Question: Why are there so many mango trees with lots of flowers now? It seems very early in the year. Is this normal?
Answer: “Yes, most trees are in flower right now. In general, the mango flowering season is from December to February for most varieties. So, the current flowering is happening during the normal time of the year. If anything, the intensity of flowering might be higher in some areas. This could possibly be explained by the lack of rainfall in some areas, causing drought stress, which is one of the triggers for flowering,” Jensen Uyeda, an extension agent with the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience, said in an email Friday.
He shared a graphic from an article by Thomas L. Davenport in the research journal HortTechnology titled “Processes Influencing Floral Initiation and Bloom: The Role of Phytohormones in a Conceptual Flowering Model” (808ne.ws/3DFLHNM), which explains processes in the plant that trigger flowering. “In general, it is a combination of cool temperatures and water stress followed by irrigation or rainfall. Based on my research, you can also trigger flowering outside of the normal flowering by applying potassium nitrate fertilizer to the foliage when the buds are mature and ready to emerge. For example, we have trees in Waimanalo that I applied fertilizer to in August, and they have been harvestable since December until now,” Uyeda said.
“From my observations, off-season flowering has no negative impact on the fruit or the tree. If anything, it enhances the amount of fruit set on the tree, especially when done during a period with limited rainfall. One of the most significant impacts on fruit sets is rainfall during flowering, which potentially increases the incidence of anthracnose and powdery mildew, which causes the flowers to rot and no fruit to set. For example, all the flowers on the trees now may be exposed to the expected rainfall (forecast for this week), which may lead to the disease and minimal fruit set if not treated,” he said.
Uyeda provided links to details about anthracnose disease and powdery mildew disease and management strategies for each, found at 808ne.ws/mananth and 808ne.ws/manmil, respectively.
“For residential owners, spraying fungicides might not be practical, so they may expect to lose some or all fruit if the expected rainfall affects their flowers and fruit set. I think the Fairchild variety is tolerant to anthracnose, so is recommended for wet, humid areas,” said Uyeda, who also provided general information about growing mangoes in Hawaii, including about applying fertilizers, 808ne.ws/manfer.
To illustrate how growers can adapt mangoes’ natural growths cycle to Oahu’s weather patterns, Uyeda shared photos of Rapoza mangoes ripening in December in Waimanalo. “It’s an area that is usually wet during the flowering period, so most of the flowers fall off, and there are very few fruits during the normal time of the year. If we force flowering in the summer, then there is minimal rainfall, and we get more fruit set. We also prune our trees to stay small, as shown in the photo, so fruit is easy to harvest,” he said.
Q: Am I able to renew my passport online? If so, who do I contact?
A: Online renewal is available for applicants who meet certain requirements and don’t need expedited service; only routine processing is available. Among the eligibility criteria: You must be 25 years or older and renewing a passport that is or was valid for 10 years; your current passport is either expiring within a year or expired less than five years ago; you are not changing your name, gender, date of birth or place of birth; you live in the United States; your current passport is not lost, stolen or damaged; you can upload a digital passport photo and pay using a credit or debit card. Go to 808ne.ws/onpass to read all the rules and to apply.
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
