I should preface this by saying I would never have a mango tree. I saw them dropping hundreds of pounds of unpicked fruit in Venezuela and Panama. I can only eat about 1 mango a month, so they're not for me.

If you don't spray the fungicide, what happens? I've never used a fungicide (about your age). I'm almost certain the mango trees I saw were not cared for like that. The orange groves where I grew up were never sprayed with fungicide.

Also it appears your trees are buried too deep in the red mulch. The flare of the roots should be visible at the base of the tree. When you bury the root flare that means you necessarily have buried some of the trunk bark. When that trunk bark is kept moist by soil or mulch, it can develop a fungal disease which sickens the tree and eventually kills it through girdling.

Well, well, I must be the laziest gardener! I don't even spray my figs. I settle for what I get - it's usually enough. also, a condo mango stays pretty small and so you don't end uup with hundreds (1000's)of mangoes. I like a freezer full of mango for breakfast smoothie bowls.

And jofus... I laughed a little.

Silvia, sonni1, thanks for your replies.

At the onset of my mango tree adventure in 2000, I purchased a Nam Doc Mai tree in the first group of five trees that I planted. Unfortunately I didn't read what the US Dept of Agriculture and Fisheries had to say : " Nam Doc Mai is more susceptible to the fungal disease powdery mildew than most other varieties. Powdery mildew (Oidium sp.) infects the flower panicles during late flowering and early fruit-set stages, causing the fruit to drop off. "

I know a couple of gardeners who have a NDM, it just didn't work out for me. I saw the NDM with the fungus and that's when I started investigating in earnest. Two years later, after regular spraying, and the fungus still on the tree, - I regrettably had to cut it down. Never has the fungus returned on any tree after that, but I decided on my own, to spray ea year anyway ! Couldn't hurt, right ? Not a big deal at all,..todays spraying took less than an hour ! I am not the only mango tree sprayer hereabouts either,..some do, some don't !

And despite what the pics seem to show, - the red mulch is not touching any tree trunk. The mulch looks high, but only because of all the recently applied rich composted soil underneath.

I eat many delicious mango's a year as Silvia and sonni obviously do, - freeze dozens of them, for smoothies and for slices on my cereal ea morning through December at least,...this season maybe through February !!! : ) Also give some away to friends and neighbors !

To each his own, but my methods have worked for me. Long story short, - I fervently adhere to the following statement by one of our smartest !: " The only source of knowledge is experience ! " Albert Einstein

Joe, you are a hoot! I can envision "wifey" doing exactly as you described, but I assume she was taking the pictures, because I know how much she loves that camera of hers. You two are perfectly matched.

Thanks Deb for your reply. It's a pleasure chatting with savy & experienced gardeners like you, Silvia and sonni1 ! Of course I was joking about the ludicrous idea that mango trees were hard to manage ! Between them and the banana plantation, each day is a joy !
Yes, Rhonda loves her camera as you stated. I know you two are good friends and go way back. We're both looking forward to your gardening post's !

It's been a chilly day here, only a high of 70 with a stiff wind out of the west ! How was it today where you are ?

Joe, Rhonda and I don't go too far back, but we sort of bonded as soon as we met. We both like to talk, so we got along like peas in a pod. One day, I'm hoping to have a car again so I can come visit Englewood. It's such a great little town. I would have moved there if I could have found a place, but alas, I ended up here.

Only got up to 68 here today, with that same wind. March winds doth blow, but we won't have snow! I actually like the high 60s, low 70s, so I was in hog heaven today. Got out into the garden for awhile, which of course, made my day. Gonna walk to the grocery store and back tomorrow. I love this time of year when I can get out and walk instead of taking the bus.

Hi Deb,..Glad your weather there suits you. Here it'll be a high of 78 today, clear blue skies and only a light wind ! Nirvana !!! LOL

Just a link about mango tree care,..something I read AFTER I planted my first trees 18 yrs ago. Wish I had read this sooner,..but as the wise man said, " better late than never Jose' ! " : )

Read under " DISEASES "

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg216

My two early season spraying's are definitely not " too intensive ! " A total of 1 1/2 hrs for two quick sprays,..a piece of cake ! Will definitely continue as it works for me ! Have been through the stress of a fungus disease that lasted for more than two years, ,,,,wouldn't wish that on anyone !

" Better safe than sorry " is another statement I like ! LOL

Interesting. I'm in Sarasota and have a Mango which is getting huge. We planted it 6 years ago and have not had one Mango from it.

Raccoons or whatever are stealing them every year. I tried to cover the tree in bird netting but they just ripped it off.

Anyway, we are not having any fungal problems on the Mango, but big time on my orange tree. I had to throw them all out. I believe I have sooty mold or something similar. The leaves are coated in black and the fruits were all black.

I wanted to spray copper fungicide, but the tree started flowering two weeks ago. I read you should not spray if the tree is flowering. It is making new leaves and flowering. When is the best time to spray?

After flowering?

Thanks,

Jane

Great post Jofus! It is a lot of work spraying the trees with fungicide. I was very lazy this year and decided not to spray **sigh**...what will be will be. Hopefully I get enough to eat this summer...

Best of luck to all of us!

Jane, I feel your pain with the animals eating all your mangoes, my only advise is you might want to try making some home made wire mesh enclosures for the individual mangoes. I is a LOT of work and not easy but even if you can save a dozen or 2, it might be worth it...

Found this picture on the internet...Hope the link works below...

https://www.google.com/search?q=wire+mesh+for+mangoes&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjptsrikIDaAhUCvVMKHbErCskQ_AUICygC&biw=1280&bih=658#imgrc=h-b8_2bnjjySwM:

I have never sprayed my tree and it's 30ft tall and gives at least 500 fruits a season. Are there types that don't need it? I'd have to climb the roof to get at the top. Geez I hope I don't get a fungus.

puglvr1, halfwaythere1, thanks for your comments.

Yes I agree, spraying the trees is getting to be more of a hassle as the years pass ! To be honest, my general feelings are that there certainly are some mango varieties that are prone to get the fungus ( Nam Doc Mai being one ), more than others. But having carefully selected the trees I now have, I am starting to feel that this year may be the last that I spray, especially since there's been no sign of any diseases in the last 8 years since that one horribly sick tree was cut down ! I think now it's time to give them and me a rest ! Those 8 yrs lead me to believe I now have four trees that are not prone to getting the fungus !!

I hope you don't get the fungus either halfwaythere1 and I have a good feeling you won't, as your tree hasn't gotten it, and at 30 ft tall, has obviously been around a long time and has remained healthy with no sprays. I wouldn't worry if I were you so don't even think about spraying unless you see the green fungus yourself !

My Glenn tree is now about 21 - 23 ft tall, in the ground here for 8 years with no signs of the fungus. So it, and my other younger trees will not be sprayed anymore. What got me started on the copper sulfide spraying was that initial nightmare with the Nam Doc Mai that lasted for 2 1/2 years before I threw my hands up and surrendered. Cut it down and was very careful in selecting my mango trees after that. I think all three of us will be fine this year, and next year as well. Looking forward to approx. 250 plump mango's from my early season Glenn in mid/late June. The 12 ft tall Tebow will have to have two old pickle jars filled with apple cider vinegar because it's a late season tree,( fruit flies, we get here every yr like clockwork ) ..approx 75 fruits ripening around late July. My young Valencia Pride tree AND equally young Kent tree will not have the vinegar pots till next year as they are small, new babies,...no fruit expected from either !

Just curious puglvr, do you have any late harvesting trees ? If so, do you use the vinegar jars ?

Bottom line, - I hope all of us has a bonanza year,..with NO fungus among us !!! : )

Hi Jofus, I have only 1 late variety and it's a Keitt...a very large mango. It ripens between late August to as late as early November for me. It's a pretty good mango especially since most of my mangoes are gone by the mid August :o)

I'm fortunate I don't have any issues with fruit flies so I haven't had any need to use the vinegar jars.