Why are most of the Mangoes falling from my Mango Tree ?

[nigelfds]

Hi I moved into a property last year that has a Mango Tree, last year the tree gave a few mangoes but almost all fell down or got bad.

This year I've been putting this fertilizer "PowerFeed 1.2L Pro Series Fruit and Citrus Concentrate" and there has been large number of fruits on the tree.

But since last month a lot has been falling down, I've collected two buckets full of small half grown mangoes.

Attached pictures, please advice.

Thanks

[JacobZ · Accepted solution]

Hi @nigelfds,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.

Judging by the size of the tree, I would say that your mango tree is still relatively young. Since your mango tree looks young, the fruit drop you are seeing is very likely part of its natural development process. Young mango trees often struggle to hold on to all their fruit because they are still building strength in their roots, trunk, and branches. The tree produces more flowers and young fruit than it can support, and as it tries to balance its energy, many of the small mangoes fall off before reaching maturity. While this can be disappointing, it is very common in the first few years of fruiting and usually improves as the tree matures.

Environmental stress can also add to the problem. Sudden temperature changes, strong winds, or irregular watering often cause young mango trees to shed fruit early. Mangoes like consistent moisture, especially when they are flowering and forming fruit. It is best to water deeply and once or twice a week depending on the weather, to keep the soil evenly moist, without letting it become waterlogged.

I note that some of the mangoes have dark spots on them. Do they appear to have any entry holes? Do you notice any insects crawling around the tree? If so, can you snap a photo? Insects can cause issues, but I am not really seeing enough to make me think this is the main cause.,

Because your tree is still young, some fruit loss is inevitable, and I'd say there isn't really anything to worry about. Once the tree becomes more established and develops a stronger canopy and root system, it will be able to carry more fruit to maturity. In the meantime, focus on giving it consistent water, balanced nutrition, and protection from pests.

You might like to have a read through How To Plant & Grow Mangoes for some further guidance.

Also, allow me to tag our experienced gardeners @Noelle and @mich1972 for their thoughts.

Jacob

[Noelle]

Hi @nigelfds 

Jacob's thoughts about why your mango is dropping so many of its fruits align with mine - the tree has set far more fruits than it is capable of carrying to maturity. As it matures it will retain more fruits each year until you're getting a really good harvest.

I can see there's lawn over the root system of the tree - make sure it is getting sufficient water to the roots, as the lawn will take a lot of the moisture before it penetrates deep enough into the soil. I'd prefer to see a square of bare soil at least a metre or more square around the trunk so allow water to soak deeper into the soil - mulch over the area in spring - summer will reduce evaporation.

[mich1972]

Good afternoon @nigelfds I agree with the great advice from Jacob and Noelle. 🌿🌿🙂

[nigelfds]

Hi @Noelle  Thanks, it is an artificial lawn

[nigelfds]

Hi @JacobZ  thanks for your reply.

Here are more pictures of the fruit, I cant find many insects, just maybe this lady bug I think.

 

[JacobZ]

Hi @nigelfds,

I think we can pretty comfortably rule out insects as the cause if that is all you could find. Ladybugs primarily feed on small insects like aphids and mites, so seeing them on your mango tree is a good thing because they will help protect it from insects that are more likely to cause damage.

I'm pretty confident this is a simple case of the tree being young and still adjusting. Unfortunately, I think you're just going to have to accept that your tree is going to lose some fruit at this early stage of its development.

If you focus on maintaining the overall health of the tree, it will, in time, hold on to more fruit.

Jacob

[Noelle]

Hi again @nigelfds 

All the more reason to cut the lawn back from around the tree! Artificial turf doesn't allow the soil beneath to breathe very well and can also inhibit moisture penetration.