Sunday, August 15, 2010

Now for some real work

Most varieties of mango trees have finished fruiting for the season. Beverly, Palmer, Petegrew, Neelum and Keitt will be our last varieties this year, and will probably be available after the quarantine is lifted. I just started to pick Kent, but the mangos on those trees look like they will all ripen within the next two weeks. Valencia Pride might be available for about another week.

So what happens every year after the fruit is picked?
Pruning.
Another project at the end of a long mango season is not a welcome thing, but the work now saves lots of time down the road.
My goals for pruning include keeping the trees small, improving air circulation and light penetration, encouraging optimal branching, and preparing the trees for fruiting next year.
This weekend we pruned about a third of the mango trees, and I am very tired.

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