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samuelforest

potted malika mango tree

samuelforest
12 years ago

Hello guys!I'm new on this forum and I just bought a grafted malika mango tree from flora exotica.Thus is the first time I grow a mango tree ,so I'm contacting you guys to the tell me some of your tips,how to care of this tree and asking you some question.

I want to repot it as soon as possible, but I don't what soil to use.I heard about the gritty mix...Will it be good for a mango tree???If yes, what are the ingredients and where can I find them?

Second question greenthumbs,this tree is supposed to be grafted, the guy who sold me it show me the grafting mark ,but I don't what a grafting mark looks like...:(

So...I need you guys to tell if it is really a grafting mark.(I'll post some picture later of it)

Last question,For now the tree looks a bit unhealthy,I would like to have your tips and comments on it and if you could, help me to get it back to life.

here,s some picyures...

P.S:Sorry for my bad english, I'm french...

Thanks in advance guys.

Sam

Comments (9)

  • boson
    12 years ago

    Hi,

    Not that I am a mango expert, but I also have a potted malika tree. It's been in a pot for a couple of years now, and I have had some fruits too. I don't know anything about the gritty mix, but I think as long as you have a well-drained soil in the pot you should be fine. And don't forget to fertilize every now and then. I think the new flush of leaves looks pretty healthy.

    Tomas

  • samuelforest
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thanks Thomas , I just gave it a little pruning and he should come back soon...I'll ask at my garden store if they some well-drained soil,but I prefer to put the gritty some says it's really good,but you need to make it and it's kind of pretty hard to find the ingredients.

    Sam

  • mangodog
    12 years ago

    Yes, Samuel, it does look grafted and really doesn't look like a bad-looking tree at all, but may I ask why you've got the tree inside? For it to do well it would be best to keep it outside and have it get at least 6 hours of sun a day after all danger of frost has passed and bring it in when the danger returns, or until the first actual frost is predicted. Unless you have it in a real large and heavy pot, but even then you could use a refrigerator dolly or similar thing to move it.

    As fas as soil, I don't have any potted mangos as all are in the ground, but I agree with Tomas - any good-draining soil should work, although I know some of the members here have created some apparently safe and very effective gritty mix for potted tropicals. Just watch your watering - obviously more often when it's hot and less when it's cool, watering deeply each time you do, and waiting till the top couple inches of soil dries out before watering again.

    Those are my humble and limited experience thoughts any way......mangoD

  • samuelforest
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thanks mangodog, if I put the mango tree inside it's because I was a bit worried because the forecast announced some thunderstorms and I was going away for some days...I heard these plants were sensible and was worried if it could fell off ,so I brought it in ,but if you say it's better for it I'll put it right now outside ,but I don't want that the rain overwaters it because it's in the stock nursery container and the soil is not really well drained...

    Tomorrow, I'll go buy some new rich well drained soil or get the ingredients for the griity mix and repot it...

    I am planning to set up a 400w mh in my wardrobe for this winter with a fan and an humidifier.

    This is my first mango and it's why I am a bit worried if it dies.I work hard to find one espiecially because I'm in Quebec Canada...I hope that it will fruit next year beause it is supposed.I'll buy some paint brushes to polinate the flowers because it will be too cold outside if it flowers in january like yours in florida.I cross my fingers :)

    Seriously I am jealous of your climate...

    Thanks again
    Sam

  • mangodog
    12 years ago

    Sam - yeah, I would leave it outside once you get it planted in the new well-draining soil. letting at least 5-6 hours of daily sun if possible (if not more) and your closet idea for the winter sounds interesting, but why a humidifier? It might increase the likelyhood of anthracnose, too....

    I live in Palm Springs, California, dry as a bone most of the time, and they don't suffer hardly at all. I'd try it without the humidifier first and see if the leaves crisp up or not.

    You could be the most farthest-North person who is growing mangos! This IS exciting - please keep us posted with how it goes, ok?

    And tell me the truth - is your real last name Forrest? (LOL)

    MD

  • samuelforest
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Yep, it's true my name is Samuel Forest for real....
    In my family tree our name were De forest and change to Forest...maybye a day it will go to Foret because I am french...

    Now, return to the mango tree...If I want to put an humidifier is because in winter we need to heat the house and it decrease alot the humidity, It's why I taught it will go ,but I'll try without it first as you say.

    So today I went to my local nursery , I asked for the girl to help to find the gritty mix ingredients that I found on the net...She said that I was hard to find these ingredients and really rare.:(So, she gave me some gypsum granulated and two fafard potting mixes one cactus mix that contains brown peat,sphagnum peat moss,san,calcined clay,composted manure and limestone.The other potting mix is a orchid potting mix that contains werstern bark mini-nuggets,coconut husk chunks and limestone.The girl told me that if I mix these it will be perfect ,but I want to ask you first if it will be good otherwise I'll find the gritty mix ingredients in a other garden center...

    And yes,sure I'll keep posting how does it goes mangodog.I'll maybye post other fruit trees because I have a fig tree (don't now the kind ,But it's making figs for the first time that are really good), a banana plant (a dwarf musa green) and a passion fruit vine.

    Thanks again for your anwsers espiecially mangodog.
    Sam

  • fern15
    12 years ago

    Sam,

    I purchased a grafted malika mango tree about 3 months ago. I first repotted the malika in a miracle grow potting "moisture control" mix. Thats what was recommended to me by a local nursery. After a month in this potting mix my malika started to dwindle and all the new growth it had died. So I checked the soil and was soaked and it wasn't draining at all. I thought my tree was a goner.

    Luckily I found this forum and then I read up on Al's gritty mix. So I decided to repot in the gritty mix. It wasn't easy but I was able to find all the ingredients. I could tell you that after 3 weeks of being in the gritty mix, I'm already starting to see a difference. So I am a firm believer in the gritty mix. I used the link below to help me locate all the ingredients. I hope this is some help to you.

    Fernando

    http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/contain/msg041917144346.html

  • samuelforest
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Sorry fernando, you are too late :(.I just repotted my malika in a mix i make with vermaculite,coconut husk,cactus mix and connaisseur fafard mix and it does seem to drain well :)!IT have have been five days in it and i don't see any transplant shock ,but anyways thanks Fernando.

    Sam