Mango grafting/pruning experts please...

[chris1]

I have a Maha Chanok mango tree I planted a couple years ago. Year one it ended up getting infected with something that almost killed it. Severe damage on one side which resulted in one of the main limbs dying off. I treated it and it didn’t look like it would survive but 3 days after spraying the healed damage with pruning seal it took off and put on a lot of growth last year. This year it also looks very healthy but the problem now is that where the one limb died off nothing has grown in its place and one whole side of the tree seems to have almost no growth. I am aware that I could trim back the new growth it has but I want to encourage the tree to grow not cut it back. Is there another way to stimulate growth on the weaker growing side or can I take new growth and graft it on to the main stalk to make it branch out more? I have no experience grafting I just want the tree to balance out. Thanks so much.

[Orkine]

Could you share a couple of pictures.

Have you considered just removing the sickly branch and see if the tree sends out new growth.

[chris1]

The sick branch was removed over a year ago. I will try to get some photos.

[chris1]

[Cookie Monster]

I would focus on the trifurcation just above where the dead limb was cut, which looks like a nice height for branching. One of those 3 limbs is dominant, and you would want to a) lop off its branches that are trying to grow over the center of the tree and b) weight it down a bit to force it to be more horizontal.

You can leave that lowest branch (opposite to the branch that died) if you like a low branching habit. It will look nice as the tree gets older. You can also trim off the branches directly above it in a year or two (2 of the 3 trifurcating branches), creating somewhat of a z-shape.

For the time being though, focus on the trifurcation, keeping dominant branches in check by weighting down and pruning. But maybe wait until after the harvest.

[sunworshiper]

Really nice advise Jeff! I looked yesterday and wasn't sure what I'd do with such a shape. But I can completely visualize what you suggested!

[chris1]

Thanks for the advice.