Author Topic: Pugging  (Read 59669 times)

johnb51

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Pugging
« on: January 31, 2012, 08:03:56 PM »
Please explain and describe "pugging."  On which fruit trees is it practiced?
John

Squam256

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Re: Pugging
« Reply #1 on: January 31, 2012, 08:55:35 PM »
I've mostly seen it done to mangoes. Basically just means pruning the tree closer to the base of the trunk than normal (though obviously not below the graft), maybe at about 2 feet or so, to encourage a lower/earlier branching habit. Can probably be done with 'most' other tropical fruit trees as well. Seems to be ideal for growing a tree in a pot but perhaps not necessary for an in ground tree; might actually be counterproductive in some instances as you might not want branches occurring that low to the ground. Named after the poster puglvr1, who practiced/s it plenty.

simon_grow

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Re: Pugging
« Reply #2 on: January 31, 2012, 09:06:09 PM »
I pug most my fruit trees to keep them shorter with fruiting branches lower to the ground for easier harvesting, spraying and ease of protecting. I've read that trees that are headed back may be more precocious.

TropicalFruitHunters

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Re: Pugging
« Reply #3 on: January 31, 2012, 09:52:05 PM »
She would "pug" her mangos inches above the graft...and not a lot of inches!  Look up her posts on GW and see her pics.  Beautiful trees.  The words "pug", "pugged" were coined and stuck.  These and variations on "pug" are now universally accepted and used throughout our community...at least us goofballs that migrated from GW!

zands

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Re: Pugging
« Reply #4 on: February 01, 2012, 12:31:43 PM »
Please explain and describe "pugging." On which fruit trees is it practiced?

Two types of pugging. One on a new from the nursery tree in a pot. Other is on a mango tree that you planted and has been growing for a while, which lets put aside for now. If I have to pug it is usually at 3ft high. I prefer not to pug. I prefer to let the tree grow and branch out naturally. But in the real world many of the mango saplings you buy are too tall and spindly looking and not enough branching out. Now I can be all wet here but.....

If I buy a spindly mango I feel compelled to decapitate it (pug it) at about 30-36 inches high from the soil level (not from the bottom of the grow pot) to get it to branch out and assume the classical shape for a fruit tree. More wide and low, not a spindly beanstalk.

The mango trees you buy might be too tall and spindly because at the nursery they have been bunched together with the edges of grow pots touching. So the young mango (or other fruit tree) invests resources in climbing unnaturally high and skinny because it is seeking sunlight this way. Because being shaded too much by the other young mangoes it feels sunlight deprived. So up and upward it grows instead of growing outward via branching. Why would it send out more nice branches if they are going to end up shaded by the other mango saplings?
Like I said...this is my theory

Now pugglver is a woman on gardenWeb (with pug dogs) who did lots of drastic pugging to her planted mangoes at different heights. 20" might be her usual. She did it due to freezes. She lives a bit north in Florida where (IRRC) mango trees used to flourish but now has more cold winter weather in recent years. Her mango tree leaves and branches would be killed by the cold and she posted photos of this. She would pug these trees with nice thick 3-4" diameter trunks, this way she got rid of the dead wood. The tree would bounce back due to the extensive root system and the nice thick trunk. She would post these photos too.

I once pugged (at 20 inches) a planted Fairchild mango tree that had been planted for 18-24 months. It was growing way too skinny mostly because it was like that when I bought it. I should have pugged it before planting but..... Anyways I pugged it last April and got great results. `

Here are pugged Fairchild photos from two days ago. Yardstick is there to gauge the height. A wooden stick is pushing upward a branch that was growing too outward
Below you can see where it was pugged. It now has 6 very nice branches coming out. Not all 6 are visible





« Last Edit: February 01, 2012, 02:45:02 PM by zands »

Tim

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Re: Pugging
« Reply #5 on: February 01, 2012, 02:24:52 PM »
oh wow, very nice looking tree, G!  Blooming all over, congrats  ;D
can't argue with that result!
Tim

zands

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Re: Pugging
« Reply #6 on: February 01, 2012, 02:40:37 PM »
oh wow, very nice looking tree, G!  Blooming all over, congrats  ;D
can't argue with that result!

Thanks much Tim! It's a cute little tree. It is planted by the road where fruit might get stolen. But my Fairchild mangoes ripen to yellow. No flashy reds or purples. It is growing outward too much instead of upward so I can see myself propping up branches (especially when fruit laden) to train them into upward growth. Plus will eventually get the fruits out of reach of thieves

puglvr1

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Re: Pugging
« Reply #7 on: February 01, 2012, 03:15:17 PM »
Thanks guys! I couldn't have explained it any better! You guys did a great job!

Thanks to Ohio Jay for coining that phrase...I think its a cute alternative name for pruning and I'm amazed how quickly it took off on the forum,lol...I love it and so does my Pug (Max)!

Zands, your Fairchild came out beautifully, great pugging results. I love the shape. You did a Great job... and look at all those blooms!

Nancy

 

zands

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Re: Pugging
« Reply #8 on: February 01, 2012, 03:48:01 PM »
Thanks and nice to see you here pugsy 8)

TropicalFruitHunters

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Re: Pugging
« Reply #9 on: February 01, 2012, 07:11:12 PM »
Hey Nancy!  Glad to see you made it over here!  Do you have any good pug pics you could share?  I know you didn't just pug your mangos because of freeze damage.  So please share some pics and maybe an explanation or two.  Thanks, J

adiel

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Re: Pugging
« Reply #10 on: February 02, 2012, 07:08:45 AM »
Thanks guys! I couldn't have explained it any better! You guys did a great job!

Thanks to Ohio Jay for coining that phrase...I think its a cute alternative name for pruning and I'm amazed how quickly it took off on the forum,lol...I love it and so does my Pug (Max)!

Zands, your Fairchild came out beautifully, great pugging results. I love the shape. You did a Great job... and look at all those blooms!

Nancy

Welcome to the new forum Nancy.  :)


Adiel
Adiel

puglvr1

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Re: Pugging
« Reply #11 on: February 02, 2012, 07:41:18 AM »
Thanks for the nice welcome guys!!

Jay, I have NO idea how to post pictures here,lol...sorry! I'm not the most computer savy, but... I'll  try and figure out how to to do it...

I did however post some pictures on GW dated Jan. 25th under the heading "Pruning Main trunk on Mallika Mango".

Basically, I pug my trees right after I plant it "if" the main trunk is too tall for my personal preference. I like my trees short and bushy mainly because I love dwarf size trees and it does make it SO much easier to protect during a freeze. I like to keep the main trunk at around 18" to 24" if possible. Once it fills in I maintain it by pruning it once a year promoting the horizontal growths and cutting off new growths that grow vertical. Going for a short and wide (bushy) shape.

Of course, most winters...the Freeze forces me to "pug" them severely  >:(


TropicalFruitHunters

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Re: Pugging
« Reply #12 on: February 02, 2012, 08:53:45 AM »
Adding pics here is easy!  When you are replying to a post, just click the add image right above where you type.  There are alternative ways that are easy too and some folks have described those in other posts.

puglvr1

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Re: Pugging
« Reply #13 on: February 02, 2012, 01:22:41 PM »
Thanks Jay!  Okay, let me give it a try.

When purchased over 6ft tall

Pugged it to around 18"-20"

About 12 weeks later...Unfortunately, I lost this one to one of our severe freezes :o(


My Lancetilla...Way too tall to begin with...

Pugged to about 2 ft.


Several weeks after being Pugged...stands appx. 2 1/2 ft tall


This Glenn was Freeze damaged winter 2009


 "Pugged" March 2009 (Glenn)


Taken Summer of 2009 (Glenn)





Cogshall freeze damage...


Pugged  March of 2011


Taken Summer of 2011


Keitt freeze damage 2011

Pugged March 2011


Summer 2011


As you can see every year I've had to deal with freeze damage...some of them are SO severe I'm shocked I haven't lost all of my trees by now. Its a challenge every winter trying to keep them alive.







happyisland

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Re: Pugging
« Reply #14 on: February 02, 2012, 06:41:18 PM »
Wow, amazing pics! Are you able to get fruit with the constant pugging cycle?

johnb51

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Re: Pugging
« Reply #15 on: February 02, 2012, 08:20:48 PM »
Thanks, y'all.  I'm sure glad I asked!
John

puglvr1

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Re: Pugging
« Reply #16 on: February 03, 2012, 08:25:44 AM »
HappyIsland, yes...I've gotten some mangoes from my Cogshall trees and my potted Glenn before. I've never had any fruits from my in-ground Glenn, Keitt or Lancetilla(very small) due to severe freeze damage. I'm still hoping one day...

These were from my Cogshall...fruited last summer.






My other Cogshall fruited two summers ago. Didn't fruit last year due to severe freeze damage



Container Glenn.




GwenninPR

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Re: Pugging
« Reply #17 on: February 03, 2012, 08:32:23 AM »
Love the pug and the pugging results.
You have given me courage to pug my first tree. 

puglvr1

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Re: Pugging
« Reply #18 on: February 04, 2012, 08:12:38 AM »
Thanks Gwenn! I wish you luck with your first pugging, hope it turns out well for you.

edzone9

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Pugged My Valencia Pride Mango Tree ! .... Video Included ...Updated !
« Reply #19 on: July 27, 2013, 02:02:09 PM »
Hello Gang;

After Reading Some Treads About Pugging Your Mango Tree , I Finally Decided To Go For It .
My VP Had A Huge Trunk Split & Was Growing In A S Pattern Towards The Side Of My House .

The Canopy Was Nice & Green , Healthy ! But I Had To Do It... Hope It Recovers ..
Thanks Again Ed...

Pruning My Valencia Pride Mango Tree.












« Last Edit: August 10, 2013, 11:25:46 AM by edzone9 »
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puglvr1

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Re: Pugged My Valencia Pride Mango Tree ! .... Video Included ...
« Reply #20 on: July 27, 2013, 02:20:26 PM »
Great Video Ed...I don't blame you for removing that branch with the split. I'm sure your tree will recover and have a nicer sturdier canopy in a few months. Thanks for the video!

edzone9

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Re: Pugged My Valencia Pride Mango Tree ! .... Video Included ...
« Reply #21 on: July 27, 2013, 02:27:07 PM »
Your Welcome Pug! Your Thread was the inspiration For This ;).
That S shape canopy was driving me nuts !..

Ed.
« Last Edit: July 27, 2013, 02:28:58 PM by edzone9 »
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phantomcrab

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Re: Pugged My Valencia Pride Mango Tree ! .... Video Included ...
« Reply #22 on: July 27, 2013, 02:33:03 PM »
The VP will now rapidly develop new shoots. Better get you pruners ready. Just as a note: when I pug a tree I try to make the cut at an angle to let water run off easily. Put some diluted latex paint on the wound to help prevent sunburn until it has healed.
« Last Edit: July 27, 2013, 02:36:09 PM by phantomcrab »
Richard

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Re: Pugged My Valencia Pride Mango Tree ! .... Video Included ...
« Reply #23 on: July 27, 2013, 02:48:57 PM »
Thank You I Will Do !..
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LEOOEL

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Re: Pugged My Valencia Pride Mango Tree ! .... Video Included ...
« Reply #24 on: July 27, 2013, 04:50:41 PM »
Awesome, entertaining video and a good pug job, thanks.
'Virtue' should be taught, learned and propagated, in order to save others and oneself.