Most Northerly Mango Tree in the World- Part 1

Описание: After declaring via a Youtube video a gorgeous and rather large prolifically fruiting mango tree in Pittsburg, California the MOST NORTHERLY SUCCESSFUL UNPROTECTED MANGO TREE IN THE WORLD since it was at 37 degrees north latitude, my viewer Valter Evora of Portugal informed me that in Coimbra, Portugal, there was a tree at a mind shattering 40.2 degrees north latitude and so I had to go see it for myself. This tree is planted in a very beneficial microclimate on the South side of a 4 story concrete shell building which reflects light and heat back onto this tree all day and even during the night as a deep heat sink. The tree is planted on the north side of a 3' high masonry retaining wall that is exposed on the south side undoubtedly meaning the tree has good drainage but also that its roots are likely warmed a bit via the capture and storage of solar heat in the wall. The tree enjoys full sun all day and the site sits several hundred feet above the valley floor which is undoubtedly much colder due to the heaviness of cold air that drains away from this site to lower elevations. The tree also enjoys not only a heat sink sidewalk and asphalt street right in front of it but an entire neighborhood of concrete shell buildings and hard material streets with little vegetative cover as an overall percentage of earth cover which surely captures more heat during the day and thereby releasing such heat at night causing an urban heat island effect. The tree lies about 22 mies away from the moderating effects of the Atlantic Ocean which is close enough to keep away severe freezing weather that would damage the tree but far enough away to allow some critcial heat to aid in blooming, fruit development, and minimize Anthracnose mildew which thrives in cooler and moisture weather. In Coimbra, the summers are warm, dry, and mostly clear and the winters are cold, wet, and partly cloudy. According to Weatherspark.com (https://weatherspark.com/y/32332/Aver..., over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 40°F to 83°F and is rarely below 30°F or above 95°F. The warm season lasts for 3.0 months, from June 22 to September 21, with an average daily high temperature above 78°F. The hottest day of the year is July 29, with an average high of 83°F and low of 60°F. The cool season lasts for 3.7 months, from November 18 to March 7, with an average daily high temperature below 62°F. The coldest day of the year is January 18, with an average low of 40°F and high of 57°F. This sounds a lot like the South Bay of the SF Bay Area to me. One major difference between the California coastal climate and that of the Portugal coastal climate is that the ocean on the Portugal coast is significantly warmer during all times than the ocean water of its California counterpart at any given latitude. While the temperature of ocean water nearest to Coimbra at 40.2 degrees north latitude reaches a high of 65 degrees by mid August and drops to a low of just 59 by February, it's California counterpart at Shelter Cove, California (See this video:    • Northerly Most Commercial Avocado Orchard ...  ) is at 58 and 53 degrees respectively during the same times. These warmer ocean temps at a higher latitude ion the Portal coast verses the California coast is caused by the massive Gulf Stream current that pushes warmer water, in much greater volume and much faster to the Portugal coast than does its Pacific Counterpart to California. However, all of this aside, if it stays warmer than 25 degrees in your garden then you should try a Mango tree, and to heighten your chances of survival and fruit set and maturation, plant it on the south or west side of your home or other substantial structure where heat will buildup. Please see Parts 2 and 3 to this three series topic. And I also must give a warm thanks to my new friend Valter Evora of Portugal for sharing this most remarkable tree with me. Check out his Youtube channel here:    / @valterxicao  . UPDATE!!! You must check out the video tour Valter made for me of his garden as we were not able to meet when I was in Portugal. This guy takes the meaning of "Food Forest" to a whole new level. Here is the link:

   • 3 de outubro de 2019