Basic mango fertilizer numbers?

[EddieF]

Hi all.  There's large fertilizer co. close to me that has pretty much everything.
I'd like to get fert with little or no N for my 20yr old tree & N to mix with it for my soon to buy new trees.
What's a good general  P, K percent and what micros & their levels as well?
Doing it this way would give me great control.
Thanks in advance,
Ed

[Mike T]

I would question with-holding N to that extent as it plays and role in fruit development and has a short life in the soil. 10 : 3 :10 with micros and depending on your soil and some dolomite for Mg and Ca would do.

[bsbullie]

For new plantings, you will want to use a fert with nitrogen.  If planting 3 gal, you would use for a few years or so.  Look for something like 8-3-9 or 8-2-12.  Make sure they gave a good minor element package

For the older, established tree,  look for so wthing in the range of 0-3-16 also with a good minor package. 

The minor element package is very important on the fertilizers.

[EddieF]

Ok so roughly 4x more K then P for established trees, and almost equal N & K for young sound good?
Minors there's many, any i should be sure it has plenty of?  I have chelated iron & cr90 sulfur. 
Spread some sulfur over whole new area cause ph was possibly 7.5 home testing with pool test strips & water.

Ed

[spaugh]

Jacks 15-5-15 with minors is a decent salt fertilizer.  Just go easy on it.  A little goes a long way.  Mulch and manures are good as well.   You can always add sul-po-mag to up the K. 

[bsbullie]

Jacks 15-5-15 with minors is a decent salt fertilizer.  Just go easy on it.  A little goes a long way.  Mulch and manures are good as well.   You can always add sul-po-mag to up the K.

In Florida, I would stick to fertilizers that have been made and formulated for our lovely sandy soil makeup.

[spaugh]

What kind of fertilizer is made for sandy soil? 

[bsbullie]

What kind of fertilizer is made for sandy soil?

There are certain formulations (NPK with their minor packages) created specifically for mangoes to be used with the makeup of our soils (and can be used with other fruit trees).  ZHPP has created one, Excalibur has created one and Har has, to name a few. 

[Mike T]

On sandy soils slow release is more important and specific micros will be lacking. The N will last weeks and P and K months in the soil. The with-holding of N is more in the lead up to flowering to ensure the tree doesn't flush in preference to flowering. When fruit sets the regular N rich fertiliser is good.

[spaugh]

What kind of fertilizer is made for sandy soil?

There are certain formulations (NPK with their minor packages) created specifically for mangoes to be used with the makeup of our soils (and can be used with other fruit trees).  ZHPP has created one, Excalibur has created one and Har has, to name a few.

Yes but whats in it thats specific to sandy soil?  Is it irganic or slow release coated pellets?  If its a water soluable salt theres nothing special about it compared to any other salt based fertilizers. 

I would be interesed in seeing the ingredient label for Hars or Zills fertilizer just to get an idea what you guys in FL are using fo mangos.

[EddieF]

i've heard & read no N needed for old, large, already grow too quick mango trees.  True?
Sir Har's mix would be great to see.

I use this on bananas with very good results.  How's it look for young mango?

[Mike T]

https://www.horticulture.com.au/globalassets/hort-innovation/resource-assets/mg15006-understanding-crop-nutrition-mango.pdf

Here I will scratch up something really basic with N and mangoes and soil type. Of course specific micros are lacking in each soil type as well.

[Mike T]

Look at figure 4 for N application program for mature mango trees for maximum fruit production. N is perhaps the most important nutrient for mango production in mature trees.It is all in he timing.

[Orkine]

Treasure Coast Rare Fruit Club had this to say.


https://treasurecoastrarefruitclub.com/mango-fertilizer-routine/

https://treasurecoastrarefruitclub.com/fertilize-mangos/

I found this helpful, generalized, but you get the jist.

[EddieF]

Orkine, 0-0-50 i have because of that article.
I mixed it with the fert i pictured before all this rain & sprinkled around my old (and only) mango tree.
Maybe 1 cup total which isn't much for 12" trunk because i didn't want the N.  Grows too fast as-is.

[saltyreefer]

Now I feel irresponsible lol
I hardly ever fertilize my mango's and they look amazing and productive. 

[Mike T]

All this jacking up the P and K that high and totally denying N is controversial stuff and doesn't jive with conventional wisdom.

[Orkine]

The old link broke, this works

https://treasurecoastrarefruitclub.wordpress.com/mango-fertilizer-routine/