The Tropical Fruit Forum
Tropical Fruit => Tropical Fruit Discussion => Topic started by: Epicatt2 on March 26, 2021, 03:00:59 AM
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My three mango cultivars, all in 7 gallon pots had no problems wth the cold here in Tampa this winter. They each made flower spikes in early March, but . . .
The 'Irwin' made one infloresence that got knocked off accidentally and it did not bother to throw out another one.
The 'Beverly', the tallest one of the three at 6 to 7 feet, threw a terminal inflorescence and one lateral and bloomed profusely but set no fruit.
The 'Ice Cream' made about six modest sized inflorescences and set about ten fruit between them. They are small, only the size of English peas at the tme if this writing and look okay but I don't know if they will all hold. This is my first experience with trying to grow mangoes here in Tampa so I am keeping my fingers crossed that 'Ice Cream' will hold these few fruit.
I don't expect any fruit on the other two cultivars since the flowers are all finsihed and have dropped.
So far my mango trees' leaves are blemish free and the plants appear happy. But since this is my first foray into growing mangoes I would welcome any cultural advice y'all might could offer to a rank mango newbie.
Cheers!
Paul M.
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Paul,
I'm across the bay in St. Pete. The 7-gal trees should be in the ground, except the Irwin. Well, the Irwin too, since you can always top-work. I've got a few trees in my yard (most were 7-gals when planted), and they all handle the cold spells pretty well each season. 3-gal trees, on the other hand, will succumb to the occasional frost (eg. Jan 2018) that hits our area unless they're protected. Majority of my tree are holding fruitlets now, and I'm fairly optimistic that we'll have a good season. So far, my only disappointment this year is the Phoenix, which started blooming profusely late Jan and subsequently dropped all blooms, with absolutely no takes for one reason or another...
(https://i.postimg.cc/Kk6P4PG3/P1.png) (https://postimg.cc/Kk6P4PG3)
Early February.
(https://i.postimg.cc/bS1QnZrC/P2.png) (https://postimg.cc/bS1QnZrC)
Same tree in March.
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Thanks for the reply, Gambit. I'm in 9b so have not put these three trees into the ground yet because I don't trust enough that we wouldn't have a frost eventually in Tampa, so in pots they can be moved to a protected area if need be.
This is their first attempt a flowering and I wan't expecting a loaded crop at this early stage. That the 'Ice Cream' has set ten fruit is promising to me and I hope that a few will make it to maturity this first time.
I've held off watering these trees and only given them an occasional splash apart from any rains that we've had in the past two months. I've also held off on fertilizing them with the exception of havng given them each just 1 tablespoon of granular 10-10-10 fertilizer once the cold had passed.
I'm hoping that the treatment I have given them will keep them happy and growing.
Still would like any other suggestions for caring for these mangoes 'til I'm ready to put them into the ground. I have well-drained sandy soil so my fruit trees need watering occasionally up 'til when the rainy seaason arrives.
TIA
Paul M.
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Yeah, inland Tampa always seems to get a few degrees colder than south St. Pete. I feed my small potted Taymour with "Osmocote 6-month smart release" fertilizer. I would highly recommend Osmocote for potted plants as there's very little chance of problems from overfeeding. Watering-wise, you would have to stay on top cos in-pots will dry out much faster than in-ground. I usually scratched the to top 1-2 inches of the soil, and if the soil is dry, water. Generally a 7-gal pot in full sun will require 3x weekly waterings. I have the same soil conditions, beach sand with absolutely no organic matter.
Good luck with your mangos. Hope you have some to harvest this season !!
Gim
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You shouldn't be letting any 7 gal mango tree hold fruit. Period.
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I rarely get any damage on mangos during a light frost, but below 25 has decimated many seedlings and saplings..
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You shouldn't be letting any 7 gal mango tree hold fruit. Period.
What?? Even if they are dwarf or semi-dwarf cultivars?
My whole idea was to have several smallish mango trees for my yard –and maintain them in pots. It seems that others do this same thing with their dwarf/condo mangoes and often that's
on a narrrow littlle balcony some floors up in their condo building!
Paul M.
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You shouldn't be letting any 7 gal mango tree hold fruit. Period.
What?? Even if they are dwarf or semi-dwarf cultivars?
My whole idea was to have several smallish mango trees for my yard –and maintain them in pots. It seems that others do this same thing with their dwarf/condo mangoes.....
Paul M.
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Earlier when I read this I thought it would be nice to be able to put that in the container Greenhouse section if we had one. I had the feeling that you are growing yours permanently in containers. Potentially you may put one or two dwarfs in the ground but for the most part you are a container grower. Hopefully one of the container grow house forum members can give you advice on the possibilities of growing a mango in a container :)
Everything is not a commercial enterprise some folks are happy with a dozen or more.
As Truly Tropical Chris often says to each their own.
As Epicatt2 says cheers :)
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[snip] I had the feeling that you are growing yours permanently in containers. Potentially you may put one or two dwarfs in the ground but for the most part you are a container grower. [snip]
Moi? Mais non! Ça n'est pas vrai...
I'm not a container grower for fruit trees necessarily. (Except for my orchids, of course, yes...)
What I intend to keep in containers are those things that are moderately susceptible to the amount of cold temperatures that we can expect to get here in Tampa (9b) from time to time so that those more tender things are able to be moved inside for protection.
To be more clear, I am collecting things which can take down to 25ºF. or lower (Casimiroa edulis, some Eugenias, and some Garcinias, Mexican avocadoes, and so forth). Those will be going into the ground when they get large enough. (I've only been actively adding to my fruit forest for about three years now and started off then with mostly seedlings in 2-inch pots.)
OK — Hope that clarifies things a bit.
Paul M.
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Fruiting them in pots is possible. I think the concern is with the size. If it's still in a 7 gal it could still be too young to fruit without doing harm. Orlando Gardener on youtube has many fruiting in pots but his are in 15-25 gal pots with a good size trunk.
I think there are some container growers in CA because of the soil issues so maybe they can chime in. I'm in 9a so I have to grow mine in a pot too. I'd love to at least start a big container thread so we can discuss and not clutter the forum for those living the dream with mangos in ground.
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You shouldn't be letting any 7 gal mango tree hold fruit. Period.
What?? Even if they are dwarf or semi-dwarf cultivars?
My whole idea was to have several smallish mango trees for my yard –and maintain them in pots. It seems that others do this same thing with their dwarf/condo mangoes and often that's
on a narrrow littlle balcony some floors up in their condo building!
Paul M.
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If you have 7 gallon mangoes in pots and intend on keeping them in pots and not planting them in the ground. That qualifies as being a container grower. If you intend on putting them in the ground at some point the sooner the better. They have to develop a root system and letting them carry fruit while in the pot is counterproductive. It could cause them to be runts. If you're going to keep them in pots permanently. Let them carry fruit Que Sera Sera :)
I have one soursop in container and many trees in the ground. I qualify as being a container grower
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You shouldn't be letting any 7 gal mango tree hold fruit. Period.
What?? Even if they are dwarf or semi-dwarf cultivars?
My whole idea was to have several smallish mango trees for my yard –and maintain them in pots. It seems that others do this same thing with their dwarf/condo mangoes and often that's
on a narrrow littlle balcony some floors up in their condo building!
Paul M.
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The trees are too small/young. Even if it holds a fruit to maturity, it will be of subpar quality and potentially damage the tree for future development.
Trees should be let to produce based on age and maturity, not because its a supposed "dearf" and in a smallish pot.
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UPDATE:
My ʻIce Creamʻ in the 7 gal. pot that bloomed and set ten tiny fruit on four inflorescences has now dropped all but two, which are on one inflorescence.
Iʻm curious to see whether they hold.
Paul M.
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Last year
(https://i.postimg.cc/Y4rbhPGL/301-CF671-0-E0-C-4-BCA-855-C-74451854-B4-CD.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Y4rbhPGL)
This year
(https://i.postimg.cc/LnjTvSjZ/25-AA6875-6696-430-A-9834-971-F004-C639-A.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/LnjTvSjZ)
It’s nice to have a slow growing tree that still produces fruit. If the trunk is sturdy enough id let it hold fruit.
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UPDATE 2:
My 'Ice Cream' in the 7 gal. pot has now shed two of the original 10 fruit that it set.
Fingers X-ed that it will manage to hold onto these remaining fruit.
Stay tuned, Rob!
Paul M.
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Paul, don't let others dissuade you from your endeavor with potted mango trees. If you go to FB there is a group called potted mango growing with plenty of success stories here in Florida and around the country and world. I personally am starting to graft some smaller ones in pots and, while many might disagree, I am not worried about the tree growth as much as getting some production of fruits. I am too old and don't know how many seasons of mango enjoyment I have left so I am working at getting fruit as quickly as possible. Accordingly, even smaller ones that I have in the ground that may have lost their original panicles are getting a dose of K along with a couple of other things to encourage them to flower again. Actually a couple are again throwing out small panicles. When they produce fruit that may be difficult for the tree to support, I will fashion something that will help the tree support that fruit.
To me, going against the odds and thinking outside the box has often times produced results that others simply said was impossible. Follow your heart and dreams and make the impossible possible!
Best of luck to you.
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Thanks for the encouragement, Jagmanjoe!
I don't want these three trees to get real large anyway, so if keeping them in a pot & pruning them will keep them from getting rangy but they'll still make me some fruit, well, I'm all for that.
If I get two to three dozen good & tasty mangos off these three trees per year I'll be satisfied.
Cheers!
Paul M.
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Thanks for the encouragement, Jagmanjoe!
I don't want these three trees to get real large anyway, so if keeping them in a pot & pruning them will keep them from getting rangy but they'll still make me some fruit, well, I'm all for that.
If I get two to three dozen good & tasty mangos off these three trees per year I'll be satisfied.
Cheers!
Paul M.
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I want in on this potted mango endeavor it sounds like you are receiving joy and fun out of this. :)
I ordered for my daughter who lives in Tallahassee. A Saigon which is a true dwarf and a
Lemon Zest grafted onto Piva rootstock. This would give us a shared hobby other than Jeeps to have conversations about. I shared the link to FB potted mango Growers with her. Her favorite mango is Sweet Tart so I am hoping Saigon being indo-chinese may have a little tart to it. Please keep us updated and posted on your three mango cultivar endeavor. I for one am interested :)
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Will do, Bovine.
Another UPDATE:
We had a storm tonight here when a cold front pushed through with a lot of squally wind and rain. It will be interesting to see tom'w whether all the fruitlets are still on the 'Ice Cream'.
Fingers X-ed!
Paul M.
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Will do, Bovine.
Another UPDATE:
We had a storm tonight here when a cold front pushed through with a lot of squally wind and rain. It will be interesting to see tom'w whether all the fruitlets are still on the 'Ice Cream'.
Fingers X-ed!
Paul M.
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Did y'all get hail from that storm too? I thought lightning was going to zap me it was intense
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I am technically a potted mango grower now. Just received email from Alex my order is ready. I purchased two of these one to go in the ground and one to stay in the pot.
Saigon is a name that was applied to a shipment of seeds sent to Florida from then-French Indochina by David Fairchild in 1902.
The ‘Saigon’ we have was obtained from Fairchild Farm, from a tree grafted off of what was considered David Fairchild’s “original” Saigon.
This tree makes medium-to-large oblong shaped fruit that turn a light greenish-yellow color at maturity.
The flesh is yellow, fiberless, with an Indochinese-hybrid class flavor.
Other versions of Saigon grown from seed have seen some degree of variation, with some developing pink or red blush and smaller fruit of varying shape. Because it is polyembryonic, many Saigon trees in the early 20th century were grown from seed.
Fairchild’s original Saigon is quite dwarfish in growth habit and very precocious, and fruits well in Homestead, FL.
We planted a small grafted tree in 2017 for evaluation and look forward to trialing it here. Thus far it has grown *very* slowly and may not be ready to fruit until the 2021 season. It does appear to be a true dwarf.
Flavor: Indochinese hybrid
Country: Vietnam
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UPDATE 4 . . .
Mostly for bovine who's growing in pots, too:
My 'Ice Cream' as of this writing is still holding onto two fruit on two separate infloresences and they are, each fruit, about 3-inches long and looking very healthy.
The other two, 'Irwin' and 'Beverly', did not try to reflower and never did set any fruit this year.
All three mangoes remain in their 7 gallon pots.
OK — HTH
Paul M.
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UPDATE 4 . . .
Mostly for bovine who's growing in pots, too:
My 'Ice Cream' as of this writing is still holding onto two fruit on two separate infloresences and they are, each fruit, about 3-inches long and looking very healthy.
The other two, 'Irwin' and 'Beverly', did not try to reflower and never did set any fruit this year.
All three mangoes remain in their 7 gallon pots.
OK — HTH
Paul M.
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That is very good news.
Hold baby hold. I am rooting for your success.
I am very impressed with the precociousness and fruit set of this variety.
My fruit are poquito
(https://i.postimg.cc/cgBYtFTM/20210503-175404.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/cgBYtFTM)
I don't care for the name ice cream I call mine Trini
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I have mangoes in 4 gallon containers fruiting about 2 fruits each year. Trimming roots and foliage like a bonsai.
Irwin is very sensitive to cold and anthracnose, and died this year. Because I overwintered them in cold.
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That is very good news.
Hold baby hold. I am rooting for your success.
I am very impressed with the precociousness and fruit set of this variety.
My fruit are poquito
[snip]
Hope your frutas hold on, Bovine, and move on to beyond being just pequeñas and that they'll mature.
Advice from another TFF member was to not let mangoes in big pots dry out and that they may need watering during the hot times before the rainy season starts about three time per week.
Keeping our potted mangoes watered, I tend to agree, should keep them from becoming stressed and therefore deciding to drop the fruit.
OK — Good Luck to us both . . .
Paul M.
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If you want to grow a fruit forest you are wasting time not planting these mangos in the ground and may eventually regret you didn't set them free earlier.
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If you want to grow a fruit forest you are wasting time not planting these mangos in the ground and may eventually regret you didn't set them free earlier.
Despite the fact that we have three freezes during the space of approximately every five years to me that fact alone seems to argue that planting the mangoes out in the yard may somehow counter productive should they manage to get hit by a bad freeze after a couple years in the ground and being several yards taller and therefore impractical to cover to protect.
Meanwhile, ref growing my fruit forest, I have half a dozen or more each of Annona, Garcinia, Eugenia, Musa species plus random other genera along with citrus most of which are getting close to a size that they soon will need to go into the gound.
I've been at the fruit forest idea closing on five years now and the larger portion of the above started out in 2-inch pots and most now are up into 3- and 7-gallon pots.
Bottom line is that it's all an experment after all. Some things will survive and some won't and others will thrive. That's what I've set out to do. Only wish that I'd started ten years ago!
Cheers!
Paul M.
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If you want to grow a fruit forest you are wasting time not planting these mangos in the ground and may eventually regret you didn't set them free earlier.
Despite the fact that we have three freezes during the space of approximately every five years to me that fact alone seems to argue that planting the mangoes out in the yard may somehow counter productive should they manage to get hit by a bad freeze after a couple years in the ground and being several yards taller and therefore impractical to cover to protect.
Meanwhile, ref growing my fruit forest, I have half a dozen or more each of Annona, Garcinia, Eugenia, Musa species plus random other genera along with citrus most of which are getting close to a size that they soon will need to go into the gound.
I've been at the fruit forest idea closing on five years now and the larger portion of the above started out in 2-inch pots and most now are up into 3- and 7-gallon pots.
Bottom line is that it's all an experment after all. Some things will survive and some won't and others will thrive. That's what I've set out to do. Only wish that I'd started ten years ago!
Cheers!
Paul M.
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If you do plant them in the ground I’d recommend pruning heavy- get the main limbs as thick and woody as possible. Go for a bushy compact structure too.. and if you can plant under canopy or near a wall and out the wind. Usually under 25F is what has stumped my trees, unless it’s a prolonged warmer freeze. I can almost get away with mangos, if you’re in 9b you should at least attempt!
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I may wind up doing that eventually, 850FL, if they act like they really want out of their pots.
UPDATE for Bovine: The 'Ice Cream' is still holding a fruit on two separate inflorescences. They are now about 3-1/2 inches in diameter, and still all green. The little tree is about four feet tall now with its two taller branches bent from the weight of those two hanging fruit.
I understand that 'Ice Cream' makes a smaller fruit and it is stiil primarily green-skinned when ripe. But are there any useful signs to help tell when 'Ice Cream's fruit has ripened and is ready to pick?
Meanwhle both 'Irwin' and 'Beverly' have flushed healthy new leaves but have not tried to rebloom.
Cheers!
Paul M.
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I may wind up doing that eventually, 850FL, if they act like they really want out of their pots.
UPDATE for Bovine: The 'Ice Cream' is still holding a fruit on two separate inflorescences. They are now about 3-1/2 inches in diameter, and still all green. The little tree is about four feet tall now with its two taller branches bent from the weight of those two hanging fruit.
I understand that 'Ice Cream' makes a smaller fruit and it is stiil primarily green-skinned when ripe. But are there any useful signs to help tell when 'Ice Cream's fruit has ripened and is ready to pick?
Meanwhle both 'Irwin' and 'Beverly' have flushed healthy new leaves but have not tried to rebloom.
Cheers!
Paul M.
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There will definitely be no more blooms this season.
As to the ice cream, as previously stated, you are only harming the tree at this point.and any fruit it produces will be sub-par. I hate to say this but letting it continue to hold the fruit is akin to keeping an elderly ailing dog alive when it should really be put down.
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There will definitely be no more blooms this season.
As to the ice cream, as previously stated, you are only harming the tree at this point.and any fruit it produces will be sub-par. I hate to say this but letting it continue to hold the fruit is akin to keeping an elderly ailing dog alive when it should really be put down.
BS,
Since these smaller statured mango cultivars are frequently callled 'condo mangoes' by many and grown in pots, there must be some rationale for that.
Please remember that there is more than one way to skin a catt(ley guava), so to speak!
Paul M.
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There will definitely be no more blooms this season.
As to the ice cream, as previously stated, you are only harming the tree at this point.and any fruit it produces will be sub-par. I hate to say this but letting it continue to hold the fruit is akin to keeping an elderly ailing dog alive when it should really be put down.
BS,
Since these smaller statured mango cultivars are frequently callled 'condo mangoes' by many and grown in pots, there must be some rationale for that.
Please remember that there is more than one way to skin a catt(ley guava), so to speak!
Paul M.
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Condo mango is an abused term, used as a marketing ploy to sell trees, that means absolutely nothing. By your expertise, you should know that.
Since you think a 7 gal tree is so mature, just how big do you think these "condo mangoes" will get (hint, not 4-5 feet). You are dealing with maybe a pot grown 2-3 year old tree. It needs to develop...but hey, you dont want to accept the advise and want your little tree to produce a fruit to prove something. Dont know why you post when its clear, in your own mind, that you know better and dont want to accept information on advice.
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Rob,
I've remarked repeatedly on here that the fruit forest that I've begun is an experiment.
So, too, are some of the plants I have chosen: Some will thrive and some will not.
Viva zone pushing!
Paul M.
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Paul, you are a very bad boy! So cruel to that Ice Cream mango tree.
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I have seen a few videos of mango trees in zone 9a. At least one near Orlando and another closer to the big bend. I think both were Kent, and they were 10ft+ producing trees in ground. They did get burnt back after several winters but at least the main branches and trunks pulled through. You are in a better position being in 9b, I’m sure they will be fine most winters.
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I have noticed that there are many people in Florida that have mango trees in the ground that still raise a few in a pot for the pure challenge of it. There seems to be great satisfaction to get one to hold three or four fruit. Everytime I come close to taking the challenge. I talk myself out of it and put them in the ground.
Paul my ice cream is down to three mangoes after last week's wind. 😫
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I have noticed that there are many people in Florida that have mango trees in the ground that still raise a few in a pot for the pure challenge of it. There seems to be great satisfaction to get one to hold three or four fruit.
Certainly it is a challenge but a fun one, IMO.
Everytime I come close to taking the challenge. I talk myself out of it and put them in the ground.
So, why not try 'em in a pot? The worst that can happen is that the mango won't thrive or won't produce fruit –or in a worst case just plain die! But then (if it's not an overly rare cultivar) you can get another for a usually reasonable price and plunk it into the ground. (Anyway, I know one person who'd be happy to read that either you or I had done so.)
Paul my ice cream is down to three mangoes after last week's wind. 😫
Hey your three remaining mangoes is more than my two hangers-on. And that's of course lots better than if they'd all fallen off, n'est-ce pas? But if they ripen for me on my dwarf (per Ken Roll's Mango Variety List) mango tree, I'll be all the happier for the 'pure challenge' having been met!
Cheers!
Paul M. (the apparent mango rebel)
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Why waste your time and energy with a potted mango having to water often and repot, and the time and effort of the grafter and nurserymen spraying and maintaining the mango, and worst of all the 40$ for a sapling that may produce a few fruits get rootbound and dwindle away, when it could have been stuck in the ground and done perfectly well in your zone
It’s like when I saw somebody throwing sheets over their dormant peach trees when it got to 32F. Just why lmao
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Why waste your time and energy with a potted mango having to water often and repot, and the time and effort of the grafter and nurserymen spraying and maintaining the mango, and worst of all the 40$ for a sapling that may produce a few fruits get rootbound and dwindle away, when it could have been stuck in the ground and done perfectly well in your zone
It’s like when I saw somebody throwing sheets over their dormant peach trees when it got to 32F. Just why lmao
All we have is time maybe 99 years
Why do people build ships inside of glass bottles or why does Elon Musk want to put a colony on Mars? Not exactly an oasis up there. I do not understand it but I applaud their efforts and when they are successful I will say Bravo. And at this very moment Paul has more mangoes on his tree than many in South Florida. Many had their blooms hit by Frost. Yay Paul go :)
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And at this very moment Paul has more mangoes on his tree than many in South Florida. Many had their blooms hit by Frost. Yay Paul go :)
Thanx for the encouraging words, bovine. Much appreciated.
It will be interesting to see how these three potted dwarf and semi-dwarf mango cultivars react to the onset of our Florida rainy season now that many of the local meteorologists are touting that's it's about to begin.
(I knew that the rains would begin right after I had my lawn man install a drip/watering system for all the fruit trees. And he completed it on May 23rd and got it up and running. And now the rains are just starting.)
Cheers!
Paul M.
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And at this very moment Paul has more mangoes on his tree than many in South Florida. Many had their blooms hit by Frost. Yay Paul go :)
Thanx for the encouraging words, bovine. Much appreciated.
It will be interesting to see how these three potted dwarf and semi-dwarf mango cultivars react to the onset of our Florida rainy season now that many of the local meteorologists are touting that's it's about to begin.
(I knew that the rains would begin right after I had my lawn man install a drip/watering system for all the fruit trees. And he completed it on May 23rd and got it up and running. And now the rains are just starting.)
Cheers!
Paul M.
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Well Paul it is here finally. Hopefully the pump is primed. I'm so tired eating dust and watering tree's. Not to worry about mango flavor wash out.Someone on this forum stated it is vastly overblown. I hope so I like the rain but the wind not so much.😊