Foliar Feeding for the Mango Bloom

[jc]

I know a lot of us are interested in increasing our mango production. This is the time of year I cut out all the nitrogen and make sure I spray all my fruiting trees, especially mangos, with 0-0-26 Fruit Maker and Plant Doctor. I just follow the label concentrations and add a sticker. I try to hit the undersides and tops of the leaves once per month until the bloom and after fruit set. I don't know if it works but I've had decent bloom and fruit set on my young trees so far.

I order my FM and PD from http://thelandscaperstore.com/page/plant-foods

Now I just want to see some cold stress to get the mango bloom started. Good luck! 

[jc]

For a more in depth look at Plant Doctor, aka mono and di potassium salts of phosphorous acid, aka potassium phosphite, check out this link. 

http://www.islandbiogreens.com/storage/POTASSIUM_PHOSPHITE1.doc

http://plantscience.psu.edu/research/centers/turf/extension/factsheets/phosphonate-products

[edzone9]

I use The Citrus Liquid works well Thanks !
Ed

[jc]

I'm curious, what is "The Citrus Liquid?"  Is it plant anti-freeze for your freeze prone climate?

I use The Citrus Liquid works well Thanks !
Ed

[edzone9]

Citrus Foliar Spray , For Anti-Freeze I use Freeze-PRuff..

Thanks Ed

[ClayMango]

Are you guys mixing in a surficant into the solution to help the foliar spray stick to the leaves?

[edzone9]

I add a lil Dish Washing Soap and a lil dash of Baking soda , I add the same to the Copper spray mix..

Ed

[jc]

Ok I think you are referring to a micronutrient mix and I use micronutrient sprays too.

However, I am actually referring to spraying Potassium at the beginning of the dormant season to enhance the upcoming bloom and fruit set.

Fruit Maker, 0-0-26, derived  from potassium acetate:
Some research suggests that foliar applications of potassium promote greater inflorescence if applied during the dormant season prior to the expected bloom.  Furthermore, potassium derived from potassium acetate is supposedly absorbed more readily than other sources.  Translation: stronger bloom

Plant Doctor, aka potassium phosphite, aka mono and di potassium salts of phosphorus acid:
Potassium Phosphite promotes greater fungal resistance by stimulating the plant's natural immune system. Therefore, mango inflorescence are more resistant to anthracnose (and according to some research, powdery mildew even though it's not indicated on the PD label.)

In the end, more bloom and more fungal resistance = more mangos! 

This spring I culled dozens of golfball - egg sized fruit from trees that were too small to bear one or two fruit. My fruiting size trees held a good crop for their size.

Citrus Foliar Spray , For Anti-Freeze I use Freeze-PRuff..

Thanks Ed

[edzone9]

I'm placing an order for Fruit Maker !
Thanks Ed

[redhaus]

jc,

May I suggest that you add Dyna-Gro's Pro-TeKt to your mix? It seems potassium is the key element here and Pro-TeKt is 0-0-3 (actually 3.7% K2O) and 7.8% Silicon. Silicon apparently does wonders for plants and basically all living things. For plants, stronger cell walls, better disease resistance, and bigger, larger, higher quality fruits. It's one of those things in nature that is good for everything. Oats contain a lot of silica, hence why they feed horses oats to make them strong and give them a shiny coat. Helps pregnant women with stretch marks, improves your immune system, your hair, improves your overall health basically.

Highly suggest you look into Pro-TeKt

http://www.dyna-gro.com/003.htm

[jc]

I can definitely look into it.  Fruit Maker has 1% silicon in solution too.  Thanks for the 411!

jc,

May I suggest that you add Dyna-Gro's Pro-TeKt to your mix? It seems potassium is the key element here and Pro-TeKt is 0-0-3 (actually 3.7% K2O) and 7.8% Silicon. Silicon apparently does wonders for plants and basically all living things. For plants, stronger cell walls, better disease resistance, and bigger, larger, higher quality fruits. It's one of those things in nature that is good for everything. Oats contain a lot of silica, hence why they feed horses oats to make them strong and give them a shiny coat. Helps pregnant women with stretch marks, improves your immune system, your hair, improves your overall health basically.

Highly suggest you look into Pro-TeKt.

[redhaus]

No problem, and thank YOU I like anything that has silicon in it so will be looking into Fruit Maker 

[ClayMango]

I have Dyna gro Protekt for this very reason...I havent put it to the test yet since this is my fist year growing Mango trees.

*University of Florida* Master Gardeners swear by the products with decent research results on many of their products.

I believe several forum members have experiece with Dynagro products...I used the fertilizer form them but my growth seems average at best, minus my Edward which took off and left the others in the dust.

[edzone9]

I have Dyna gro Protekt for this very reason...I havent put it to the test yet since this is my fist year growing Mango trees.

*University of Florida* Master Gardeners swear by the products with decent research results on many of their products.

I believe several forum members have experiece with Dynagro products...I used the fertilizer form them but my growth seems average at best, minus my Edward which took off and left the others in the dust.

I Just Ordered A Quart Of Pro-Tekt Thanks Q

[Mark in Texas]

That company is expensive.  For general use, I just picked up a bag of this and love it - http://www.amazon.com/77770-Petunia-Magnesium-Fertilizer-25-Pound/dp/B002HJGULU/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1414760967&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=JR+Peters+Petunia+FeED   $2.11/lb. delivered to your door.

Regarding a K foliar boost, I use a combo of potassium nitrate, 13-0-44, and Dyna-Gro's ProTekt, 0-0-2.  You want to add about a teaspoon of a non-ionic surfactant like NIS per gallon.  Can be bought cheap at a ranch/feed store. High Yield makes (repackages) a good surfactant.

I also use a few of the Dyna-Gro products but like most liquid fertilizers (which I try to stay away from) they eventually precipitate out.  DG's Bloom, 3-9-6, will after about a year, their Foliage Pro, 9-3-6, doesn't.

DG foods are excellent except for the limited shelf life.  They are complete with 13 essential elements.  I use them as a foliar spray on my vineyard too using 20 gallons of rainwater, 10 tsp. of Foliage Pro and a surfactant.  I blast using a PTO driven air blaster at 200 PSI, 60 mph output.     Whatever is left over I do a drive by on other stuff.

Mark

[Mark in Texas]

Silicon is considered a beneficial element not an essential one.  You find it in a lot of snake oils.  Studies reflect some plant material benefits, most does not regarding increased pest resistance.  Keyplex is another product with hundreds of studies showing it may or may not boost a plant to increase its natural resistance to pests - insects, fungi, etc.  Keyplex is my go-to product for adding micros.  Southern Ag has never worked for me.   Can't figure it out.

[PurpleAlligator]

Does anyone have experience with Bio Wash?  Does it do everything it claims?

http://www.biowash.info/gallon-biowash-25.html

[ClayMango]

Silicon is considered a beneficial element not an essential one.  You find it in a lot of snake oils.  Studies reflect some plant material benefits, most does not regarding increased pest resistance.  Keyplex is another product with hundreds of studies showing it may or may not boost a plant to increase its natural resistance to pests - insects, fungi, etc.  Keyplex is my go-to product for adding micros.  Southern Ag has never worked for me.   Can't figure it out.

Mark,

Did you ever notice any tolerance to heat stress or Frost when using Protekt....For us pushing the zones out here, we're will to try anything...I mean I already had the stuff for about a year...But is a nightly foilage application really going to give me a few degrees of flexibility?

I mean we see so many advertisements...which are just a scam to get money....Not really sure what to believe these days, and i really want to protect my investment of Fruit Trees.

[Mark in Texas]

Clay, I take most of these products with a grain of salt.  I use Keyplex for one reason only, the micros.  Jim at PIN uses a very similar product at a very low rate of 1 qt/100 gallons.   Can't say on the heat or cold tolerance but I doubt if it provides any protection.  You can check out research here - http://www.keyplex.com/

Here's some interesting links on non-conventional additives (snake oils) and myths:

http://www.soils.wisc.edu/extension/pubs/2006noncon_with_ref.pdf

http://ceventura.ucdavis.edu/newsletters/Topics_in_Subtropics39882.pdf

http://puyallup.wsu.edu/~Linda%20Chalker-Scott/Horticultural%20Myths_files/index.html

[redhaus]

I wouldn't be too quick to dismiss the benefits of silicon. Silicon definitely shouldn't be categorized into "snake oil" products. Considering the benefits to humans I have no doubt it has benefits for plants as well. I've been using it with no ill effect, and in fact seems to be helping my ST along.

I also use Thrive Alive B-1 Green 1-1-1 (actually .95-1-1) by Technaflora as a foliar spray. They have a Green and a Red version. Green is completely organic, one of only a handful of fertilizers that can claim that. This company is even more expensive than Dyna-Gro, but in my experience, they cost more for a reason; you get amazing results.

[Mark in Texas]

I wouldn't be too quick to dismiss the benefits of silicon. Silicon definitely shouldn't be categorized into "snake oil" products.

If you'll please re-read my post, I said, rightfully so,  "Studies reflect some plant material benefits, most does not regarding increased pest resistance."   The scientific field studies are out there.

I get amazing results with Dyna-Gro at a reasonable cost.  Techniflora is another over priced cannabis specific snake oil company, in the same vein as Advanced Nutrients, Humboldt, etc.  Witness the hype for their Bloom food - "For use in both soil and soilless systems Awesome Blossoms™ can be applied from the watering can or mixed directly into hydroponic reservoirs. Regular application of Awesome Blossoms™ will see your plants achieve maximum flowering density and explosive essential oil production with rich colour and a beautiful bouquet."    Right..... 
 
To each his own.....

[redhaus]

Studies are never wrong, or biased? Regardless you're just narrowing in on one thing. Silicon has countless benefits.

But like you said, to each their own.

[Mark in Texas]

Studies are never wrong, or biased?

Not the ones conducted by non-partisan independent firms such as universities.  The only bias I've found is with the marketing hype of firms like Techniflora.  Let's take one of their products, the one with B1.  It's a fact that B1 is worthless but vendors like them will tell any amount of lies to make a buck. 

"The myth of Vitamin B1 stimulants"
http://puyallup.wsu.edu/~Linda%20Chalker-Scott/Horticultural%20Myths_files/Myths/Vitamin%20B1.pdf

[redhaus]

It's a fact that B1 is worthless...

Where does it state Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is useless? This simply isn't true.

The #1 snake oil that comes to mind when you think of B1 is SUPERthrive. I have no problem agreeing with you there, that stuff is indeed snake oil. I'd go out of my way to tell people not to use that poison.

But are you aware that plants produce thiamine (Vitamin B1)? Just because it became associated with SUPERthrive, another myth seems to have been created about B1 being useless. It's not useless. But is it essential enough to the plant to stimulate growth on it's own? No. Could you get by and be perfectly fine not using B1? Yes of course. N-P-K and other micro-nutrients are a lot more important and essential for development in a plant.

Again, you're focusing on one thing (a pretty easy one) about what I'm using to discredit it's use or the product altogether. I use Thrive Alive for it's other benefit besides the B1. Sometimes you have to use that noggin of yours to make your own decision. Science and studies can't explain everything. Going back to silicon, it's the second most abundant element on the planet second to oxygen. That means a lot, and is more than enough for me to decide whether to use silicon or not. And I'm a big science guy...

From Wikipedia:

Over 90% of the Earth's crust is composed of silicate minerals, making silicon the second most abundant element in the Earth's crust (about 28% by mass) after oxygen.

[Mark in Texas]

It means there's a shit load of sand on this planet.