When to trim new shoots on mango tree?

[fliptop]

So one of my Coconut Cream Mango seedlings wants to grow tall and I tried to put an end to its ambitions by lopping its head off.

Out come not three, not four, but six shoots. This thing wants to grow. I want to cut off three of the shoots, but am not sure when to do it? Do I cut them off now or do I wait until they harden off a little?

Thanks!

[Oolie]

You can do it at any time.

Heading back a tree leads to weak spreading growth, a problem CC is notorious for even without topping.

When thinning, remove the branch at the trunk so the wound gets isolated faster.

[fliptop]

Thanks, Oolie! I am always confused. I've seen videos and illustrations showing what happened here: cutting just above a node leads to spreading out in different directions from the same height. I've also seen illustrations showing a cut made below a node leads to branching at different heights. I planned on doing a mix of both, starting with this cut above the node.

I'm hoping because it's a seedling, it'll be less fragile. The leaves on this seedling don't look like the young grafted Coconut Cream trees I've seen. Its polyembryonic sibling looks more "traditional", and is weaker, but now growing well.

The mango was from Alex's (Squam's) place a couple years ago. I wonder what nearby trees could've pollinated it?

[Oolie]

It certainly appears to be an off-type. The leaves are quite narrow for CC.

Without people planting off-type seeds, new varieties would never be selected.

The sibling is likely a true to type offspring. Have you crushed immature leaves and compared the aromas?

[fliptop]

I have not yet. My Sweet Tart seedlings have not been vigorous, and out of six of them (two seeds, three sprouts each), only one has survived. Its leaves do have that beautiful Indochinese aroma, so I'm hopeful on that one. My two Pim Seng Mun seedlings' leaves, when crushed or ripped, do smell like the fruit from whence they came.

But because this Coconut Cream is young and its sibling not as robust, I'm holding off on damaging any leaves, as I'm guessing the more leaves on the trees the better.

Thanks again!