Mango pruning advice needed for young tree

[fliptop]

One of my seedling Pim Seng Mun trees went into the ground recently, and just had a flush of new leaves. The old leaves look horrible, but the new growth looks great.

With the new growth, the tree is nearing 4' tall. It looks like it's going to push new growth again soon.

What should I do regarding pruning it? I'd like it to start branching around 4' tall. If the lower leaves looked healthy, I'd cut below the new growth. But because they look bad and the new growth looks good, I want to keep it.

I'd appreciate any advice from experienced mango pruners! Thanks!

[achetadomestica]

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=how+to++prune+a+mango&&view=detail&mid=F8C60F8D0ADC355334EDF8C60F8D0ADC355334ED&&FORM=VDRVRV

[roblack]

Tip it good!

[fliptop]

Thanks! So when you tip, do you pinch off the new sprout of leaves just beginning to form, leaving a "hollow" in the center of the branch, or do you cut after they've grown out? Thanks again!

[pineislander]

The whole video is good but pay attention to formative pruning instructions at 8:00:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zh1AnvNa6mc&t

[boxturtle]

The whole video is good but pay attention to formative pruning instructions at 8:00:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zh1AnvNa6mc&t

awesome video! lot of videos I watched before they always say to tip but never actually show how

[599gh888]

Woe thank you so much for the video.  Very details on pruning a young mango trees to be productive.  Thank you

[behlgarden]

I have tried tipping it, but dont like the shape it gets, all branches from the apex. Now I cut the head off and allow 3 branches to grow from leaf nodes that are spaced apart and in different directions.

[yuzr]

tipping it... all branches from the apex. Now I cut the head off... 3 branches to grow from leaf nodes

Sounds like an important distinction, but I do not understand it. Please clarify tip and head.

[fliptop]

Interesting to see this thread pop up again😋 What a difference a year and a half makes. Here's the very same tree now. The red circle is the one cut I did make; the growth above is the result of that one cut. The tree now stands at 6' tall and is just over 3yrs old.