The 2018 South Florida mango crop, up, down or sideways?

[zands]

Will 2018 be be better that 2017? My production was down and think many others had the same problem. Maybe this applied just to SE Florida and not SW Florida?
IOW
After a poor year are the mango trees inclined to make up for it the following year?
Or maybe 2017 was a normal year for you and I am all wet.

[Jani]

Well for what it's worth we are forecasted to once again, have a warmer and wetter winter than average for about the 6th/7th season in a row...

[markinnaples]

NOAA's forecast is for warmer and dryer.  http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/seasonal.php?lead=2        In SW Florida I think that the main determiner of crop size will be how the trees were pruned this year. Irma's horticultural pruning skills left a lot to be desired.

[FamilyJ]

Lost only one mango tree. but planted many new tree's from cotton candy, fruit punch, and 8 others some new ver some old. There some are about to flower

[mangokothiyan]

Dwarf Hawaiian and Ugly Betty have started to flower in my yard. I have five mangoes on the Choc Anon part of a multi-graft tree. The tree flowered in September and the fruits should be ready soon.

[FamilyJ]

wow

[Squam256]

Typical early bloom here on a lot of the "bloom sensitive" stuff. Unfortunately that is no indication of how large the regular season 2018 crop will be.

I would wager to guess though that based on the damage incurred by Irma, coupled with what will likely be another joke of a winter which Jani above alluded to, we can likely expect another disappointing/mediocre-by-historical standard mango season in south Florida.

[johnb51]

Cool winters help mango production, right?  We may no longer see cool winters.

[Squam256]

Cool winters help mango production, right?  We may no longer see cool winters.

Correct. They stimulate the trees to bloom, and the extent of that bloom will typically be what determines the final crop size, though there are other factors like fruit set and retention that can be determined by male/female flower ratio, etc.

The length and amount of time of the cool weather plays a big role. For instance, there is a major difference between say 7 days of nighttime lows below 60F as opposed to 10-14 days. And if the temperatures rise dramatically after the cold front, trees will often flush mixed panicles that contain both leaves and inflorescence, or sometimes flush some pure growth. This has happened for several seasons now.

For some varieties, this pattern could be a major problem in the long term in terms of getting consistent crops.

[Sleepdoc]

Irma, + a warm winter.  I am anticipating a lousy crop.  Add to that some unusually ravenous rodents due to diminished food sources.  😬

[StPeteMango]

2017 was not a good year for my yard. Fewer mangoes. I was hoping for a better yield in 2018, but a warmer winter will be just more of the same.

[FamilyJ]

2017 was a good year just everything came in later.

[GrassFlats]

Those who live in central Florida may have better yields than those in south Florida since we will have cooler temps this winter?

[Squam256]

Those who live in central Florida may have better yields than those in south Florida since we will have cooler temps this winter?

Possibly.

[JoeP450]

Usually my maha chanok is in flower on thanksgiving... not this year. Leaves are still on the tree just shredded up from the winds of Irma. Tips look like they are starting to swell and will propbably flush very soon. Lots of rain it seems.

-joep450

[Tropicdude]

Cool winters help mango production, right?  We may no longer see cool winters.

Remember mangoes grow well here in the tropics, with no cold snaps,  flower induction is practiced on commercial farms,  to synchronize crops, but backyard growers get fruit every year.   I think rain is a bigger factor down here.  a wet winter,  is bad news.

[strkpr00]

When Wilma came through S. Florida it shook my lychees within an inch of its life. Best year I ever had. Hoping for the best again this year.

[FamilyJ]

Yea it kicks the tree into better growth and produce for me also

[roblack]

I expect a better crop, as will have 4 fruiting size trees this coming year vs 1 last year =)

Improve your odds and grow more trees!

Hopefully the weather and thus ripening will be better in 2018.

[WGphil]

My Young, Nam Doc Mai and Fruit Punch are blooming

Usually get first bloom in late march or later

Cooler up this far, lows recently have moved more toward the mid 50's and go up or down from there.  We usually have one to three days of temps that reach freezing. 


I didn't cover anything last year without any  damage.  But if I get flowers and fruit this far up and reach full ripeness I will be surprised

[roblack]

cooling is just one of the stressors that triggers flowering in many plants, but it seems to be a pretty good one with mangoes

[FamilyJ]

i could see for like Squam256 is running a business off them which affects her outcome but as a hobby grower I been getting more tastier fruits last year vs other years

[skhan]

A little late to the game but finally getting some blooms.
Cogshall
NDM
Pickering

[puglvr1]

Another 31° forecast for me on Thursday morning. I have a few blooms just starting on Glenn, Cogshall and Maha but I also have some frost damage from the last freeze a few weeks ago 

[noochka1]

I have blooms on Maha, Francis, Kesar and Hoa Loc.  Hoping for ST Maui as well.  Maybe the upcoming cold snap will motivate it.