Author Topic: Space Mangos: Ultra High Density Mango Production  (Read 1936 times)

Mango_Seed

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Space Mangos: Ultra High Density Mango Production
« on: July 12, 2019, 01:55:50 PM »
Space mangos in backyard or estate differently than on a mango plantation. Mango trees planted in backyards or estates can be planted closer together, since there is no need to have wide rows to allow heavy equipment to pass by.

Mango spacing is changing with new information and technology.
Why to prune - The idea behind small mango trees

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXzpjZA38N0

How to prune canopy management for mangos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zh1AnvNa6mc


New mango plantations are planting them closer together.
1 Acre = 43,560 square feet

10 meter spacing or 32.8 ft
208 / 32.8 = 6.3
6.3 x 6.3 = 40 TPA: trees per acre
4 tons of mangos

5 meter spacing or 16.4 ft
208 / 16.4 = 12.68
12.68 x 12.68 = 160 TPA: trees per acre
12 tons of mangos per acre

Mango spacing calculation:
square root of 43560 = 208
14.4 ft spacing
208 / 14.4 = 14.44
14.44 x 14.44 = 208.64 TPA: trees per acre

Ultra High Density Estate Mango Production
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYIclJPs4ME

4.5 meter x 4.5 meter or 14.76 feet

3 meter x 2 meter spacing

3 meter x 1 meter spacing

Average height of tree is 7 feet

674 TPA: trees per acre

8 ft spacing
208 / 8 = 26
26 x 26 = 676 TPA: trees per acre

7 ft spacing
208 / 7 = 29.7
29.7 x 29.7 = 882 TPA: tress per acre

Staggering each row in a diamond pattern probably allows the trees to grow larger also.   
Example: @   @   @   @   @
           @   @   @   @ 
         @   @   @   @   @
           @   @   @   @
         @   @   @   @   @

Currently I planted my first few mangos about 15 ft apart, but I have planted seedlings in between them now.  So what started out as 3 trees is over 40 and climbing every week as we eat more mangos and plant the seeds. Currently have Glenn, Jakarta, Lemon Meringue, Sweet Tart, Maha Chanok, Neelam, Orange Sherbet, Rosigold, Irwin, East Indian, and a bunch of seedlings most of which are Ataślfo and Kent. Most of the seedling will probably be grafted and moved.

 I wonder if ultra high density mango production can be done with no watering once plants are established? If all varieties can be grown with this method or only compact varieties? Which varieties should I focus on and grow? What problems should I expect? What is the optimal mango spacing? etc etc

Future

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Re: Space Mangos: Ultra High Density Mango Production
« Reply #1 on: July 12, 2019, 02:17:46 PM »
I bid you the best. I have about 64 trees at 8 by 8 ft.  Aiming for 64 mango bushes, no mango trees!

CherimoyaDude

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Re: Space Mangos: Ultra High Density Mango Production
« Reply #2 on: July 12, 2019, 02:31:31 PM »
saw this in another thread here, you may find it interesting: http://htfg.org/conferences/2016/2016_JohnYoshimiYonemoto_PruningforAvocadoandMangoProduction.pdf

super dense greenhouse planting in japan, using wire to help support the plant and increase fruit production.

pineislander

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Re: Space Mangos: Ultra High Density Mango Production
« Reply #3 on: July 12, 2019, 05:58:48 PM »
I'm pretty skeptical about the idea of this close a spacing. I've seen quite a few videos showing 1-2 or 3 year old plantings, but none 5-6-10 years on, judging by trunk diameter. I expect they will eventually take out every other tree after a few years production. The advantage is some very early production and use of space.
As I understand it grafted mango trees and labor are very cheap in India, so the numbers would be different.
Wholesale price here in the US is $15/3 gallon tree plus planting, fertilization, irrigation and upkeep for at least 2-3 years. Before even beginning to recover that cost you may have $50-100 per tree. Now at 8 ft spacing with 676 trees/acre you have invested $33,000- $67,600/acre for the trees before you start picking fruit. You had better get some production going very fast considering that sort of investment!

The temptation will be to keep the trees at which time light and pruning eventually becomes the issue. Lack of light means trees growing vertically and losing lower canopy.

Yes I know a dozen or even 100 trees is a lot less and many of us consider working with trees a labor of love. I would urge anyone considering a large scale UHD mango planting to run the numbers and look carefully for examples of how this has worked out. If you don't find one, and I have looked before, I urge caution.




Mango_Seed

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Re: Space Mangos: Ultra High Density Mango Production
« Reply #4 on: July 12, 2019, 08:08:45 PM »
So if my garden is 15 x 60 or 900 square feet
The square root of 900 is 30
15 ft spacing
30 / 15 = 2
2 x 2 = 4 trees

8 ft spacing
30 / 8 = 3.75
3.75 x 3,75 = 14 trees
So if I buy 14 trees retail at $35 each I would spend $490

If I buy mango at a discount club for 50 cents each & me & my wife eat a mango a day from March15  to September 1st, We eat 2 x 170 = 340 mangos  at a cost of $170 dollars.

If I plant those seeds & graft the seedlings I have over 300 grafted trees for around $2 each. The next year the price drops to 50 cents each as the original 14 trees can be used again for bud stock.
 
2 ft spacing
30 / 2 = 15
15 x 15 = 225 seedlings

18 inch spacing
30 / 1.5 = 20
20 x 20 = 400 seedlings

spaugh

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Re: Space Mangos: Ultra High Density Mango Production
« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2019, 08:29:05 PM »
How big is your yard?  900sq ft?
Brad Spaugh

pineislander

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Re: Space Mangos: Ultra High Density Mango Production
« Reply #6 on: July 13, 2019, 11:07:50 PM »
I expect they will eventually take out every other tree after a few years production. The advantage is some very early production and use of space.
I thought about this a little more today and realized if you took out every other tree you would be at 16 ft spacing. In the long run maybe better to just do ~12 ft spacing to begin with and be done with it.

Mango_Seed

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Re: Space Mangos: Ultra High Density Mango Production
« Reply #7 on: July 14, 2019, 12:06:47 PM »
4 ton per acre with 40 trees, 12 ton per acre with 160 trees. I wonder if the higher density plantations do better than 12 tons or not?  I'm sure there is a optimal density and point of diminishing returns and that number may be different depending on climate, soil, etc.

The question of long term production and production per acre is touched on in the first video between the 10:30 & 12 minute mark.

pineislander

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Re: Space Mangos: Ultra High Density Mango Production
« Reply #8 on: July 24, 2019, 10:30:09 PM »
This will be an interesting project to watch it is just starting. Some 8x10 ft spacing stand-alone and some double 8 ft spacing on tatura trellis.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QDWiGJR5FA

Check his channel he has other videos focusing on the stand-alone.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJjDWlpET5aHLcyFyuUGi-A