Thanks everyone, all the trees are sold. For those that purchased a mango tree, here are some tips:
Now is an excellent time to plant mango trees. When you dig your hole, make it square with sharp edges and not round. Loosen the soil in the planting hole and backfill with native soil or if your soil is absolutely horrible, heavy clay for instance, I’ve had good luck mixing native soil with about 30-50% Turface or Pumice. Do not incorporate organic matter into the hole, top dress with it instead.
You need to maximize growth during our warmest weather which starts about now until the end of Summer. Give it frequent diluted feeding with a balanced fertilizer but stop feeding it towards the end of Summer.
Since this tree is grafted, you will have to stake it up in Winter and keep it as vertical as possible. After a couple years, the tree should have excellent form and should start production. Don’t let the tree hold fruit for at least the first two years.
In Winter when it flowers, allow the bloom to fully form. Once the bloom is fully formed, cut the bloom panicle in half to relieve some weight. Allow the fruit to continue forming until the weather is warm enough for vegetative growth. Just take a look at nearby mango trees and if you see vegetative flush or if nightly average temps are above about 60F, it should be ok to completely remove the bloom panicle.
When you remove the bloom panicle, make sure you cut it below the first intercalation. This is the area beneath the bloom panicle where you see a dense cluster of leaves. If you cut above this first intercalation, you will have many weak branches. Select an area that has about 3-4 leaf axials.
You can cut above the first intercalation but if you do, it is recommended that you thin the branches.
Since this tree is grafted, you will have to stake it up in Winter and keep it as vertical as possible. After a couple years, the tree will have excellent form and should start production. Don’t let the tree hold fruit for the first year or better yet, two years.
In Winter when it flowers, allow the bloom to fully form. Once the bloom is fully formed, cut the bloom panicle in half to relieve some weight. Allow the fruit to continue forming until the weather is warm enough for vegetative growth. Just take a look at nearby mango trees and if you see vegetative flush or if nightly average temps are above about 60F, it should be ok to completely remove the bloom panicle.
When you remove the bloom panicle, make sure you cut it below the first intercalation. This is the area beneath the bloom panicle where you see a dense cluster of leaves. If you cut above this first intercalation, you will have many weak branches. Select an area that has about 3-4 leaf axials.
You can cut above the first intercalation but if you do, it is recommended that you thin the branches.
https://www.growables.org/information/documents/MangoPruningStrategies.pdfFor those of you that are picking up a mango tree from me. I am giving you a free spray bottle of a complete fertilizer that I mixed up to ensure your tree gets off to a good start. Make sure to spray only in the very early morning or in the evening when the sun is about to set in order to avoid burning the tree. Do not spray in full sun!
The spray is a complex mixture of multiple nutrients that includes Silica, Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn and all the major, minor and trace elements. You only need to spray the undersides of the leaves about every two weeks and the spray works best on new leaves or young developing leaves. Please wear appropriate PPE(Personal Protective Gear) just as you would if you were applying Miracle Gro or any other type of fertilizer.
Simon