The Tropical Fruit Forum
Tropical Fruit => Tropical Fruit Discussion => Topic started by: Mango Maniac on September 14, 2015, 04:35:23 PM
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I started out tipping my Valencia Pride mango tree. I had planted it 2 years ago and it was getting too tall. So I took more drastic measures, see picture. Will it recover?
(http://s18.postimg.cc/4g3utoq6d/IMG_4796c.jpg) (http://postimg.cc/image/4g3utoq6d/)
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Yes.
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It may recover however it is not going to change the fact you are dealing with the largest, most vigorous mango variety. Unless you plan on doing this on a regular basis, which will prevent fruiting, you will either havento deal with the large size of a VP or remove it and plant a variety that is smaller, less vigorous and easier to maintain.
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I have a VP by my driveway that has been in the ground for about 6 years now. It grows incredibly quickly (and vertically - it's very leggy), and seems impervious to even the most brutal pruning. I'm afraid that, as bsbullie mentions, my attempts to keep the tree a manageable size are preventing it from fruiting well. I've only gotten one decent crop from it. In retrospect I wish I had picked a more reasonable varietal - at the time of planting it was hard to imagine it would get so big, so fast.
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My Monster tree in Hollywood, I had never done anything to it, and has taken up a big portion of the back yard, my guess its about 40-45 ft tall. last year I on one of my trips there I was going to try and rejuvenate , ( cut it down to a 6 ft high just leave a few of the main trunks and branches. that attempt was a disaster, I only managed to cut some of the outer branches. only being in town for a week or so, it was just too much work. some day will have to get some pro tree people to do the job, but will be expensive.
But the good news was that this year the tree responded by putting out tons of fruit. they were really good too. the size of the tree is not a problem other than, it is just a pain to reach any fruit from the upper parts.
The tree also seems to alternate, some years it does nothing, I suspect its because no pruning is done.
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Does weighing down the branches or otherwise forcing them to grow in a more lateral direction help shape trees like this?
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I started out tipping my Valencia Pride mango tree. I had planted it 2 years ago and it was getting too tall. So I took more drastic measures, see picture. Will it recover?
(http://s18.postimg.cc/4g3utoq6d/IMG_4796c.jpg) (http://postimg.cc/image/4g3utoq6d/)
I'm sure it will survive, but it will have a bunch of new branches all at the same level and easily break -- the crown. A good cut should by below the crown where each leaf has a distance separation from the next one, and so the future new branches.
Sapote
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Does weighing down the branches or otherwise forcing them to grow in a more lateral direction help shape trees like this?
Ultimately not really. Its just a super vigorous, large tree.
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I started out tipping my Valencia Pride mango tree. I had planted it 2 years ago and it was getting too tall. So I took more drastic measures, see picture. Will it recover?
(http://s18.postimg.cc/4g3utoq6d/IMG_4796c.jpg) (http://postimg.cc/image/4g3utoq6d/)
I'm sure it will survive, but it will have a bunch of new branches all at the same level and easily break -- the crown. A good cut should by below the crown where each leaf has a distance separation from the next one, and so the future new branches.
Sapote
?? ???
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The Valencia Pride will be fine. However, it will quickly get big again. Have you considered topworking it with a less vigorous variety next spring?
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The Valencia Pride will be fine. However, it will quickly get big again. Have you considered topworking it with a less vigorous variety next spring?
Great idea.
As said before, it will recover but in a year time you may have to do it again. This variety may not suit your needs, so it might be wise to considering changing it.
I have a VP in my front yard that i planted from a 3 gal in early 2014 its already 7ftx7ft with no fertilizer. I planted it in an area with ample room to grow. I'm using it as a distraction mango for friends, family and thieves.
Hope everything works out for you.
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I went to a pruning class with one of my fruit clubs to the Fairchild farm and I had Richard Campbell show us his VP. It was about 12 feet tall and SUPER lanky. I can be kept reasonable but it isn't really worth it with all of the excellent cultivars out there. I can't imagine the fruit set was all that great on it but all he needs to do is grow enough for the Mango Festival each year. I wish I would have asked how much fruit he got of it and snapped a picture. He is also working with ZERO nitrogen fertilizer and flowers and "weeds" growing around the base sucking up even more nitrogen. He is also on limestone there. You could try to keep on top of it and alternate removing the large scaffolding branches each year for a reboot but you really have to stay on top of this one. It would be a fun experiment if you are into it. I would like to see updates. :)
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I do have room for my VP to grow, however I did not like that it's scaffolding branches started at 5-6 feet. If it survives I will try tipping the new growth to try to get some lateral growth before I get too much height. I'm also going to do this to my newly planted Kent mango. I will keep you posted and photos if I make progress.
(http://s13.postimg.cc/m1cupkjf7/Kent_mango.jpg) (http://postimg.cc/image/m1cupkjf7/)
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Mine is a VP seedling, I trim it each year. Here is this years result, currently 16-18 feet high.
(http://s24.postimg.cc/dd7urfmch/image.jpg) (http://postimg.cc/image/dd7urfmch/)
(http://s24.postimg.cc/x5a0qpxwh/image.jpg) (http://postimg.cc/image/x5a0qpxwh/)
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How has the fruit production been with all your pruning?
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I do have room for my VP to grow, however I did not like that it's scaffolding branches started at 5-6 feet. If it survives I will try tipping the new growth to try to get some lateral growth before I get too much height. I'm also going to do this to my newly planted Kent mango. I will keep you posted and photos if I make progress.
(http://s13.postimg.cc/m1cupkjf7/Kent_mango.jpg) (http://postimg.cc/image/m1cupkjf7/)
The thing is you are dealing with a VP, not a smaller compact tree.
People seem to foirget or not pay attention (not directed at you, just making a general statement)...lower brancing is good BUT, and a large BUT, mangoes need to have good airflow, especially under the tree. To allow for the airflow and prevent mangoes from dragging on or just above the ground, you will ultimately want about 4+ feet of clearance between the first branches and the ground.
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How has the fruit production been with all your pruning?
I had about 12 to 16 all on the lower third of the tree, three years ago I shocked the tree when I cut back to about here. The only reason this tree is alive is that it is late, I have one last mango ripening now.
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Lucky for us in California that we don't have this huge tree issue. When I selected a variety I wanted vigorous growth habit beside other things.
Sapote
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Thats intersting. Can you describe the fruit quality? Is the fruit worth propagating more trees? Another late season mango could be a good thing. Im sure several people on this forum would be interested in another quality late season mango.
How has the fruit production been with all your pruning?
I had about 12 to 16 all on the lower third of the tree, three years ago I shocked the tree when I cut back to about here. The only reason this tree is alive is that it is late, I have one last mango ripening now.
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That VP seedling would need to be observed for many years for consistent quaoity and fruiting season before i would consider grafting it. It is a very young tree, and a seedling of a variety that is known to be slightly later in reaching a marure age than most varieties.
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Fair enough. But I'm still interested in the quality of the fruit so far.
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I like VP more than Nam doc mai. Here's mine last year. This year was disappointing. It has grown about 2 feet since.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v413/jerrygarciamd/IMG_5115_zps4c7c07b9.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jerrygarciamd/media/IMG_5115_zps4c7c07b9.jpg.html)
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I like VP more than Nam doc mai. Here's mine last year. This year was disappointing. It has grown about 2 feet since.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v413/jerrygarciamd/IMG_5115_zps4c7c07b9.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jerrygarciamd/media/IMG_5115_zps4c7c07b9.jpg.html)
You have posted photos of that great looking tree by the water before. Whatever you missed in yield this year will (as you know) give you a growth spurt so a larger platform for fruiting next year. I have an NDM that punked out on me this season and has since grown tremendously.
Mango trees are going to do what they like
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Glad you remember my post. I can't wait for next year.
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That is the starting shape I'm shooting for jegpg1. Great looking VP any newer photos of its progress?
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I like VP more than Nam doc mai. Here's mine last year. This year was disappointing. It has grown about 2 feet since.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v413/jerrygarciamd/IMG_5115_zps4c7c07b9.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jerrygarciamd/media/IMG_5115_zps4c7c07b9.jpg.html)
That is also the shape I'm shooting for my trees. The fruit is low to the ground in the picture but I assume the fruitful wood will gradually move up as the tree matures. I would love to see an updated picture of me his tree. Thanks for sharing!
Simon
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I like VP more than Nam doc mai. Here's mine last year. This year was disappointing. It has grown about 2 feet since.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v413/jerrygarciamd/IMG_5115_zps4c7c07b9.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/jerrygarciamd/media/IMG_5115_zps4c7c07b9.jpg.html)
That is also the shape I'm shooting for my trees. The fruit is low to the ground in the picture but I assume the fruitful wood will gradually move up as the tree matures. I would love to see an updated picture of me his tree. Thanks for sharing!
Simon
Here in SoCal it is tougher to shape the tree this way.especially if it's on turpentine. This why I graft high tip and shape the tree for a year and on the second year let it fruit .
(http://s30.postimg.cc/aor98j45p/image.jpg) (http://postimg.cc/image/aor98j45p/)
(http://s30.postimg.cc/4mjmi1fpp/image.jpg) (http://postimg.cc/image/4mjmi1fpp/)
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The tree has grown a couple of feet high all around. It is fuller and vigorous. To get this growth, prune the leading branch (this happened quite naturally with mine when a wood boring worm infested the leading trunk and killed it), let three or four side branches grow and make sure they are nicely spread apart. The OP pugged the leading trunk too low, IMO. The main trunk on mine is a good three to four foot high but the side branches are lower than two feet above the ground. I think the OP's tree will have side branches too close to the ground as it grows giving a ball-like tree eventually. I will post a new picture next fruiting season, hopefully when it is loaded with fruits. I merely got 3 fruits this year, lots of leaves and branchlets that I thinned some out.
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Latest growth on the Valencia Pride mango.
(http://s8.postimg.cc/vj1yctng1/Valencia_Pride_progress_jan_2016.jpg) (http://postimg.cc/image/vj1yctng1/)
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(https://s15.postimg.cc/kk0vf0acn/IMG_0338.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/kk0vf0acn/)
Updated photo of my Valencia Pride. With the exception of Irma knocking it over last year during the storm, it has recoverd wonderfully and has fruited again this year. It had over a dozen fruit last year too.
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Great looking tree!! Have you tasted one yet...my mangoes have been washed out in flavor due to having about 40 inches of rain since May Lol...
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They are not quite ripe yet. My NDM mango has been great and my Kent mango a bit washed out from the rain.
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Three and a half years after drastic prune. It's thriving!!!
(https://i.postimg.cc/GTjhNnD8/IMG-0846.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/GTjhNnD8)