Please help me with my Mango tree

[Tetters]

Another idea could be to find a grower who is doing the job in a commercial capacity and see if you can get some local advice and help? That could be a good way forward whatever the outcome if you seriously want to grow Mango!

 

[oneeye]

Fertilizer is not medicine. It is intended only for healthy plants that are growing vigously.

Cut the fertilizer because that is causing your problem. When you feed your plant 20-20-20 you are adding nutrients the plant can't use and will build up in the soil. There is no need for excess amounts of Phosphorus and Potassium in the soil, and when you add them, you will increase the salts.

"Water follows salt" and if there is more salt in the soil than the plant can take up, the soil will draw water from the plant even when it is freshly watered. The result is wilting and brown spots or leaf bronzing. .

Post a photo of the plant trunk going in the soil for the best view.

 

[jidixe]

@oneeye

Here is the photo you requested.
Any help is appreciated.

 

[oneeye]

You can help this plant easy by removing all the stones, and wood chips. I can't tell if that is wood or stones. On a cloudy day lay a large tarp next to the plant on the ground to put the old soil on. Then very gently remove as much of the old topsoil as possible without harming the roots. You can get a lot out and get deep on the sides. Remove as much of the old soil and get rid of it and replace the old with new (garden soil) from the garden store. Don't use peat potting mix only use new topsoil or garden soil from the hardware store. Cover the roots and put some new mulch and water as needed. When you finish post a photo.

 

[jidixe]

thats pine bark mulch on top not stones.

so, why are we doing this again??
what seems to be the problem with my mango? just no to repeat it!

* about garden soil, i have composite THIS. is it ok?

 

[oneeye]

Your soil is not nursing the plant in a healthy way anymore. You put fertilizer on your tree repeatedly over the years and the plant is now responding with disease. If you hired me to help the tree recover, that's what I would do to bring the tree back to good health. Change as much of the old soil as I could without hurting the roots. After adding new soil I would top dress with slow-release organic amendment.

 

[jidixe]

@oneeye ,
so basically i over fertilized it..

Can you please let me know how OFTEN i should fertilize? i was told to fertilize once a month. some gardeners even told me every 2 weeks! i have not firtilized every 2 weeks!

I have 20-20-20 that goes in water,
and 14-14-14 slow released in pellets.


i will proceed and change the soil as adviced. We have a heat wave coming today , so iam going to wait a couple of days.
at top i am thinking of dressing with composite and manure mixed together. Hope i dont 'burn' everything!

 

[oneeye]

@oneeye ,
so basically i over fertilized it..

Can you please let me know how OFTEN i should fertilize? i was told to fertilize once a month. some gardeners even told me every 2 weeks! i have not firtilized every 2 weeks!

I have 20-20-20 that goes in water,
and 14-14-14 slow released in pellets.


i will proceed and change the soil as adviced. We have a heat wave coming today , so iam going to wait a couple of days.
at top i am thinking of dressing with composite and manure mixed together. Hope i dont 'burn' everything!

Be careful with manure. Your tree needs detoxing for a while and not excessive feeding. The tree is living in an environment that is conducive to being toxic from overfertilization. Here's a horticulture tip for you friend that I learned over the last 50 years. .
Fertilizer is not medicine. It is intended only for healthy plants that are growing vigorously. If you give a sick plant fertilizer you will make it worse.

 

[jidixe]

@oneeye ,
very well! its the second time you mention that fertilizer is not medicine. Forget manure then. I will stick with simple garden soil and some composite at the top maybe.

 

[oneeye]

@oneeye ,
very well! its the second time you mention that fertilizer is not medicine. Forget manure then. I will stick with simple garden soil and some composite at the top maybe.

When the plant recovers and starts getting healthy again you can give a very low dose of a complete water-soluble fertilizer.

 

[Avocado]

I would remove and dispose of all the material including the leaves by burning.

Just a side note: Burning Mango trees or leaves will produce toxic fumes.

 

[jidixe]

@oneeye @Tetters

we have new growth !


I removed mostly top soil because i started ripping off those small hairy roots. I was afraid to go any more deeper not to make things worse and damage the roots. I got rid of some old soil. I didnt remove a lot to be honest, a couple of buckets only, and replaced it with fresh garden soil.

Right now we have temperatures of 104 Fahrenheit, i think its doing ok. Here are some pics of the new growth.
Some small leafs dont make it , they get burned from the sun i guess. Also some new leafs are somewhat curly.

I didnt fertilize so far.

What do you think? how is my mango progressing ???

 

[Tetters]

I'm happy for you that you have new leaves, and for the time being I would do as @oneeye has suggested and leave out the fertiliser. I think that oneeye has a lot more experience with these trees, as well as the fertilising requirements, and would suggest that we wait for his next recommendations. So far, so good. I applaud your perseverance