I do not have an answer but I have a question. Wouldn't you like a little variety? I love mangos. They have the appropriate nickname, the king of fruit. There are so many different fruit trees to choose from.

You remind me of my dad down in Southwest Florida. My mom gets so frustrated at him because he will disappear on one of his road trips to Homestead only to return with another mango or avocado tree(s) that he always seems to find a spot for!

I am in Orlando and he has brought me a few trees that may or may not survive the cold long term. However I have an Irwin that has been in the ground for only a few years and it is already consistently producing mangos. I harvested probably thirty off of it this year. They are only two or three pounds, but they are delicious. They don't have the mango twang of say a Valencia Pride, but are sweeter with plenty of mango flavor. I know they might be difficult to find but an Irwin would be my recommendation.

You're right Jofus...there's always room for just "one " more :o)

My vote goes to Pickering or Cogshall...both are in the dwarf/semi dwarf variety Both are excellent in the taste dept. IMHO...of course taste is subjective. But, they are very good mango.

Cogshall 6 years old...

Pickering planted May 2012

I'm in the same situation as jofus. I recently lost a very large pommelo tree due to greening. This is so sad because it was an especially delicious variety. Instead of leaving the area bare I figure that I should replace the citrus tree with something. Grafted loquat? Mango? I'm leaning towards mango even though I'm already spending time protecting my Carrie mango during freezing weather.

puglvr - Your mango trees look so healthy and beautiful. :) Which of your favorite mango varieties is the most disease resistant?

Christine

Christine,

If you like avocados you ought to consider a Brogdon. They are supposed to be good down to 28 degrees.

shavedmonkey : Already have bananas, a papaya, ruby red grapefruit & a key lime. Have tried others over the years ( avocado, peach, etc ) but they didn't work out. Mango trees, after the first 3 years in the ground, are as trouble-free a fruit tree as there is, IMHO,...Ideally suited to my retirement lifestyle. ( smile )

Orlando Dave : I think your dad and I would get along well. Will give the Irwin closer consideration.

Pug : Thanks for the great pics. Am in agreement with you on the Pickering,..also breathing hard on Carrie & Irwin.

Yeah, think it's time to take a leisurely drive down to Homestead,.." Miami's Garden ",..and look thru some of the great nurseries down there. Who knows, may come home with two trees instead of one,...has happened before. ( smile ) Appreciate the informative replies.

This post was edited by jofus on Tue, Oct 8, 13 at 20:59

Thanks Christine, I've been lucky I haven't had much issues with diseases with my mango trees. I've had the occasional sooty mold and scale but mostly due to the time of year when some of my trees get very little direct sun ( a couple months in winter) a couple of my trees are in mostly shade. I just spray it with Neem or soapy water...My biggest "disease problem" is Freeze like you lol...

Jofus, please let us know what you decide on getting, part of the fun is "looking"...

I know that each hybrid yields fruit at different times. because you already have 6 mangos, perhaps finding one that would compliment the mango calendar? I'd hate to have them yielding at the same time. I know there are a few crosses of peaches for Florida, maybe a different one. But better yet try again on avocado. They are plentiful and well adapted. I'm sure you would have no trouble with the right avocado. Wherever there are mangos, avocados can be found. Healthy food too.

Good luck

shavedmonkey ; OK, you got me listening. Always interested in improving & diversifying where possible.
Long story short ; 4 years ago I planted a Choquette
avocado,...eight mos later saw nothing, so took someones advise & planted another type ( A or B, forget now ),...fertilized/watering but after 2 more yrs saw nothing,..no flowers, baby avocados, nada.
We'uns born & raised in Manhattan, NYC, - have little patience you know, so after 3 1/2 yrs I dug up both and focused on the mango's,
Am a neophyte when it cones to avocados, How tall do the trees get ? Do I need two types ( A & B ) ?
if I only needed one tree i'd get one avocado & one mango,...should keep me busy for awhile.
So shavedmonkey, give me some tips, which tree to buy, ( one avocado will be nuch better than two ), special fertilizer needed ?.
I'm game,...if I feel confdent,...plant a low growing mango by the shed, then a tall avocado on the back 40, where I have just the spot,
Just have to readjust my thinking a bit,
puglvr, you got any avocados ? How they doin ? Any ideas ?
Won't be driving down to Homestead for another week, so have time to get my plan together.
Appreciate all the advise.

I bet your previous avocado would have produced. My experience has beed as I recall the first fruit took 5 or 6 years. The first big bumper crop took 10 years. I started with a very small tree from the nursery. Buy a bigger on and save time. I do not know the name but I will try to find out. The one I planted offers a very large fruit. The taste and quality is excellent.
With so many mangos, I bet you have excess fruit. Trading with your neighbors is so much fun and adds to a diverse menu.

A half mile away there is a tree of the same. I saw a box in the front yard, free avocados. The owner said that the fruit was not that good. But the fruit was not ready. It needed another month. Because we are forced to share half the crop with the squirrels a lot was on the ground early.

I do not have a mango but there are many in the neighborhood. I swap futures in my avocados for futures in mangos. Our local commodity neighborhood futures market adds efficiency and fun. Plus pleasant conversation during the year as we talk about our "futures".

jofus, I have marcus pumkin avocados.

At my age a 10 yr wait is iffy. So I will stay with my original plan and ad another mango. They are all so different in size and taste, am psyched.
My present mango " plantation " is only getting off the ground as the 4 biggest trees have only been in the ground 4 1/2 yrs. Only one ( Glenn ) had a crop this past season, but am patient, see the trees maturing, just sprayed 'em all with copper sulfate after noticing a small sign of anthracose on one. So am not overwhelmed by those fruits...yet ! I did grow 2 mango's in the Upper Keys, ( where anything grows..and FAST ), for 6 years before moving here, - the last 2 years there, the 2 trees were bending over with 40 - 50 ripe mangos on each.
When that time comes here, will be happy to give my neighbors & friends as many as they want. Then they will go in a cardboard carton at the end of the driveway with a big FREE MANGO'S scribbled on sides. In Miami/ Dade County free mango's outside a residence is fairly common in June & July. Here, in Charlotte County, that's unheard of.
So should be fun, - right now am harvesting papayas, bananas and key limes. Funny, but after I gave my neighbors & friends some of my 1st harvest of papayas ( healthiest fruit on earth IMO ), and key limes, no one wanted any of either after that. Bananas are always gobbled up, but no takers on the papayas and key limes the 2nd go around,..strange. So am now prepping my 3rd key lime pie in last week as " Tis the Season " ! lol
Hey, maybe my neighborhood will develop a futures market also and I can swap for some tasty avocados like you guys do. ( smile )

Jofus, with your many fruit trees consider making the first step with your neighbors on trading. It adds to the taste and the grins!

If you got the cash you can buy a 3 or 4 year avocado and have fruit sooner.....

Orlando-Dave ~ Thanks for brainstorming for me. I have 5 avocado trees already. One of them is a Brogdon planted in a somewhat protected area. My yard often gets down to 23 degrees. I have friends who have lost their Brogdons to a freeze several years ago. Luckily, mine was small enough at the time to protect with plastic and heat. My best producer is Poncho. The other 3 are still young.

puglvr ~ Freezes spoil everything. :( If it weren't for freezes I would have so many more tropical fruits. :) It does get frustrating because I'm at a spot where temperate fruits struggle and tropical fruits would grow great if it weren't for those freezing cold nights. Well, this time of year isn't a very good time to look to buy mangos. It seems that I have until spring to decide what specimen tree to put in the missing pummelo spot.

Christine

Well the search is over. Decided to check out the local nurseries here before venturing down to " nursery heaven " in Homestead. Was spoiled when I lived in Islamorada, so close to Homestead, but hey,...with gas at $3.50/gal,..first scrutinizing closeby places seemed a good idea.
Long story short, bought two ( 2 ) skinny avocado trees, ( shavedmonkey, you are a born salesperson ), and two ( 2 ) skinny mango trees.
Avocado : Got lucky in the Pt Charlotte Lowe's finding a Bacon and a Haas,..my two top rated avocados based on intensive online research. They only had Haden mangos, so passed on that.
Mango : After driving in circles for almost 2 hours in Punta Gorda based on a tip from a fellow shopper in Lowe's, with NO prospects, ( thought Englewood was bad ), I made a last gasp effort to cruise thru Northport on the way home and stop in the Home Depot and Lowe's there. HD was a bust,..but at the Lowes I started looking at their meager supply of mango trees and my eyes lit up when I stumbled on two Carrie's, the last they had ! PIN has it rated as the best tasting mango of all, - plus being a small tree. Had to put the best looking one in my cart, then was so elated also picked up a Van Dyke, which I know nothing about.
Lowes prices were $16/tree less that HD's, plus of course, my militarry discount was honored, so felt good about the whole day,..except that 2 hours of frustration in PG.
So what started out to be a mission to buy one more mango tree turned into a gluttonous spree of collecting four ( 4 ) trees.
No more tho,...looked over my backyard upon return and am hard pressed as to where they all will go. Oh well,..I WILL find the room,..but no more,...mean it this time,..NO MAS !!!! ( smile )

This post was edited by jofus on Sat, Oct 12, 13 at 17:44

jofus - Congratulations on your lucky finds. I hope they grow like crazy for you. I have a Carrie and I can tell you that the fruit is very sweet but it also has a nice depth of flavor.

Jofus, what a great bunch of new trees! I SO wish we could grow avocado and mango in North Florida.... especially since Citrus Greening has taken away our citrus haul. I hope your new trees bring you much happiness!

Carol in Jacksonville

Well done jofus! Your yard needed a little mono-unsaturated fat! (avocados) Good luck with your new trees!

This post was edited by shavedmonkey on Sun, Oct 13, 13 at 5:49

Congrats jofus!! Good luck with all your new avocado and mango trees!! You should have a little Orchard very soon...maybe one day in the not so distant future you'll have more than enough and have some to share with GW friends :o)

Christine, I couldn't agree with you more...I HATE the freezes too...I would have a LOT more fruit trees also if I didn't have to deal with it.

After the stressful day on Saturday, barely had enough energy to place the four 2 gallon plants ( yes, they are skinny ) in their future growing spots in the yard.
Now,..hmmm, putting on my engineers hat ( smile ),.. wonder if I should plants 'em now or hold off. After all, the possible extra cold nights we get here once every 4, 5 years or so, could begin as early as Dec 10 or so. Less that 3 months away. Will NEVER forget that first full winter here,.the winter of 2009/2010, when I lost three ( 3 ) six + ft mango trees that came in 15 gal pots on the night of Dec 10/11,
So checked the tags on the trees, both avocados ( by the way, got lucky,..the Haas is a Type A and the Bacon turns out to be a type B,..hey, needs all the help I can get ), will take 22 - 24 degree cold nights. So no problema there.
However, the two mango's will only tolerate 32 cold nights. Now the big question, should I keep 'em in pots for next 5 months lugging them inside everytime the weatherman says "40 or below tonight " ?
Will defer to the esteemed members of this knowledgeable forum. I am a natural gambler, but as I get older,...finding myself more hesitant. ( smile )
If all these trees do work out, I will be happy as puglvr suggested, to make any overflow fruit available to the forum members willing to drive over. S/B lots of key lime's, ruby red grapefruit's, mango's and two of the finest tasting avocado's out there, After all, am only one person, and believe it or not, all my neighbors do not like any of the fruit I grow,..I mean even a chilled 2 + lb Kent mango on a warm August day,.." Nah Joe,..really don't care for them,..or the papayas either,..or the key limes,..or the avocados. Thanks for asking "
As we say in Costa Rica and Nicaragua and Cuba,........" Loco de la Cabeza ! Yo no intiendo ! "
Thanks for any advice on the potting of the 2 skinny mangos.

Its a hard call...wish we have another milder winter like last year!

I certainly would not bring them inside unless the temps call for frost/freeze usually trees that young and small I bring them in the garage or right up against the wall of the house when the temps is forecast to be 35 degrees or below...I've left my potted mango trees right up against my south wall when we hit 32 degrees and I had NO damage...but it was only 32 degrees for about 2 hours at the most very early morning So its up to you,

If you plant it in the ground now be prepared to cover/heat them if we get anything below 32 degrees. I can't believe winter will be here in only 2 more months :o(. If you don't want to go through all that work this year...wait till next spring
to plant them.

Even though your avocado says it can take mid 20's at that size I wouldn't let it be unprotected below 32 degrees, I'm sure those temps are for a more mature established tree? Just a guess...maybe someone that has a newly planted one can comment...

puglvr - Yes, you are right. When a tag says that the plant can take temps down to 27 degrees, that means when the tree is mature it can handle those temps with minimal damage. Don't trust the tag for young trees. They just don't have the wood density and leaf canopy.

jofus - If you aren't sure if it is safe to plant the trees in the ground, you might want to play it save. If the trees need to transplanted to a bit larger pot, I would do that soon. It's so much easier to pick up a pot than provide winter protection for it.

Christine

Puglvr & Christine : Exactly what I've decided to do. Will buy four 15 gal plastic pots tomorrow. Still happy over my purchases, early March will be here soon enough. Thanks !

Then again... Double check, but I think Lowes has a policy that if it dies in a year you can bring it back for a full refund. Home depot has that policy.

puglvr, Christine, shavedmonkey : All the advise from you guys has been right on the money. Just called, - yes Lowes will give a full refund within one year if you have the receipt, same as HD,..a constant one - upmanship with those two.
Should have all 4 repotted in a few days time.
Thanks again !

Late last week I started having 2nd thoughts about purchasing those 4 skinny trees in 2 gal pots, - the 2 avocado and 2 mango. Not getting any younger so decided to open up and get some more mature trees, as I doubt I'll ever see any fruit from these babies.
So took 3 of the trees back to Lowes ( 1 avocado & 2 mangos ) and started looking around the entire SW Florida area for a nursery that sells serious sized (7,15, 25 gal ) potted trees. Spent two full days, canvasing from Venice to Punta Gorda,..and drew a blank. Nada !
So have set my alarm for 5 AM and will drive to Homestead tomorrow and check out ( already called so know they have these sizes ) both Ray's and Pine Island nurseries. Enough fantasizing and settling, time to get serious ! ( smile ).
Should be an interesting day, will take the scenic route down thru Florida Panther country on rte 29 south of La Belle, where I see those " PANTHER CROSSING " signs.
Will post a pic or two after returning from hopefully, a fruitful venture, ( pun intended )

This post was edited by jofus on Tue, Oct 22, 13 at 10:50

Good luck Jofus...hope your trip will be a productive one. I know exactly what you're saying and feeling...the older I get the more impatient I am to "wait" for young trees to mature. Life's too short and if you have a choice and can afford a larger more mature tree...I say go for it!!

Looking forward to pictures!! Have fun...

Well, my Don Quixote-esque search for the final 3 fruit trees to complete my modest plantation is over. Set out early today for Homestead at 6:30 AM and didn't get back till 4 PM. Thoroughly scoured both Pine Island Nursery and the nearby Ray's Nursery.
Was intent on finding a Haas avocado, a Lancetilla mango and a most importantly, a Pickering mango, which I decided is # 1 based on recommendations from forum contributors and online research. An extraordinary mango IMHO.
The PIN people had no one to show me around so drove over to Ray's and looked at the 4 Lancetillas they had in stock and abruptly eliminated it as a possibility. They were all lanky and fragile looking, " No Me Gusta " ! Also, neither nursery ( finally got to chat with PIN later ) recommended the Lancetilla. So, I substituted a healthy Mallika instead, then found a robust Hass, both at Rays ( saved $15 ea on the 7 gal trees compared to PIN's prices ). However, Ray's had no Pickering's and the ones at PIN were very small, in 4 gal pots. I reluctantly bought one tho and started the long drive home.
The photo shows the young Pickering to the left, the Mallika in middle and the Haas on the right.
I have decided to plant both the Haas and the Mallika now, repot the small Pickering into a 7 gal pot as well as the young Bacon avocado I bought last week, then plant both in early March of next year, when this area's cold nights are history.
Will wind up with 8 mangos, 2 avocados, 1 ruby red grapefruit, 1 papaya, 1 key lime and 4 - 6 goldfinger bananas. Not bad for bit shy of a 1/4 acre lot I think. My neighbors just shake their heads !
Finally my quest is over, can now concentrate on Dulcinea,..no more room for more trees anyway,..mean it this time puglvr. ( smile )

This post was edited by jofus on Wed, Oct 23, 13 at 22:21

A great quest and adventure. Good luck with your new trees!

So....you started out looking for "one more" and ended up with three? You not only remind of my dad, I think you might be his long lost brother!

Dave

Lol...I'm happy your quest is finally over (unless of course) you need to replace one due to things out of your control like weather :o)...sounds like you had a very nice trip and adventure at least. Very healthy looking trees!

Good luck!! I think you made the right choice with the lancetilla, I have one (had it for 4 years and never fruited) waste of my time and energy,lol...finally "pugged" it dug it up and potted it up...its on "do or die" status now...

Normally, a 4 year old tree would not have survived being dug and placed in a 10 gallon pot...but it was planted in a less than ideal spot...shaded almost all day and got hit severely with freeze at least the first 3 years so I guess considering all that I'm surprised it still alive today.

Here's a picture of my 4 year old "pugged" Lancetilla...at least the trunk is pretty thick...

This post was edited by puglvr1 on Fri, Oct 25, 13 at 10:39

shavedmonkey : Thanks !

Dave : Understand all too well your Dads passion, can't imagine a better retirement than harvesting fruit from your own trees. ( smile )

puglvr : You put your finger on a possible glitch, losing a tree or two to cold weather. Am now wavering a bit, may just keep all the 4 new ones in a pot till March.
Sorry to hear about your Lancetilla. Pugging & root pruning is way over my head,..I hope it survives.

Appreciate all the knowledge gained on this site. One example : Have reserved a special spot on the se/sw corner of my home to plant that tiny Pickering. Prior to reading these savy contributions, I'd never have thought about how important it is to plant a skinny, fragile young tree next to a south facing wall.
Thanks to all you experts out there !

Carrie & Edwards. Tastes so good you wanna slap yo mamma. FYI: Nam Dok is one of the few mango's that will grow true from seed.

In a perfect world you would want to have at least 3 trees to extend your season. An early, middle & late variety - just like avocados, oranges, etc.

why would anyone intentionally plant a Mango tree for gods sake. They drop fruit faster than you can possibly pick it up and attract every kind of insect you can think of. If you want to spend the whole summer getting bit by noseeums and a dozen other insects, if you want racoons in your yard - plant mangos. After living with 5 mango trees for a year in our new house, cut everyone one of them down, never been happier.

@splats - seek professional help. Mangos are the closest thing there is to prime rib growing on trees.

"why would anyone intentionally plant a Mango tree for gods sake."

Because we enjoy eating them...apparently you do not and that's fine. There are many that do not share your opinion...

Hey, check out all the 17 proven benefits, # 7 is my favorite !!

by Mae Chan
PreventDisease.com

Mangoes may very well be the king of all fruits. They fight cancer, alkalize the body, aid in weight loss, regulate diabetes, help digestion, clean your skin, and make the perfect snack. Here are 17 healthy reasons why you should be eating a mango every day.

Nutrition chart
One cup of mangoes (225 gms contain) contains the following percentages that apply to daily value.
105 calories
76 percent vitamin C (antioxidant and immune booster)
25 percent vitamin A (antioxidant and vision)
11 percent vitamin B6 plus other B vitamins (hormone production in brain and heart disease prevention)
9 percent healthy probiotic fibre
9 percent copper (copper is a co-factor for many vital enzymes plus production of red blood cells)
7 percent potassium (to balance out our high sodium intake)
4 percent magnesium

1. Fights cancer
Antioxidants like quercetin, isoquercitrin, astragalin, fisetin, gallic acid and methylgallat present in mango protect the body against colon, breast, leukemia and prostate cancers.

2. Keeps cholesterol in check
Mango has high level of vitamin C, pectin and fibres that help to lower serum cholesterol levels. Fresh mango is a rich source of potassium, which is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps to control heart rate and blood pressure.

3. Skin cleanser
Mangoes help you unclog your pores and add freshness to the face. Mangoes are applicable to any skin type. They help clear clogged pores that cause acne. Just slice a mango into thin pieces and keep them on your face for 10 to 15 minutes and then take bath or wash your face and see the results.

4. Alkalizes the body
According to natural health school.com, mango is rich in tartaric acid, malic acid and traces of citric acid that primarily help in maintaining the alkali reserve of the body.

5. Weight loss
Mango has a lot of vitamins and nutrients that help the body feel fuller. Also, the fibrous fruit boosts the digestive function of the body by burning additional calories, helping in weight loss.

6. Regulates diabetes
Not only the fruit but the leaves of mangoes are healthy too. For people suffering from diabetes, just boil 5-6 mango leaves in a vessel, soak it through night and drink the filtered decoction in the morning. This is helps in regulating your insulin levels.

Mango has a low glycemic index (41-60) so going a little overboard will not increase your sugar levels.

7. Aphrodisiac
Mango has aphrodisiac qualities and is also called the ‘love fruit’. Mangoes increase the virility in men. Vitamin E, which is abundantly present in mangoes, helps to regulate sex hormones and boosts sex drive.

8. Eye care
Did you know that mango is rich in vitamin A. One cup of sliced mangoes equals 25% intake of your daily need of vitamin A. Mangoes help in promoting good eye sight, fights dry eyes and also prevent night blindness.

9. Helps in digestion
Mango contains enzymes that help in breaking down protein. The fibrous nature of mango helps in digestion and elimination. It is is rich in pre-biotic dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals.

10. Heat stroke
When the sun is bogging you down this summer, just chop of a mango in a juicer; add a little water and a tbsp of sugar free or honey. This juice will instantly cool you down and prevent heat stroke.

11. Strengthens your immune
The deadly combination of vitamin C, vitamin A and 25 different kinds of carotenoids keep your immune system healthy.

12. Body scrub
Make a paste of mashed mango, honey and milk and use as a body scrub, you will feel that your skin is tender and smooth.

13. Aids concentration and memory
Studying for exams? This fruit is rich in glutamine acid– an important protein for concentration and memory. Feed mangoes to children who find it difficult to concentrate on studies.

14. High iron for women
Mango is rich in iron, hence it is a great natural solution for people suffering from anemia. Menopausal and pregnant women can indulge in mangoes as this will increase their iron levels and calcium at the same time.

15. Reduces Kidney Stones
In Chinese medicine, mangoes are considered sweet and sour with a cooling energy also capable of reducing the risk of kidney stone formation.

16. Perfect Snack
Instead of snacking on unhealthy chips and cookies, why not feast on slices of mangoes instead. They are perhaps one of the tastiest dehydrated fruits of all.

17. Stomach Tonic
Before going to bed put some 10 or 15 mango leaves in warm water and close it with lid. The next day morning filter the water and drink it in empty stomach. Do this regularly.

Mae Chan holds degrees in both physiology and nutritional sciences. She is also blogger and and technology enthusiast with a passion for disseminating information about health.

Mango Effective in Preventing Colon and Breast Cancer

Read the full article here: http://preventdisease.com/news/13/051713_17-Reasons-Why-You-Need-a-Mango-Every-Day.shtml

I have no argument with anyone that likes Mango trees. And yes, I know what a mango tree is; I actually like them (the fruit). But the trees we had were huge and literally dropped hundreds of mangos for weeks. For three/four months of the year it was hell. I wish I had a picture of one of our fallen Mangos being devoured by Noseeums. Literally covered by thousands of tiny gnats. It is ok to like mangos, but you also need to know what you are getting into. I guess it depends a lot on where you live and what bugs/creatures you have to deal with.