Posted on: Friday, February 4, 2005
 |
HAWAI'I'S GARDENS
Mango trees can yield fruit for up to 40 years
By Jari Sugano
During the summers when I was growing up, we used to look forward to the bags and bags of mangoes from my grandma's backyard garden.
I still look forward to mangoes in the summer, but they are much harder to come by these days.
The mango (Mangifera indica) is a deep-rooted evergreen tree that can bear hundreds of pink-white flowers in inflorescent clusters. There are many mango varieties grown here in Hawai'i. Rapoza, Pope, Excel, White Pirie, Momi K, Keitt, Gouveia and Manzanillo are the recommended mango varieties for the home garden, while Fairchild may be planted in wet or humid areas.
Mangoes are propagated primarily by grafting. Grafted trees will begin to bear fruit three to four years after planting.
Advertiser library photo It is important to plant the tree at the same level as it was in the original container. Avoid burying the stem. Stake plants to avoid excess wind movement.
As new growth emerges, remove foliage originating below the graft union. During the first year, fertilize mango trees every two to three months with 10-10-10, gradually increasing the amount of fertilizer to 1 pound per every inch in trunk diameter annually. Split fertilizer applications into three or four applications per year and apply around the drip line.
Ensure that plants have adequate air circulation, irrigation, nutrition and sunlight. Stress can make plants more susceptible to plant disorders. Anthracnose and powdery mildew are fungal diseases that affect leaves, flowers and fruits. Flower midges, mango seed weevil and Oriental fruit flies can also be major pest problems.
Consult your Cooperative Extension Service for the latest pest-control techniques.
Ideal conditions for mango include dry weather during the flowering period. Most mangoes flower between December and April. Fruits mature three to five months after flowering.
Mango fruits should be harvested before they are fully ripe to minimize bird damage and bruising caused by fruit drop. Most ripe fruits change color from green to yellow, orange or red, depending on the variety.
After fruiting, branches can be pruned back to increase air circulation and sunlight penetration. With proper care, mango trees can remain productive up to 40 years or more.
Extra mangoes this season? Save me some!
Jari Sugano is an extension agent with the University of Hawai'i-Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources. Reach her at suganoj@ctahr.hawaii.edu.
Mangoes prefer deep, rich, well-drained soils, but can be grown on a wide range of soil types. When planting grafted trees, prepare a planting hole two to three times the diameter of the container. Add a handful of superphosphate fertilizer along with a generous amount of decomposed organic compost to the planting hole. Mix soil amendments thoroughly.
Grafted mango trees bear fruit three to four years after planting. Adequate air circulation, irrigation, nutrition and sunlight are vital.
