I wouldn't want fruit off of that tree this year, or even next. Look at those branches, they're going to bloom all the way to the top. What would happen to those branches bearing fruit? I prefer an open-centered tree, even for apples, your mileage may vary and you'll certainly find various opinions about that. Looking again I'd be a bit more conservative and not cut it quite so low. You can always cut out the upper portions of the tree as it gets larger. But I would still cut all of last year's growth back to a couple of buds. This will encourage branching, possibly too much. You can always knock off buds that branch in unwanted directions. Look down low at the base of each branch. Look for buds on the outside and on the sides. Pick the location of the cut that will leave these buds that will form branches going outwards from the tree, not inwards. A couple of tips: In your picture I can see some dead wood stubs where a pruning cut was made too far from the growing bud. This leaves a bid of dead wood that will never heal over. Like at the bottom of the lower right branch in your picture. Snip these off and in the future make cuts closer to the bud, but not *too* close. If you're conservative, you can always cut off the excess later after the bud grows. Sometimes cutting too close to the bud can kill it. Leave about 1/16 - 1/8 of an inch beyond the bud your cutting back to. Also, I can't see the graft union in your picture. This is where the rootstock is grafted to the main tree. I suspect it's under that pile of mulch. Make sure that it's uncovered and exposed to air only, otherwise roots will grow from the main tree and will totally defeat the dwarfing rootstock. Which means your tree will grow alot more vigorously.

You can do either. If you pinch low it will take a low outward growth pattern. Rising slowly. If you allow it to grow, you can prune later to the shape you want. By pruning, you can control the shape a bit more. Pinching will allow you to get fruit and establish branches earlier. Next year just pinch the terminal buds and the lower 3 to 5 nodes will send out branches. It really doesn't matter what you do. You can control it either way. Pinching will just allow you in following seasons to divert energy to growing figs and not growth.

Just great! Make me worry even more... :) I already pruned my green gage plum a month ago. Was that too early? I didn't know that about daffodil sap! How interesting, thanks. I keep eyeballing my Leptodermus oblonga (surely this bush-ette has a common name somewhere?), but I think I'll wait a bit and possibly divide it or at least wait until it begins to leaf out before I take cuttings. I did prune a couple of small sweetshrubs (Calycanthus) and stuck the twigs in water just to see if they might root. I've not yet had luck rooting my anise tree/shrub, but will try again this spring. I lack good forcing material, except a witch hazel (which smells good to me, but gets negative reviews from the better half).

Zands, I agree that its not necessary to "Pug" any or all mango trees. I think "pugging" is only suggested for people that want to try and grow their trees "short and wide" trying to achive a shorter trunk...as opposed to letting nature take its course and letting the tree grow naturally. Pugging is best for people that grow in pots/containers or if they have a small yard and want to maintain a more Dwarf tree for easy protection from freeze and if the trees are short...an added bonus is much easier to pick the fruits. If you notice Harry's tree, it has a much taller trunk than what a "pugged" tree would have. But, it is definitely not necessary to "pug" mango trees at all. They will branch out on their own regardless if you pugged it or not. Main difference is it will grow much taller and will reach its maximum height. I pug mine basically because I want to keep my trees small and short so its easier to take care of.