Author Topic: Need a recommendation for a mango in Southern California  (Read 7272 times)

SocalKoop

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Need a recommendation for a mango in Southern California
« on: January 07, 2015, 06:16:30 PM »
I'm looking to get my first mango tree and need a recommendation from our California members.  I'm in South Orange County, 4 miles from ocean, in zone 9B/10A.  I'd like to plant in the ground in a 4 ft strip of lawn between my driveway and the neighbor's, so probably need something that will not be too invasive as far as roots growth.  So moderate to Condo size that can deal with being in the ground with typical annual lows of about 35-40 degrees  (not afraid of using Christmas light to stretch the boundaries a little). What's recommended?  Taste trumps beauty in my book and I like a bit or tartness to balance out sweet when possible, but I'm simply not that familiar with mangos...
"Failing to prepare is preparing for failure." -Benjamin Franklin

Osito

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Re: Need a recommendation for a mango in Southern California
« Reply #1 on: January 07, 2015, 06:39:51 PM »
Well....I think you're going to get a lot of lemon zest responses on this one. Haha

I have a Keitt which I have been told is rather cold tolerant and I really like the giant sized not sickly sweet fruit on them. I didn't turn on the lights from last year at all and it has no damage from last weeks cold snap. The tree can be kinda lanky but you can just tip it all the time. Mine is too young to know from experience but they are supposed to be heavy barers.

mangomaniac2

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Re: Need a recommendation for a mango in Southern California
« Reply #2 on: January 07, 2015, 06:46:50 PM »
Mango trees in general have smaller non-invasive roots, so I would recommend getting a more vigorous grower as you can. More vigorous are generally more hardy as well.
A couple excellent varieties I would recommend are Sweet Tart, and lemon Zest. Both are top quality flavor, vigorous, and productive. A couple more common varieties around California would be Valencia Pride and Nam Doc Mai.
For winter, just use christmas lights and frost cover with temps under 38 or so, otherwise they are very easy to grow. If you have ever grown citrus, mango is quite similar to take care of as far as food as watering.
I always recommend you start with 7 gal or greater tree because younger mangos can be difficult to get started. 7 gal trees produce sooner and give you a much greater chance at success over anything smaller and younger.
Just remember to keep very good drainage soil and reduce the salts in the fertilizers you use. Apply iron chelate applications throughout the year. The rest will take care of itself.

mangomaniac2

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Re: Need a recommendation for a mango in Southern California
« Reply #3 on: January 07, 2015, 06:49:35 PM »
Top tropicals online is good source for 7 gal trees. Smaller 3 gal can be really small, but the 7 gal are always good enough size to be happy with. Of course if you can find local source for some of zill varieties in california then that would be better, but likely much more expensive.

SocalKoop

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Re: Need a recommendation for a mango in Southern California
« Reply #4 on: January 07, 2015, 07:01:30 PM »
Thanks Osito, I appreciate the recommendation!  Keitt's not really on my radar, although there is probably a darn good reason for it being so popular in California.  But with the limited space of my tiny suburban lot I'd rather try growing something I can't find in the stores. 

Thanks MangoManiac (the 2nd)! I appreciate the recommendation of varieties and care.  Going to be a learning process for me. I like the name "sweettart"! Does it live up to that? :)
"Failing to prepare is preparing for failure." -Benjamin Franklin

mangomaniac2

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Re: Need a recommendation for a mango in Southern California
« Reply #5 on: January 07, 2015, 08:07:25 PM »
Sweet tart is complex, very sweet with a nice addictive tart zing

RodneyS

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Re: Need a recommendation for a mango in Southern California
« Reply #6 on: January 07, 2015, 10:26:05 PM »
Pickering

mangomaniac2

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Re: Need a recommendation for a mango in Southern California
« Reply #7 on: January 07, 2015, 11:27:05 PM »
I would second the pickering. That is a must for everyone since that one does so well in a container and so productive.

rliou

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Re: Need a recommendation for a mango in Southern California
« Reply #8 on: January 08, 2015, 10:22:35 AM »
Irwin produce well in my yard in cerritos and it is a smaller tree.  But if a tart flavor is what u are after u should try sweet tart or lemon zest
Robert

simon_grow

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Re: Need a recommendation for a mango in Southern California
« Reply #9 on: January 08, 2015, 02:54:49 PM »
I agree with mangomaniac2, I wouldn't worry about getting a compact tree in fact, I would recommend getting a vigorous one. Leo Manuel has a Kent that's been in the ground for many years, I think around 8 years, maybe more and it's only about four feet tall with low growing habit because he let it fruit hold fruit every year. It's the seedlings you have to watch for over vigorous growth.

The Keitts ripen extremely late and without the heat in winter time, the almost two pound Keitt Leo gave me didn't fully ripen even after about two weeks on the counter. I should have waited longer but it felt slightly soft so I cut into it and it was still a bit crunchy.

I would recommend Lemon Zest based on vigor of tree and Absolutely excellent fruit, my favorite so far. Let us know what you decide on.

Simon

zands

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Re: Need a recommendation for a mango in Southern California
« Reply #10 on: January 08, 2015, 03:13:45 PM »
Will thievery be a possible problem? If so don't get a mango that will put out beautiful reds and be large. Many of the best tasting mangoes are green on the tree and the leaves kind of hide and obscure them. These green mangoes turn yellow for a few days then are ripe.

Large and red and colorful are what mango rustlers are attracted to.
Also mangoes are ripe in different months. What is your ideal month to eat them? When it is really hot outside? There is lots more data on internet on when variety X is ripe in Florida than when it is ripe in California. You will find some of it here in an archives search since many California guys have made comments on this

greenman62

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Re: Need a recommendation for a mango in Southern California
« Reply #11 on: January 08, 2015, 03:49:56 PM »
i am in New Orleans (zone 9b)
and even though its rare for it to get below freezing
2-3 times a year, it was 27F this morning.
some years it never freezes, but, sometimes we get one like today.
I am in the same boat.
i want to buy 2-3 mango trees really bad
but, i am worried that even if i keep it alive
2u8F would kill all the flowers or small fruit.

Someone told me to get a Chok Anon since it flowers twice a year
bypassing that problem. ???
Someone else told me to get a Glenn since it is a strong tree
and would come back if damaged.

I have a Florigon in a container about 3ft tall
i may put it in the ground in the spring
and see how it does next winter before buying some large trees.


zands

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Re: Need a recommendation for a mango in Southern California
« Reply #12 on: January 09, 2015, 07:09:45 AM »
i am in New Orleans (zone 9b)
and even though its rare for it to get below freezing
2-3 times a year, it was 27F this morning.
some years it never freezes, but, sometimes we get one like today.
I am in the same boat.
i want to buy 2-3 mango trees really bad
but, i am worried that even if i keep it alive
2u8F would kill all the flowers or small fruit.

Someone told me to get a Chok Anon since it flowers twice a year
bypassing that problem. ???
Someone else told me to get a Glenn since it is a strong tree
and would come back if damaged.

I have a Florigon in a container about 3ft tall
i may put it in the ground in the spring
and see how it does next winter before buying some large trees.

It rarely freezes here but in 2010 it got down to 27 degrees at my house. I was outside at 7AM with a thermometer..... and a scraper to get ice off my car windshield. I had three mango trees planted in 2008 that survived with zero damage. My only damage was to a banana stalk that got destroyed but underground it survived to come back.

So........ possibly keep your mango trees in pots/ Move them to larger pots. Then plant when they get larger. Larger will survive low temps better. Mango trees are very tough. If you can protect the main trunk with light bulbs, blankets, mulch etc etc...... The tree can grow back from it. Some here use Christmas lights to keep leaves warm.

Get a cardboard box that a refrigerator or washing machine comes in. Reinforce it with some wood. This can protect a young mango tree. And do it better with a few light bulbs inside

« Last Edit: January 09, 2015, 07:14:37 AM by zands »

MangoFang

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Re: Need a recommendation for a mango in Southern California
« Reply #13 on: January 09, 2015, 01:46:36 PM »
SoKalCoop - another reason to get a VIGOROUS tree (Lemon Zest, Valencia Pride, Alphonso)
is the faster it gets big, the more built-in protection it will build up against a frost that would kill a smaller
tree.  I believe that the canopy of a larger tree would protect the lower branches from freezing/dying
in a hard frost that would penetrate a smaller tree right to its trunk and put it down.....

Greenman - remember to try and plant your mango trees is some kind of a protected location, probably
on the south side of the house and near the house.  It's amazing the microclimates that there are in
every yard.  And Frostcloth is amazing stuff.  Without any additional heat, all my mangoes, even the
smaller ones, handled 2 nights of 28.8 just a week or so ago, and I never even pulled the fabric all the way to the ground.  Yes, so some of the leaves touching the cloth and got singed but that's no big deal....Plus, I don't think your mangoes would be fruiting or flowering in the coldest part of winter.  I'm just guessing that your mango flowers would spring out sometime late in February, like mine do in my 9B zone, especially if they get in the ground and out of the pots.....


Gary

SocalKoop

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Re: Need a recommendation for a mango in Southern California
« Reply #14 on: January 12, 2015, 05:47:34 PM »
Thanks all for the great recommendations and advise!   I've put my self on the waiting list at TT for a Sweet Tart to put in that space....  and decided to also look for a Pickering to keep in a container in the back.   Does anyone know a good source for buying Zill varieties out here in Southern California?  I looked at Papaya Tree but their list doesn't contain either...
"Failing to prepare is preparing for failure." -Benjamin Franklin

rliou

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Re: Need a recommendation for a mango in Southern California
« Reply #15 on: January 12, 2015, 06:07:32 PM »
Sometimes champa nursery in el monte would carry them.  U might be able to call them up and have them order a specific variety with their next shipment.  They were selling some coconut cream backiin september
Robert

SocalKoop

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Re: Need a recommendation for a mango in Southern California
« Reply #16 on: January 12, 2015, 06:48:21 PM »
Thanks for the recommendation Robert,  I'll contact them.
"Failing to prepare is preparing for failure." -Benjamin Franklin

mangomandan

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Re: Need a recommendation for a mango in Southern California
« Reply #17 on: January 13, 2015, 01:49:11 PM »
Mangos are so overrated. Have you considered a nice naval orange?

 ;D

mangomaniac2

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Re: Need a recommendation for a mango in Southern California
« Reply #18 on: January 13, 2015, 02:38:24 PM »
Thanks all for the great recommendations and advise!   I've put my self on the waiting list at TT for a Sweet Tart to put in that space....  and decided to also look for a Pickering to keep in a container in the back.   Does anyone know a good source for buying Zill varieties out here in Southern California?  I looked at Papaya Tree but their list doesn't contain either...
Pickering is really slow grower because of how productive the tree is, and they are so yummy I am reluctant to thin in order to eat as many as possible. You definitely want to get a bigger one of those to start with.
If you ever get to Phoenix I am friends with the person who supplies most of zill varieties to local southern california nurseries. They have sizes ranging from 3 gal all the way up to 25, for prices cheaper than citrus trees. They restock their supply on valentines day and early september. It's really like christmas morning as a kid when they restock, because there are so many and all so big bushy I want to buy them all. A special trip to phoenix at that time would be very worth while as you can never buy those size zill trees in california. He keeps those to sell himself here in phoenix. They also have papaya trees the size of telephone poles, as well as other varieties of tropical fruit.

MangoFang

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Re: Need a recommendation for a mango in Southern California
« Reply #19 on: January 13, 2015, 05:33:09 PM »
Hey Danny Boy - them's FIGHTIN' Words!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 >:(


Gary