Mangoes And Lam Yai

[missismiggins]

Hi all,

just a few questions you may be able to help me with regarding these two fruit trees. (I am getting so many contrary opinions from Thais around where I live)

I really wanted to know about the "booey" or fertilizer and when to apply? I had a problem last year after I applied booey to the mango trees when they were in flower, i.e. they either dropped their flowers or, dropped their fruit.

I tended to think that the trees were simply too young, (three years) however, some of the locals reckon it is due to the fertilizer? (15:15:15), any ideas as to when to apply? I normally put about 1kg three times per year. Once after fruiting once in 4 months time and again when the flowers start.

What about water, I tend to give them lots of water during the time they bear fruit, is this correct, again some of the locals say NOT to give any water during this period????

It is pretty much the same story for Lam Yai, however, this years crop appears to be a bit of a disaster (it appears to be the Thais trees as well as mine) We got a load of flowers, but most have dropped and been replaced by fresh leaf growth, this is the first time in 6 years that I have seen this, any ideas?

Thanks for your advice!

[Pond Life]

What I've heard from several sources about Mango is they need the dry season to stress the tree, causing it to produce lots of fruit, they shouldnt be irrigated until the fruit has set. Im guessing if youre fertilising then your irrigating sat the same time.

My trees recieved a huge 3 day down pour while they were flowering this year, so in theory it should be a crap harvest.

I'll find out in 2 wks when I return home.

I got plans for Mango Cider this year.

[Lite Beer]

harvest.

I got plans for Mango Cider this year.

Recipe Please.

[bob4you]

How about mango wine or sour mash whiskey??????

[Pond Life]

Mango Cider,

13 lt mango juice

3 lt drinking water

1 cup white granulated sugar

mix it all together in a bucket with good lid, or, I'm thinking a 20 lt drinking water bottle.

mix a level teaspoon of dried yeast (bakers yeast will do) with 1 teaspoon sugar & 1/2 cup warm water.

Let it stand in a warm place for 10-20 mins until it gets a good foamy head.

Mix it with the rest in the bucket.

Store the bucket some where with a stable temperature around 70 F or 21 C for 1 week.

decant or filter as necessary to remove the bulk of the sediment, but leave some for flavour.

Bottle in strong bottles, plastic pepsi bottles work ok if you have nothing better.

Store at 70/21 for another 2 days.

Refrigerate.

Open with caution.

Make sure all bottles, buckets & utensils are very clean before use

Im planning to lower my brew bucket into the water at the bottom of my well where I think I'll get a temp of about 23 C.

The hotter the temp the faster it'll brew & the worse headache it will give you.

I've only ever tried this with cardboard cartons of juice from the supermarket & it worked ok.

Im figuring fresh fruit will be better.

good luck

[Pond Life]

Just to add a little disclaimer,

In the recipe i said 1 week to brew,

the last batch I did was done at about 75 F

It was done in a wk + 2 days in the bottles.

It was about 5-6 % judgeing by the effects & gave less hangover then a comercial brew of that strength.

Brewing at the correct temp of 70 F might take a bit longer.

Just taste it after a wk & guess.

[slapout]

pondlife, looks like your making wine to me. Get a hydrometer and there is no guessing. The hot temp will kill the yeast, thus it will quite working before sugar has been utilized to make a stronger drink. I could only get mine to work up to about 7 %. I always used a root cellar, temp about 65 to 70 f. We brewed in fall so temp was on lower side.

[Lite Beer]

Thanks for that. 13 litres sounds a lot of juice.

Just looked at the carton of orange in the fridge. Maybe 13 l is not that big.

Edited April 10, 2008 by Lite Beer

[Pond Life]

Lite,

Out of that batch you'd probably get 10-12 lt after separating the sediment.

Slapout,

I dont know where the official line is between cider/beer & wine,

but I'm sitting here sipping the final bottle of the last batch

& taste wise the nearest thing I can compare it to is sweet cider.

Uuuuuurp!

Back to the OP,

My wife tells me that a lot of our Mango's have fallen off the tree's this year,

Which suggests to me its correct not to give water or fertilizer until the fruit sets.

Can anyone tell me when (visualy) a mango has set,

are we talking about when they form pea sized fruit or later ?