As I've mentioned before, our mango orchard is dwarf in size compared to commercial plantations. Despite that, if the conditions are right, the trees are able to produce plenty of fruits that come harvest time the income our small orchard generates is enough to sustain the farm's financial needs for a couple of months.
Some of our mango trees before the devastation.
This year not a single fruit was in sight from the trees that survived. The pictures below were taken when I was in the farm last February. Typically by that time the trees should be teeming with flowers and/or tiny fruits. But as you can see bare trunks are more prominent than leaves. As to how many more years before these trees become fruitful again is anybody's guess.
That is the thrill of living in a tropical country where on one day the weather is a friend and on another an enemy. It's how you deal with it that matters. And all those open spaces between the trees are saying that the time is ripe to plant new mango seedlings in preparation for the next generation.
8 comments:
O God, your mango orchard now looks pathetic. I think it must be put in the ER meaning drastic measures should be done for rehabilitation; fertilization, pruning, watering. They will still recover, much faster than from a seedling. But caution must be exercised in not allowing shoots from the stock to grow, or else the scion will die.
And this year there will be more rain being La Nina and all. :/
I always get worried when it rains. Cause I know 1-2 trees will get uprooted or sth.
I hope they do well next year!~! :)
sad to see it :(...hope rain this year will not bring much typhoons...
let's just hope for the best...bearHUGS...
that's sad...our trees did not bear that much fruit as expected either, but don't worry, they'll recover. next year will be a better year..wishing you lots and lots of sweet mangoes for the years to come.
last year none of the mangoes had fruit, but then this year looks like it might be a bumper crop. I hope all your trees recover and come back better than ever.
Hi Andrea,
Hahahaha...pathetic looking indeed, like they've been hit by a plague. But they will come back to life. Time will heal their wounds :)
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Hi Candyblush,
I hope this post doesn't dampen your mango orchard plan. It's part of life in a country frequented by typhoons.
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Hi Ely,
Hoping for the best indeed. That's all we can do for now. Hopefully too, no major typhoons this year. Thanks.
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Hi Angel,
Rains came early this year, this may be the reason why your mango trees did not yield much fruit. Hoping that next year is a better year indeed, unless another signal #4 typhoon hits the farm again.
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Hi Africanaussie,
Congratulations on your bumper crop. Mango ranks high in my list of favorite tropical fruits. Our trees ahould come back to life, they just need time (lots of it) to recover.
Hi SR, you should hasten their recovery, composted farm animal wastes are good for them. You asked me to try capturing the hairy black larvae to see the adults. I have tried doing that in some taro black caterpillars, but turned out eaten by ants, haha! These hairy ones i can't do because i dont know what they eat, besides I am only home on weekends, specifically Saturday night, so no chance to monitor them!
Hello Andrea,
I agree, composted farm animal wastes are great. But as of now we don't have composters in the farm. I'm planning to build one once I'm there. I don't know where the animal wastes are currently going. What I'm sure of is that their full potentials and benefits are not being completely utilized.
Those Taro black ants might be sweet to be consumed by ants...LOL.
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