Pruned mango tree

[Klong Song]

About four years ago I had to severely prune one of mango trees due to the fact that it was heavily weighted to one side and in danger of toppling over when storms blow in. It has regrown nicely with about three to four meters of new growth. My question is when or if I can expect it to bear fruit again.

 

 

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[drtreelove]

That's impossible to answer without more information. There are more factors to consider.

 

That kind of radical reduction pruning can cause severe physiological stress and disrupt metabolic processes for several years. Heavy pruning can expose the woody branch structure to sunburn and resulting loss of bark and wood decay that limits circulation of water and nutrients.   Are you doing more pruning that may be bad timing for food storage and the flower production cycle?

 

What kind of follow up care  have you done? Watering and fertilization? For a tree to regrow and resume flowering and fruiting it needs adequate water during the dry season and nutritional support. 

 

Post photos of the tree and the site. And describe the growing conditions, soil and water management. 

[Klong Song]

Hi Doc, I haven’t done any more pruning (other than two minor branches that you can see in the attached photo) since the original heavy pruning which was about three or four years ago. I don’t see any loss of bark or wood decay present. Because the water table is only about one meter or so below the surface in this area I haven’t found it necessary to water after my trees became established. I have to confess that I do not have a fertilization program. IMG_2133.HEICIMG_2129.HEIC


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[Klong Song]

IMG_2133.HEICIMG_2129.HEIC

 

 

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Sorry, I can’t seem to attach the photos. Never had this problem before.

[Klong Song]

I found a work around to see the images. Tap the image and send it to yourself and you should be able to open them.


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[MikeN]

Apple fanboys using file types (.HEIC) that most people on the internet cannot open natively.....

Apple, just what was wrong with the jpgs that everybody could open ?

[drtreelove]

Short of soil testing and prescription amendments, which is probably not cost effective for one tree, I recommend applying a COF (complete organic fertilizer), not high NPK, high salts chemical products. The tree appears to have adequate vegetative growth and good color, so don't use a high Nitrogen fertilizer. 

 

It's hard to find a good, new generation COF in Thailand, even though they are all over the US now, in every garden center, Down To Earth, Dr Earth, Fox Farm and other brands.  You can read about COF in the book The Intelligent Gardener by Steve Solomon. I found a PDF download online. 

 

The relatively complete nutrient, manure based, true compost from Natural Agriculture in Chiang Mai is good, but they don't sell online or ship, you have to pick it up in Mae Taeng. 

http://www.thai-organic-compost.com/index.html

 

I have not used this company's product, but they say the right things, indicating that they know what it takes to build a high nutrient COF. (I don't know where it is sold in Thailand)

https://www.cropagro.com/

Organic Fertilizer Nutrients
There are 16 nutrient elements required to grow plant. Three essential nutrients, carbon (C), hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O2), are taken up from atmospheric carbon dioxide and water. The other 13 nutrients are taken up from the soil.

Best organic fertilizer need to have 13 nutrient elements, and they can be divided into 2 groups:

Macronutrients and Micronutrients.

 

Organic Totto has a bokashi COF which I have used and like.  

https://www.organictotto.com/

 

Contact TV member Evolare who's wife's family owns the Bone Meal Factory www.bonemeal.net. They are selling many organic fertilizer components now, in addition to bone meal. 

 

And mulch, mulch, mulch the soil surface of your mango tree root zone. 

[drtreelove]

^{Even though you think your trees are getting adequate water from the ground water one meter below, there are some benefits to soil surface watering for the larger picture of soil and plant health. Especially if you are fertilizing and mulching and encouraging a wide reaching absorbing root system in the topsoil like you should. Building soil organic matter content and cultivating the beneficial soil organisms that work to release the nutrients that plants need for growth, flower and fruit production is an important consideration.} 

[Klong Song]

Thanks Doc, much appreciated.


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[fgmr]

I found from experience that when pruning it is best to thin out the branches with the thick growth of dense leaves  such that more sunlight is allowed to enter. I always got a bumper crop the following season. But if you are spraying please ensure you are not poisoning the bees.