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Florida Gardening

Advice on Pruning Avocado and Mango

14 years ago

I have a two year old Choquette Avocado that might be ready for a trimming. It is just starting to really grow fast. It was only fed with composts and kelp so it has taken a while to really get going. I have plenty of room and would like to have a full size tree so I'm not sure.

I also have a Glenn mango that got hit by the bad cold snap last year and was killed to below the graft. It was well wrapped so i'm a little heartbroken and mad at NOAA as i'm sure many are. It has put out a few new shoots of rootstock so there is still hope. This was a vigorous young tree and i'd like to graft something else on it. I have a Nam Doc Mai and want to buy a Kent or another Glenn. Should I prune it to one shoot, wait and prune it next year or leave it as it is?

Any advice is welcome.

Photobucket Gallery:

http://s1021.photobucket.com/albums/af337/PBTropicals/

There is also an unknown banana that needs identifying in my gallery.

Thank you Garden Web

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Comments (9)

puglvr1
14 years ago
I'm so sorry about your Mango tree! I almost lost several of my young mango trees also, but thankfully they were spared. I think the only reason I didn't loose the graft was because I covered the whole trunk with heavy carpet foam.

I've never been succesfull with grafting so I will let someone else give you advise on that. But if I had to guess I probably would wait till next spring, right after the last frost to graft another variety to your root stock? It would also give your tree a little more time to grow, if it were mine I would pick only (one) branch...the stronges/largest branch. Like I said I'm not experienced at grafting. Good luck!

Here my Glenn that was the worst hit...I didn't think it would recover.

After I trimmed all the dead branches/leaves

Its finally starting to look like a mango tree again...now I have to worry about this coming winter...hoping for a milder one.
{{gwi:950484}}
happy_fl_gardener; 9a, near DeLand
14 years ago
subcool---Since you are new to grafting, it would be a good idea to graft each shoot when it becomes strong enough because not all of them "will take". It must be done before the shoot looses its green color. If the shoots are ready now then waiting will lower your success rate. Woody growth won't take a graft.

You can graft whatever variety you like. You can even graft several varieties and make a cocktail tree.

Puglvr---Glad to see your mango recovering so nicely!

Christine
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bluesky7
14 years ago
Hi Puglvr. Happy that your mango tree recovered. :) Just wondering if you could cover the tree with a large blanket or the like before the next cold snap? Maybe you did?

Sheri
puglvr1
14 years ago
Thanks Christine and Sheri!! No is more excited than me that it is recovering,lol...

Sheri,

I know its hard to believe by the looks of it, but I covered them with frost cloth and even had Christmas lights under neath them...this one I think I didn't cover it properly?

I'm planning on using this new product that just came out this month called "Freeze Pruf", its brand new so I'm going to HOPE that it will work. Keeping fingers crossed!
dghays
14 years ago
I got my Brogdon about 5 or 6 years ago, I have selectively removed topgrowth about 4 times, it needs it again. I pick vertically growing shoots, and remove them down to the next appropriate branches or buds. This has worked fantastically, as my Tree is about 13' tall and about the same width. So it's a great canopy where fruit is within picking range. It's one of my nicest looking trees.

Gary
wanna_run_faster
14 years ago
Gary, would you post a picture? I be got baby trees no where need ready for pruning but I like to plan ahead.î

Pug, that tree looks great now. Hopefully, this winter will be mild.

Christine, have you been successful with grafting? I would love to see a fruit cocktail tree in the making.
dghays
14 years ago
I'll try to get a new picture soon. Basically if I have a single leader, I give it a snip. Not until it's looking healthy and vigorous. When I have multiple vertical shoots, eventually I give them a snip. I'd say about every year or two. Harvested 20 or 30 this year, it was great. Had the last one about a week ago. Hopefully my Lula, Monroe, and Hass will grow big to compete.

Gary
happy_fl_gardener; 9a, near DeLand
14 years ago
wanna run faster---Yes, I have been successful grafting pummelo, carambola (starfruit), and this Orlando tangelo.

Christine
subcoolfl
Original Author
14 years ago
Pugluvr,
Thanks for the advice. Your tree looks identical to what my tree used to look like except yours has a thicker trunk, which i'm sure is why it did so well. I'm seeing much more cold damage with the Glenn then some other types. I think i'm staying away from Glenn next purchase.

HappyFlGardener,
I'll try that. The are still a bit skinny to graft so i'll have to wait. I'd love to have a tree with multiple cultivars. That would be great!

DGHays,
I was hoping you'd stop in here. I emailed you a while back asking for some advice on selections, don't know if you remember.

I'll most likely end up taking the top few feet off the Choquette. I want to get a good structure for a large tree with the biggest yield possible. I'm not worried about being able to pick them, they usually fall off when ripe. If i have to i'll buy a picker. I have family and neighbors asking for avocados so i want to have plenty to go around. I'd like to see pics of your tree if you could.

Thanks everybody

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