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Planting and Care

Mango trees should be spaced widely enough apart that adjacent trees do not shade each other. Normally, only the buds at the tips of the branches produce flower clusters, and if these tips are heavily shaded, few flowers are formed. Varieties with trees of normal size should be spaced 30 to 45 ft. apart, the spacing being greater on deep than on shallow soils. Varieties of dwarf habit may be planted more closely if not interplanted with larger trees. With wide spacings as above, the trees will not utilize much of the space for several years, and temporary crops may well grow for a time. Bananas, papayas, limes, or vegetables may be interplanted, but always the space occupied by the intercrop must be restricted more each year so that the mango trees never suffer competition. Planting is best done at the beginning of the rainy season, if there is one, or at the start of the normal growing season. Grafted trees in containers may be planted when they have completed 2 or more flushes of growth after grafting, and should not be in an active growth flush at the time of transplanting. If possible, trees in containers should be hardened before planting by gradually decreasing shade and water supply. A heavy mulch of leaves or grass (A heavy mulch of leaves or grass) is very beneficial.

Fertilization of mango trees may follow the program for oranges. Each year enough new vegetative growth must be made to produce flower buds for the following year and to provide leaf area sufficient to produce a good crop of fruits. Pruning is not practiced with mangoes except to remove dead or injured branches, and sometimes to head back abnormally long leaders on young trees. Irrigation is especially important when the crop is setting in spring and during the latter half of fruit development when size increases rapidly if water is not limiting. The tree endures drought well on deep soils. During the first year after planting, before roots have gone deep, frequent watering will be needed if rainfall is sparse. Weed control may also follow that for oranges.

Flowering and Fruiting

Flower-bud differentiation normally takes place in terminal buds in autumn. In the subtropics the check in growth needed for this is provided by cold and drought at this time; in the tropics there must be a dry period in autumn for flower buds to develop. Shoots of the spring or summer flushes are much more abundant and much more likely to form flower buds