Cutting A Tree In Half

[Mr. Clean]

DELETED

[murahilin]

I am 100% positive that tree is not double grafted. The only graft is the lower one.

[puglvr1]

I've done what you are thinking of doing back in 2008...I did this to a Haden that I purchased on clearance at 50% off. The tree was way too big for my liking...it was a 7 gallon pot and the tree was already way too tall for my liking. Since I got it at such a great price I decided it was worth experimenting on it.

My Disclaimer: I have NO idea if this will work for you...but I just wanted to share my experience with the Haden I did this to...Also I NO longer have this tree  Sadly...It was killed during the brutal 2009/2010 freeze.
I'm NOT suggesting you do this to your tree but only wanted to show you my own experience with this Haden. I also did this in the summer time which is a better time of year than winter IMHO...


This was Taken 7-31-08
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u173/mangolover07/HadenMangofromKM7-31-08001-1_zpsebb1d9c4.jpg

Taken 8-4-08
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u173/mangolover07/HadenPruned8-4-08004_zpsdb3cd7a6.jpg

Taken 10-24-08...almost 3 months later
http://s168.beta.photobucket.com/user/mangolover07/media/HadenandLancetilla10-24-08005-2_zpsfa3ddc80.jpg.html

[Mr. Clean]

PugLvr:  Thanks.  I noticed that your tree has leaves below where you cut it, which would provide energy to the tree during healing.  Did you try it with any tree, where you cut below the lowest leaves?  I will wait a few months for the tree to establish it's roots and store energy before doing any major surgery.

Sheenan:  Thanks for the info.

[Tropicdude]

I have cut a few mango trees in half, to fit them for transport, so you should have no problem,  as for how this will effect a VP over a long period of time I have no idea, but VP is a hard animal to tame in my opinion, and it will probably  be hard to keep it small.

I have been thinking a bit on this, maybe someone with more experience can chime in,  I wonder if what happens if one cuts off the tap root?  or places something solid directly beneath the tree, so that the tap root cannot go downwards .  would this not make the tree more dwarfish ?

[Patrick]

I would wait until mid to late spring when it's actively growing, let it get it's feet in the ground a little before you decapitate it!

[bsbullie]

Come on Sheehan, be real, it sure could be a double graft    By the looks of it, i'd say it may even be a triple graft...though I could not think in my wildest dreams why anyone would "double/triple graft" a mango or any other tree.

As for the VP, "hard animal to tame" is not only an understatement but near impossible.  Unless you keep chopping the tree and basically destroying the reason to have one, it will get large.  The real question is how large...

[natsgarden123]

The good thing about mango trees is that, even if you do something drastic, they usually grow back- hence my Carrie, saved from my my neighbors garbage and my mallika, which defloliated completely after transplanting and being ignored and then grew back like nothing happened.   And for $25, you can always buy a new one!

[ty23]

Come on Sheehan, be real, it sure could be a double graft    By the looks of it, i'd say it may even be a triple graft...though I could not think in my wildest dreams why anyone would "double/triple graft" a mango or any other tree.

As for the VP, "hard animal to tame" is not only an understatement but near impossible.  Unless you keep chopping the tree and basically destroying the reason to have one, it will get large.  The real question is how large...

Don't know if this tree was double grafted or not, but apples are commonly double grafted (m9/111) is popular. I did a few last year. Dolgo crab roots/M7 in the middle/variety I want.
This is done when you want the benefits of the roots in the rootstock, but not the vigor. A dwarfing interstem is put in the middle.

[zands]

@Mr. Clean
I know that feeling of wanting to act now but I would plant it first. Let it root into the ground for 2-3 months then do the wacking on VP. You can plant it now or wait until mid-February when chance of any freeze is gone

Mango trees are not growing much this time of year so wacking it right (January 3rd) now does not advance things much

[Patrick]

Come on Sheehan, be real, it sure could be a double graft    By the looks of it, i'd say it may even be a triple graft...though I could not think in my wildest dreams why anyone would "double/triple graft" a mango or any other tree.

As for the VP, "hard animal to tame" is not only an understatement but near impossible.  Unless you keep chopping the tree and basically destroying the reason to have one, it will get large.  The real question is how large...

Don't know if this tree was double grafted or not, but apples are commonly double grafted (m9/111) is popular. I did a few last year. Dolgo crab roots/M7 in the middle/variety I want.
This is done when you want the benefits of the roots in the rootstock, but not the vigor. A dwarfing interstem is put in the middle.

I believe they use pond apple in a double graft to get a water tolerant foot, then a closer relative at the middle, and finally a relative of that on top!

[demingcr]

Get 2 valencia, plant close together and get a hammock instead of trying to keep that tree small. Mine grows like a weed, even with a generous pruning schedule.

[Cookie Monster]

Single graft. Top one is where the tree was cut and sprouted, probably last year.

Here is what Har says about the Valencia Pride:

Because 'Valencia Pride' is such a vertical grower, it is necessary for it to still be left quite tall after pruning...

So, trying to keep it compact may be an exercise in futility :-).

Good luck :-)

[Mr. Clean]

I would wait until mid to late spring when it actively growing, let it get it feet in the ground a little before you decapitate it!

Thanks to everyone who responded.  I plan on waiting a while for it to get established before major surgery.

[puglvr1]

PugLvr:  Thanks.  I noticed that your tree has leaves below where you cut it, which would provide energy to the tree during healing.  Did you try it with any tree, where you cut below the lowest leaves?  I will wait a few months for the tree to establish it's roots and store energy before doing any major surgery.

Sheenan:  Thanks for the info.

I looked back on my pictures and found these pictures...I did this to my Lancetilla a few years ago also...after one of our freezes I decided to Pug it. NO leaves was left...
 Original size of tree...



Pugged



I remember it taking forever before I finally saw some life in this tree...partly due to the fact it was planted under a lot of shade and I pugged it late Feb. another bad idea,lol...



If you dicide to do it I would definitely wait till March or early April since you live in South FL that should be a great time to pug it...I do agree with everyone that VP might be a hard one to "tame"...but at least you will have a short trunk as opposed to a really tall one right off the bat.

Good luck!

[phantomcrab]

I plan on waiting a while for it to get established before major surgery.

I had to pug my Mallika to 1.5 feet in May after it had been in the ground a couple of months and flushed once. No leaves were left on the stem and it grew back out within 2-3 weeks. I just treated it as a new planting after the cut.


Mallika Today

[puglvr1]

Your tree looks great Richard...nice job!!

[bradflorida]

Hi Mark,

What do you know about the South Florida persimmon variety?  Is it astringent?  When does it fruit?  Size or taste of fruit?

Brad

[ty23]

Get 2 valencia, plant close together and get a hammock instead of trying to keep that tree small. Mine grows like a weed, even with a generous pruning schedule.

Had to smile when I read that. Was going to cut 2 seedling pecans this fall, but took another look at them and decided a hammock would be great between them in a few years.

[bsbullie]

Hi Mark,

What do you know about the South Florida persimmon variety?  Is it astringent?  When does it fruit?  Size or taste of fruit?

Brad

I know it is an astringent variety, is supposed to be smaller sized fruit, I believe, and very good (though I have not tasted it), not sure on the fruiting/harvesting season, required little to NO chill hours (which makes it ideal for South Florida), and the original budwood is from a tree in North Florida and specimen trees are currently located at Richard Campbell's house and outside the Whitman Pavilion. 

[Recher]

if you want a small citrus be sure the rootstock is one that 'dwarfs' e.g. anything on trifoliata or any genes of trifoliata e.g. flying dragon

[Mr. Clean]

Hi Mark,

What do you know about the South Florida persimmon variety?  Is it astringent?  When does it fruit?  Size or taste of fruit?

Brad

Brad,

Rob knows about it about as much as I do.  It is astringent.  Don't know when it fruits, the taste or size.

[cbss_daviefl]

Hi Mark,

What do you know about the South Florida persimmon variety?  Is it astringent?  When does it fruit?  Size or taste of fruit?

Brad

I saw the tree at Fairchild with 3 fruit on it at the Ramble, 11/9/2012, a little past their prime. So this year, October was the month the fruit were ready.  If I remember correctly, the fruit about 3 inches wide and maybe 4 inches tall.  It narrowed at the bottom, shaped like a strawberry. It looked like a hachiya.