Maha Chanok Mango...

[puglvr1]

Sooo...because I was too impatient to taste fruits from my own Maha I let it fruit sooner than I should have causing my tree to stop growing after the first few fruits were picked...really halted the new growths  . When I saw some swelling the last few weeks I assumed they were blooms since all my other trees were putting out mixed blooms/leaves right now. I thought I would try something new. I decided to start fertilizing my Maha. I started several weeks ago when I first saw the first signs of swelling hoping to halt the flowers and let it put out new growths instead. Coincidence or not they are now bursting with  new growths, no blooms that I can find. Almost every branch has 1-4 new shoots growing. Very good news since I really need this tree to grow this year so I can let it fruit next season.

I wanted to get new growths instead of blooms right away instead of letting it fruit...wait till they are pea size then remove them and wait several more weeks before they start growing again. Thought I would share my method in case anyone out there might want to try it on their small/young mango trees? Not saying it will work for you but it did for me 

[simon_grow]

Thanks for sharing pug! I've tried fertilizing mango trees with a vegetative growth type fertilizer but the blooms kept on coming. I've also tried increasing the amount of water my trees get and that still didn't work. I believe it is the cold weather that is the major factor causing blooms on my mango trees. I get a bit of frost almost every year and get really cold weather about every 10-12 years.

My trees are almost in perpetual blooms except for a few of the warmest months in summer. Last year I let my very small Carrie hold 4-5 fruit to maturity thinking that it will not fruit for a few years after that but sure enough, it's blooming again.

Even all my recently grafted Double Stone Grafted trees are blooming and they are only about 12-14 inches tall!

Simon

[phantomcrab]

I thought I would try something new. I decided to start fertilizing my Maha. I started several weeks ago when I first saw the first signs of swelling hoping to halt the flowers and let it put out new growths instead. Coincidence or not they are now bursting with  new growths, no blooms that I can find. Almost every branch has 1-4 new shoots growing.

I did the early season fertilization with my new mangos for the same reason after they were planted in 2011. There were some flowers but mostly vegetative growth was produced. The trees were pruned at planting too.

[puglvr1]

Sorry to hear it didn't work for you Simon...like I said its probably coincidental or accidental,lol...but all my other trees are blooming right now. Maha is the only one I fertilized and watered this winter. I too have had many chilling hours so I was so sure they would have been blooms had I not intervened, but no real proof 

Oh remember my potted lanky Hak ip that I wanted to prune, turns out those "swells" were definitely blooms/leaves combination...I'm going to see if they will set some fruits this year, wish me luck!

phantomcrab...maybe it worked for you too?

[JF]

Hey Nancy
Mahachanok is a great mango. Let it fruit away and you'll get one flush in October and bloom in February. Here is one of my maha graft fruiting

[puglvr1]

That's awesome Joe, Congrats!!!! I'm letting mine fruit next year...going to give it one season to grow a little 

[shinzo]

Sooo...because I was too impatient to taste fruits from my own Maha I let it fruit sooner than I should have causing my tree to stop growing after the first few fruits were picked...really halted the new growths  . When I saw some swelling the last few weeks I assumed they were blooms since all my other trees were putting out mixed blooms/leaves right now. I thought I would try something new. I decided to start fertilizing my Maha. I started several weeks ago when I first saw the first signs of swelling hoping to halt the flowers and let it put out new growths instead. Coincidence or not they are now bursting with  new growths, no blooms that I can find. Almost every branch has 1-4 new shoots growing. Very good news since I really need this tree to grow this year so I can let it fruit next season.

I wanted to get new growths instead of blooms right away instead of letting it fruit...wait till they are pea size then remove them and wait several more weeks before they start growing again. Thought I would share my method in case anyone out there might want to try it on their small/young mango trees? Not saying it will work for you but it did for me 

Can you post a pic of the whole tree puglvr1?

[Mark in Texas]

Sorry to hear it didn't work for you Simon...like I said its probably coincidental or accidental,lol...but all my other trees are blooming right now. Maha is the only one I fertilized and watered this winter. I too have had many chilling hours so I was so sure they would have been blooms had I not intervened, but no real proof 

Oh remember my potted lanky Hak ip that I wanted to prune, turns out those "swells" were definitely blooms/leaves combination...I'm going to see if they will set some fruits this year, wish me luck!

phantomcrab...maybe it worked for you too?

Against "The Herd" I have used a high N food on mangoes with good blooms.

I have one more spot for a mango tree.  If you had to choose, would it be Maha or Lemon Zest?

[gunnar429]

Sorry to hear it didn't work for you Simon...like I said its probably coincidental or accidental,lol...but all my other trees are blooming right now. Maha is the only one I fertilized and watered this winter. I too have had many chilling hours so I was so sure they would have been blooms had I not intervened, but no real proof 

Oh remember my potted lanky Hak ip that I wanted to prune, turns out those "swells" were definitely blooms/leaves combination...I'm going to see if they will set some fruits this year, wish me luck!

phantomcrab...maybe it worked for you too?

Against "The Herd" I have used a high N food on mangoes with good blooms.

I have one more spot for a mango tree.  If you had to choose, would it be Maha or Lemon Zest?

I like Maha better, and it would be much easier to keep in a GH, but the rest of the forum is drinking the LZ kool-aid so I think I am in the minority here. 

[Mark in Texas]

I like Maha better, and it would be much easier to keep in a GH, but the rest of the forum is drinking the LZ kool-aid so I think I am in the minority here.

Thanks.  I'm about to toss a coin. 

[simon_grow]

I like Lemon Zest a lot more than Maha but Maha is much easier to keep small than a LZ. If you decide on LZ, you may want to consider grafting a LZ scion onto a seedling. This way you can have lower branching and save several feet of vertical height in your greenhouse.

Simon

[Mark in Texas]

Thanks!

[bsbullie]

I like Maha better, and it would be much easier to keep in a GH, but the rest of the forum is drinking the LZ kool-aid so I think I am in the minority here.

Thanks.  I'm about to toss a coin.

Hold that coin toss.  While I am making a batch of Kool-aid for Jeff and recommending LZ between the two, wait till later this summer to see if any potential surprises become available.   I also would not rule out going with a Peach Cobbler.

[bsbullie]

I like Lemon Zest a lot more than Maha but Maha is much easier to keep small than a LZ. If you decide on LZ, you may want to consider grafting a LZ scion onto a seedling. This way you can have lower branching and save several feet of vertical height in your greenhouse.

Simon

Isnt that a grafted tree?   

[mangomandan]

Hold that coin toss.  While I am making a batch of Kool-aid for Jeff and recommending LZ between the two, wait till later this summer to see if any potential surprises become available.   I also would not rule out going with a Peach Cobbler.

You're teasing us, Rob.  And yes, it's working.......

[bsbullie]

Hold that coin toss.  While I am making a batch of Kool-aid for Jeff and recommending LZ between the two, wait till later this summer to see if any potential surprises become available.   I also would not rule out going with a Peach Cobbler.

You're teasing us, Rob.  And yes, it's working.......

No guarantees but....

[Cookie Monster]

Yah, LZ and MC are both excellent mangoes. The LZ wins by a very small margin. It's like Platinum vs Gold. While LZ has a slightly better flavor, the MC has a smaller growth habit.

[Mango Stein]

How does Lemon Meringue (Po Pyu Kalay) match up with these two? These three all look like they are Burmese in origin.

[WGphil]

When choosing between those two, both is the answer.   

[Mark in Texas]

I just got an message from a very seasoned mango grower located here in Texas that taste tests by a couple of folks both confirmed that MC tasted just like a carrot. It wouldn't be such a big deal but I have only one reserved spot left in the greenhouse for a mango.

I'm about to make payment to an ebayer for an LZ. (will hold off now) but one grower said she lost two mango trees from them and the first one sent was the wrong variety. 

Anyone know of a reputable mail order source for LZ?  PIN does not have LZ & will not stock MC until May FWIW.

[simon_grow]

I like Lemon Zest a lot more than Maha but Maha is much easier to keep small than a LZ. If you decide on LZ, you may want to consider grafting a LZ scion onto a seedling. This way you can have lower branching and save several feet of vertical height in your greenhouse.

Simon

Isnt that a grafted tree?   

Yes Rob, what I meant is that by grafting a Lemon Zest onto a newly sprouted seedling, you can have much lower branching compared to nursery grafted LZ that may already have branching at 2-4 feet. My home grafted Lemon Zest has branching starting at about 10 inches from the ground.

Simon

[murahilin]

How does Lemon Meringue (Po Pyu Kalay) match up with these two? These three all look like they are Burmese in origin.

I like the LZ the best of the three. PPK second. I've never been that impressed with Mahachanok though. Only the PPK is from Myanmar. Mahachanok is from Thailand and LZ is a PPK seedling that originated in Florida.

[bsbullie]

I like Lemon Zest a lot more than Maha but Maha is much easier to keep small than a LZ. If you decide on LZ, you may want to consider grafting a LZ scion onto a seedling. This way you can have lower branching and save several feet of vertical height in your greenhouse.

Simon

Isnt that a grafted tree?   

Yes Rob, what I meant is that by grafting a Lemon Zest onto a newly sprouted seedling, you can have much lower branching compared to nursery grafted LZ that may already have branching at 2-4 feet. My home grafted Lemon Zest has branching starting at about 10 inches from the ground.

Simon

Having branches 10 inches from the ground is a nono here in Florida, and really anywhere where you have humid conditions.   Its a breeding ground for fu gus.  Mangoes need good airflow under and through the trees.  Plus, with branches that low, you will have fruit hanging on the ground, perfect for feeding the vermin.

[phantomcrab]

Anyone know of a reputable mail order source for LZ?  PIN does not have LZ & will not stock MC until May FWIW.

Plantogram ships both MC and LZ but it will cost more than PIN. I purchased my Mahachanok from POG.

[Cookie Monster]

When I first read the carrot / MC references, I was a bit dumbfounded by the comparison. But, after giving it some thought, I think I know what they are referring to. Southeast Asian mangoes tend to have a piney type smell and flavor, especially near the rind. Carrots also have a turpentine flavor. I know that I was initially repelled by that flavor in mangoes (such as the Duncan), but I now actively seek it out. I now view it as a "coca cola" flavor, and it is a very strong component of the SweetTart mango flavor -- which I absolutely adore. Also, the piney / coca cola flavor is only detectable when the MC is at a certain stage of ripeness. If you wait a couple of days, that flavor goes away.