Help me save my newly planted mango!

[elhajj33]

Hello,
6 months ago, I got a mango tree. It was doing fine in front of our house in the original pot we got it in from the store. Finally, I decided to plant the little guy in the backyard.
I dug a nice sized (and deep) hole to place the tree in. Per, the fine folks at Home depot, I added some citrus fertilizer and have been watering the tree. But, it's losing its leaves...yikes.

Questions:
Now, when i planted the tree, I just lifted it out of the pot and placed it in the soil. Was I supposed to shake off the soil it had around it ? That's question #1.
2nd, i fertilized my grass a week or two ago (about two weeks after I planted the tree, could this be killing it ?
3rd, my wife seems to think that the soil is too hard and the tree is not getting enough water. When watered, the soil takes a LONG time, (appx 30-45 minutes) to soak in the water,

HELP!! what can I do to save this tree? I live in sunny florida, and the tree does get plenty of sun.

Thanks,
Ali

 

[Ekka]

It's hard to say without pictures but there are some possibilities ...

If the soil was hard around it and you basically dug out a hole and dropped it in ... possible it may be like a swimming pool and the roots could be getting water logged.

Fertilizers etc in direct contact with the roots could burn them.

Also if the roots were pot bound and really tight, there is a chance that they are not absorbing as well as they should and that the root ball is compacted and hydrophobic.

I suggest you dig the tree up again, loosen the root ball if tight and compact, cut out/off any roots that are growing in a circular fashion like they followed the pot around as they'll become girdling roots later. Get rid of any fertilizer in contact with the roots and any in the bottom of the hole.

Ensure the hole is atleast doube the size of the root ball and roughen up the sides so it's crumbly ... helps the roots penetrate new ground. When replanting the mango tree do not put too deep in the hole, definately do not have the trunk below ground level. Water it with some wetting agents and mulch the area around it about 3" thick but not up to the trunk, stay about 6" clear.

Some pics would be helpful ....

Good luck

 

[gumneck]

How often are you watering? And how much?

You may need to cut back on the water. Alot of times new trees are watered to death. A waterhose w/out a sprinkler head of any kind at 45 minutes is alot of water. Someone else can verify but I wouldn't run that no more than once per 10 days if that.