Bonsai Kapilaas : 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 news papers and to contact them by landline phone. Having Mobile was also was a luxury. Then I joined with our Local Kalpataru Bonsai Study group, it was managed by Mrs. Purandhare madam and Mr. Subhas Kulkarni. They were having very good collections of Bonsai plants, they created and displayed in a beautiful manner. We as a group to attend 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 which was already in flowering stage. We bought and bring it home.

My first thought is 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 garden bag , cut some roots and kept it in Bonsai pot, I was very happy of having a Mango Bonsai. When I bought the plant it was having 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 slowly changing its style . Every year after fruiting season is over , I will cut some of the branches and provide the plant with give some organic fertilizer and make the plant ready for next season.

Fertilizers

The flowers of Mango tree usually starts in the month of 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 to be given up to 8 to 10 years for proper growth of the foliage and to gain strength in shoot system .

Then after increase phosphorus and potassium fertilizer ratio to the plant and reduce 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 micro nutrients. This 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 makes the plant bushy, So sunlight can’t enter inside the plant, that makes plant to loose some branches by drying out, That 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 down ward facing they wont bear more fruits. Remove diseased branches . Don’t make drastic pruning on the plant like 2 to 3 feet , just do cutting 2 to 8 inches length of the branch backwards depending on the length of the branch. sun exposed branches gives more healthy fruits, For shady plants we have to do more pruning to have vigorous growth. Allow the branches growing in 45 degrees to 60 degrees angle , these branches have more sunlight because of its angular growth , that means more buds and more fruits.

Re potting of Mango Bonsai

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