From what I've read and seen with my plants putting them in containers does hinder their growth(2), but only marginally as their roots can only expand so far. the timetable on which it sets fruit shouldnt change(3). It'll grow as much as the container will let it, eventually you'll have to up the container size if you dont want to plant it(4). I put a ring of fruit tree fertilizer around the edge of the soil to help the tree deal with being watered, I think watering in containers washes out nutrients faster than watering in the ground(5). In Miami, you should be blessed with the good weather to get another set of fruit, but nothing is set in stone(6). I don't see why you couldnt do the same with avocados, shop around for some soil for fruit trees, and the little white balls were probly styrofoam, some soils use those but i'm not sure why(7). :-)

Hello Everyone, Hi Bo...you could probably see flowers the first year...they thrive in the sun and love to be watered...You will definately by the second year... Hello Joe...Thanks for the nice comments on my palms..they do not move from there present location!! I wish I had a greenhouse too! They have been in the ground for over 16 years...I'm Keeping my fingers crossed during this hard cold blast from the north...When they were first planted and for the next several years, I put heat cables around the hearts of the palms and tucked them in with Burlap..I would plug them in when the temps hit below 25...I am still alittle nervous though...I think all of us plant lovers Palms, Furits, tropical etc...are very nervous at this time of year!! Mango Kush...I have thought about the cold hardy Bananas...but I haven't really checked them out yet...TYhey are really beautiful in the yard and I have also seen them planted in large pots that looked pretty good as well. My neighbors have bananas and one neighbor had some actual bananas gow on his tree...That was pretty cool for our area... Hello Mike...Stay warm Pug...Are you going to protect your mango trees? Please let us know how you are...I'm feeling for you all down south...it's bitterly cold here in VB..Brrrrrrrrrr Take care everyone, Laura in VB

I hope you receive some local input, but these forums are a little slow now. Mango is more of a warm climate crop - doing better in sub-tropical or tropical areas. They are certainly a nice shade-tree but as such could take up a lot of yard for small return in fruit, in more southern climes. Mango is very easy to grow from seed of purchased fruit. Seed-grown trees may be more vigorous, but are potentially "duds". That is, they may produce a little or a lot, and the quality of the fruit may be anything from good to terrible (even if they grow "true"). So, if you were going to devote the space, I would go for a grafted tree every time. RsE2 can't be relied on from seed anyway. But really, given they won't exactly excel in Sydney's climate, why not just give in and buy the fruit when there's an excellent Qld glut, as we all do. There are some good fruit trees more suited to temperate climates and with grafting, getting even more manageable to find room. Also with mangos yes you may have some diseases to cope with but up here it's fruit bats (flying foxes) and you might even find birds damaging your nearly-ripe fruit. I know I am further north (near Bris), but I'm now growing some dwarf avocados (yet to flower but going great) but my dwarf mulberries and figs have already fruited. As you are already growing one citrus, there are now super multi-grafted varieties, but a lime is always useful and grapefruit/tangellos are super bearing trees and don't take too long once established. Go look at sites like Daleys fruit (no financial interest) for ideas Don't want to put you off, but I think you could make better use of space and time than a mango. If you want to persevere then check out a few more websites like DPI for NSW http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/119787/mango-growing.pdf

The Maha in the Ground now for 4 days ! It stands a full six foot tall ! I am 6' 2" tall and it comes to the middle of my forehead. So different from the first Maha I purchased, which was both reasonably tall and also wide,..a vigorous looking tough guy ! This one, even tho it's taller is much skinnier, but I have a feeling it will fill out rapidly. Hard to see but it already has five ( 5 ) lateral limbs coming off the main trunk , all angling upwards. It was the choice of the litter that Fruitscapes had that day. Again, feel confident it'll be a choice tree,..in time maybe it's fruits will even be the size of my Vallencia Pride's, which had it's first huge harvest late last July. Talk about big fruits ! And tasty ? Words cannot describe the experience,..Hemingway could I'm sure, but not me, lol, This is it,..no more trees,..now will just be pampering all seven of them, should enough to keep me busy ! ( smile )