Mango blossom needs the right care and timely steps to stay healthy. If the blossom stays sound, the harvest will be good and the tree will be safe from disease. Here are some simple ways to look after it.

Look after mango trees before they blossom: small steps play a big part in keeping them healthy.

• Clear weeds: weeds not only take nutrients from the tree but also raise the risk of disease, so keep the soil around it completely clean.
• Cut dead branches: dead or dry branches only add weight and serve no purpose. Cut them off to lighten the tree.
• Remove parasitic plants, which steal the tree's strength.
• Stop irrigation: stopping water 2–3 months before blossoming prepares the tree better.

First spray: spraying on time gives good results. Spraying correctly when the blossom is 4–6 inches long keeps the tree free of disease. Use 0.5 ml of the insecticide imidacloprid and 2 g of the fungicide mancozeb per litre of water, and wet every part of the tree thoroughly.

Remember that no spray of any kind should be applied while the flowers are open. If needed, spray in January. If January is foggy, you can spray 15–20 days before the blossom appears.

Protection from hoppers: use 1 ml of the insecticide cypermethrin and 2 g of a sulphur-based fungicide per litre of water. This helps protect against hopper insects and reduces attack by sooty mould fungus.

Second spray: when fruit sets and the mangoes reach pea size, spray a second time with 0.5 ml of imidacloprid and 2 g of the fungicide carbendazim per litre of water, again wetting the whole tree.

Your love for the tree is the real care, so tending it correctly matters. Follow these steps to protect mango blossom; proper care is the key to a good harvest. For farming advice, contact an agriculture officer.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.