Container Growing Dwarf Mango's

[FlMikey]

Thanks Rob.  So I'll go with:
1.  Pickering
2.  Honey Kiss
3.  Pina Colada
4.  Fairchild

Thanks for everyone's help!

[hcbeck2689]

I currently have my mango tree in a 15 gallon pot, what is the next size to move up to?

Follow the 4" rule and you should be fine. That would mean not increasing the diameter more than 8" (4" each direction) and the depth by 4". You might not want to jump that much though and only go to a 20-25 gallon.

[Tropheus76]

My Pickering in a 20gal rootmaker pot is blooming like crazy again, and it still has three golfball sized mangos from a little earlier in the season developing. Nice and pinkish purple. Its currently my best performer out of the 4 I have, but it had an unfair advantage of not getting raided by deer or those damn weevils that destroyed the tree or all the blooms(in that order). I hear Pickerings aren't the best tasting compared to some others, but the taste is very subjective, but it seems to be a good all round general grower and producer that the weevils that attacked mine simply ignored.

[Charlie23]

My Pickering in a 20gal rootmaker pot is blooming like crazy again, and it still has three golfball sized mangos from a little earlier in the season developing. Nice and pinkish purple. Its currently my best performer out of the 4 I have, but it had an unfair advantage of not getting raided by deer or those damn weevils that destroyed the tree or all the blooms(in that order). I hear Pickerings aren't the best tasting compared to some others, but the taste is very subjective, but it seems to be a good all round general grower and producer that the weevils that attacked mine simply ignored.

so how you like the taste of your pickering then?

[Tropheus76]

If they make it to ripening I will let you know. This is its second year. It fruited its first year but dropped everything at BB size.

[FruitFreak]

Pickering pushing buds in 60gal fabric pot.

You sure thats a 60 gal?

I'm actually not sure and it looks a lot smaller in the picture.  It may be 60 divided by 2

[Charlie23]

Pickering pushing buds in 60gal fabric pot.

You sure thats a 60 gal?

I'm actually not sure and it looks a lot smaller in the picture.  It may be 60 divided by 2

more like 15 gallon, 25 the most.

[bsbullie]

Pickering pushing buds in 60gal fabric pot.

You sure thats a 60 gal?

I'm actually not sure and it looks a lot smaller in the picture.  It may be 60 divided by 2

more like 15 gallon, 25 the most.

Based on the tree size, I am in agreement with that.

[GrassFlats]

Pickering is a very good tasting mango....it's a good producer as well

[FruitFreak]

Pickering pushing buds in 60gal fabric pot.

You sure thats a 60 gal?

I'm actually not sure and it looks a lot smaller in the picture.  It may be 60 divided by 2

more like 15 gallon, 25 the most.

Based on the tree size, I am in agreement with that.

Ok guys.  The picture is really decieving.  I just pulled the measurements and it was 18" high x 27" dia.  I then went to the gro-pro website and looked up the spec sheet.  Ladies and gentlemen I stand corrected as it is a 45.

[bsbullie]

Its 9" wider than it is tall?

[FruitFreak]

Its 9" wider than it is tall?

It sure doesn't look it by the picture but yes. I was standing on a five gallon bucket angled down and wanted to capture the whole tree in the frame.

[Mark in Texas]

Pickering is a very good tasting mango....it's a good producer as well

Yep!  Kudos to whomever developed it.  Mine was a reliable heavy producer of great tasting fruit.

[JoeP450]

Flmikey,

My recommendation is to sample and taste the mango yourself before deciding to grow it. Case in point I really love the taste of the ice cream mango. Last year I had my neighbors over for a small tasting some mangos coco cream, lemon zest, mallika, carrie, VP ect and the most liked mango was ice cream, not kidding last year the ice cream mangos were exceptional from truly tropical, so much I ripped out my 15ft fruiting Bangkok lemon jackfruit, to plant a 3 gallon ice cream in a premium spot in my lawn. Here is a bad pic of it it loaded in blooms a month ago, indeed a small compact grower. Have heard from multiple sources the ice cream has anthracnose issues which affects productivity, but from my personal samplings the unique creamy consistency of the flesh with its minty lemon resin flavor make it well worth growing.  Pickering not a bad choice to grow, for consistent mango sustinance but would love to hear from others on here if they had to eat a prime ice cream mango or a prime Pickering mango what you gonna pick?



-joep450

[bsbullie]

Ice Cream mango is also prone to scab, on the foliage and fruit.

Pickering vs Ice Cream....quite simple, PICKERING. 

With that being said, and we can all make fun of someone, criticize them or make endless jokes when they say the like variety x (Carrie comes to mind) however bottom line tastes are subjective and one must grow and choose what they like.

Oh, and just for shits and giggles, I would choose a Bangkok Lemon jackfruit over an Ice Cream mango 24/7/365...

[TnTrobbie]

I personally like Ice Cream mango. In the 3-4 seasons I've been able to get fruit from my tree, it was a treat to eat them amongst the other cvs I have and fruit I've bought. I've had no issues with scab and Ice Cream in my yard- the same can't be said for some other seedlings I have. The problem though is production. The trend seems to be in the first season bloom it sets allot of golf ball sized fruit, then they get all aborted when the second bloom comes in which does not set any fruit at all. It's truly a connoisseur's mango. I'd say its more compact than Pickering. If the OP has an opportunity to, try Imam Pasand mango. It is one of thee slowest growing trees in my yard. Barely two growth flushes a year, takes well to tipping, though it can be lanky- which can be offset somewhat by buying a nice structured 3 gal plant. I've had 3 seasons of production from it and it's barely 5' 5" tall. I have no doubt it would do well in a 45-60 gal pot.

[Mark in Texas]

Try them before you select the cultivar?  You must be kidding.  Try getting Florida Zill mangos in Texas!   

[bigalxx15]

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.

[FlMikey]

Thanks for all the replies and pics

It seems like all these varieties have their pro's and con's.  JoeP, I consider myself a mango lover, but maybe not a connoisseur haha!

I went to the nursery to check out the tree's, and I noticed what looks like a little bit of Anthracnose on the upper part of the tree trunk for the Fairchild (3 gal) and Pickering (7 gal).  I asked the nursery employee (different one than the one that said I can just transplant the 3g into 65g), about it, and he said that it was normal.  Also, that if I'm concerned about it, I probably shouldn't be growing mango tree's.  He said they don't spray, so that's why it's there, and that the tree's all come from Zills.  I didn't see any Anthracnose on the Honey Kiss (3gal) or Pina Colada (3gal).  Other than the little bit of Anthracnose I saw, I was really pleased with the size of all the tree's and overall health.  Should I not buy the tree's where I noticed the Anthracnose, or is it normal for them to have it?  I have seen Pickering and Fairchild without Anthracnose at a different nursery, but they were smaller.

[Guanabanus]

Obviously, without anthracnose is better than with--- and breathing air without dust is better than with.   The commonness is about the same.

[FlMikey]

Agreed - I don't feel like dealing with an Anthracnose problem day 1.

[Charlie23]

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.

nice trees.  If you're in FL, why not put them in the ground?  Not like you can move them now if there's any freeze in the winter....

[FlMikey]

Is the Fafard professional potting mix good for mango container growing?  It's the only one I found locally at a nursery.  http://fafard.com/products/?id=166

Or I also have miracle gro moisture control available too.

Which would be better?

[hcbeck2689]

I have hear good things about fafard. I wouldn't get anything moisture control for mangos. I usually fight rot more than retention.

[bigalxx15]

All my mangoes in containers are growing in Fafard soil.