Make It with Mangos
Summertime in South Florida means mangos! Here are some of the best ways to put those backyard mangos to work.
Tropical Fruit Season Outlook: Dismal for Mangos
Wet winter weather and powdery mildew mean a disappointing mango crop
First, the good news: Lots of lychees this June, a plethora of passionfruit, jillions of jackfruit. But mounds of mangos? Nope.
Mango Mania, the annual educational workshop at Fruit and Spice Park, has been cancelled because of a lack of fruit. Their annual Summer Fruit Festival is scheduled as planned for June 22-23, but their annual display of mango cultivars from Alphonse to Zill will reflect the diminished harvest.
Mango Men Homestead has some fruit, but they're showcasing other tropical fruits this season and have cut back on mango deliveries.
Tropical fruit expert Dr. Richard Campbell has predicted the third worst season for mango production in South Florida since 1977. Blame it on unseasonably wet weather that led to powdery mildew and disease that kept fruits from developing.
“Mangos were blooming like crazy until the rains came,” says Karim Rossy of the Rare Fruit and Vegetable Council of Broward. Powdery mildew came in, and fruit did not set.
Rossy says among his 20 backyard mango trees, only a few varieties have fruit: Valencia Pride, Mallika and Glenn. “We’re gonna cherish those few mangos and hope for the best next year,” he says.
Photo 1: Abundant mango blooms in January
Photo 2: Fruit on a Madame Francis tree
Photo 3: Karim Rossy of Rare Fruit and Vegetable Council
Last year produced a bumper crop of mangos, but this summer's slim pickings will be limited to a few weeks. Campbell, who runs Mango Men Homestead with his sons, expects the mango season to run from mid-June through mid-July. But other seasonal tropical fruits, like avocado, lychee, longan and passionfruit, are expected to flourish, he says.
Jeff Wasielewski of UF/IFAS and our Extension Connection columnist, says homeowners can check their mango trees now to get a handle on yield. “It’s all in the fruit. It is as simple as looking up at the trees and seeing what held on,” he says. “Fruit should be about the size of an old-school silver dollar or slightly bigger right now. There may still be some fruit drop, but what held on so far is in good shape.”
The good news? “We should still get some fruit this year, and we can certainly dream of a bumper crop for next year,” says Wasielweski. If you plan to buy mango trees, he recommends cultivars like Fairchild, Rosigold, Glenn, Angie and Orange Sherbet.
As for the nonproductive mango trees, maybe this is a year to get a head start on pruning them instead of waiting until after the harvest, says Rossy. “We’ll hope for the best for next year.”
Tropical Fruit Events in South Florida
Mango Men Homestead is open on weekends. Find out dates on their Facebook page.
They have a limited quantity of mangos so are focusing on other tropical fruits. "It is a great year to get to know sapodilla, which we will have for tasting and sale.We will also have several cultivars of canistel, which makes a better shake or smoothie than any mamey," they note on their Facebook page."The canistel is an iconic fruit of the Maya and a fruit that all should learn to love. We will have several cultivars of jackfruit, namely, Gold Nugget, Black Gold, Lueng Bang, J-31 and Brown Sugar."
The Summer Fruit Festival at Fruit and Spice Park is slated for Sat., June 23 and Sun., June 24. More info here.
However, the annual Tropical Fruit and Vegetable Society's Mango Mania at Fruit and Spice Park is cancelled because of lack of fruit.
Make It with Mangos
Summertime in South Florida means mangos! Here are some of the best ways to put those backyard mangos to work.
Mango Cocktail Recipes from Miami’s Tropical Distillers
These recipes feature J.F. Haden’s Mango Liqueur, the first spirit from Tropical Distillers in Allapattah. The new...
Communities Near You
Related Stories & Recipes
Mango Cocktail Recipes from Miami’s Tropical Distillers
These recipes feature J.F. Haden’s Mango Liqueur, the first spirit from Tropical Distillers in Allapattah. The new distillery will feature the small batch liqueur, made from homegrown Florida mangos w...