Growing Mango

Mangoes (shown above) are synonymous with summer, but trees may fruit between mid spring and autumn, depending on the climate.

Reaches 20m or more in the tropics but only 3-4m at the cooler limit of its range.

Tropical, the warm, northern parts of humid subtropical and frost-free parts of semi-arid zones. They will not fruit well in cooler areas.

Frost will kill the trees.

Late winter and early spring.

Mid-spring to autumn, depending on climate.

Not necessary; self-fertile.

Start watering in late spring, giving plenty during summer, less in autumn and none in winter and the first half of spring.

Grow in well-drained, not overly rich soil. Don't feed until plants are well established and then give a light ration of complete plant food two or three times in summer.

Fruit fly, fruit spotting bug, scale, anthracnose, mildew and bacterial black spot.

Growing Avocado

Persea americana

Avocados fruit in autumn, winter or spring, depending on the type.

Grafted plants reach 10m.

Tropical, humid subtropical, dry subtropical Mediterranean, temperate and semi-arid zones.

To -5C with damage to the fruit. Better in gardens where frosts, if any, are light and infrequent.

Spring.

Autumn, winter or spring, depending on type.

Not necessary for home fruit production in cooler areas; where winters are warm fruit set improves with a second tree. There are 'A' and 'B' class trees - have one of each.

Water deeply, weekly in summer, less in spring and autumn.

Apply complete plant food every six weeks from late spring to late summer. Mulch well with rotted organic matter in winter.

Fruit fly, scale insects, thrips, possums, root rot (phytophthora fungus) is common and fatal.

Growing Pawpaw

Carica papaya

Pawpaws ripen in spring and in late summer in the tropics.

Grows 3-7m, sometimes taller in the tropics.

Tropical and subtropical, and the warmer parts of Mediterranean.

None.

In the tropics, flowers appear 5-6 months after planting. In cooler areas, it can be 15 months after planting.

In the tropics, most fruit ripens in spring and in late summer, but there is usually some fruit ready to pick at any time. In cooler areas, fruits mature irregularly.

Pawpaws may be males, females or bisexual. Female trees produce the best truit, but it is essential to grow at least one male tree to every 10 female trees. The difference cannot be seen until flowering. In the tropics and far northern subtropics, a single, bisexual tree that produces both male and female flowers can be grown. Outside these regions, fruit from bisexual trees will be disappointing.

Give most water from late spring to early autumn, less as winter approaches.

Feed lightly, midspring to the end of summer. Use complete plant food and water in well after each application.

Pawpaws are mostly trouble-free, unless you leave the fruit to ripen fully on the tree (then fruit fly will attack). Mildew may affect leaves and roots will rot if drainage is poor.