Pickering is way too under-rated!

[Mark in Texas]

Until my wife tasted my mangos she hated them.  That's what store bought will do to you.  She's gone ga ga over Pickering.  I must admit, it ranks in our top 3 - spicy, rich, fine coconut background if allowed to hang until colored up, sweet and no fiber compared to say.... Lemon Zest.  Small tidy tree is a real bonus.  Just picked these yesterday.  Some are really nice size.

[TonyinCC]

I totally agree. If you can be patient enough to pick it when it is about to fall off the tree and give it a few extra days before you eat it, I think it is pretty darn close to any of the elite mangos in taste.
If you only have room to plant one tree I would say this is it.

[fliptop]

Hear hear! Our Pickerings were outstanding this year, and one of our favorites (second perhaps only to Coconut Cream).

[Mark in Texas]

I totally agree. If you can be patient enough to pick it when it is about to fall off the tree and give it a few extra days before you eat it, I think it is pretty darn close to any of the elite mangos in taste.
If you only have room to plant one tree I would say this is it.

I said the same thing to a group of central Texas gardeners, if  you had one.....

I leave it on until there's some color and the fruit stem is all brown 6" or so away from the fruit. 

[Mark in Texas]

Hear hear! Our Pickerings were outstanding this year, and one of our favorites (second perhaps only to Coconut Cream).

Looks good!  Damn productive tree too.

[mangokothiyan]

I like the Pickering for its productivity and small size, but if I had space only for a small mango tree, it would be Honey Kiss.  Equally productive, mid to late  season and really good flavor.

[fisherking73]

My pickering always in my top 5, partly cuz I pick them as close to tree ripened as possible (always lose a few to drops waiting) but it produces well ever year (always top producer in my yard), always solid flavor, and smallest tree in my yard. Have had zero disease issues. Might not be show stopping on the flavor, but definitely a great all around tree.

[Kevin Jones]

Sounds nice!
Good source for a Pickering tree shipped?

Kevin Jones

[JulianoGS]

Pickering is a great flavor mango when picked right and same goes for Carrie. 

[Mark in Texas]

Sounds nice!
Good source for a Pickering tree shipped?

Kevin Jones

Pine Island Nursery this spring.  2 to a box saves on FedX so does being commercial ag.  You'll get cheap wholesale even for a couple  Get a Glenn, it's excellent.

Caveat, some of PIN's mango stock has a bad case of root spinout.  I lost a Pickering to their under potting practices years ago.  Mangos don't care about having their roots shaken up, they're tough (unlike avocados) so, blast off all soil and do any correction to the root system before upcanning.

[johnb51]

I've been singing the glories of Pickering for a long time on this forum!  Probably the easiest mango tree to manage, and that includes picking.  And the flavor is very, very good--sometimes excellent.

[roblack]

I ran out of room, so gave my friend a Pickering so I can drive by and mooch mangoes.

Like Johnny Appleseed, but I come back for fruit.

Such a good mango. The tree is really nice and compact as well.

[Future]

It’s a great mango. Bonus points as fruit can get quite large and it’s keeping quality allows a super stretch when refrigerated after letting it go spotty outside.  I’ve had them be still great after a week in the fridge.

[Mark in Texas]

I've been singing the glories of Pickering for a long time on this forum!  Probably the easiest mango tree to manage, and that includes picking.  And the flavor is very, very good--sometimes excellent.

It's excellent, at least these are and big.  We're going down on a 2 pounder this morn.  I think some of the Florida opinions of "my mango can beat up your mango" is based on PC and herd mentality.  I mean....who would ever say Lemon Zest tastes like shit!    Would be blasphemy.  My Pickering has meat that is firm but smooth as silk.  Drizzle of my key limes is a treat.

[zands]

Until my wife tasted my mangos she hated them.  That's what store bought will do to you.  She's gone ga ga over Pickering.  I must admit, it ranks in our top 3 - spicy, rich, fine coconut background if allowed to hang until colored up, sweet and no fiber compared to say.... Lemon Zest.  Small tidy tree is a real bonus.

All true! A solid balanced mango. The new Zills, some can overwhelm with sweetness. Pickering does not. And ideal for you since it is in the greenhouse all or part of the year/  I forget which. I remember your photo of your super loaded peach tree. Pickering is kind of in peach territory.

[palmcity]

I think some of the Florida opinions of "my mango can beat up your mango" is based on PC and herd mentality.

My opinion of some varieties have greatly changed over the years to different factors. But I believe in my sand environment, my trees need to usually be a little older with a little larger root systems to get the preferred taste.

I only have 1 pickering and it was always loaded and a very slow grower probably due to the huge number of fruit to size of the small tree. I was not happy with it's flavor and sweetness when it was small in my poor sand environment I don't think it was acquiring enough minerals etc. nor producing enough sugars per leaf to fruit ratio. I considered cutting it down but instead decided to cut fruit production and fertilize more.

It has now doubled in size in height and width and thus it must have a larger root area also and I actually enjoyed it's flavor this year and will plant at least another pickering.

IMO try not to do a final judging of a mango trees taste by it's first few years of production at your location. Give it time....

[Mark in Texas]

Until my wife tasted my mangos she hated them.  That's what store bought will do to you.  She's gone ga ga over Pickering.  I must admit, it ranks in our top 3 - spicy, rich, fine coconut background if allowed to hang until colored up, sweet and no fiber compared to say.... Lemon Zest.  Small tidy tree is a real bonus.

All true! A solid balanced mango. The new Zills, some can overwhelm with sweetness. Pickering does not. And ideal for you since it is in the greenhouse all or part of the year/  I forget which. I remember your photo of your super loaded peach tree. Pickering is kind of in peach territory.

Hi Zands, in the ground in a greenhouse.   I only get coconut and tropical flavors.  "Terroir"  plays a big part regarding fruit quality.

[fliptop]

I'm one of the blasphemers who dislikes Lemon Zest, Orange Sherbet, and now even Sweet Tart. As a sample bite at a mango tasting last year, I loved Sweet Tart--it was actually my favorite. As an entire fruit, it was too much. Lemon Zest and Orange Sherbet are too intensely sweet and the candied flavor makes me nauseous. That's why it's sooo important people taste fruit before they get a tree.

A fruit like Pickering I could eat all day. And like Future points out, they're more versatile than some other types, and refrigerating them doesn't hurt their flavor.

[Future]

I'm one of the blasphemers who dislikes Lemon Zest, Orange Sherbet, and now even Sweet Tart. As a sample bite at a mango tasting last year, I loved Sweet Tart--it was actually my favorite. As an entire fruit, it was too much. Lemon Zest and Orange Sherbet are too intensely sweet and the candied flavor makes me nauseous. That's why it's sooo important people taste fruit before they get a tree.

A fruit like Pickering I could eat all day. And like Future points out, they're more versatile than some other types, and refrigerating them doesn't hurt their flavor.

Blasphemer.  I was about to ask if you just don’t like mangoes...😃

[johnb51]

With the intensely sweet mangos, it helps to eat a small one or share a larger one.

[Mark in Texas]

My first Juicy Peach.  Big fruit, almost as big as Pineapple Pleasure.  Haven't tried it yet.  All the newly fruited varieties have been great, as expected. 




PP.  Was not as firm as I'd like with some soft spots at the blossom end.  Think I left it on too long?

[Mark in Texas]

With the intensely sweet mangos, it helps to eat a small one or share a larger one.

Helps to offset your candied-too-sweet fruit with home grown key lime.  duh........

[yimnvs]

Cool, I just bought a Pickering tree online last night.

[TheFlyingFarmer]

just bought a 3 gal pickering from tropical acres 3 weeks ago, cant wait for it to start producing in a few years. quick question to anyone whos had a pickering for some time. im trying to keep the tree as small as possible, the tree is currently about 2 to 2.5 feet tall and was wondering when would be a good time to top work it to encourage branching. it also seems to have not grown an inch, i have a valencia pride and that thing is like a rocket. just wondering if its time to repot the pickering? what do you all suggest?

[Mark in Texas]

just bought a 3 gal pickering from tropical acres 3 weeks ago, cant wait for it to start producing in a few years. quick question to anyone whos had a pickering for some time. im trying to keep the tree as small as possible, the tree is currently about 2 to 2.5 feet tall and was wondering when would be a good time to top work it to encourage branching. it also seems to have not grown an inch, i have a valencia pride and that thing is like a rocket. just wondering if its time to repot the pickering? what do you all suggest?

I just top worked my mangos.  Here's the top of an Orange Sherbet, with my praying friend.  Be sure you top ONLY in an area that has alternating branches in order to preserve the best crotch strength.  Click to open for good detail.



I screwed up last summer, by topping above a node that had 3 nubs, then branches coming off of exactly the same point.  2 snapped from the weight of the fruit and one I really did an aw shit on by not carefully paying attention and pruned off 17 OS hanging while training/pruning the tree to make a final profile.

I only have 4 small trees but they'll get their final pruning before going into dormancy.



I would upcan your Pickering now, blast off all soil and correct any root issues before going into a root pruning system like a RootTrapper. 

Can't compare the high vigor of a Valencia with a Pickering.  2 different animals. 

Also, apply Osmocote Indoor/Outdoor, 15-9-12, 5 month, after upcanning.  Don't do the low N, high K Florida boyz fertilizer.  Now is the time when your fave needs plenty of N to promote root development and good foliage. Contrary to the popular "well that's what the label says!" paradigm, high P foods do not enhance root development any more than a balanced food.  Less is more.