Author Topic: Mango weed wacker damage  (Read 1027 times)

Julie

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Mango weed wacker damage
« on: April 27, 2023, 09:12:18 PM »
I'm devastated right now...I've lost about 10 mangoes to weed wacker damage from my lawn guy.  I feel so sad.  Some mangoes are still attached but have deep marks on them from the weed wacker.  Should I remove these mangoes or will they be able to recover?

I'm going to spend all my free time this weekend putting down cardboard and clearing around trees  :'(  :'(

MangoMaven888

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Re: Mango weed wacker damage
« Reply #1 on: April 27, 2023, 10:32:45 PM »
I'm sorry to hear!  Similar thing happened to me and lost 2 sugarloaf mangos (at the time had 14 on the tree).  This was despite me telling the lawn guy to be careful around the mango trees.  Almost bought yellow crime scene tape to put around the trees to prevent the gardeners from damaging anymore lol.  Instead, now I tell them to not cut the side of the lawn where the trees are.  So far that's working for me.

As far as the mangos that are attached, I'd leave them and see what happens come harvest time.  Maybe only 1 side will be edible, but half a mango is better than no mango (especially if you've been waiting years)!

Good luck!


Calusa

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Re: Mango weed wacker damage
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2023, 08:18:27 AM »
I have only two mango trees but to keep the line trimmer away from them I circled each one with flexible Vigoro edging that attaches to the ground with long spikes (about 6' diameter), then filled them with pine bark nuggets. No stems no weeds that you don't need, that Vigoro and pine bark are friends indeed.  ;D

skhan

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Re: Mango weed wacker damage
« Reply #3 on: April 28, 2023, 08:32:00 AM »
Sorry to hear about the damage.
Depending on how complete the girdling is, I would start thinking about removing fruits, or start bridge grafting

This is part of the reason why I started doing my own lawn care, I have way too much invested in all these trees (Also, I'm cheap, lol)
Once the bark is thicker it should be safe to switch back.

I use to use something like this.
https://www.amazon.com/Dewitt-3-Inch-50-Foot-White-TW3W/dp/B0016AJC0W/ref=asc_df_B0016AJC0W/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=459534575701&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14072376081156876052&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9052586&hvtargid=pla-387838632875&th=1

Cheap and easy to install. Unless someone is trying to kill your tree it prevents the occasional mishaps.

Orkine

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Re: Mango weed wacker damage
« Reply #4 on: April 28, 2023, 08:51:09 PM »
I initially also first thought it was girdling of the plant but I believe it is wounding of the fruit not the tree.
Can OP confirm?

Julie

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Re: Mango weed wacker damage
« Reply #5 on: April 28, 2023, 11:15:12 PM »
It's the fruit only.  He didn't weed wack against the trunk, he's not that bad.  I lost about 10 pickering mangoes that were on/close to the ground.  Really sad about this.  I still have a lot of fruit, but what a loss.  :'(

Orkine

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Re: Mango weed wacker damage
« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2023, 07:29:56 AM »
Consolation (silver lining,) perhaps the fruits that are left will get bigger and sweeter?

EddieF

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Re: Mango weed wacker damage
« Reply #7 on: April 29, 2023, 05:55:24 PM »
Julie, i made these for all my young trees.  Besides protecting from weed whacker, protects from bumping it.  Ive had one almost knocked over, another gouged from mower.
2x6x12 cut into 4.  Long screws hold them together.  Pre drill board its not screwing in.
Carpet has no backing.  This one was around Avocado that doesn't need it.
I tied low fruit up since photo.



Julie

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Re: Mango weed wacker damage
« Reply #8 on: April 29, 2023, 06:28:05 PM »
The worst has been confirmed.  He also damaged a trunk of my young sapodilla tree.  I don't know why because there's a good-sized mulched area with no grass around it.  I'm so devastated. 

EddieF

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Re: Mango weed wacker damage
« Reply #9 on: April 29, 2023, 07:08:11 PM »
My gouged M4 (recovered) had 3 foot circle of mulch.  He mowed the mulch.
It was the dad who no longer mows.  I still argue with son who i'm great friends with lol. 
It's in their head to get every blade of grass.
Sorry for your trees, build what i did.  Lowes/Depot will cut the board for you.  It works.
I also rinsed carpet very well before using it.

Calusa

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Re: Mango weed wacker damage
« Reply #10 on: April 29, 2023, 11:09:04 PM »
The worst has been confirmed.  He also damaged a trunk of my young sapodilla tree.  I don't know why because there's a good-sized mulched area with no grass around it.  I'm so devastated.

The wounds will probably heal won't they Julie? I sure hope so. Tell the lawn guy to keep his tools away from the fruit trees!

Daintree

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Re: Mango weed wacker damage
« Reply #11 on: April 30, 2023, 10:04:39 AM »
Oh, that is awful! I am so paranoid about my trees (we are zone 6, so my outdoor trees are apple, pear and pawpaw) I would mow around them myself before the lawn guy came.
But when I re-covered my greenhouse, I had a lot of leftover flexible, single wall corrugated poly, and made these. Now I sleep well the night before lawn mowing days  :D
Of course, it wouldn't help with low-hanging fruit, but maybe you could use the same stuff to make "fruit cozies"...

Carolyn



Julie

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Re: Mango weed wacker damage
« Reply #12 on: April 30, 2023, 09:39:06 PM »
The damage was above where the plastic casing you have covers.  I'll post pictures soon to see if anyone can tell if the wound will heal.  All I know is that I've had 2 trees die with no wounds, for no apparent reason.  So, one can easily die with a big gash in it's trunk.  And, it will probably be years before I can tell if the tree is going to recover or languish.  :'(

bulldawg305

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Re: Mango weed wacker damage
« Reply #13 on: May 01, 2023, 09:23:39 AM »



Pretty much the only benefit of having rocky soil. Chops up weed-eater strings all day and blocks lawnmower banging.

Julie

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Re: Mango weed wacker damage
« Reply #14 on: May 10, 2023, 03:19:55 PM »



Julie

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Re: Mango weed wacker damage
« Reply #15 on: May 10, 2023, 03:24:02 PM »
I just spoke w/my lawn guy and he didn't think he caused the damage.  He said he thought it was an animal.  I'm finding it hard to believe that it was an animal and not weed wacking - what does everyone think?

FruitGrower

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Re: Mango weed wacker damage
« Reply #16 on: May 10, 2023, 10:36:19 PM »
I’ve had weed eater damage before and it’s always horizontal so that vertical damage perpendicular to the trunk wouldn’t be indicative of weed eater to me, but it doesn’t look like animal damage either?

It looks like you have it mulched around the tree, would they have any reason to be seed eating next to the trunk?

Seanny

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Re: Mango weed wacker damage
« Reply #17 on: May 11, 2023, 12:05:15 AM »
Julie,

Wrap the wound with foil.
Tie the foil with a string so the wind won’t unwind the foil.
Or tape over the foil.
Wound heals fast under foil.
No worry.

Don’t use any sealers.

Julie

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Re: Mango weed wacker damage
« Reply #18 on: May 11, 2023, 08:40:34 AM »
I’ve had weed eater damage before and it’s always horizontal so that vertical damage perpendicular to the trunk wouldn’t be indicative of weed eater to me, but it doesn’t look like animal damage either?

It looks like you have it mulched around the tree, would they have any reason to be seed eating next to the trunk?

No he wouldn't, he goes around the edge of the mulch where the mulch touches the grass, but he's not supposed to go close to the trunk.  I find it hard to believe it was an animal that did that, and I don't have anyone else going in my fenced yard.

Julie

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Re: Mango weed wacker damage
« Reply #19 on: May 11, 2023, 08:41:15 AM »
Julie,

Wrap the wound with foil.
Tie the foil with a string so the wind won’t unwind the foil.
Or tape over the foil.
Wound heals fast under foil.
No worry.

Don’t use any sealers.

Ty for the tip

puglvr1

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Re: Mango weed wacker damage
« Reply #20 on: May 11, 2023, 10:10:34 AM »
Julie, i made these for all my young trees.  Besides protecting from weed whacker, protects from bumping it.  Ive had one almost knocked over, another gouged from mower.
2x6x12 cut into 4.  Long screws hold them together.  Pre drill board its not screwing in.
Carpet has no backing.  This one was around Avocado that doesn't need it.
I tied low fruit up since photo.



Nice little set up Eddie, I assume the carpet also keeps the weeds out plus a nice cushion for the mango should they fall.

Good Luck Julie, hope your fruits and trees recover but I think it will, I had something similar happen to my Cogshall mango tree, it wasn't a weed whacker or animal, just something like a wound appeared out of nowhere a little larger than yours but the tree healed over several months and the tree shows no issues from it many years later...keep fingers crossed it will fully recover.

Greater Good

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Re: Mango weed wacker damage
« Reply #21 on: May 25, 2023, 06:10:53 PM »
I'm devastated right now...I've lost about 10 mangoes to weed wacker damage from my lawn guy.  I feel so sad.  Some mangoes are still attached but have deep marks on them from the weed wacker.  Should I remove these mangoes or will they be able to recover?

I'm going to spend all my free time this weekend putting down cardboard and clearing around trees  :'(  :'(

I started growing rare palms 29 years ago. After one incident, I never allowed anyone but myself to do any work in my garden. Only a certified arborist was given access.

Julie

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Re: Mango weed wacker damage
« Reply #22 on: May 26, 2023, 08:59:28 AM »
If only I had the free time.  I'm very busy so I need to have someone come.  Trust me this isn't the first time I had this problem.  A certified arborist is nice but for me none will answer the phone.  I've tried to make appointments with them before but they're too busy.  When I first bought my house, my first lawn guy would weed wack right next to the trunk and he killed 3 mango trees.  It's been a long time though.  I really don't think it was an animal, what are the chances an animal made that huge gash and not a sharp blade?