I wanted to try to compile a list of mangoes with the following characteristics:
- Compact / Natural 'dwarf' (i.e. does not have to be in a container to be dwarfed)
- Bushy and/or spreading style growing habit
- Good producer
- Needs relatively minor pruning to keep size in check which will not adversely affect productivity
- Quality fruit (full flavor, fiberless, etc.)
Rob, Mark, zands and WGphil
Thank you for your thoughts on this matter. I really do think this is a useful discussion and is getting to the heart of this idea. I want to point out something in the original post shown above in bold. :
Needs relatively minor pruning to keep size in check which will not adversely affect productivityThere are so many great mangoes that are really vigorous. Let's take Lemon Zest for example. Lemon Zest grows very fast and will become a huge tree in no time. So let's say you wanted to keep it to 8 feet tall. You would be pruning so much material so often it would be a constant struggle / chore. I also doubt you would get much production out of the tree because it would spend so much energy replacing the canopy that you keep taking away.
As Mark and Rob says, this is not a post about trying to make a large tree a bonsai, it defeats the whole purpose of a naturally small tree that produces well or a tree that can be kept small
with minimal effort and still produce well.
So what do I mean by minimal effort?
In my mind it means:
- tip pruning once or twice a season before harvest
- minor pruning for shape / size control once after harvest (removal of a couple of interior upright branches. This will be done from ground level because the tree is small.)
- If the tree is too big and you have to use a ladder to do most of the controlling, or if you have to stand in the tree to do interior pruning then I would not consider it a compact mango
There is no mango tree that requires no effort. Unless you are in a mango grove set up in rows, there will always be obstacles in a growers yard that require navigating (adjacent fruit trees, perimeter walls, fences, walkways, etc.). So it is likely that even a natural dwarf like Pickering will require some pruning in its life.
It is this idea of 'minimal' pruning that interests me.
So what do you think, can Mallika be kept to a reasonable size/height (8-10 feet) with minimal effort? Or will it simply become too unwieldy as it gets older?