Author Topic: Growing Mango trees in Southern California  (Read 180024 times)

johnb51

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #650 on: September 21, 2021, 11:30:04 PM »
If i had to start over i would find members that are willing to sell polyembryonic seeds of top varieties and grow trees from seeds.
Makes sense, especially for SoCal.
« Last Edit: September 21, 2021, 11:31:50 PM by johnb51 »
John

Seanny

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #651 on: September 22, 2021, 01:42:29 AM »
Some mango trees get droopy from over watering.

Goyo626

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #652 on: September 22, 2021, 08:43:32 AM »
Some mango trees get droopy from over watering.

I dont think my sweet tart is droopy due to overwatering. I dont water during winter and i dont get much rain i think we got less that 15” of rain all last year.

johnb51

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #653 on: September 22, 2021, 09:41:11 AM »
 8) Which ones are the polyembryonic varieties?
« Last Edit: September 22, 2021, 09:43:37 AM by johnb51 »
John

Goyo626

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #654 on: September 22, 2021, 10:14:36 AM »
8) Which ones are the polyembryonic varieties?

Ive done some research on the matter both from the tropical acres website and old threads on this forum. Sweet tart, m-4, buttercream, honeykiss, and  ppk are all poly.

Following thread might be helpful to find more poly seeds.
https://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=12030.msg392320#msg392320

Madridje

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #655 on: September 22, 2021, 12:10:39 PM »
.
« Last Edit: September 22, 2021, 12:30:30 PM by Madridje »

spaugh

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #656 on: September 22, 2021, 12:30:38 PM »
Its ok to grow mono seeds as well
Brad Spaugh

johnb51

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #657 on: September 22, 2021, 12:59:06 PM »
Its ok to grow mono seeds as well
Do you plant them in the ground, and then graft on top?
John

simon_grow

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #658 on: September 23, 2021, 12:41:01 AM »
Mangos both Polyembryonic and Monoembryonic can get droopy. Most of the time, it is caused by grafting mature scions to non established trees. The mature scions, if grafted in warm weather will grow vegetatively but the scions are often apical tops and the scions sometimes branch out too many shoots. If excessive shoots are left on the branches, or if you tip a mango tree in California too much, the excessive vegetative growths will weigh down the branches and cause drooping. The initial flush of vegetative shoots usually isn’t enough weight to cause drooping but secondary or tertiary vegetative flushes, especially if not thinned will cause drooping. This issue can be exacerbated by over fertilizing and over watering combined with improper training of the trees scaffold branches.

One way around this is to prep the scions by cutting off the apical tip and leaving only 3-5 evenly spaced leaf petioles or petiole scars. This will create fewer branches but you should still thin the branches to 2-3 branches. For vigorous varieties that tend to send out long branches, don’t let secondary branches grow in controlled because the internodes will be spaced very far apart and the branches will grow very long.

They should be pruned back leaving only 3-5 petioles or you can remove the apical tip after a specific length like 12-18 inches for example.


The second cause of droopy trees and the more common cause of drooping trees is grafting with mature scions that begins to bloom in its first Winter after grafting. The blooms are very heavy and need to be thinned by cutting off 1/2 to 2/3 of the entire bloom panicle after it is mostly formed. Removal of the entire bloom panicle will often result in another new bloom cycle.

In Winter when mangos begin to bloom, you have to keep a careful eye on the structure of your tree and especially focus on the shape of your branches. If a branch starts drooping from the weight of the flowers, trim off some of the blooms and if it still wants to droop, stake up the branch.

In California, mango trees begin lignification prior to blooming and continue through winter and early spring. If your tree gets droopy branches during blooming and the shape is not immediately fixed, the branch will lignify into its permanent shape and it will be nearly impossible to correct the shape.

It’s no big deal if you get droopy branches however as long as you white wash exposed horizontally oriented wood that will be exposed to full sun in Summer. Droopy branches can also be trimmed off.

Sorry that was kinda long winded, I haven’t been on the forums much lately because I’m doing a lot of experimenting with Yangmei and have very little free time.

Anyways, if you have the space, even just a small space, you should definitely be growing Mangos in SoCal!

You just can beat harvesting a fully formed Sweet Tart, E4, Coconut Cream or any number of awesome tasting mango from your own tree. A few days ago, harvested this Coconut Cream

And this E4

And had a Coconut flavored mango taste off with my daughters and we all agreed the E4 had more Coconut flavor and the Coconut Cream had more tropical mango flavor with a hint of coconut. We all preferred the E4 but the Coconut Cream was incredible as well.

Today, I cut open this Sweet Tart with absolutely no embryo. I call it a nubbin because it is smaller, rounder, has very prominent lenticils and usually has an aborted seed. These nubbins can get decent sized and are usually super sweet. This mango was awesome with perfect acidity and also extremely sweet, probably too sweet for some people. It definitely lives up to its name!









Simon

Johnny Eat Fruit

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #659 on: September 23, 2021, 08:57:28 PM »
Thanks for four detailed explanations of droopyness on mango trees, Simon.

If my Coconut Cream mango tree produces next year I would be excited to taste this variety. In 2021 it bloomed heavily but no fruit. Five-year-old tree.  Enclosed are a few photos of my Coconut Cream mano Tree with a few Seacrest Grafts which are growing more vertically.

My E-4 grafts failed this year to my older and more established mango seedling trees. Likely due to a lack of heat and a very cool and mild summer at my location.

I guess Seedless mango fruit is becoming more common here in SoCal. My Sweet Tart fruit was that way but still excellent tasting. The hype is justified on that variety. Until you tasted a Sweet Tart you have yet to experience a truly top-tier indo Chinese mango. 

Johnny


Coconut Cream Mango Tree on Manila Root-stock


Coconut Cream & Seacrest
« Last Edit: September 23, 2021, 09:41:17 PM by Johnny Eat Fruit »

simon_grow

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #660 on: September 24, 2021, 12:05:08 AM »
Great looking trees Johnny!

I’ve had pretty bad luck fruiting Coconut Cream. I believe this graft is about 5 years old as well and it’s the first CC fruit I harvested from it. It may be one of those varieties that just like to settle down really well before holding fruit.

My CC is grown on Florida Rootstock with Lemon Zest as an inter stock and it still drooped to the ground.

Simon

Johnny Eat Fruit

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #661 on: September 24, 2021, 01:07:41 PM »
Hey Simon,

My Coconut Cream has to fruit over the next year or two. I do have patience but I don't want to wait 8-10 years after grafting to get a few mangos. Not worth it to me when other varieties are much more productive at an earlier age. I have already top worked 1/3 of the CC tree to Seacrest and Guava Mango. The manila root-stock appears vigorous so what I graft to this tree should do well. Will keep you posted on what happens in 2022 and 2023 regarding fruit formation on this tree.

One good thing about CC is that from June to October the tree is always flushing somewhere. Always getting new growth and branch formation. I wish all my mango trees grew this well. This year I have been trimming downward and side growing branches forcing new vertical growth on my coconut cream. Hopefully fruiting soon.

Johnny

simon_grow

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #662 on: September 24, 2021, 08:55:16 PM »
Johnny, if CC doesn’t fruit for you in the next couple years, top work it with E4 and you won’t regret it. I grafted E4 last year and even with my high fungal disease pressures, I still got fruit within the first year. I don’t encourage members to let their new grafts hold fruit but I really needed to find out if it was disease resistant in my area and also if the fruit quality was good when grown in SoCal. The answer is YES to both.

Simon

Johnny Eat Fruit

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #663 on: September 24, 2021, 10:11:16 PM »
Thanks, Simon. I know E-4 is a great mango. Will try to graft again next year. Luckily I still have many top-tier mangos growing on my property. Glad you were able to get fruit and give us your opinion on the E-4 fruit grown in SoCal.

Johnny

spaugh

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #664 on: October 02, 2021, 03:14:58 PM »
Heres what the sweet tart seedling looks like Simon I picked it today so maybe on Thursday it will be ready if you want to try it.



Brad Spaugh

simon_grow

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #665 on: October 02, 2021, 10:00:31 PM »
Hey Brad, sounds good, I’ll stop by when it’s ripe. I should have something ripening as well.

This year, my Sweet Tart mangos produced more nubbins than full sized fruit but the nubbins are fairly large, no seed or very small seed, super Super super sweet and excellent tart balance. They may be too chalky for some people but everyone I shared it with was blown away.

The average Brix on these Sweet Tart nubbins are 35% Brix, usually between 32-38%. This year, many of my nubbins are sweating sap beads from almost all the lenticils. Sweet Tart has been extremely excellent this year.





Simon

simon_grow

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #666 on: October 02, 2021, 10:05:46 PM »
Here’s a picture of the sap beads

Simon

spaugh

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #667 on: October 03, 2021, 01:15:02 PM »
this J12 seedling is looking really good.  it will probably flower for the first time this winter.  this tree has been such a good grower, I got a few more J12 seeds and planted them just this weekend. 



Heres a pic of the new trees, I got these seeds a couple months ago and sprouted them and have now started planting them in ground.  The roots were already filling the pots.  The key is to get them in early enough they can get a little growth on before winter hits.  So they will hopefully do a small flush by new years and then harden off and be ok for their first winter.



heres a coc seedling next to the j12 seedling.  the coc plant is a year or 2 younger. 


« Last Edit: October 03, 2021, 01:21:26 PM by spaugh »
Brad Spaugh

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #668 on: October 03, 2021, 01:32:11 PM »
Awesome looking canopies!

Monty

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #669 on: October 03, 2021, 02:49:11 PM »
I sprouted a few too many Kent and Ataulfo seeds. Does anbody want them? I cant throw them out. Also I bought a Manilla mango tree from Home Depot  few months ago and changed my mind about planting it after reeding more of this mango thread. Would anyone pay me $15 for it? It's about 3 feet tall. I live in Lakeside.




RollingInTheWeeds

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #670 on: October 03, 2021, 06:15:09 PM »
this J12 seedling is looking really good.  it will probably flower for the first time this winter.  this tree has been such a good grower, I got a few more J12 seeds and planted them just this weekend. 

@spaugh I've never even heard of J12.  Where do you get these things?  Having fruit shipped from Florida or something?
And are you planning on top grafting, or is the seedling fruit itself good?

@Monty -- Man, I sure wish we lived closer to one another.  I have some Kent seedlings, but I want to graft Atualfo to them to make some of Simon's "super rootstock".  Unfortunately the seeds I planted from my honey mangos this year all rotted.  I hope you find a taker.  It's a shame when we can't get the "I have too many" folks together with the "I'm looking for" people.

sapote

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #671 on: October 05, 2021, 02:45:44 PM »
Also I bought a Manilla mango tree from Home Depot  few months ago and changed my mind about planting it after reeding more of this mango thread.

Why you don't like to plant the HD tree? It is a seedling sold by La Verne I believe. Many people plated it for rootstock, include me, and it is a fine rootstock for grafting.

Monty

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #672 on: October 05, 2021, 09:35:29 PM »
I want to plant Sweet Tart seeds so I won't have to graft.

spaugh

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #673 on: October 09, 2021, 06:22:59 PM »
The sweet tart seedling fruit tasted awesome here.  Also taralay is really a nice mango.  Im pretty stoked to get some home grown mangos this year.  I assume the sweet tart mango is a clone but I dont know for sure.  Tastes awesome either way and never had to mess with grafting.
Brad Spaugh

simon_grow

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Re: Growing Mango trees in Southern California
« Reply #674 on: October 09, 2021, 07:04:15 PM »
Awesome Brad! So far the Sweet Tart seedlings all taste like the real Sweet Tart. I love the fact that we don’t have to graft.

One variety that we may want to graft is O-15. I’ve heard some reports that this variety is pretty awesome!

Simon