Some of us can't get near the fruit, or they hate it.
I'm over the moon with it. I can't really get enough mangoes.
I even have a tree in the backyard. Therein lies the problem. You see, Mango Trees can get insanely big. In South Florida they can get to 40 or 50 feet tall.
Lets call that 17 meters for the imperially impaired.
There is one that big just a short walk from my front door.
So unless you want fruit that is upwards of two pounds or a Kilo falling from 50 feet onto your head, or breaking glass in your car, you want to lower the things.
I've been telling people this for years. Don't let it grow up, make it grow out.
Yes, I am turning my mango into a bonsai. Not one of those little trees in a pot, but a tree that could be huge is going to be cut back to about six feet.
It's a manageable height for these things.
I know it is something that works because I did a test cut a month back and I am trying hard not to allow myself to finish the job.
I had gone out there and found that my tree was almost 20 feet tall and growing out of control. About the time I took cuttings from the Bougainvillea, I walked to the Mango with saw in hand and lowered the tree on one side by about a person in height. It also got narrowed to about 10 feet.
How do I know it worked? Simply because the plant told me.
I didn't do a simple beheading of the tree, I cut back long arms to the core.
One month later, everywhere I cut, the tree put out lots of little branches like fingers. I stopped where I did with the tree because I was afraid it would pout and not put out more fruit for next year. Since flowering and fruiting happens in spring here, I have to wait.
My Theory is that I can gently reduce the height in stages and not shock the plant.
At least it's not a skyscraper any longer.
Motto of this exercise is that if you have a truly tall tree that is getting out of control, take a measured approach and trim it back. But do so gently, after all you do still want the tree.
I will say mine is vigorously putting out new growth and should be in perfect form for blooming in early spring.
I'm over the moon with it. I can't really get enough mangoes.
I even have a tree in the backyard. Therein lies the problem. You see, Mango Trees can get insanely big. In South Florida they can get to 40 or 50 feet tall.
Lets call that 17 meters for the imperially impaired.
There is one that big just a short walk from my front door.
So unless you want fruit that is upwards of two pounds or a Kilo falling from 50 feet onto your head, or breaking glass in your car, you want to lower the things.
I've been telling people this for years. Don't let it grow up, make it grow out.
Yes, I am turning my mango into a bonsai. Not one of those little trees in a pot, but a tree that could be huge is going to be cut back to about six feet.
It's a manageable height for these things.
I know it is something that works because I did a test cut a month back and I am trying hard not to allow myself to finish the job.
I had gone out there and found that my tree was almost 20 feet tall and growing out of control. About the time I took cuttings from the Bougainvillea, I walked to the Mango with saw in hand and lowered the tree on one side by about a person in height. It also got narrowed to about 10 feet.
How do I know it worked? Simply because the plant told me.
I didn't do a simple beheading of the tree, I cut back long arms to the core.
One month later, everywhere I cut, the tree put out lots of little branches like fingers. I stopped where I did with the tree because I was afraid it would pout and not put out more fruit for next year. Since flowering and fruiting happens in spring here, I have to wait.
My Theory is that I can gently reduce the height in stages and not shock the plant.
At least it's not a skyscraper any longer.
Motto of this exercise is that if you have a truly tall tree that is getting out of control, take a measured approach and trim it back. But do so gently, after all you do still want the tree.
I will say mine is vigorously putting out new growth and should be in perfect form for blooming in early spring.
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