Second pruning after initial pruning post fruiting....yay or nay

[fisherking73]

So pruned my Pickering after harvesting last fruit from it about a month ago or so. It has flushed since then. I am very much trying to maintain all my trees as small as realistically possible and maintain good fruiting. How would another pruning on an early season mango affect fruiting next year? Thoughts or more importantly does anyone else practice a double pruning and have a few years of experience to share results.

[sunworshiper]

I try to tip every growth flush after they harden off a bit to keep my trees small. I do that until about end of August. I aim for the tree to put out one last growth flush at the end of the growing season that I don't tip for best bloom. But  I've pruned as late as October though in years where I was traveling and couldn't keep up in summer. Didn't seem to impact fruiting at all - which I was actually surprised by. Branches that were pruned and hadn't flushed another growth flush before spring still bloomed. I had expected they wouldn't but pruned late anyhow so the trees stayed small enough to frost protect assuming I'd have to sacrifice some fruit to be able to protect the tree. So pruning now should be completely fine.

[bsbullie]

In a normal year, Pickering is not a true early season mango, harvest is usually starting in June and going into July.

[bsbullie]

I have actually veered away from all of the tip pruning.  Planted all, well most, of my trees in May 2017 as 3 gal and the current shape from their natural growth is every bit as good or better than a tip pruned tree and vranches have better natural strength.  Tree also grows a tad slower as the tipping forces flushes.

[fisherking73]

Correction....MY earliest season mango LOL true not an early season mango. And starting to see what we have chatted about I think. You letting them do their thing versus pruning. This Pickering flushed heavy after pruning. and I am sure it will flush again before going dormant and then the flush in spring with hopeful flowering. Seems like 3 growths unanswered. And I don't want to just tip, but rather a small pruning back.

[Guanabanus]

Automatic tipping all the time makes for excessive bushiness on most varieties.  Save that for the few rebelliously lanky ones.

[zands]

In a normal year, Pickering is not a true early season mango, harvest is usually starting in June and going into July.

You have no use for Carrie but it has been my earliest mango for two years in a row. Carrie should be called early but not very early. And my Carrie were diluted enough this year (spring rains) that you would have liked.

[FruitFreak]

I have actually veered away from all of the tip pruning.  Planted all, well most, of my trees in May 2017 as 3 gal and the current shape from their natural growth is every bit as good or better than a tip pruned tree and vranches have better natural strength.  Tree also grows a tad slower as the tipping forces flushes.

Very interesting Rob.  Please post some pics if you get a moment.

[FruitFreak]

Automatic tipping all the time makes for excessive bushiness on most varieties.  Save that for the few rebelliously lanky ones.

Would you say Maha is in this category?

[bsbullie]

Here are some pictures from about a month ago (I dont want to hear about the weeds in the tree rings...unless you would like to come over and help pull them 😉).

Cac


M4


Juicy Peach


Cotton Candy


LZ

[shinzo]

Nice trees. do the lateral buds break dormancy easily even if the apical dominance is not removed by tipping/pruning?

[FruitFreak]

Haha nice disclaimer about the weeds.  You don’t even want to see how bad mine are   Thanks for posting the pics and I definitely see what you mean.  I just skipped a tipping flush and many of my trees look similar to yours but I’m debating giving them a quick tip?  Have to love the growth habit of Juicy Peach - so beautiful.  Do you have a Maha?  If so, what is your prune strategy as it seems to be a tough one.

[kc_moses]

I too have a Maha and its behavior is not the same compare to my NDM.

[bsbullie]

Sorry, no Mahachanok.   Did not make the cut...  lol