Mangoes in C.Florida

well, it's risky to grow mangoes here, but they're in full bloom now. is it me or did they start blooming early this year? my uncles huge trees in Orlando are blooming but it's too large to protect it all, and so the blooms usually get damaged by spring. i don't have mango but i'm just curious if there are any unique or effective protection techniques when it freezes?

Mine is on the south side of my brick house, protected by the house and greenhouse. It has blooms and a fruit on it and, even though it's gotten down to 37 degrees at night, they seem to be fine.

that's awesome!

this old man - i think from Vietnam - kept his potted and i believe it was a dwarf. he was in Seminole County. when it got cold, he left it outside and all he did was tip it on it's side and lay it on the ground and then cover it. it never took damage and always set fruit.

just thought i would share such an interesting technique. i might give that a try, but i don't like having such huge containers to move.

Your experiences give me a lot of encouragement! I just bought a (second) house in Port St. Lucie, just 50 miles N. of West Palm Beach. From what I had read, it seemed worthwhile to "try" to grow a mango tree in my backyard, about 10 miles W. of the ocean. I will go get my little tree and plant it in Feb. as I will be there all month and can nurture the little tree as needed. I am familiar with covering smaller trees from protecting my fig trees in Spring, in NC from that last, heartless, frost,

Thank you,

Paul

from visiting that area of Florida, and from family members' experiences, i think growing mangoes would be a whole lot easier for you! that's great, i wish you success with it!

i need to find a tree.

I got, and planted, my "Valencia Pride" mango tree today. The nurseryman in Stuart confirmed that where I live can be a cold spot but said I would just have to cover the tree and maybe thoroughly water around the tree in the daytime before a freeze was expected. I think the wet dirt will absorb more sun energy.

I used the foam pipe insulators on the trunk and on some limbs of a young fig tree I was trying to protect and that worked well. About $2 for a 6' section. I will get one to have handy for the mango. My mango tree is still small so a sheet can cover it well, with a 100W or so light bulb under it to generate warmth.

Paul

that's exciting! and yes, the moisture will help with heat and it will keep the plant hydrated. the hydration is especially important on freeze nights that are windy.

i think you should have an easy time with your mango. and it's great that you planted it now, so it has the entire year to grow & strengthen before winter.

A next door neighbor had one from seed that she grew. She moved, gave us the mango, and before it tap-rooted, moved it. Now 6 years or so? No flowers. Took a beating
for two years of frost, top died back but tree trunk took it and it continued to live. Now ginormous-almost 20 feet- when it had been frost hit USDA had me in zone 9B. Now zone 10A.
Last spring I planted out a mate so it can fruit. Not to steal your thread, but does anyone know when I could expect flowers on the large one?

no problem, i'm interested in knowing as well :)

it's also interesting that it gets cold so far down south where you would think plants are safe. but in the end, it's not just the temperature, it's anything nature decides to throw at us

oh and i think mangoes are bisexual (not sure if that's the correct term). but i think the flowers can pollinate each other on one tree.
since your friend grew it from seed, you might want to check if the mangoes will be the same.

I sure hope you're correct Coastal-about the flowers being self-pollinating? That would be fantastic, as the young one is only now about a year and a half,
and has not made that huge 'jump' I saw the other one do. I'm pretty ignorant to mangoes, know I need to read up more on them. If I don't need two
than flowers on the larger one might give me fruit!
And yes, we haven't had a frost in over two years now-I do agree that I am now living in zone 10A. But nature is great at throwing a curve ball, as you mentioned.
Always expect the unexpected!
Hope someone can help both of us out on these questions :)

I haven't responded to this before because I have no knowledge on them CZP. Listening and learning though...

a quick note of warning. If you are allergic to Poison Ivy you need to be careful around Mango trees, they are related. One of our Florida friends had to have her huge mango tree cut down because of this. I have to be careful when I eat a mango-if it is not ripe enough or if any of the skin toughs my lips I have a reaction.

really! thanks for that info, i never knew mango allergies were that serious. mangoes are also related to cashews and other nuts.
i'm allergic to all nuts, so i'm allergic to cashews. raw cashews are indeed poisonous.

the weirdest thing is that i can eat the cashew fruit that the cashews grow from.

makes you wonder how humans really figured out what was poisonous and what had allergens.