Author Topic: mango canopy width  (Read 795 times)

TheVeggieProfessor

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mango canopy width
« on: September 26, 2020, 06:00:15 PM »
Hi all. I'm trying to figure out where a soon-to-be planted mango tree is going. I have an orange sherbet (and a super haas avo) and will be focusing on more compact varieties of mango going forward. I'm trying to envision what the mature canopy is likely to look like so that I can space them out properly. I know that the width of the canopy is ultimately up to me, but I also want to be sure that I get good production - so I don't want to take off so much each year that I undermine the next season's harvest. What is the smallest canopy width that can be realistically maintained without harming productivity? 10'? 12'? Thanks for any insight.

bsbullie

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Re: mango canopy width
« Reply #1 on: September 26, 2020, 06:06:34 PM »
Personally, anything under 12 feet off center (trunk to trunk) will start to give issues with crowding/growing together.  If planting in rows, stagger the plantings.

I am sure people will say 10 feet or less and there are many who plant within 3 feet of the house/wall/fence and all I have to say is to each their own.
- Rob

TheVeggieProfessor

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Re: mango canopy width
« Reply #2 on: September 27, 2020, 06:23:01 AM »
Personally, anything under 12 feet off center (trunk to trunk) will start to give issues with crowding/growing together.  If planting in rows, stagger the plantings.

I am sure people will say 10 feet or less and there are many who plant within 3 feet of the house/wall/fence and all I have to say is to each their own.

Thank you. So you are suggesting about an 11' canopy width then, allowing for 1-2' between trees when planted 12' apart?

TonyinCC

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Re: mango canopy width
« Reply #3 on: September 27, 2020, 08:58:05 AM »
If you are planning on staying at your place a LONG time, I would space a little wider.
 Before I started planting trees at my place, I saw a row of mature mango trees that were planted 8 feet apart at Fruitscapes nursery. I am guessing they are now 15-20 years old and 20-25 feet tall. The tops of the trees were like one continuous canopy with a lot of shading that I am sure hurts productivity. Most of the fruit is on the outer edges of the trees and the inner canopy is just wasted space. It is basically a tall mango hedge. The intention may have been to use the trees as a windbreak as well, that may have been the reason for the close spacing. They still produce a good amount of fruit every year, but if they had planted 16 feet apart I am sure they would have had more productivity and less pruning. I think 15-17 foot spacing is the sweet spot for compact varieties and if you have space and don't want the canopies to touch for many years go up to 20 foot spacing or even a little more. If you want ease of pruning, the wider the better. Rob had a good suggestion on staggering the trees if you have the space. I try to plant at least 5-6 feet away from my fences to make sure scaffold branches will clear the top of the fence even if bent with fruit.
My future neighbors can either prune their side back or enjoy the fruit. None of my mangos are closer than 15 feet from the house. Ideally you want a tree at least 15 feet from a driveway as well. If a compact mango has a canopy that extends 8 feet from the center of the one foot trunk at 15-20 years of age that would suggest a spacing of 17 feet if you want minimal pruning. The majority of my trees are spaced at 15 and a few at 17 feet apart.

johnb51

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Re: mango canopy width
« Reply #4 on: September 27, 2020, 09:21:56 AM »
Not everyone has the space to work with so we do the best we can.  Like Rob said, I would try to leave at least 12 feet between mango trees if you want the trees to get anywhere near their full potential.  Sometimes less is more--more mangos, that is, but not more varieties.
John

TheVeggieProfessor

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Re: mango canopy width
« Reply #5 on: September 27, 2020, 09:39:33 AM »
Not everyone has the space to work with so we do the best we can.  Like Rob said, I would try to leave at least 12 feet between mango trees if you want the trees to get anywhere near their full potential.  Sometimes less is more--more mangos, that is, but not more varieties.

Agreed. Just trying to map out how much space I will have for maneuvering between the trees. So when you say at least 12' apart, does that imply a foot between? 2 feet? What would you say is the narrowest width that I can keep the canopies so that I can then plan spacing around this? 10'? 11'? Any thoughts?

bsbullie

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Re: mango canopy width
« Reply #6 on: September 27, 2020, 09:48:09 AM »
The amount of space each tree will cover depends on the age, variety, its growth habit (of your specific tree as the same variety could vary slightly from location to location), and the amount of pruning you do.  Obviously,  the wider the spacing, the more room.  You will have to determine what to do based on your space and number of trees you want to plant.
- Rob

 

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