New Grafter (forum)

Anna starts with ...
I've just started a mango seed to germinate, and have read that the only way for a plant to yield good fruit is to graft from a plant thats fruit quality is proven. I live in the middle of the city though, and was wondering if anyone on here had any idea how I could get hold of a scion, when the time is right.

Time: 19th July 2011 2:19am

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About the Author Anna5
Houston, TX
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Jason says...
It's actually quite likely a mango will be a clone of the parent and if not there's a very high chance it will be almost as good as the parent tree. Most of the origins of these storys about seedling fruits being really bad are just rumours spread by those with commercial interest in selling you grafted plants or fruit of a certain variety. It's unfortunate since that practice kills the worlds genetic diversity but this is just the way things are :/.

If you have couple of extra years to spare it's invariably better for everyone to plant a seedling and leave it as a seedling. There are some trees that can take a really serious chunk out of a human lifetime waiting for them to fruit well, in that case you want to graft them but for most trees the time difference isn't much at all

Time: 19th July 2011 3:01am

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About the Author Jason
Portland
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BJ says...
I don't know. We have lots of seedlings in public places here, and their fruits are overly turpsy and stringy. I think Im the only person who collects extra large paint tins full of the local fruit, to feed to my black soldier fly larvae for compost.

If you have space, then seedlings are often fine. The number of selections in the US shows that a fairly high percentage of mango seedlings are at least decent (compared to many other fruits). Though, if you are in the middle of the city, dont have the room and want to be certain you will get a quality fruit, then go grafted. You'll find lots of mango nuts at the gardenweb forums (google 'tropical fruits forum') who seem helpful, and have some fantastic varieties.

Time: 19th July 2011 9:34am

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About the Author Theposterformerlyknownas
Brisbane
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Brad says...
Anna - you'll get more relevant information by looking for a USA website with readers in or near Houston. We're all aussie so don't know how to get scions there. try http://forums.gardenweb.com

Time: 19th July 2011 11:13am

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About the Author Brad2
G Hill,Perth
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copingwithclay says...
The mango seedlings that germinate in the compost pile may grow up to half a meter in height before Winter's certain freeze kills them each year here in the Houston area. If one of them ever survives as low as 25 degrees f., I would begin to give it protection from future killer cold. We get way too many January/February nights with temps below 32 degrees for unprotected young mangos to be happy without being equipped with winter wear. There are several mature mangos in central Houston that have managed to survive, but they are the rare exceptions. There is a Yahoo Group for the Texas Rare Fruit Growers, but it seems that mangos are not one of the fruit that get much activity in the online discussions.

Time: 21st July 2011 10:14pm

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About the Author growandtell
Texas
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Anna says...
Thank you everyone for your responses! I guess I'll go ahead and try my luck with this plant's natural fruit - if I can keep it alive that long. I do well with most plants, but I've killed several mint, - the last in just 4 hours of bringing it home from the nursery >.
Time: 29th July 2011 1:46am

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About the Author Anna5
Houston, TX
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jakfruit etiquette says...
Mango seedlings are basically either one of two types, polyembryonic, with several embryos per seed. These are clonal, or true to type of the parent vatriety. these will have multiple sprouts per seed, and it is usual to keep the most vigorous sprout for growing.
Monoembryonic, these have one embryo per seed, and are not clonal. The final tree and fruit will be variable from the parent. Could be very good, could be not so good, could be very similar to the seed parent variety.
A grafted mango should start fruiting much earlier, and at much smaller tree size. If you are in a marginal area for mangos, it will be easier to protect the smaller tree. Even a big seedling tree,in a marginal area probably will never have the huge crops seen on mangos in the better growing areas. Then on the other hand many excellent mango trees have grown from seed in the tropics, but they dont have to wait so long for them to get big or start fruiting.

Time: 29th July 2011 7:43am

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jason says...
In marginal areas seedlings are generally tougher and ,when stressed, grafts will die down to the root stock and leave you with a 'seedling"

Time: 29th July 2011 9:47am

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