Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
bangna63

mango tree not fruiting

bangna63
9 years ago

I am located on the outskirts of Bangkok. I have a mango tree that refuses to fruit. here is what I can tell you:

1. 6 years old
2. circa 18 feet high
3. seemingly in good health, no bugs, leaf or trunk issues visible
4. pruned back heavily every couple of years
5. produced around 10 fruits in year 2 I think it was, but all fell off the size of a grape shortly after starting to develop
6. tree 3 doors down the road fruits prolifically. Possibly a different variety but certainly similar.

Anyone got any ideas? I am guessing this is a pruning issue but I am open to ideas from those better in the know.

Comments (13)

  • tropicbreezent
    9 years ago

    Is it still flowering, or are there no flowers at all? Do you have photos?

  • bangna63
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    No flowers since year 2. Here is a photo of the top from my first floor window, if you need a ful profile shot just say.

  • myamberdog
    9 years ago

    The tree certainly looks healthy.....

    Do you use any fertilizer ? A large dose of Phosphorous and/or Potassium can often help blooming, and then the subsequent holding of fruits......also a thought -.when you prune to near the blooming cycle it will prevent flowering as well....

    M.A.Dog

  • bangna63
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    No, I have not used fertiliser. I will try that. The fruiting is coming to an end here soon so I will wait a short while then prune again. Thakks.

  • tropicbreezent
    9 years ago

    That's the best time to prune, at the end of wet season/start of the dry season. It's during the dry season that the tree sends all the nutrients up to the branches to get the flowers going. If you cut that off the plant has no more and so no flowers. With fertiliser, as suggested, phosphorus and potassium are good but don't give it much nitrogen because that produces a lot of leaves and causes flowers to fall.

  • sapote
    9 years ago

    Don't prune all the branches. Just cut off what you don't want and leave some branches for fruiting -- maybe it needs a year old branches to have flowers. Your three looks so healthy.

    Sapote

  • myamberdog
    9 years ago

    Also, bangna - have the nitrogen be the smallest of the N-P-K fertilizer ratio, OK? The nitrogen stimulates mainly growth and you want to give the tree some messages to flower and fruit instead. Sounds like Phosphorous and Potassium are what it needs...

    m.a.d.

  • stanofh 10a Hayward,Ca S.F. bay area
    9 years ago

    You're pruning off the flowering wood. Stop pruning and it should go back to fruiting.
    UNLESS!..its seed grown not grafted. Then it could just be not good for fruiting. If it IS seed grown? Cut your losses now,and replace with a variety proven in your area.

  • bangna63
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks for all those ideas, seemingly a consensus on fertilizer profile and best pruning time. Is there a way to tell if a tree is from seed or grafted for a novice like me?

  • bangna63
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks for all those ideas, seemingly a consensus on fertilizer profile and best pruning time. Is there a way to tell if a tree is from seed or grafted for a novice like me?

  • tropicbreezent
    9 years ago

    Grafted trees don't grow as tall as seed grown trees. Often you can see the scar low down on the trunk where the tree was grafted. But with your tree 6 years old it might not be so noticeable. Nearly all my trees are grafted but apart from the "stunted" look it's really not noticeable that they are. Do you have photos of the whole tree and also the lower part of the trunk?

  • bangna63
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I found out it is grafted. Also, it seems there is another house on the street that has the same problem with the exact same variety. To add insult toinjury, my wife told me I talked her out of the variety that was identical to the other tree in our street that produces thousands of fruit ! :-(

    We bought the tree for shade rather than fruit so I will leave it there anyway rather than tearing up the patio, but I'll follow pruning and fertilising advice and see what happens. Thanks for all the input everyone.

Sponsored
Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes
Average rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars254 Reviews
Northern Virginia Design Build Firm | 18x Best of Houzz