When to pick mangos?

[Guderian]

The small mango bush in my garden is finally bearing fruit.

Can anybody please tell me how I know when it's time to pick the mangos off the bush?

Also I notice some people (but only a few) hang a piece of newspaper around the fruit, presumably to stop the birds from pecking away at them. Is that necessary or just an extra precaution?

Thanks for any help.

[Costas2008]

You can pick the mangos when they are still green, before birds attack them.

Wrap them in a newspaper and leave in a box till they go yellow.

Surprised you have mangos now....mine haven't got even the flower yet.

[Guderian]

You can pick the mangos when they are still green, before birds attack them.

Wrap them in a newspaper and leave in a box till they go yellow.

Surprised you have mangos now....mine haven't got even the flower yet.

Thanks for that. I've got 3 or 4 that look big enough to pick now but are still green. There's another half a dozen that are sort of plum-sized at the moment so way too small to pick. I'll harvest the larger ones and ripen them as you suggest.

Here in Pattaya it seems to be a bumper mango season. People down the road with mature trees have got literally hundreds of them coming.

[isanbirder]

It depends very much what kind of mango they are. Here in Buriram, the naam dokmai hardly seem to be setting any fruit this year, while the ochrone (spelling?), a later variety, are setting well. They won't be ready until May, I guess.

I don't usually pick them until the green colour begins to lighten and turn towards yellow. Then pick them and store until ripe as Costas says.

[Guderian]

It depends very much what kind of mango they are. Here in Buriram, the naam dokmai hardly seem to be setting any fruit this year, while the ochrone (spelling?), a later variety, are setting well. They won't be ready until May, I guess.

I don't usually pick them until the green colour begins to lighten and turn towards yellow. Then pick them and store until ripe as Costas says.

I've no idea of the variety, but I'm amazed how quickly the fruits are fattening up. A couple that were plum-size a few days ago are now the size of a decent pear. I don't want to give the local birdlife any easy pickings so maybe it's best to pick them while still green, as Costas said.

[masuk]

You can pick the mangos when they are still green, before birds attack them.

Wrap them in a newspaper and leave in a box till they go yellow.

Surprised you have mangos now....mine haven't got even the flower yet.

Thanks for that. I've got 3 or 4 that look big enough to pick now but are still green. There's another half a dozen that are sort of plum-sized at the moment so way too small to pick. I'll harvest the larger ones and ripen them as you suggest.

Here in Pattaya it seems to be a bumper mango season. People down the road with mature trees have got literally hundreds of them coming.

The bags (Usually newspaper made into an envelope) are placed around mangoes while they're still green, loosely tied off at the top, and the fruit fly can't leave their little eggs to hatch into maggots to grow inside. It also discourages birds from have a few pecks, and don't forget the squirrels. Leave a few unwrapped for the wild-life, not forgetting the red ants.

[Gandtee]

In my garden the time to pick the mangoes is before the bloody squirrels get their paws on them

[bassman]

Like stated previously, if I want "sweet mango" wait till they have a little yellow on the skin. Where I'm at the squirrels don't pose much of a problem as the population is decimated, but insect worms burrowing are, so wrap them quick.

Their are a lot of different mango species, with many being the most palatable while still green, feel the fruit and if it starts to soften pick.

Mangos are ate by the Thais at all stages and most prefer under ripened mango over papaya in their som tam mixes.

Good luck!

[farangmick]

Mangoes like all other fruit and veg are ready when the family and friends come and take them all.

[Sheryl]

I have never been able to tell. I simply keep asking my neighbors. They tell me when it's time. How they know, beats me.

If you pick them when they are too green they will not always ripen.

[ikbenhet]

Really? Please leave the fruits in the tree for the birds and the squirrels to eat.

You can buy them any day and anywhere you want. They cannot.

Much more fun seeing them enjoying it.

Edited February 24, 2015 by ikbenhet

[mango66]

pick them when they ready !!

[jacko45k]

pick them when they ready !!

Also pick some early and make Thai style mango salad, lovely with steamed fish.

[stoli]

It depends very much what kind of mango they are. Here in Buriram, the naam dokmai hardly seem to be setting any fruit this year, while the ochrone (spelling?), a later variety, are setting well. They won't be ready until May, I guess.

I don't usually pick them until the green colour begins to lighten and turn towards yellow. Then pick them and store until ripe as Costas says.

I've no idea of the variety, but I'm amazed how quickly the fruits are fattening up. A couple that were plum-size a few days ago are now the size of a decent pear. I don't want to give the local birdlife any easy pickings so maybe it's best to pick them while still green, as Costas said.

Never grown or picked mangoes, but I was at a Thai friends house a few days ago. She was surprised that her mango tree, 38 feet tall, has about 500 mangoes on it already, and is now flowering again. She told me that she waits for the yellowing to begin before she picks them to sell at her store. This tree is on the Bypass Road in Naklua, if location makes a difference.

[granny salmons]

We pick ours when they are just starting to turn yellow and they usually ripen fully within a day. If we leave them any longer, they tend to drop off the trees. We have one tree though from which we always pick them green as they make good chutney. Newspaper - yes, to stop maggots but where we live it is also a sign to the neighbours to keep their hands off!

[malt25]

Really? Please leave the fruits in the tree for the birds and the squirrels to eat.

You can buy them any day and anywhere you want. They cannot.

Much more fun seeing them enjoying it.

Really ? One goes to the trouble of planting & taking care of for ages. So when ripe, you sit with a cold beer in the evening & watch your efforts eaten by birds & squirrels...... yeah, right.

[Gandtee]

Really? Please leave the fruits in the tree for the birds and the squirrels to eat.

You can buy them any day and anywhere you want. They cannot.

Much more fun seeing them enjoying it.

One poster said 'leave some for the wild life'. I just want the wildlife to leave some for me. Today the wife bought me a nice plastic mango basket to take down the mangoes. That's if I can beat the squirrels to it. The wicker hand made one was eaten by termites.. If a man with a wooden leg stood on my lawn for five minutes he would fall over.It's a never ending battle with nature, although I must admit that I don't put up too much of a fight. I like to sit back and enjoy looking at it. Had a bright yellow Black Naped Orial in the garden today.How good is that? It seems to enjoy the palm berries.

[Guderian]

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate the sentiment of the BM who suggested leaving them for the local wildlife but my family were originally market gardeners from Evesham and I still get a buzz out of growing my own fruit and veg, especially when it's stuff I've never grown back home.

[isanbirder]

Really? Please leave the fruits in the tree for the birds and the squirrels to eat.

You can buy them any day and anywhere you want. They cannot.

Much more fun seeing them enjoying it.

One poster said 'leave some for the wild life'. I just want the wildlife to leave some for me. Today the wife bought me a nice plastic mango basket to take down the mangoes. That's if I can beat the squirrels to it. The wicker hand made one was eaten by termites.. If a man with a wooden leg stood on my lawn for five minutes he would fall over.It's a never ending battle with nature, although I must admit that I don't put up too much of a fight. I like to sit back and enjoy looking at it. Had a bright yellow Black Naped Orial in the garden today.How good is that? It seems to enjoy the palm berries.

The Black-naped Oriole is common at certain times of year (dry season for us).... and isn't it a beauty? There are some birds which really ought to be common, and that's one of them. I see them from time to time, and last March I had a stunning male; he was so bright that he shone from a wall of foliage.