Bonsai Mango tree?

[Automission]

So I'd like to ask, how do I make a mango tree into a bonsai? I've got the seeds, germinated, but how do I plant to to grow small, without the excessively large leaves they normally have?

Should I pot it up in a small pot to encourage small growth, or what? I assume it is possible, as I've seen many people with Bonsai Mango trees.

[bonsaiboy]

I have tried to grow bonsai mangos on numerous occasions, and I'll tell you this: it is somewhat difficult. Maintaining leaf size is not a problem. When grown in a shallow bonsai pot and pruned to encorage branching, the leafs can be maintained at a few inches or so long, with short internodes. The problem with mango bonsai is, once established, they resent root pruning. It can be done, its just that the roots are very sensitive, so do not take off much when doing so. Other than that, the same tecniques that one uses to bonsai mango are essentialy the same as those used on other trees.

[Automission]

So just plant it in a small pot, and trim back any new branches, etc? Sorry for the somewhat stupid questions, I don't try bonsai trees much.

[bonsaiboy]

That is okay. If you are confused about how to care for bonsai and want to know more, you could probably check out a few books on bonsai at your local library, or buy one at a book store. And if you have other questions, feel free to ask.

[Automission]

So a question, as it starts to grow it will have about four shoots which turn into the large leaves. Should I trim these right off before they grow, or let the leaves grow them cut them off?

[bonsaiboy]

In the seedling stages, defoilating the tree can kill it. You need not trim any leafs at this stage, or worry about pruning. That comes at a later time.

[Automission]

So basically I let it grow like a normal tree until it's got enough large leaves to prune/

Wait what? So how do i let it grow but keep it small leafed?

[Gnome]

Automission,

I know absolutely nothing about Mango so consider this only general information. The general plan is to first build your trunk. When doing this avoid too much pruning, it is counter productive. Next work on the primary branches, only then should you worry about smaller leaves.

One way this is accomplished is to increase ramification or the amount of small twigs. By doing this you 'spread the wealth around' and no one shoot or leaf gets too large. This is where defoliation comes into play.

The primary goal of defoliation is not to produce small leaves right now, it does but that is just a short term thing. Instead realize that defoliation is intended to increase branching (ramification) and create more nodes, shoots and leaves. By having many points of growth the plants energy is distributed more, decreasing the amount of growth of any one leaf.

This is a very brief outline and it must be adjusted to the species you are dealing with. Consider this; many bonsai are cut down rather than grown out. By starting with small material you need several (many?) years of growth just to get to the point where you can do much in the way of bonsai training.

Read this.

http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/trunks.htm

Norm