Container Mangos

[Rob1977]

Sup everyone! This is my first post on this forum other than the intro so yall be nice! Im going to pull the trigger on 3 mangos in the very near future. I live in South Houston Tx Zone9A/B where the 2 zones meet. Im still on the fence about whether to put these babies in ground or large containers but Im leaning towards containers at the moment. I will have to put out some effort to protect them in the winter either way so maintaining the trees to around 6-8ft tall will be manditory.  Ive been researching many of the condo varieties and pretty much nailed down the Pickering. After that it gets kinda fuzzy as theres so many to choose from. So far I've got NDM (not sure about all the fruit split I read about), Maha Chanok, Rosigold, Graham and Millika on my radar.  My location is humid most of the time as I'm only 1 mile from Galveston Bay and maybe 15-20 miles from the Gulf so leaf dieses resistance is a must and from what I've read these varieties all have this attribute. I only have room for 3 so which other 2 would you pick and why? Are there any other varieties that are attainable that you would suggest? Any of the new Zill varieties worth trying in my area?

[rliou]

Mallika and Neelam are good choices.  I think ndm is only ok.  Splitting is a real big issue with this tree in containers.  With the rain u get in houston, may not be the best choice.  I also like irwin as a small container tree but it would require spraying in houston.  Maha Chanok will fruit in a container as well but mine have splitting problems this year as well.

Pickering did well for me this year.  I just wished the fruit would have been bigger

Robert

[Rob1977]

Thanks for the response Robert. Whats the deal with Mallika? How do you know when to pick them green? Ive read they are one of the tastiest but only if picked at the right time and ripened in a paper sack. I remember researching Neelam and cant recall why its not on my list. I will look it up again. Im thinking of putting my Lychee and Mangos under a clear plastic cover to keep the rain out that way I can control the amount of water they get. Would that help expand my choices of Mangos? Does that bring LZ and the other Zill varieties into the mix?

[ricshaw]

Just curious, what is your definition of a large container for a mango tree?

[Rob1977]

Good question. A 65 gallon drum cut in half is what Im refering to so a 30 gallon container.  Thats as big as I want to handle. Im currently growing many plants in those.  They are heavy but not unmanagable.

[ricshaw]

For a Mango tree, I was thinking bigger, like a box.

[Rob1977]

Yup, those are very big containers! Not quite was I was thinking but I see where your going with it. Makes sense too because to root prune you just cut the straps on the boxes and the sides fall off. Alittle root trimming and strap the sides right back on. Thanks for the pick and idea. I can now see the light

[ricshaw]

You can buy a 1000 pound mover's dolly from Harbor Freight for less than $15.00.

[nullzero]

Good question. A 65 gallon drum cut in half is what Im refering to so a 30 gallon container.  Thats as big as I want to handle. Im currently growing many plants in those.  They are heavy but not unmanagable.

55 GAL plastic drum, cut the top off. And drill lots of holes on the bottom and lower sides Then just use a dolly to move around.

[rliou]

Lemonzest is pretty vigorous for me so it might be tough to keep that in a container.  I had to move mine in ground this year.  Indian mangoes have to be ripen off the tree.  I usually pick them when they start turning a bit yellow-green then ripen them off the tree.

Other trees u might consider is fairchild and angie.  Both are supposed to be compact growers.  I dont have either of them so u will have to ask others who have it to see if they are good mangoes to have.

Robert

[puglvr1]

Cogshall, Pickering, Maha, Keitt, Glenn are my suggestions...though Keitts can grow very lanky and tall...you will have to prune this one aggressively.

I have a Glenn ( in a pot) its probably a 25 or so size gallon?  These pics were taken last year 2013)...before I moved it to this size sadly, the wind knocked it down and broke a large branch so the tree is slighly uneven now  ...I also pugged it a few months ago...so its just now starting to look like a tree again...
 

[gunnar429]

I have been told that Dot and PPK would also stay small, for pot culture.  I would say Maha is a must-have for pots, since it grows so slowly

[ricshaw]

Anybody got pictures of a mango tree in a 25 or so size gallon pot with fruit?

[zands]

Your pluses:

• You are 400 miles south of LA where mangoes are growing in many back yards. So you have more sun and heat
• Your salt air breezes are a plus for deterring fungal diseases in mangoes. We see this in FL

NDM and Pickering have that low bushy tendency and are fine mangoes. Don't be afraid to get one of the new Zills if you want to. You will just have to put more thought into pruning it. So that's just one out of three. Any mango tree can be pruned to bring out its bushy tendencies via tip pruning and conventional pruning.
The beautiful elongated shape of NDM fruit will amaze people.

NDM splitting? Can't you use a plastic garbage bag taped up high on the trunk to keep rain out of it?

[ricshaw]

Anybody got pictures of a mango tree in a 25 or so size gallon pot with fruit?

Thanks!

[ClayMango]

Your pluses:

• You are 400 miles south of LA where mangoes are growing in many back yards. So you have more sun and heat
• Your salt air breezes are a plus for deterring fungal diseases in mangoes. We see this in FL

NDM and Pickering have that low bushy tendency and are fine mangoes. Don't be afraid to get one of the new Zills if you want to. You will just have to put more thought into pruning it. So that's just one out of three. Any mango tree can be pruned to bring out its bushy tendencies via tip pruning and conventional pruning.
The beautiful elongated shape of NDM fruit will amaze people.

NDM splitting? Can't you use a plastic garbage bag taped up high on the trunk to keep rain out of it?

Zands you have sold me that NDM so hard!!! For now it has earned it's keep planted in the ground for now....I love the tree so much... this 7g I purchased set at least 20 Fruit with about 6 on one Panicle that got pretty big before I removed 3 of them.... It also is a Flush Monster.... Out of the all my 13 minus 1 dog destroyed Mango Trees.... Only Edward has produced More growth....

Not only that...This tree has multiple season I believe... my first season  has just now started to yellow up on the tree....who knows....Mangos in  NOV??? The other Panicles formed 2 months ago and also set a nice amount of fruit which could have given fruit in Late Winter possibly with protection* Though I removed all mangos to get the incredible Flush it's producing now.... Zands I just hope the flavor is also incredible...I'm hearing a lot of so so's on this subject matter.

[rbody2]

For containers I have/recommend Maha, Pickering, Cogshall, Angie, and Fairchild.  My Glenn  isn't that vigorous either.  Coconut Cream seems to be manageable, but I have read that it is not a heavy producer.

[Rob1977]

Thanks for all the replies! Im convinced that Pickering and Maha are a must have for container. I wrote down a list of the new Zill varieties and will do some research on them. For you guys growing the new Zill varieties, which of them seem to be the slower possibly more manageable ones?

[Doglips]

You are several years away from having to worry about getting a half barrel and root pruning, unless you are buying monsters to begin with.

[zands]

Zands you have sold me that NDM so hard!!! For now it has earned it's keep planted in the ground for now....I love the tree so much... this 7g I purchased set at least 20 Fruit with about 6 on one Panicle that got pretty big before I removed 3 of them.... It also is a Flush Monster.... Out of the all my 13 minus 1 dog destroyed Mango Trees.... Only Edward has produced More growth....

Not only that...This tree has multiple season I believe... my first season  has just now started to yellow up on the tree....who knows....Mangos in  NOV??? The other Panicles formed 2 months ago and also set a nice amount of fruit which could have given fruit in Late Winter possibly with protection* Though I removed all mangos to get the incredible Flush it's producing now.... Zands I just hope the flavor is also incredible...I'm hearing a lot of so so's on this subject matter.

http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=12569.msg160888#msg160888
The NDM also is good for frost protection structures due to its bushy tendencies
Clay, I think you got a stronger than average NDM
The NDM fruits are not as sweet and complex as some of the new Zills. But they still rate higher than the bland Glenns and Hadens I have had. But Glenns and Hadens get better as their season progresses.
Plus you need to diversify into SE Asian mangoes which your NDM and Maha Chanok do. The SE Asian mangoes can resist fungus some years that hits the others. Fungus is probably not much of a problem where you are due to the dry air.

NDM fruit is just very good in its own way. Try to buy a few or taste a few at a JF mango tasting

[zands]

Thanks for all the replies! Im convinced that Pickering and Maha are a must have for container. I wrote down a list of the new Zill varieties and will do some research on them. For you guys growing the new Zill varieties, which of them seem to be the slower possibly more manageable ones?

Get the new type Zill mango you like and keep it bushy and smaller via tip pruning. My Zill Pina Colada is a slow grower but so what. I would buy what I want and tip prune. It seems to me that the Zills that get mentioned most here are Lemon Zest and Sweet-Tart.

[Mark in Texas]

I have 2 dwarfs and they're doing extremely well - Pickering which immediately fruited (I dropped all but one) and Mallika which I topped back to 8" tall upon receipt back in Sept. 2013.  Both are growing like a weed now full of foliage.  White flies and spider mites are my only pests, both now controlled.

Whatever container you use, you'd really be remiss not using a root tip pruning pot system in order to produce a small but highly efficient fibrous root mass, either air or copper hydroxide paint on the inside of the pot.  I use RootBuilder.

According to Jim at PIN NDM grows larger than my choices.  Another great resource for you would be Karen Petucek in the valley, she loves Mallika and Pickering.    http://www.riversendnursery.com/  She shipped me 3 type of avocado fruits in a large box and will have pitaya soon FWIW.  Another great resource is to join the Texas Rare Fruit Growers Yahoo forum.  Ed Self is admin, also a member here.  Lots of Houston growers are members and post often.

Mark

[Rob1977]

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. Been researching the last couple days and for sure will be getting Maha and Pickering. From there I've narrowed them down to NDM, Coconut Cream, Fairchild, Sweet Tart, Neelam and Cogshell. LOL, maybe I just need to make room for more than 3!!!!!!

[mangomanic12]

Rob , welcome to the club. It has just started for you . You will surely have to make room for more LOL. I have 6 mangoes in the ground and have room for 4 more . Learn to take care of those three first by reading up on the forum , don't rush into getting more until you master care and maintenance. After that you can spread your wings. Take advantage of the knowledge on this great board . I have been growing for 5-6 years and i am still learning what/ when / where  to do as far as mango care. Good luck and be patient. The other cultivars are not going anywhere and they are constantly coming out with "NEW" Ones.
Mike 

[Rob1977]

Mike, really I dont know if I will have room for more. I have so many other fruit trees right now that Im already pushing it from a up keep stand point, and a wife stand point! She thinks Im nuts!!! Ive got well over 50 potted fruit trees right now but alot of them will go into the ground when the house is finished.  I will keep a few of my prized citrus, figs, all the blueberries and the soon to attain tropical trees in pots. Im thinking of having a fruit tree sale my self to get rid of some stuff. My biggest challenge with the tropicals is going to be freeze protection the few nights it happens here.

[gunnar429]

Mike, really I dont know if I will have room for more. I have so many other fruit trees right now that Im already pushing it from a up keep stand point, and a wife stand point! She thinks Im nuts!!! Ive got well over 50 potted fruit trees right now but alot of them will go into the ground when the house is finished.  I will keep a few of my prized citrus, figs, all the blueberries and the soon to attain tropical trees in pots. Im thinking of having a fruit tree sale my self to get rid of some stuff. My biggest challenge with the tropicals is going to be freeze protection the few nights it happens here.

Again, welcome to the club

[Rob1977]

LOL, Jeff, I tell her she doesn't have to undertand! Just be okay with it;) Its funny though. She will gripe at me about them, then as soon as I bring in some new fruit that no one has tasted shes the first in line wanting a bite! When I tell her I going to get rid of some of the plants, she pleads for me to keep them? LOL, women right? Im still trying to figure them out.

[gunnar429]

she is cool, but i keep pushing it because i am infected with the disease

[edself65]

Rob,

Here is what I use for freeze protection

 http://extension.nmsu.edu/documents/2009%20Straight%20Line%20Construction% 20Instruction.pdf

Ed

[Rob1977]

Ed, I cant get the link to pull up for some reason.

[edself65]

Try this one.

Straight Side Tunnel Construction - Cooperative Extension Service

http://extension.nmsu.edu/documents/2009%20Straight%20Line%20Construction%20Instruction.pdf

[Rob1977]

Got it, thanks. Nice description and it can be modified to fit anyones needs. Unfortunatly my new yard will not be big enough for a green house like this, but my next house after this one will. I saved it to my favorites list so I can refer back to it when need. Thanks again!

[Mark in Texas]

Mike, really I dont know if I will have room for more. I have so many other fruit trees right now that Im already pushing it from a up keep stand point, and a wife stand point! She thinks Im nuts!!! Ive got well over 50 potted fruit trees right now but alot of them will go into the ground when the house is finished.  I will keep a few of my prized citrus, figs, all the blueberries and the soon to attain tropical trees in pots. Im thinking of having a fruit tree sale my self to get rid of some stuff. My biggest challenge with the tropicals is going to be freeze protection the few nights it happens here.

A little bit of advice....

1.  You can't kiss all the pretty ladies,

2.   Don't become a slave to your plants.  If you do, what was once fun becomes grunt work. 

[cuban007]

Mike, really I dont know if I will have room for more. I have so many other fruit trees right now that Im already pushing it from a up keep stand point, and a wife stand point! She thinks Im nuts!!! Ive got well over 50 potted fruit trees right now but alot of them will go into the ground when the house is finished.  I will keep a few of my prized citrus, figs, all the blueberries and the soon to attain tropical trees in pots. Im thinking of having a fruit tree sale my self to get rid of some stuff. My biggest challenge with the tropicals is going to be freeze protection the few nights it happens here.

A little bit of advice....

1.  You can't kiss all the pretty ladies,

2.   Don't become a slave to your plants.  If you do, what was once fun becomes grunt work.

So true in a lot of ways 

[Rob1977]

Well said Mark, there sure are a lot of pretty ladies out there!   Ever heard the joke about the old bull and the young bull?

[Mark in Texas]

Well said Mark, there sure are a lot of pretty ladies out there!   Ever heard the joke about the old bull and the young bull?

Ok, I'll bite. 

[Rob1977]

Ill try to keep it clean

So an old bull and a young bull were up on a hill looking over a field of full of cows. True to his nature, the young bull couldn't contain him self and said to the old bull, " Lets run down there and breed one of those beautiful cows!!!!".  The old bull looked and at him, laughed and said, " How about we walk down there and breed all of them".   

[Bob407]

Ill try to keep it clean

So an old bull and a young bull were up on a hill looking over a field of full of cows. True to his nature, the young bull couldn't contain him self and said to the old bull, " Lets run down there and breed one of those beautiful cows!!!!".  The old bull looked and at him, laughed and said, " How about we walk down there and breed all of them".   

You cleaned that one up quite well! I like the reference to plant collecting though......I'm still laughing

[Rob1977]

Glad you enjoyed it Bob! I had to try real hard to keep it clean!

I'm done floundering around on varieties. I've decided on Maha, Mallika, Pickering and Sweetart. If I cant get a few good mangos off of those babies then I will just hang it up. Thanks for everyones replies;)

[simon_grow]

Hey Rob, you may want to consider a Lemon Zest or another vigorous variety for a potted Mango. A vigorous variety may enable your tree to recover faster if you ever get hit with frost. LZ is a real winner as far as taste is concerned.
Simon

[Rob1977]

Thanks for recommendation Simon but Im trying to shy away from the varieties that have bag fungus issues. I did research LZ and from what Ive read I don't think it will do well in our climate. Very humid here as Im right next to the Gulf. Please correct me if Im assuming wrong?

[gunnar429]

It does well in South FL and it is quite humid here

[Rob1977]

Thanks for 411 Gunner, I thought I had it nailed down until you told me that. More decisions to make! I can't do more than 4, at least not yet. What would you replace LZ with? Pickering, mallika, Maha or sweet tart?

[Bob407]

I have a Kensington Pride seedling in a five gallon bucket that is growing like a beast. I know it's not a "condo mango" but  whatever. I also have an Indera seedling that seems to be hanging on and another seed going of a fruit I got from Treehouse nursery that tasted like banana taffy. I just don't have the knack with mangos, I have killed so many seeds and seedlings. They don't seem to like it too wet. Although the Kensington pride seems oblivious to anything thrown at it.

[Mr. Clean]

Sup everyone! This is my first post on this forum other than the intro so yall be nice! Im going to pull the trigger on 3 mangos in the very near future. I live in South Houston Tx Zone9A/B where the 2 zones meet. Im still on the fence about whether to put these babies in ground or large containers but Im leaning towards containers at the moment. I will have to put out some effort to protect them in the winter either way so maintaining the trees to around 6-8ft tall will be manditory.  Ive been researching many of the condo varieties and pretty much nailed down the Pickering. After that it gets kinda fuzzy as theres so many to choose from. So far I've got NDM (not sure about all the fruit split I read about), Maha Chanok, Rosigold, Graham and Millika on my radar.  My location is humid most of the time as I'm only 1 mile from Galveston Bay and maybe 15-20 miles from the Gulf so leaf dieses resistance is a must and from what I've read these varieties all have this attribute. I only have room for 3 so which other 2 would you pick and why? Are there any other varieties that are attainable that you would suggest? Any of the new Zill varieties worth trying in my area?

Rob, since Houston/Galveston can be very humid, I suggest you research disease resistance.  I would suggest an Early, Mid, and Late Season mango, so you can enjoy a longer mango season.  Since my trees are all in-ground, I don't know much about container growing.  Rosigold gets anthracnose, but comes mostly before the rainy season in Florida.  I found Graham somewhat bland.  Fairchild is a small mango.

My suggestions:
Early:  Carrie
Mid:  SweetTart (Good luck getting this in Texas)
Late:  Beverly:  good taste, decent size.   My Keitt tree had about 20 - two pound mangos, but it is a vigorous grower, so I don't think Keitt is right for a container.  In addition, two pounds is a lot of mango to eat at one sitting.  Neelam:  I don't recommend:  Small and unexciting flavor.

[edself65]

Here's a photo of my recently grafted Sweet Tart mango.

Ed

[Rob1977]

Mr. Clean, thanks for the input. I did research disease issues and that was why I selected those varieties. I'm just going off of what the descriptions on PIN and Top Tropicals have on there site plus what posts I've found on here regarding those varieties. Can you comment on the disease resistance of the ones I've listed? I read that LZ does have a few problems in that catagory.

[Mr. Clean]

Mr. Clean, thanks for the input. I did research disease issues and that was why I selected those varieties. I'm just going off of what the descriptions on PIN and Top Tropicals have on there site plus what posts I've found on here regarding those varieties. Can you comment on the disease resistance of the ones I've listed? I read that LZ does have a few problems in that catagory.

Pickering -  I recommend this.  Decent tasting, productive, disease resistant and dwarf.
Florigon - you might look into this variety, but has a reputation for becoming large tree.
NDM - seems good, but lots of fruit split; most of my crop dropped this year.   
Mahachanok - my trees haven't fruited yet
Rosigold - susceptible (but blooms early to avoid part of rainy season here)
Graham - seems good, large mangos, but a boring tasting mango.  I would have planned something different in hindsight.
Mallika - my tree hasn't fruited yet.
Lemon Zest - about a 25% of my crop split

All of my trees are 1-3 years old, so you may get different results in the long run.