Author Topic: Latest pruning for Mango trees without detriment to flowering?  (Read 4066 times)

fisherking73

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What the latest you have pruned and still had good fruit set?  Scenario is I am trying to keep/maintain 2 mango trees (PPK and Coco Cream) somewhere in the 10-15ft range. I have pruned twice already, getting good outward growth vs vertical.  Just curious as to what is the recommended latest time to prune.  I was advised Septemberish for last fertilizing before flowering, can I sneak in one more pruning now? 

Broman

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Re: Latest pruning for Mango trees without detriment to flowering?
« Reply #1 on: August 09, 2015, 10:15:31 AM »
That's a great question I will be interested to see what others say!!

bsbullie

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Re: Latest pruning for Mango trees without detriment to flowering?
« Reply #2 on: August 09, 2015, 10:26:57 AM »
Pruning should be done after last of fruit is hsrvested.  If you w a nt the tree to fruit next year, you are getting to the piint of it almost being too late to prune.  Probldm is, for the most part, you want the tree you have pruned to be a ble to push a new flush snd hsve the flush mature snd harden fully prior to the tred gojng into its dormant stage so it has the strength and ability to hold the fruit to m aturity eithout it causing undue stree from underdeveloped limbs.
- Rob

fisherking73

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Re: Latest pruning for Mango trees without detriment to flowering?
« Reply #3 on: August 09, 2015, 11:07:38 AM »
Sorry posted this same time as our texts Rob LOL  I am going to hold off on the pruning, as it would be the third pruning. I pruned as usual right after fruiting, a good heavy pruning for shape, height etc.... Then about a month ago did more of a tipping. The tree flushed pretty quickly after the fruiting prune, and has flushed again after the last pruning.  So won't press my luck LOL.  But good to know about this time of year is the latest to be pruning if you miss pruning right after fruiting.

bsbullie

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Re: Latest pruning for Mango trees without detriment to flowering?
« Reply #4 on: August 09, 2015, 11:24:16 AM »
The later you prune, the more chance that the tree may not even flower.
- Rob

puglvr1

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Re: Latest pruning for Mango trees without detriment to flowering?
« Reply #5 on: August 09, 2015, 11:59:22 AM »

Great topic! So what about "Keitt" mango... which is a very late season for most of us... when would one ever prune it? Would it just be best to just clip off the fruits stem and leave it at that (which for me is around Sept-Oct) and not prune at all? I'm mainly trying to keep the tree from getting too tall and lanky which is the way this tree wants to grow naturally...Last year I tip pruned it in Oct ( after fruit harvest) and I only had 3 mangoes this year  :'(
Thanks!

fisherking73

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Re: Latest pruning for Mango trees without detriment to flowering?
« Reply #6 on: August 09, 2015, 12:48:15 PM »

Great topic! So what about "Keitt" mango... which is a very late season for most of us... when would one ever prune it? Would it just be best to just clip off the fruits stem and leave it at that (which for me is around Sept-Oct) and not prune at all? I'm mainly trying to keep the tree from getting too tall and lanky which is the way this tree wants to grow naturally...Last year I tip pruned it in Oct ( after fruit harvest) and I only had 3 mangoes this year  :'(
Thanks!

Thats exactly what I am trying to find the balance of, heavy pruning with out reducing fruit production too much.  Will see how next year pans out with the multiple prunings I did. If no big difference in fruit production, will continue same. If little to no production guess will just do a heavy pruning right after harvest to maintain size. Funny cuz my goal Pug is to get my trees looking like yours LOL

Cookie Monster

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Re: Latest pruning for Mango trees without detriment to flowering?
« Reply #7 on: August 09, 2015, 02:44:23 PM »
yah, try to do the heavy pruning as early as possible. The rule of thumb is right after harvest. If you do hard pruning too late in the season, the pruned limbs will be overly vigorous and flush vs flower.

I try to do mine in July, but there still may be time to do a prune now. It depends on a lot of factors though. Some trees (eg, carrie and probably coco cream) will still flower even after a latish hard prune. And, tipping can generally be done fairly late (ie, into sept) without much in the way of ill effect, since there is still time for 1 or 2 flushes before the growing season ends. I've seen some trees even flower out of the tipped ends.

It also depends on climate. Some years the growing season ends in Oct, and in others it will extend out until Dec. So, a prune in Sept could lead to a varying number of flushes before the growing season ends, depending on the climate.

A producing keitt tends to not be overly vigorous for the reason you state -- the fruit hangs on the tree until Sept / Oct, so the tree only gets 1 or 2 growth flushes in before the rainy season ends and growth halts. You'd probably have to keep a more light and consistent approach to pruning the keitt to keep it productive.
Jeff  :-)

puglvr1

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Re: Latest pruning for Mango trees without detriment to flowering?
« Reply #8 on: August 10, 2015, 09:02:16 AM »

Thanks Fisher! The downside to pugging my mango trees is the low production that happens sometimes  :(
I'm trying something a little different this year, I've only lightly trimmed mine in hopes to get a better production...I definitely pugged too late last year ( my Pickering and a couple of Cogshall) plus I had powdery mildew really bad this winter and affected the blooms...so a very low production for me. Hoping next year will be a better year...I'm also going to spray for PM as soon as I start to see blooms to try and ward off PM...now if only "Jack Frost" stays at bay  ;)

Thanks for the advise and input Jeff  :D  I really love Kietts and 3 for the year is just not enough!!

bsbullie

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Re: Latest pruning for Mango trees without detriment to flowering?
« Reply #9 on: August 10, 2015, 10:31:05 AM »

Thanks Fisher! The downside to pugging my mango trees is the low production that happens sometimes  :(
I'm trying something a little different this year, I've only lightly trimmed mine in hopes to get a better production...I definitely pugged too late last year ( my Pickering and a couple of Cogshall) plus I had powdery mildew really bad this winter and affected the blooms...so a very low production for me. Hoping next year will be a better year...I'm also going to spray for PM as soon as I start to see blooms to try and ward off PM...now if only "Jack Frost" stays at bay  ;)

Thanks for the advise and input Jeff  :D  I really love Kietts and 3 for the year is just not enough!!

In my opinion, I feel you will need to let your Keitt get a little larger than you would like for better production.

As to PN, I am not sure how much good it will do to spray for prevetion of.  Also, PM has a habit of being like a human in that it tends to get "used to" the "medicine" you are treating it with and becomes immune to it.  My personal opinion, spray at the first signs of any PM.
- Rob

puglvr1

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Re: Latest pruning for Mango trees without detriment to flowering?
« Reply #10 on: August 12, 2015, 01:02:50 PM »
Thanks Rob! If we have a drier than normal winter I know it will help a lot. Last couple of years its been wet and humid which didn't help the PM problem I had...