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Which container Mango tree to start?

tropicalia
13 years ago

Hi! This is my first post here. I am so happy that I found this forum! I am sure I will spend many nights browsing here. I am originally from Brazil but live here in Broward county, florida. I just realized that in Florida you can grow many tropical fruits that I use to eat when I was growing up in Brazil so I started to research a little bit and even went to an awesome class about Annonas(Which I love) at the Fruit and Spice Park where I was shocked by the amount of info the teacher had to share. Here is my question:

This will be my first tree I am trying to decided on a mango but I don't have land so I will need to grow in a container in our patio. I was looking these the Carrie Mango, Pickering, Cogshell or Nam doc mai? Which one would you choose and why?

Second Question is the Grit Mix 1-1-1 is also a great choice for my container tree in South Florida or do I need to change something?

Thank you in advance for any help.

Comments (49)

  • Loveplants2 8b Virginia Beach, Virginia
    13 years ago

    Hello Tropicalia..

    Welcome to this wonderful group of people!! They are very kind and are very willing to help you out with just about anything!!!

    My first wish list Mango was a Cogshell, but hey were sold out of them...so I decided on the Glenn) Long and straight one!!!lol..and then the Carrie, which branches out a bit!!!

    Like Gary said...you can't go wrong with sll of the above listied ones!!! Now, I want another!!! Thanks everyone!!! LOL...

    Take care everyone...

    Lauura in VB

  • mango_kush
    13 years ago

    hello tropicalia, If i had to recommend a mango tree i would make yours a Pickering. it is a newer cultivar that stays the most compact and is very precocious, every specimen i have seen bloomed within its first year

  • budershank
    13 years ago

    If you have the patience, I would wait until you can try them and then make a choice. I haven't tried a Pickering yet, but I can speak for all the rest as being delicious, though not everyone likes the texture of a Carrie.

    But really, with those choices you can't go wrong.

  • yaslan
    13 years ago

    Welcome to the group tropicalia!

    For all the reasons that mango kush mentioned; I am after the pickering. I've also read good things about Nam Doc Mai. Here is Pine Island's assessment: Nam Doc Mai is a premium cultivar introduced to Florida from Thailand in 1973. It is hands down the most sought after of the Asian mangos and for good reason. The fruit is firm, sweet, aromatic, completely fiberless, and is born on a tree suitable to a small backyard. The fruit ripens from June to July.

    Hi Laura - I can't wait to get my hands on another mango tree too lol

    -Bo

  • tropicalia
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thank you all for replying. Gary you right about this weather. I am a newbie, I planted few tomatoes, cumcumber, peppers,some spices and I was so scared about the cold so I put all inside in my living room had all these little pots everywhere. My hubby was like? what happened to my house? LOL
    Gary thank so much for alerting me about the drainage. In your opinion that 1(pine bark)-1(turface)-1(crushed granite) mix would be ok for my zone?

    Laura is funny that seems from what I read here that everyone that gets one mango wants another... is that addicting hum? :) I heard that the Carrie can get like very round and that I am sure if work well either because my pot will also be close to a wall. so it can not be too full/round tree, I don't know if I am explaining this well.

    MangoKush I am really curious to see how big a pickering is when is already fruiting
    budershank I think I will have to wait because I am scared to spend the time/money for a tree that later we will not like the taste. The only one that I know the name/taste right now is the kent that I tried at Robert is here store and that fruit was unbelievable!

    Bo thank you for that info ... more I read more I am curious to go tasting more mangos and write the names.
    I guess I will wait anxiously until Fairchild Mango event to try there since I am not sure if publix sells these type of mangos that we are talking about. I am excited for that too because I never went there and seems like I can also see the tree there too.

  • mangodog
    13 years ago

    "Gary thank so much for alerting me about the drainage. In your opinion that 1(pine bark)-1(turface)-1(crushed granite) mix would be ok for my zone?

    ummmmm...I'm not familiar with that type of mix Ms. Tropicalia...maybe someone else, Mango Kush, or some other pro knows if that is ok for your purposes.....

    The comments on Pickering were heartening to hear as I have a small one myself.....I LOVE precocious mangos!!!!!

    mangodogdad

  • zands
    13 years ago

    Only buy your mango at Pine Island nursery. It
    is worth the trip. They are a major wholesaler. You will find a large selection
    of bigger mango trees which is what you should go for.

    Every fully ripened backyard mango tastes great no matter what the variety (with
    a very few exceptions) and is at least 200% better than what you get in Publix
    etc which is imported so picked unripe

    I would go for a condo mango type like Carrie because their tendency is to
    branch outward and be bushy trees rather than large tall trees. But really....
    any mango tree can be be pruned to be more bushy and low. But you have to
    actively prune it to get this shape

    Check out the Pine Island Mango variety viewer http://www.tropicalfruitnursery.com/mango/index.shtml

    Look for good production and disease
    resistance which in FL means anthracnose resistance

    Also Fairchild has some mango guides.

  • mango_kush
    13 years ago

    Carrie is an excellent mango, at times my favorite. I agree with Pine Island always having the best nursery stock. many times there trees are potted up and sold by nurseries and almost doubled in price in one growing season. Its even worth it to pay extra for west coast shipping IMO.

    The only thing I would point out on their website they list many varieties as "condo mangos" some of which are true dwarfs like Pickering, Julie and Ice Cream and some which are more medium sized like Carrie, Nam Doc Mai, Lancetiila

    This is why i specify Pickering over others for container growers, any medium tree can be pruned to the same size as a true dwarf however their growing habit will be more vigorous and there canopy tends to branch higher up.

  • mangodog
    13 years ago

    .....to follow up and voice a "second" to Zands' comments - I got 4 or 5 mangos from Pine Island a couple months ago and I must say they are the best shaped and healtiest looking of any I've ever purchased - and I had to pay for shipping AND a California plant-checking fee, so if you can drive their, so much the better for you, tropicalia.

    Go ahead - make me jealous!

    mangopuppy

  • zands
    13 years ago

    Thanks much mango_kush for separating the men from the boys as far as true condo mangoes. It also seems to me that Fairchild is on a condo mango tear and overly favors them. Kind of understandable because they want a mango in every front yard and backyard (no matter how small) which is a great idea

    Mangodog..... Despite shipping costs etc, you guys are spoiled out there in arid SoCal. Low precipitation thus no anthracnose. Am I right? Thanks.

    All arid climates have less bugs, microbes, germs, mold...all that crap. The *secret" to California's abundance is irrigating a near desert ....in most places. The soil is good, only needed water to come alive

  • mango_kush
    13 years ago

    because of its drier climate, Southern California should definitely be more conducive to growing Indian mangos. Florida gets too much rain usually on average, Florida cultivars generally have alot of Asian parentage in them, the more Indian like types such as Carrie or Julie tend to suffer from anthracnose here.

    I think the only reason Asian varieties are more popular in California is because they come true from seed and there hasnt been a very large effort to introduce grafted varieties there and Manilla seedlings are commonly grown in Mexico. Im most interested in seeing how Alphonso does there

  • zands
    13 years ago

    ALSO.....

    To all mango growers where you might have thievery. Go for mangoes that are green and turn yellow when ripe. You must lose your conditioning from what you have seen in supermarkets and everywhere else where the preferred mangoes have attractive red and purplish blotches when ripe. You do not want red!

    You do not want red! It is an attractant to mango thieves. It is a large billboard advertisement. You must use (lotus sutra) skillful means. You want to go stealth which means green-yellow mango

    Oddly enough some of the best mangoes I have eaten are greenish to yellow. They looked smallish and ugly.

  • mango_kush
    13 years ago

    zands is spot on. Red fruit in general are more appealing to the human eye. comparing blind and un-blind taste tests confirm this. Indian marketplaces often gas mangos prior to ripening to induce a color blush. in Japan the only mangos grown commercially are Zill because of their red color demands a higher price, sometimes a few hundred yen per fruit.

    this is probably innate within us. the color red is an attractant to humans probably because our history as hunters and gathers. fruit is generally ripe when red when it wants to be picked, eaten and its seed discarded somewhere suitable to grow.

    this is why red lights alert us (to stop) and green lights blend in with the trees and do not.

    solid red mangos are almost always lacking in flavor complexity in my experience. that being said an old symmetrical mango tree with crimson red mangos is one of the most visually pleasing sights in nature to me. ive noticed Glenn also gets a beautiful fluorescent orange blush when its fruit are exposed to full sun.

  • tropicalia
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    OK guys I will definately buy from Pine Island then. Thank you for your great advices.
    I am thinking about the mango colors etc and yes all the mangos that I liked in my life they never had this amazing color outside. To be honest I am getting scared more i research here about soil and all the fertilizing numbers thing. When I was little In Bahia, Brazil we planted(well just throw the seed on the soil) a mango tree there and I never remember me or my mom wetting or fertilizing that plant, it did fruit a lot and was like 50 ft tall! lol!
    Now here I realize that soil may be a challenge and specially growing in a pot. I am scared about the soil. What soil mix do you guys use if you want to live in that pot forever?

  • mangodog
    13 years ago

    ah...the Zands of time.....yes,yes you are quite right....have hardly seen a pest on a mango nor disease nor anything as yet, other than an occasional crisped leaf or two witht the excessive summer heat. As you say, irrigating a desert is basically all that's needed...

    Mango Kush - and you are right about the Manilla seedlings - they are EVERYWHERE to buy with no other choice unless you go to one of these tropical specialty nurseries, and even then they push Manilla - Tropical Fruit Tree Nursery in Vista, CA a prime example, Ong's had a ton....

    Back to Zand - I put out a reply a few weeks ago as to how to keep away 5 fingered thieves on mangos planted in the front yard near a public sidewalk. I too concluded that green or mostly green (with some last minute yellow) was a way to fool the thieves. So maybe a Mallika in front for sure and a couple others, Alphonso............any suggestions????

    MangoHoggingDog

  • tropicalia
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    "Go ahead - make me jealous! "

    mangopuppy
    You are funny! Not sure if will be possible with my gardening skills and a little corner on our patio but I will try though. :) I can't wait to eat a juicy home grown mango. I would be very happy!

  • mango_kush
    13 years ago

    tropicalia as long as your patio gets sun you can definitely grow a mango. Buy a Pickering from Pine Island, there prices are going up January 1st, I dont know how much but it will be, my guess is +$10. it will definitely have an effect on every nursery that sells them around here retail.

    I would use Jungle Growth or Miracle grow moisture control potting soil from Home Depot or Lowes. I have 10 and 25 Gallon containers to repot them when it grows if you need them.

    25 Gallon would be the largest in this picture


    thats what the tree should end up in

  • zands
    13 years ago

    mangodog

    For green ripening to yellow mangoes I would go for Alphonso, Carrie, Fairchild. There are many other varieties (me not so knowledgeable) that I hope others will chime in on. The Pine Island mango variety viewer is helpful. Alphonso has a great rep and is a full sized tree.

    Never tasted a Mallika but it is a double edged sword. It is the ultimate stealth mango because it is picked green before human thieves think about them or get to them. But picking green at the right time so it will ripen correctly seems to be dicey. In my opinion this can be learned by those sensitive enough. Even then, when ripe it has been criticized as tasting more like a carrot or cantaloupe. Not like a juicy sweet fruit. Some have trashed them after a few bites. These comments will show up in a Mallika search on GardenWeb

  • zands
    13 years ago

    mango_Kush

    I like what you say about red. Red is a bold forward color. Red is warming color. Our brain is wired so that it connotes ripeness in fruit. But you know which grapes are the sweetest you find in supermarkets? Black grapes especially with seeds. Green are least ripe and red are in the middle. Grapes w seeds are you best bet and same for watermelons. Last summer I ate some "junk" "reject" backyard mangoes at the flea market with big seeds in a small fruit. Tasted very good.

  • jeffhagen
    13 years ago

    The big 'problem' with many parts of Southern California (as far as mango growing is concerned) is the lack of a long hot summer. Palm Springs would be ideal, but where I grew up, summer highs would generally be in the low 80's. The santa ana winds would blow in for a couple of weeks a year and bring the temp's up to the higher 90's, but that was short lived.

    Pine Island is definitely a good place to buy from, and (as pointed out by Sheehan on another thread) their mangoes are grafted by Zill's High Perf Plants who are known for quality mango production. PI's mango prices are going up by 5$ for a 3g and 10$ for a 7g. Id say that $30 for a 3g mango is quite reasonable; however it's a bit odd that they are raising their prices in the midst of a the current economic climate. Some of the major retailers in the area have been closing up their nurseries (eg, target, lowes), and there are many other indications that the nursery business is doing very poorly right now.

    Jeff

  • jfernandez
    13 years ago

    Jeff, I don't know where you grew up in Socal but most of Orange County, except the costal areas, might be the ideal place to grow these Indian mangos. Like I mention in another thread, the problems with mangos in Socal is the cold nights, our summers are very warm. I think Dr. Campbell eluded to this fact back in 2007 in the Festival of Fruit in San Diego. Coachella Valley would be a horrible place to grow mangos you would think, but they have the only mango orchard in the state, with all that nasty wind and killer heat......I was station in 29 stumps for a years in the Marine Corps. The only mangos you will find in nurseries in Socal are the Manila type, with the exception of specialty nurseries like Mimosa and Ong's, because the mango gurus deemed them the hardies. Mangodog and I will be experimenting with some Indian varieties we will have to wait for a few years to see how this episode turn out.

    Joe

  • jeffhagen
    13 years ago

    Hey Joe, I lived for 30 years in Ventura County (between L.A. and Santa Barbara counties) in the small town of Santa Paula whose slogan is 'Citrus Capital of the World' :-). Cherimoyas, persimmons, citrus, avocadoes, pomegranates and a number of other temperate fruits did exceedingly well there, but the summer was not sufficiently hot for mangoes. The more coastal areas such as Ventura proper and Santa Barbara were even colder. I know there are some inland areas that get blazing hot summers (eg, Palm Springs) and that there's some commercial mango acreage out there, but the majority of the socal population lives nearer the coast.

    Jeff

  • jfernandez
    13 years ago

    Hi Jeff

    I've lived in Socal since 78 before that south Florida, Miami. I lived in North Orange County (20 miles inland) for 28 year and I can tell you it gets very warm in the summer months. I also lived in San Diego County (Oceanside,Vista,Carlsbad and Fallbrook) and the Mojave Desert so I'm very familiar with our climate here. I have family in Thousand Oak and Camarillo that's about as close to Ventura County as I go. I don't think the problem with mangos in Socal is the mild summers it's the cooler nights.

    Joe

  • mango_kush
    13 years ago

    how about in the San Diego area?

  • jeffhagen
    13 years ago

    Yes indeed - inland socal is essentially desert and hence is hot in the summer. So, yes, there are places where mangoes could prosper, and I know that there is commercial acreage out there. But, we mustn't forget that many parts of socal have the cooler summers that mangoes dislike. Here's what CRFG has to say on the subject:

    "In southern California the best locations are in the foothills, away from immediate marine influence. It is worth a trial in the warmest cove locations in the California Central Valley, but is more speculative in the coastal counties north of Santa Barbara, where only the most cold adapted varieties are likely to succeed. Mangos luxuriate in summer heat and resent cool summer fog."

    Jeff

  • jeffhagen
    13 years ago

    PS - Funnily, there was some small commercial acreage of bananas growing near Santa Barbara within a few hundred yards of the beach, right off the side of the 101 back maybe 10 or 15 years ago :-).

    Jeff

  • puglvr1
    13 years ago

    Welcome to the forum tropicalia! I lived in Miami for two years and I too LOVE Pine Island Nursery...Great nursery and excellent selection.

    Right now, I wish I was still living in zone 10,lol...I guess I will be doing more Container growing after this winter!

    Have fun making your selection...SO many mangoes, so little space! Keep us posted once you've made your selections. Just so you know...this is a very addicting hobby, you've been warned :o)

  • mangodog
    13 years ago

    Hi Jeff - yes, I've driven by those banana groves seemingly flourishing on the western slope of those hills and next to the ocean!

    As far as mangos, I guess I'm the only one out here in the Coachella Valley to comment on desert mango growing that frequents this forum. I can say that Manila does exquisitely well in my yard and is twice the size (for the same age) as the Manila I saw down in Vista (No. San Diego County) California over the weekend. I do get some leaf burn on the west-exposed leaves sometimes, but is has not affected the flowering or fruiting as yet. What I find puzzling is how the Keitt Mango orchard in Thermal (about 25 miles east of me in the valley) continually gets temperatures at night 7-8 degrees below mine, so when we do hit the 30's they are in the 20's a lot - so how do they make a go at growing them out there?????

    Joe F - you should come out here some time and we could go visit them - I got a phone number......

    It will be interesting to see how my approx. 10 mango cultivars do over the next few years - I know one thing so far - they seem to flower at very different times than either Florida or not-so-inland SoCal mangos. I've never had anything flower in the fall/winter before....only spring time....

    Gary

  • sun_worshiper
    13 years ago

    Have fun choosing tropicalia! So many good choices. Here's a list I made earlier this year when I was picking out trees and specifically wanted small trees. I compiled this info from a variety of sources. The size listed is the size at which a "full grown" in ground tree can easily be maintained with pruning. I expect that a potted tree would remain a bit smaller due to constricted roots. If you are choosing more than one, if you get varieties with different fruiting times you can spread out your fruiting season.

    Rosigold, 8', March-May
    Jean Ellen, small, April-June
    Angie, 9', Early
    Manilita, 7', June
    Pickering, 6', June
    Cogshall, 6', June-July
    Fairchild, 8', June-July
    Mallika, 8', June-July
    Carrie, small, June-July
    Nam Doc Mai, 9-15', June-July
    Duncan, 8-10', July
    Graham, 8', July-August
    Lancetilla, 10', August
    Neelum, 8', August-September

    I ended up planting Angie, Rosigold, Manilita and Cogshall. Let us know what you choose.

  • mfajar
    13 years ago

    My vote is for Pickering. I salivate just thinking about that delicious fruit. I have one in ground and one potted, and being a newbie at this I must say they are forgiving, both alive after one year!!!
    I know they are supposed to be small but I have never seen a pic of a mature Pickering.
    Good luck and yes I second all previous posters recommending pine island.

  • jfernandez
    13 years ago

    mango_kush -
    There are better micro climates in Orange County than San Diego e.g. here is a comparison beetween Chula Vista, which 2 hours south of North OC and supposedly a USDA zone 11 Sunset zone 24, and where I live.
    http://preview.weather.com/outlook/recreation/golf/wxclimatology/compare/91914?sfld1=Chula%20Vista,%20CA%20(91914)&sfld2=90631&clocid1=USCA0219&clocid2=

  • tropicalia
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Mango kush thank you for sharing the pots sizes that helps me because I still need them. I don't have any big ones, just little things for spices etc... I did look today at home depot and those big pots are not cheap either! But I need to start a pot collection to have them handy. For the tree prices with this economy I thought prices were going down. I will not make it to get now and more I think with this cold I guess going later on will be better to make sure they survived the cold and are nice and healthy :)
    Puglvr1 I saw your other posts and I see how you are working hard to protect your beautiful trees. You help us here a lot, I am praying that yours do not get damaged. I was checking your pruning and it is so well done. You have a pic here of a tree(mango)that remind me the shape of a bonsai, so beautiful! I really like how you shape your trees. You should start doing a "live" class about it. I will definately post here what I get.
    Sun worshiper thank you for that list. more I think more I believe I will need more than one tree. So your list is very helpful. wow you got four! That's great!
    Mfajar that's another problem too. I love mangos but I am scared to kill them right way so I will problably get the pickering and another as a back up.
    While this cold weather goes away... I will search for the pots, the material for AL's 1-1-1 mix and decide which mangos. I will be so happy if everything will be fine with the trees.
    I also realized that I may have another possibility to the side of my house if I want I can cut a BIG ugly tree that is there now and put a mango in future. But is not that sunny over there, it is between my house and the neighbor facing north. I was wondering if a Kent would do good there??

  • sun_worshiper
    13 years ago

    Ha! You've been warned, this is an addictive hobby. I tried to narrow down my choice to 3 and failed=) It sounds like you own land, if you have a big tree you can take out. I'd favor growing in ground trees over pots - seems easier to me. But just because you choose in ground doesn't mean you can't still have "condo size" trees. I removed several large & ugly bushes from my property to make room for "condo mangos". They are in-ground, but I intend to keep them 6-8' with careful pruning. The choice of late season varieties of mango that are easy to keep as small trees is pretty limited (if you notice all my choices are early season - based on flavor profile preferences). If you have room for one large tree definitely go for a late season one, a Kent is a good choice. As for if your location would get enough sun - hard to say. Can you post a picture of the current big tree in relation to the buildings? You might also spend the winter watching the low temps in your area to find out if you ever get cold enough to need to protect your trees. That can also influence your decision of in-ground vs in pot trees.

  • mango_kush
    13 years ago

    she has a small patio. tropicalia i have plenty of empty containers, you are welcome to them for free when you need them. if you pick up a tree i would probably guess you could step it up to a 10 or 15 gallon and then next year put it in its permanent 25 gallon home.

    ALs gritty mix looks promising, I have alot of container citrus (about 8 in 25 gallons) i was looking to repot this spring. John Deere store carries Turface MVP. bark fines are usually the easiest component to find at nursery and landscaping outlets. Im looking for a large supplier of turkey grit granite, so far Ive only found small bags.

    honestly a mango tree will have no problem with root rot if you just simply went to Home Depot and bought jungle growth or any better quality potting soil mix that doesnt turn to muck, i wouldnt kill yourself looking to make a perfect mix for a mango tree. theyre not picky at all about soil like other trees and will grow

  • Andrew Scott
    13 years ago

    Mango kush is right. For me I live in NY and especially during the winter when I have to grow indoors, my mango tree is the least worrisome. I don't have bug infestations, root rot, disease problems, it is the least worrisome of all my trees. My citrus give me more of a headache than the mango!
    Andrew

  • tropicalia
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Mango kush that is so nice from you offering the pots. But I would not feel ok with that since I know later on you will definately will need them. I did check your profile and you have all my favorite fruits some I eat but I don't even know how the tree look like! :)
    hummm You are making me think about the work for the gritty mix. I did not know that I will need to change the pot that early. Maybe then would not be worthed invest time/$$$ for the gritty soil right away since I will re-pot and just use it when is in more permanently the 25 gallon then? I really did not think of that. Actually I don't even know how fast a mango can grow.
    When the tree is bigger though I want it in a soil that I don't need to change the soil often.
    I know that the Gritty can be there for even 5 years right?
    Mango kush are you close to Coral Springs?
    I never been to that store John Deere I will check that.
    Tapla(Al) also posted a great list of stores right here in Broward county( if that is close to u)so we can shop for the stuff. did you see? Look for it here I think there is a place you can find the crushed granite. Let me see if I find it again for you.
    Andrew thank you for sharing your experience. Which one is one is your mango and how big? I am sure it is not that easy growing a mango in NY. You should be proud.

    Let me get the land picture here so you guys can see the space and I will explain better.

  • tropicalia
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    I am trying to figure out how to post a picture here. Please let me know if you see anything?

    Here is a link that might be useful: Land space

  • mangodog
    13 years ago

    yes Ms. T - I see the space between the houses and a small palm tree also - is that the pic you were looking to post?


    mangopoodle

  • Andrew Scott
    13 years ago

    Hi Tropicalia,
    Actually I think that my mango tree is one of the easist tropical fruit trees that I have. The biggest lesson for me was creating a soil that drained fast so it wouldn't die from root rot.
    Mangokush is giving you sound advice! You also can make a bunch of it at once and trust me, if your wanting more than one mango tree in a pot, than you will use it! I actually prefer the gritty mix. My citrus are ultra sensative to poor draining soil. Even more so than my mango.
    I have the Maha Chinook variety which Harry himself has deemed one of his top favorite fruits!
    I only have this one right now. I had to learn an expensive lesson with my potted trees last year but now, I have my Maha Chinook almost blooming. I should have inflos in a few weeks. I will probobly remove all the fruits. What a tough job! To know i could end up with a fruit but then to know that it could actually harm my tree since the energy will go into fruit production instead of growing a stronger root system and branches!
    Andrew

  • tropicalia
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Andrew Thank you for helping. I can't wait to meet Harry and see his mangos.

    Sun worshiper
    Here is the picture and I starting to understand the addiction thing and I don't even have one tree. YET :)
    I am happy! I just figure it out, how to put the picture here not the link.

    Mangokush here is more detail...
    About the mangos Location, my patio it is a good size so over there will not be a problem because I think I can fit lots of pots(around the pool) but as far as land goes I just have little strip to the side of the house but as you see is half sun/half shade but half is the shade, the other side about 12' is the neighbors property. Seems like more tall more will likely to get sun but I am not sure what exactly what tree will be best there because is kind of always wet there too and I also (maybe one day)like to have not only mangos but also these:
    Jaboticaba, guava, sugar apple, persimmon,fig, banana, papaya. :) See I want slowly slowly to have a fruit salad! so I need to be careful about what exactly I should leave this little land strip for, before I go all crazy investing in trees that I will not have the proper place for it or will never fruit. Well basically I guess I need to decide what to put in post and what I should put in this space here in the picture below. In this space I can cut the big one and I would also fit one more here. The palm you see is the neighbors so I can't cut down . lol. Decisions, decisions!!!

  • sun_worshiper
    13 years ago

    Thanks for posting a picture, very helpful for understanding the space. That large tree has its canopy in full sun. So if you were to replace it with a large growing mango, then it seems to me like it would get enough sun to fruit once the tree is 20' tall or more. But you might want to consider whether or not you want to try to harvest fruit off of a tree that tall?

    Another thought is that you could plant a nut tree (like a macadamia) in that space. It would get large and produce edible nuts, but could be harvested by picking the nuts up off the ground after they fall. I can't tell from the photo, but of course if there is a sidewalk under that tree you don't want it raining down nuts=)

    I would expect that if you were to plant something short in that space that it is unlikely to get enough sun to fruit. Whatever you plant there will need its canopy to extend up above your roofline before it gets a lot of sun.

    The tree you currently have is large and in my opinion, not ugly. Even if you replaced it today, it will be many years before your new tree is as big. I think I would start with a potted specimen and find out if you enjoy caring for a mango tree before going through the expense and effort of removing a tree that big.

    Good luck choosing! Sure is fun to think about isn't it?

  • tropicalia
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Sun Thank you for your time too. Yes I was thinking that the sun really is not always there so I will take my time to think about this, there is not rush for such an important decision. I plan to live here many years so I want to get the right tree/trees and enjoy them.
    Still need to research about Jaboticaba's needs/etc but I was actually thinking about a Jaboticaba to replace that since to pick the fruits will not be that high and if I wanted I could let it grow as big as the one that is there now, but the way they grow so slow here, that would take many many years. :)

  • thamasoema_yahoo_com
    13 years ago

    I want to plant a mallika mango tree in container. How large a container should I use for the tree to remain in it for 10 years without root pruning?

  • boson
    13 years ago

    Hi tropicalia,

    Not sure if I am too late to reply about your Jaboticaba question. But there is actually a Jaboticaba variety that fruits in a pot in about 3 years.

    Tomas

  • tropicaliste
    13 years ago

    Boson:
    What's the name of that Jabo variety I'd like to bonsai one at some point...

    :)

  • boson
    13 years ago

    Hi,

    I don't grow this hybrid myself, but I read about it and this grower in Hawaii has it:
    http://www.fruitlovers.com/seedlistUSA.html

    It's the only place I know of that has it. Hmmm, but it looks like it's out of stock.

    Tomas

  • jsvand5
    13 years ago

    Vega, There is no tree of any kind that will do well in the same container for ten years without root pruning.

  • norm52
    13 years ago

    Hello ,
    Read that someone might have yellow Jaboticaba seed and wonder If you would consider parting with a few seeds
    Ursula
    culejools@yahoo.ca

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