The Tropical Fruit Forum

You're welcome Raul and JF. Knlimooo, some of the pictures you posted are definitely sharpshooter damage and it does appear that some of the wounds got infected with fungus, primarily the wounds that turn dark.

I was going to post some pictures of sharpshooter damage and progression of wounds but I can't seem to be able to post pictures at the moment.

Anyways, this is exactly what I'm talking about. I believe that sharpshooters are a major vector for disease in mangos and we have to be proactive in this fight.

I'm still trying to narrow down which systemic fungicide to use.

Simon

Be aware that there may be vigor issues with Florida Turpentine rootstock. Coconut Cream is a patented variety so you have no option other than the Florida trees. Plantogram is my go to mail order retailer for fruit trees not available in SoCal.

Simon

Here is my Asian Black sugarcane. I chopped back all the older canes that were about 15 feet. The tallest canes are now about 12 feet tall with about 7 feet of usable sweet cane. Sure, I can give you a few cuttings. Pm me for details.

Simon

Foliar sprays for Jack tree leaves should not be much of an issue as they are native to tropical climates with high humidity, the fruit however are prone to fungus here in California.

You can Foliar spray every two weeks with no harm, even if not showing deficiencies.

As for mulch, I don't use color treated stuff and I stay away from Cedar. I like to top dress with a bit of compost and then put the wood chips or mulch on top of that.

Simon

Joe, have you found the Asian Black sugarcane locally in Florida? If not, I can send you some as long as you agree to share any extras with others in your area that might also be looking for this variety.

Simon

We know that Phomopsis is present in California and I've been noticing an explosion in the number of sharpshooter bugs that suck juice from our Mango trees. I've watched them feed and noticed that the area where they feed usually turns dark and sap usually flows out from the wound after several days to a couple weeks and the injury sometimes turns dark and sometimes the injury will heal. I've noticed that in some cases, the entire young stem will die back. I'm actually surprised that nobody else in California is noticing these bugs that scoot from side to side on their trees.

There are already several threads for fungicides but I'm especially interested in a systemic fungicide that someone can recommend for California although I am extremely interested in opinions from Florida and other areas as to why I might want to use something else.

Previous threads mentioned that Azoxystrobin is the best active ingredient to combat Phomopsis here in California and products like Abound, Quadris and Prestine are perhaps the best of the best.

I try to grow all my plants with no pesticides and fungicides but I would like to perform a few experiments where I treat several young trees with a systemic fungicide to see if preventive applications of fungicide, even before I see any signs of disease, could increase the rate of growth of mangos.  I will not allow these trees to hold fruit for at least 3-4 years and I intend to stop the use of the systemic fungicide 1 year before I intend to allow the trees to hold fruit.

I believe that sharpshooters are the primary vectors for disease here in California and the diseases that they can spread, mainly Phomopsis, can greatly inhibit the growth of young, unestablished Mango trees here. By using a systemic and preventing disease before the tree is infected, I hope to greatly accelerate the establishment of young trees.

All three of these systemic fungicides are extremely expensive, is there something cheaper that may work as well? Are there smaller sizes available? I've searched the web but I can't find small size bottles? Perhaps there is a generic that works equally well?

If there are other solutions that may work, I'd love to hear your ideas and suggestions. Thanks in advance!

Simon

Nope, not the spikes, the slow release pellets. http://m.homedepot.com/p/Vigoro-3-5-lb-Citrus-and-Avocado-Plant-Food-133244/203105913?cm_mmc=SEM%7CTHD%7CG%7C0%7CG-PLA-BT3-Vigoro-D28O-OutdoorGarden%7C&gclid=CL299azjhM4CFQFpfgodEXEIYQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

This product has slow release nitrogen.

By the way, the new picture you posted gives me more information as I do see a pattern of the older leaves losing its green so you could have some Nitrogen deficiency but it's not serious as your younger leaves have not yellowed yet.

When you Foliar feed, the effects are not instantaneous and older leaves are very poor with absorbing Foliar sprays. Foliar sprays are most useful on new, not fully formed or hardened leaves and are best when applied in the evening.

With the Citrus nutritional spray, you can use it full strength with no issues but you need to spray all the leaves on the upper and bottom surfaces. For the Vigoro pellet fertilizer, use 1/3 to 1/4 the recommended dosage, it's slow release Nitrogen that's supposed to last 3 months. Instead of applying every three months, apply 1/3-1/4 the recommended amount every month during the growing season and don't fertilize during Winter.

Our Jackfruit growing season is roughly from May to Sept when they can grow relatively fast, your tree is establishing so watering really depends on your soil and ambient air temperature. Mang growers are unaware that the root zone needs to dry up a bit for oxygen exchange which helps the roots extend out farther in search of water. By keeping the rhizosphere constantly moist, you can get root rot and the trees roots will not extend out into your native soil as quickly. A good mulch layer will help retain moisture and as it breaks down, it will give some nutrients back and provide charged ions which will aid in your fertilizer regimen.

Simon

Quote from: ScottR on July 17, 2016, 10:30:10 AM

Quote from: marklee on July 17, 2016, 04:39:42 AM

Spent a bit of time at Leo Manuel's place pruning his Sabara Jaboticaba. It is in a shaded area, and I suggested if we "open it up" a bit, he would get a lot more fruit. The tree is one of the tallest I have seen in California, I suppose it is maybe 15 feet plus. Leo figured it is at least 20 years old.
Anyway, here are some before and after photos of the tree.

Great pic of Leo's BIG Jabo, very nice prune job Mark, so do you know how much fruit he get's? looks like it would be fruitful but I know Jack swords has a big tree (for California) and he hasn't been getting much fruit!
Adam, what would help big trees fruit / Sabara ?

Leo's tree has produced fruit, but it has been shaded and with it's size it should have been getting tons. It would fruit all the time, but the fruit were sparsely distributed because of the amount of shade and small branches,

Great job Mark! I stopped by Leos place yesterday and his tree has completely opened up. I suspect he will get much more fruit for his next fruiting cycle.

Simon

Max, your trees are looking great. They are some of the healthiest Mango trees on Florida Turpentine rootstock that I have seen grown in SoCal although I am seeing that your trees are starting to get droopy and you are supporting the heavy growth. How long have your trees been in the ground. It can take several years before you really see the effects of the rootstock but I would not be surprised if some growers with better nutrient management programs being more successful with this rootstock.

Simon

Max, that is very dense growth on the Alphonso! The leaves look really healthy, please keep us updated!

Simon

Awesome updates Max, looks like you have plenty of fruit. I'm sure you're aware of the potential rootstock issues already but your trees are looking good so far. Please let us know which varieties taste best to you.

Simon

Agreed, has a lot more growing to do. It will color up more and the shoulders will fill in more before it is ready. If picked too early, it won't be as sweet and you won't get the true flavor.

Simon

Sobars, that is an excellent idea. I'm not worried about the roots crossing below the root flare because the roots will simply root graft, even if they are circling. Encircling roots are more of a problem when they are on the surface and encircle the above ground trunk, usually around the root flare.

With your technique, I see the advantage of allowing the multiple rootstocks more room to expand instead of immediately fusing. With your method, the tree should be more stable as well.

Simon