or are there any others from ProMix I should try to source?

[FlMikey]

I think I'm going to go with the Pro Mix HP Mycorrhizae (http://www.pthorticulture.com/en/products/pro-mix-hp-mycorrhizae/#tab:product-specification).  My only concern is it has 65% - 75% Sphagnum Peat Moss - is that too high?  Also is Mycorrhizae really beneficial?  It sounds good, but idk if it's marketing hype.  From their site,"Mycorrhizae - GHA297 Technology is a Biological Growth Enhancer that increases the yield of flower, fruit and vegetable plants by extending the root system to acquire the most of available nutrients in the soil. Mycorrhizae also improve resistance to root diseases and stresses."

[FruitFreak]

I have been growing the following mango trees in containers since the end of 2015:
1. Sweet Tart is growing in a 25 gal. container and is now setting fruit.
2. Coconut Cream is growing in a 45 gal. container which I pugged in July 2016.
3. Mallika is growing in a 25 gal. container is blooming presently.
4. Fruit Punch is growing in a 7 gal. container and is going to be stepped up to a 15 gal. this week.
5. Mahachanok is growing in a 45 gal. container is blooming and setting fruit presently.
6. Pickering is growing in a 25 gal. container is blooming and setting fruit presently.

The last four varieties are Honey Kiss, Cotton Candy, Kathy, and Phoenix are all growing in 3 gal containers.

Wow, you've been doing a great job with those container mango as they look really good.  Thanks for posting!

[Mark in Texas]

Wow, you've been doing a great job with those container mango as they look really good.  Thanks for posting!

The dedication and success these container growers like this fella has is amazing.  Kudos!  There are many Texas growers that fruit every kind of exotics fruit you can imagine and are grafting "fools".  For example we have a lady in our FB page that has been doing this for decades.  Root prunes occasionally too.  Hauls hundreds of pots into a greenhouse every winter.

[bigalxx15]

Thank you guys for the encouraging words. I am also growing Rollinia in a 45 gallon container, a Lisa Atemoya in a 45 gallon container, Gefner and Dream in 25 gallon containers, two Abiu's in 15 gallon containers, and various other Annonas, Citrus, White Sapote, Guavas, Ilamas, Figs, Custard Apples, and Mulberries. The Lisa, Gefner, Dream, and two Sugar Apples are all multi-grafted with 3 to 4 different varieties of Atemoyas and Cherimoyas.

[FlMikey]

Bigal - your tree's look great, and I saw your other post mentioning BWI in Homestead for Fafard.  I'll be picking up some Fafard 3 from them next week.  Are you mixing anything else into it (fertilizer?), or just planting your trees straight into it?

[bigalxx15]

FlMikey- I am using the Fafard 3B mix with a handful of Azomite and some worm castings.

[FlMikey]

I have room for 1 more compact tree to grow in a container.  I was thinking about Kesar.  Is this a good tree for container growing?

[bigalxx15]

FlMikey,
My Mahachanok was one of my favorite tasting mangoes last season. I think it's a great container mango, it  has good disease resistance and is a good producer. I would definitely recommend Mahachanok besides it's a nice looking mango.

[FlMikey]

Hey BigAl,

I was thinking about Mahachanok too.  Was it in the 45 gallon when it was fruiting?  How many did you get?

[Guanabanus]

I hear that 'Jumbo Kesar' is a more compact tree than the regular 'Kesar.'

[FlMikey]

That'd be great if the jumbo kesar was more compact.  I was watching a video last night of a farm full of kesars and jumbo kesars in the dominican republic, and the jumbo fruit size is really quite nice.

[mangokothiyan]

Kesar is a fairly vigorous tree, much more vigorous than Mahachanok, Cogshall and the like. 

[bigalxx15]

FlMikey,

I believe I got about 25 to 30 Mahachanok mangoes last year. It was in the 45 gallon container
at the time. After I harvest the fruit this year, I will be repotting the Mahachanok into a 65 gallon
container.

[FlMikey]

It's settled - will go for the Maha.  I think that's a pretty good haul for the Maha BigAl.  How old is your tree?

As a side note, I have a Honey Kiss and Pina Colada in 3 gallons, and am going to be transplanting to larger containers this weekend.  Is it too fast if I move them from a 3 gallon to 15 gallon container?  I will be using Fafard 3 as the medium.  I know it's usually recommended to go 3 -> 7 -> 15 ->25 etc, but wondering would I risk root rot going from 3 -> 15?

[Tropheus76]

OK, took you guys advice as well and picked up my go to nursery's last Mahachanok. Also got a Cotton Candy that I have been hunting for. If you are in Orlando area, Green Jungle still has CCs.

[Guanabanus]

Yes, 3-gallon mangos into 15-gallon is standard procedure in nurseries.

[bsbullie]

It's settled - will go for the Maha.  I think that's a pretty good haul for the Maha BigAl.  How old is your tree?

As a side note, I have a Honey Kiss and Pina Colada in 3 gallons, and am going to be transplanting to larger containers this weekend.  Is it too fast if I move them from a 3 gallon to 15 gallon container?  I will be using Fafard 3 as the medium.  I know it's usually recommended to go 3 -> 7 -> 15 ->25 etc, but wondering would I risk root rot going from 3 -> 15?

You should be fine from 3 to a 15 if the roots of the 3 are well developed  (not rootbound  but developed).  If the Honey Kiss is a new, small 3 gal, make sure the roots sre ready so the rootball doesn't fall apart when transplanting.

[FlMikey]

Thanks guys!  I have a 7 gal Pickering and wanted to get a 7 gallon maha tomorrow.  I was initially going to move those to a 15 gallon.  Could those go to a 25 or is that too much?

[Mark in Texas]

To those growing in containers I recommend a system that terminates the root tip which induces a very fibrous efficient root system in a pot half the normal size.  That system can be either a air/light system like the Rootmaker products or copper hydroxide paints like MicroKote.

[FlMikey]

Thanks for the reminder Mark.  I've got the Microkote ready   I'll be using black standard gro pro nursery containers.

[Mark in Texas]

Thanks for the reminder Mark.  I've got the Microkote ready   I'll be using black standard gro pro nursery containers.

Good luck with that.  Here's a home brew you can make.  http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=3239.0

I've got a huge, bottomless RootBuilder pot ready for a newly grafted cherimoya.

[FlMikey]

Thanks Mark.  I may try that homebrew next time.  I think I want to try the 7 -> 25, unless its a really bad idea.  But if I can go 3 -> 15, it makes proportional sense to me I can go 7 -> 25.