Author Topic: Growing Mango trees in Southern California  (Read 179990 times)

janetlee

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #575 on: May 19, 2021, 04:55:35 PM »
Ok 1. I'm new to this forum I will try not to annoy.
I recently moved to the San Fernando valley and on a trip to a nursury they convinced to buy a Keit Mango claiming  they are doing well in Coachella. Knowing that the desert gets hot and cold I thought I'd give it a try. I'm hoping I didnt get snookered. She is about 4-5 feet tall, still in the nursery bucket. This winter it got into the high 30s here. Do I have any chance of keeping her alive? Any suggestions or recommendations welcome! I'm excited to learn

simon_grow

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #576 on: May 19, 2021, 05:06:26 PM »
If your tree is weak, 30F could kill it. Are you sure your specific microclimate isn’t a bit warmer? Sometimes a weather station will give the approximate low temps in an area your specific yard may be significantly warmer due to heat released by your house, a wall, large rocks, etc..

Did your trees leaves drop off at 30F? If not, you already have your tree so you might as well plant it into the ground. They do grow Keitts commercially in the Coachella valley and they taste excellent. The larger your tree is, the better off it will be at withstanding the cold. Good luck with your tree!

Simon

Mango Stein

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #577 on: May 19, 2021, 06:17:37 PM »
Good info Simon.

And how far away do people normally keep their mango trees away from a vegetable garden? Because on Wikipedia I read that mangoes have "profuse, wide-spreading feeder roots and anchor roots penetrating deeply into the soil."
Eugenia luschnathiana = CURUIRI.    Talisia esculenta = PITOMBA
I do not recommend people deal with Fruit Lovers, Prisca Mariya or Fernando Malpartida

janetlee

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #578 on: May 19, 2021, 06:24:34 PM »
I only just purchased the tree, so it didn't "experience" winter here yet. I don't have a thermometer up yet, but my cell phone said 36 (that was the lowest I recall).
 :-[

simon_grow

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #579 on: May 19, 2021, 07:06:34 PM »
If your lowest temps are above 32F, you should be good. You can get frost above 32F if you take into consideration the wind chill factor but I get frost about every other year at my location and only the non hardened growth freezes off.

Simon

dyb5150

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #580 on: May 21, 2021, 12:12:56 AM »
Thanks Simon...here are individual pics of the trees...three of them have tags...and the one without the tag is the Maha. Keep in mind these are pretty small at this point (heights noted in above post)...hoping to get them to 2-3' before making the heading cut. Appreciate your help. I know I'll learn from this exchange...hopefully someone else will too.

Best,

db








tkondal

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #581 on: May 21, 2021, 08:27:21 PM »
I'm looking to grow the Amrapali variety here in Southern California. Does anyone have recommendations for good nurseries for mango varieties near Los Angeles/Orange County/Riverside/San Diego  areas?

simon_grow

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #582 on: May 22, 2021, 10:40:58 AM »
Thanks Simon...here are individual pics of the trees...three of them have tags...and the one without the tag is the Maha. Keep in mind these are pretty small at this point (heights noted in above post)...hoping to get them to 2-3' before making the heading cut. Appreciate your help. I know I'll learn from this exchange...hopefully someone else will too.

Best,

db








Hello db,

In your first picture, directly beneath your bloom panicle is a leaf whorl. Directly beneath that is a single leaf petiole scar. You want to cut beneath the the whorl and above the petiole scar.

Normally there are spaced out leaves or petiole scars beneath the uppermost leaf whorl but I don’t see that in the case of your first tree. Beneath your leaf whorl is that single petiole scar followed by another leaf whorl below that.

Cut at the red arrow in hopes that a single branch will form to become your central leader.

Alternatively, you can cut off all the blooms and leave the uppermost leaf whorl intact. It will then form multiple branches which you will have to thin down to 3 evenly spaced branches which will then be your future scaffold branches.

It depends on your vision of the tree.

Simon

dyb5150

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #583 on: May 24, 2021, 06:04:40 PM »
Hey Simon, I understand...thank you for your patience and detailed suggestion.

Best,

db

Goyo626

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #584 on: May 28, 2021, 08:59:59 AM »
Update on the bagging of the mangos. Unfortunately most of them have dropped both the bagged and un bagged. Also my sweet tart is now trying to bud out from the main trunk below the graft. Not sure what that is about.


John B

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #585 on: June 10, 2021, 03:47:09 PM »
Well, grafting is successful this far. Only have two failures (both peach cobbler). Waiting and hoping at least one Peach Cobbler will push. Hopefully all 6 that have pushed keep growing. Sweet tart was a success on one of the crappy Laverne manilla rootstock. We'll see how it does once it goes in the ground.






sapote

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #586 on: June 10, 2021, 11:50:46 PM »
This thread is great. Need some help with my young mangoes. Recently purchased the following from FL on turpentine repotted in gritty mix 1.5 months ago (in the pic from leftish to right):

Maha Chanok (26”)
Lemon Zest (24”)
Sweet Tart (18”)
Coconut Cream (19”)

Second matter, i understand the turpentine rootstock issue. I’m in zone 10b/21...very sandy, rocky soil that i amend lightly. 10+ hours of daily summer sun with reflective heat from the ground. Hoping conditions are such that these thrive...even on the turpentine. I understand the ST and LZ are vigorous...what about MC and CC?

Good luck to you on growing mangoes. Good heat in summer will never change the fact that we have cold and longer winter cold nights compared to FL.

I have Maha in ground with pavers surround so plenty of heat, but it is drooping so bad most of the fruits are laying on the pavers, and the graft tree was bought from FL about 6 or 7 years ago.

I have been growing mangos for more than 10 years with plenty of failure and success, and my advice is don't buy grafted mangoes on turpentine rootstock. It is faster to have 7 feet fruit tree by growing seedlings and then graft them after they have fruits in about 3 years.

I had pulled out drooping trees I bought from FL, after having them in ground more than 5 years, and replaced them with my own seedlings. 
« Last Edit: June 10, 2021, 11:52:30 PM by sapote »

simon_grow

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #587 on: June 11, 2021, 12:38:38 PM »
For those hard core mango lovers, don’t let a few failures deter you from trying to grow mangos. It’s a numbers game and you have to plant out a lot of seedlings to find a few that grow vigorously for you at your location.

Just a reminder that you should grow out a lot of different varieties of mango seeds, both Polyembryonic and Monoembryonic. Although one type of seedling may grow more vigorously for you at first, certain diseases may affect the mono or poly embryonic seedlings more.

Also, I’ve noticed that many people are attempting to graft onto the Lavern Manilla mango seedlings but I recommend against grafting them until the trees are large and fully established with good scaffold branches.

I also want to remind everyone that if you have good soil, meaning that the pH is in the proper range and you have good drainage, you can plant the Florida Turpentine rootstock trees. I only recommend planting the more vigorous varieties like Sweet Tart, Valencia Pride or Lemon Zest for example. However, only plant Lemon Zest if you have good air flow or have low disease pressures.

Simon

sapote

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #588 on: June 13, 2021, 03:58:54 PM »
Here is my FL rootstock Maha in ground more than 6 years. I already planted a seedling next to it and will graft with Maha and then dig up the mother tree and trash it.


And here is the HD La Verne seeding with graft after it had fruits:




sapote

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #589 on: June 13, 2021, 04:05:03 PM »
Peach Cobbler seedings grow very well in my climate, and have fruits in 3 years. If fruits are not any special I will top and graft something on them.
Kent seedlings are more problematic -- disease and very slow at the first few years.

spaugh

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #590 on: June 13, 2021, 05:45:33 PM »
I have a couple stand out trees here.  Winters 20222 mango, grafted taralay, and J12 seedling.  These ones are growing really well.  Sweet tart also does well but then gets droopy when it flowers.
Brad Spaugh

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #591 on: June 13, 2021, 10:33:07 PM »
Peach Cobbler seedings grow very well in my climate, and have fruits in 3 years. If fruits are not any special I will top and graft something on them.
Kent seedlings are more problematic -- disease and very slow at the first few years.

Have you found Peach Cobbler to be the best growing / most vigorous varieties from seed?

sapote

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #592 on: June 14, 2021, 01:31:06 AM »
Peach Cobbler seedings grow very well in my climate, and have fruits in 3 years. If fruits are not any special I will top and graft something on them.
Kent seedlings are more problematic -- disease and very slow at the first few years.

Have you found Peach Cobbler to be the best growing / most vigorous varieties from seed?

Yes, tallest and biggest of all seedlings, in SoCal. I have one facing west and one facing east, and they both are doing very well and fruited in 3 years. Even holding fruits the very first flowering year.

John B

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #593 on: June 14, 2021, 02:27:38 PM »

Also, I’ve noticed that many people are attempting to graft onto the Lavern Manilla mango seedlings but I recommend against grafting them until the trees are large and fully established with good scaffold branches.

I also want to remind everyone that if you have good soil, meaning that the pH is in the proper range and you have good drainage, you can plant the Florida Turpentine rootstock trees. I only recommend planting the more vigorous varieties like Sweet Tart, Valencia Pride or Lemon Zest for example. However, only plant Lemon Zest if you have good air flow or have low disease pressures.

Simon

Good point, Simon. I had extra Scions from the ST and Peach Cobbler after grafting onto my mature Atulfo tree. Not having experience with mango grafting, I wanted to make sure I grafted onto everything. Unfortunately, the peach cobbler graft on the little manilla didn't make it. If I get more scions, I'll be sure to graft as soon as I get them, rather than waiting a week.

I'll see if the little ST can survive the flushes during its first winter. I don't mind a stunted tree as I'm limited on space.

John B

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #594 on: June 14, 2021, 02:29:01 PM »
Peach Cobbler seedings grow very well in my climate, and have fruits in 3 years. If fruits are not any special I will top and graft something on them.
Kent seedlings are more problematic -- disease and very slow at the first few years.

Sapote, are any of those trees roots messing with your pavers?

BobHawks

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #595 on: June 14, 2021, 02:40:17 PM »
janetlee
if you are in the valley there is a great nursery in granada hills.
he will tell you what will or won't grow in our area
papayatreenursery.com
alex

sapote

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #596 on: June 16, 2021, 06:43:53 PM »
Sapote, are any of those trees roots messing with your pavers?

My biggest tree is around 3 to 4" trunk near ground, so it is still not old, but not a sight of big surface root. The big main root is going down, not sideway as Sapote, orange or avocado. I don't think we need to worry about mango messing pavers.

sapote

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #597 on: June 16, 2021, 06:53:53 PM »
Here is my FL rootstock Maha in ground more than 6 years. I already planted a seedling next to it and will graft with Maha and then dig up the mother tree and trash it.


and here is my favorite taste Imam-Pasand (Indian) mango graft from FL. This is the worst case and it looks more like tomato vine than a proud mango king of fruits, in ground for 7 year if you can believe it. Of course I had planted a seedling next to the drooping King to take over in a few years. So don't make the same mistake.


« Last Edit: June 16, 2021, 06:56:06 PM by sapote »

Johnny Eat Fruit

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #598 on: June 17, 2021, 08:12:51 PM »
Holy cow, what a shame 7 years and this is what you have with your mango tree. In Burbank, you have much more heat than I in Huntington Beach but my oldest mango Trees (5years) have a much stronger and robust lower rootstock with relatively healthy growth (at least by California standards).  Here are the four golden rules I came up with over time if you want to have success in SoCal growing mango trees.

1.  Grow in sandy soil. Mango trees do poorly long-term in heavier clay-type soils. The smaller feeder roots need to spread out laterally and this is more challenging in heavier soils found in many parts of SoCal.

2.  Do not use Florida Turpentine rootstock in California if possible. Mango seedling trees work best (for later grafting) but not all seedling trees are vigorous growers. Out of 10 seedlings trees, 3-4 will be excellent for rootstock. I use Ataulfo Seeds from Mexican yellow mangos I buy at the store. Germinate 10 seeds and after 1-2 years plant the top 3-4 growers. You can also get Poly seeds from Florida and do the same thing as both methods should work well.

3.  When Grafting scions to the mango lower rootstock select faster and more vigorous varieties that do best in our marginal climate. Cac, Seacrest, Peach Cobbler, Lemon Zest, Guava, 0-15, and Buttercream are some examples of fast growers at my location. Sweet Tart, Val-Carrie, Mallika, Nam Doc Mai, and Angie are examples of moderately vigorous varieties that seem to do well at my location but they grow slower than the first group in general.

4.  Plant your mango trees South facing with full sun and no blockage from other trees or man-made obstacles. Maximum heat and Sun are some of the keys to long-term success.  Roots need space and oxygen for healthy growth. Avoid planting mango trees near cement or bricks that block nutrient intake from above.

Good Luck

Johnny

« Last Edit: June 17, 2021, 09:03:22 PM by Johnny Eat Fruit »

sapote

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #599 on: July 29, 2021, 12:56:48 PM »
Here is my 7 years old Maha graft with turpentine rootstock from FL -- the tree got to 4 feet then drooped down and finally it acts like a tomato vine clawing on the ground some good looking fruits. I am waiting for the planted seedling to be tall enough to graft and pull the turpentine rootstock out:



Here is the HD La Vern rootstock with LZ and Okrung Tong grafts on it at about same age: