Bonsaikapilaas : How to Grow Mango Tree as a Bonsai Tree Part Two

Mango Bonsai

Mango Bonsai. mango plant known as Mangifera indica and commonly known as mango. the life span of a Mango tree is 300 years.

Mango as Bonsai was my dream when I started learning Bonsai art in 1990. That time News paper was our search engine. looking for Bonsai learning classes and for Bonsai exhibitions in newspapers and to contact them by landline phone. I joined our Local Kalpataru Bonsai Study group, which was managed by Mrs. Purandhare Madam and Mr. Subhas Kulkarni. They had very good collections of Bonsai plants, which they created and displayed beautifully. We as a group attended all seminars of Mumbai conducted by Mrs. Jyothi Parekh Madam and Mr. Nikunj sir. Interacting with Bonsai masters Susumu Nakamura San and Mr. Peter Chan and learning new techniques were memorable movements in my life. Then slowly My balcony started filling with Bonsai Babies. Every weekend visiting a nursery became a religious practice.

One day when we were visiting Pune University Nursery my eyes fell on a Mango plant that was already in the flowering stage. We bought it and brought it home.

My first thought was to put it in a Bonsai pot and do wiring, As soon as I bought home I made bonsai soil with garden soil, manure, and brick pieces. Took out the plant from the garden bag, cut some roots, and kept it in a Bonsai pot, I was very happy to have a Mango Bonsai. When I bought the plant it had only three branches. That year for the first time my Bonsai Mango plant has given fruits.

Then with lots of interest started wiring the plant and given a shape. and allowed plant to grow. Mean while wires of the plant went deep into the branches, it became late when I realized. Still three years back wire marks were there on the trunk of the plant.

Now these wire marks slowly merging with bark of the trunk line.

The plant is slowly changing its style. Every year after fruiting season is over, I cut some of the branches, give the plant some organic fertilizer, and prepare it for next season.

Fertilizers

The Mango tree flowers usually start in August to go up to March. So start fertilizing the plant with fertilizers.

Fertilizer for Plants growing from seed :

If the plant is growing from the seed, more nitrogen-based fertilizer should be given for 8 to 10 years for proper foliage growth and to strengthen the shoot system.

Then after increasing the phosphorus and potassium fertilizer ratio to the plant and reducing the Nitrogen of NPK fertilizer. NPK fertilizer means Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash. phosphorus activates more flower production and Potash increases the strength of the fruit. In addition to NPK, we have to provide the plant with Regular spray of liquid micronutrients. These foliage liquid fertilizers are also very important for the plant to have more flowers and fruits.

Shaping and Pruning of Mango plant

Once the fruiting season is over, prune down the branches and allow the plant to have more new branches. it helps the plant to have more fruits. fruiting plants have more dry branches, remove all the dry branches. Try to remove some vertical branches because vertical branches make the plant bushy, So sunlight can’t enter inside the plant, which makes the plant to lose some branches by drying out, That is the reason we see many dried branches inside the plant. Allow the plant to spread horizontally those are the fruit-bearing branches. Prune down the branches which are downward facing they won't bear more fruits. Remove diseased branches. Don’t make drastic pruning on the plant like 2 to 3 feet, just cut 2 to 8 inches length of the branch backward depending on the length of the branch. sun-exposed branches give more healthy fruits, For shady plants we have to do more pruning to have vigorous growth. Allow the branches to grow at 45 degrees to a 60-degree angle, these branches have more sunlight because of its angular growth, which means more buds and more fruits.

Re potting of Mango Bonsai

When the plant is young re-potting is to be done once a year. Once the plant attains maturity, means, that after the plant attains the age of 7 years once in two years re-potting makes the plant get more healthy roots and shoots. Then after 10 years, re-potting can be done once in three years. Sometimes we can remove topsoil by two to three inches and fill it with fresh top Bonsai soil. Mango plants grow in a large variety of soils, but best is little acidic soil. Sometimes Mango plant grows in little alkaline soils. The main important key for soil is It needs well-drained, with more organic manure making the best soil for mango plants.