Sweet Tart Mango

[jc]

17 is a lot for a 7 gal, that's awesome. If that's the case my neighbor's should be loaded next year.     I have a couple more years before mine starts fruiting. One more strong flush and I can start tipping.

Based on the few MCs and the few SweetTarts I've had, I'd say that the SweetTart is much more intense -- sweeter and with a stronger 'cola syrup' flavor. Flesh is also firmer. You can leave the sweet tart out until it's totally wrinkled, yet it stays firm.

I've been very (very) pleased with production this year. I got 17 mangoes on a 7 gallon tree. I'm curious to see if it's a biennial producer -- I would be surprised if the sweet tart could maintain that level of production two years in a row. It produced so much fruit that the tree started to show signs of macro-nutrient deficiency on the leaves near the fruit.

[DurianLover]

I tried about 40 different mango cultivars this summer, looking for the best tree to plant in my backyard,  and Sweet Tart is currently #1 at the top of my list.

Didn't you say that Lemon Zest was your nr. 1 this year? Which one is better flavor wise in your opinion? I like other people commenting on disease resistance and production (besides flavor of course), so I'm getting one anyway..

[BrettBorders]

I tried about 40 different mango cultivars this summer, looking for the best tree to plant in my backyard,  and Sweet Tart is currently #1 at the top of my list.

Didn't you say that Lemon Zest was your nr. 1 this year? Which one is better flavor wise in your opinion? I like other people commenting on disease resistance and production (besides flavor of course), so I'm getting one anyway..

LZ *was* my number one mango of the season, but the Sweet Tart very recently stole the lead. I'm kind of surprised, but that is what my tastebuds are telling me. It's a very close race.

Here's how I think of the flavors:

A perfect Lemon Zest is absolutely delicious... it has more simple & mild - but one-of-a-kind flavors that don't really taste much like mango (to me). It has no kick, spice, resin, turpentine, sour, funkyness at all... just 'dessert' flavors... of candied lemon peel + orange sherbet. It is a beautiful mango -  a decent size, shapely curves - a good one looks so nice it's almost hard to take a knife to. When I eat a LZ I think "Wow, that is suave & sweet and citrusy.  A refined, 5-star piece of fruit, indeed! Let's have a moment of silence to appreciate its purity of taste." My BRAIN thinks that the LZ is a more classy, respectable, beautiful mango. But I wonder, if I ate them for a couple years.. would I get tired of that lemoney taste?

When I eat a good Sweet Tart, I think "OMG! That is just OUTRAGEOUS!" - and I get a bit excited and greedy.  It tastes like a super sweet "mango" as the base flavor... but with all this kinky weirdness --  cola syrup spiked with little nips of 'sour candy' flavors --- forming additional layers of the spectrum. It's more complex, more intense... and more "potent." Like good Thai food,  a tiny bite "bursts" with flavor all over your tounge. It has more dimensions that just the "sweet lemony suaveness" of the LZ.  And the flavor seem to change more as it ripens.  My tongue says "MORE! MORE! YUM! MORE! WANT!"

I'm thinking that the "freakier" taste of the ST might be more fulfilling over the long run, and has better production so I could share with friends + neighbors. But I may plant both!

[Cookie Monster]

I wonder if you had the early (May), off-flavored Lemon Zests from Walter Zill that mangomandan talked about. Lemon Zest is certainly not mild. It's an in-your-face, strongly flavored mango. JoeP actually described it as so intense that it might  cause an upset stomach :-) (http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=6398.msg86346#msg86346)

[DurianLover]

Thank you Brett, magnificent description! I'm sure you just sold a bunch of ST trees

[mangomandan]

Yes,  tantalizing descriptions!

And planting both sounds like a very good thing.   

[Droshi]

I'm running low on room too...but where can I buy this mango? Directly from Zill? Do they have a website? Maybe my lone star mango seedling needs a scion! Is it legal to propagate this variety?

[zands]

I'm running low on room too...but where can I buy this mango? Directly from Zill? Do they have a website? Maybe my lone star mango seedling needs a scion! Is it legal to propagate this variety?

Ask Plantogram and Pine Island nursery. Nether carry is but maybe they would get and ship to you. Plantogram is the better bet

[BestDay]

This sounds like another winner. When is this mangos season?

Bill

[BrettBorders]

I wonder if you had the early (May), off-flavored Lemon Zests from Walter Zill that mangomandan talked about. Lemon Zest is certainly not mild. (http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=6398.msg86346#msg86346)

The LZs I tried in June and August could not have been more delicious, flavorful or perfect.

I used the words "more... mild" only when doing a side-by-side comparison with the Sweet Tart...  which can hit the extremes of both sweetness and sourness.

----

Bill,

I have heard it tends to be more of a "mid to late" season mango...

[ClayMango]

Please Help me God,

Mango newb here. I have scoured the forums looking at  many reviews in the search for the top 5 mangoes that I'll attempt to grow here in SOCAL.

I thought i came up with a great top 5 list based on a lot of feedback (many of you are in this thread) consisting of LZ, CoCo Cream, Carrie, Malika, and Miha

After reading this thread...it appears i need to make room for Sweet Tart on my small property of a quarter acre...Looks like Miha is getting cut.

[mikesid]

Please Help me God,

Mango newb here. I have scoured the forums looking at  many reviews in the search for the top 5 mangoes that I'll attempt to grow here in SOCAL.

I thought i came up with a great top 5 list based on a lot of feedback (many of you are in this thread) consisting of LZ, CoCo Cream, Carrie, Malika, and Miha

After reading this thread...it appears i need to make room for Sweet Tart on my small property of a quarter acre...Looks like Miha is getting cut.

I've never heard of Miha? Maybe Maha Chanok? Anyway I would lose the Malika, and Miha...go for the Sweet Tart and Maha Chanok...

[zands]

Please Help me God,

Mango newb here. I have scoured the forums looking at  many reviews in the search for the top 5 mangoes that I'll attempt to grow here in SOCAL.

I thought i came up with a great top 5 list based on a lot of feedback (many of you are in this thread) consisting of LZ, CoCo Cream, Carrie, Malika, and Miha

After reading this thread...it appears i need to make room for Sweet Tart on my small property of a quarter acre...Looks like Miha is getting cut.

Manilla seems to be ye ol reliable in California. http://www.lavernenursery.com/subtropicals/mango.html I would consider it. A local California nursery (La Verne) propagates it. I think they propagate a few others that are California suited. Carrie is piney tasting which some don't like. I like it a lot

Miha ....you mean maha as in Maha Chanok?

[treefrog]

The Zinc/ZIC I got from TT, I thought were outstanding. Not much tart but a nice chalkyness about them. Aside from the sweetness. If Sweet Tart is an improved version of ZIC...then damn. Are the fruit sizes the same? The ZIC I bought were in the 500grams + range.

uhh. Does anyone know how to add some sort of a converter to this forum? I need ounces people! pounds!

BOOKMARK THIS:

http://www.convert-me.com/en/

it has all the basics -  length, weight, volume, plus extras like fuel economy, weight to volume, lots of other stuff!

[nullzero]

Please Help me God,

Mango newb here. I have scoured the forums looking at  many reviews in the search for the top 5 mangoes that I'll attempt to grow here in SOCAL.

I thought i came up with a great top 5 list based on a lot of feedback (many of you are in this thread) consisting of LZ, CoCo Cream, Carrie, Malika, and Miha

After reading this thread...it appears i need to make room for Sweet Tart on my small property of a quarter acre...Looks like Miha is getting cut.

A lot of the mango posts on these forums are regarding mangoes being grown in a more tropical humid climate. SoCal mango performance is totally different, opting for poly seedlings may be a good idea or getting a rootstock with manila mango. A lot of Florida mangoes are propagated on turpentine mango, which probably does not perform as well as manila rootstock.

[jc]

Keep the Mallika. It doesn't take up that much room. And the flavor and texture are phenomenal.

[ClayMango]

Sorry guys...Yeah I meant the Maha  Chanok.

Hmm now I've been hearing  a lot of stuff about grafting and rootstock and other things. I am complete newb at gardening, brand new homeowner without any experience in planting trees.... So this root stock and grafting is like Rocket science to me....So it seems I need to start watching a few videos for grafting.

So what I'm hearing is there is a chance I can graft these Florida trees onto a more cold hearty Mango such as the Manilla? Ou Climate is a little more different here in the valley compared to say San Diego which is paradise 70-80 degrees year round..... We get extremely hot Summers of around 90-100 which can last into fall. The Winters here seem a bit scary dipping to 32 a few days during the season....However in 2007 there was that 20 year freeze where it dropped to 22 degrees....But that seems to happen every Decade or so.

So with your suggestions... My top 5 has just become LZ, Sweet Tart, Coconut Cream, Carrie, and Malika.

[mangomandan]

The Coco Cream that I've tasted were not as richly flavored as some other top tier mangos.

I have not had the chance to taste Maha,  but it wouldn't hurt to get a bit more input before you ditch it.

Ideally, you would have the chance to taste all of these and others, grown in your conditions.   Life doesn't always provide those opportunities.

[zands]

Sorry guys...Yeah I meant the Maha  Chanok.

Hmm now I've been hearing  a lot of stuff about grafting and rootstock and other things. I am complete newb at gardening, brand new homeowner without any experience in planting trees.... So this root stock and grafting is like Rocket science to me....So it seems I need to start watching a few videos for grafting.

So what I'm hearing is there is a chance I can graft these Florida trees onto a more cold hearty Mango such as the Manilla? Ou Climate is a little more different here in the valley compared to say San Diego which is paradise 70-80 degrees year round..... We get extremely hot Summers of around 90-100 which can last into fall. The Winters here seem a bit scary dipping to 32 a few days during the season....However in 2007 there was that 20 year freeze where it dropped to 22 degrees....But that seems to happen every Decade or so.

So with your suggestions... My top 5 has just become LZ, Sweet Tart, Coconut Cream, Carrie, and Malika.

Your instincts are in the right place. You like mangoes so you want to have your own trees on your own property instead of begging at the supermarkets for inferior mangoes or trying to luck out at a farmers market and pay $2-3/lb for them. Grafting is difficult. I didn't have much success at it. Grafting onto an existing manilla mango tree (called top working) or others can take time to show results and if the graft fails then....

So probably best to buy and plant your five trees this spring and graft later. Watch the planting videos and read what others have said about planting mangoes in California clay soil

[marklee]

Finally got my first ripe "Sweet Tart" mango, I'll let it set for a day or two, it smells great. I'll give a report when I eat it.

[JF]

Finally got my first ripe "Sweet Tart" mango, I'll let it set for a day or two, it smells great. I'll give a report when I eat it.

Looks great Mark. Let it get yellow but firm you'll love it!

[simon_grow]

Mark, I can't wait for the taste report. BTW, did you hear about the new forum rule? If you own more than three different varieties of Mango, you are required to purchase a refractometer, lol!
Simon

[treefrog]

duplicate - delete

[marklee]

Mark, I can't wait for the taste report. BTW, did you hear about the new forum rule? If you own more than three different varieties of Mango, you are required to purchase a refractometer, lol!
Simon

Funny Simon, how about those with the refractometers are invited to test and taste for free.

[redhaus]

I can't wait for the taste report either

Congratulations on your first mango! Nice to see that it's fruiting after a year. Hope mine does the same.