"I have decided to repot both of my mango trees this weekend. When I bare root them to repot them in the gritty mix will I need to prune the branches?"

If you are very concerned about the tree being shaped perfectly, then you might wish to reduce the canopy. The reason is because if the rootage cannot support the entire canopy, the tree will shed the weakest branches. If those branches are important to the composition, you have a problem. If you're not overly concerned about the shape, then don't remove any foliage. The foliage makes the food that grows the roots that supports the foliage that makes the food .......

"I am debating between a CRF or something like dyna-gro FP. I don't mind watering and fertilizing every day if I need."

I wouldn't incorporate a CRF at this late date. It insures you'll have a higher level of soluble salts in the soil during the winter months than you'll want. I personally rarely use it anyway because of how diligent I am about fertilizing, even though you often see me include it in soil recipes. I like to have complete control over nutrition. You can make any 3:1:2 ratio fertilizer work for your trees - especially if you have on hand a K supplement like Pro-TeKt 0-0-3.

Advice? Keep reading, studying, and carefully observing your plants. Consider things carefully before you attribute an observed affect to a particular cause - things aren't always as they seem.

Al

Thanks for the reply Al.

I went out today to buy the material for my gritty mix.

50 lbs. #2 Cherry Stone Grit
50 lbs. Napa Floor Dry
4 cu. ft. Mini Pine Bark Nuggets
5 lbs. gypsum

Also two 22" Tera Cotta pots. I may need to get some more grit to fill both pots.

I am concerned that the pine bark might be too big.

{{gwi:42034}}

These were the smallest pieces I could find without getting partialy composted.

I was also wondering if I need to rinse the dust out of the grit before I use it, and if I should run water through the mix before I plant in it?

This is my first time mixing my own soil so pardon the multiple questions.

Thank you again for all of your threads, they are very informative.

The bark IS very large. 1/8-1/4" pieces is best. Know anyone with a chipper?

I do screen or rinse the dust out of the cherrystone. If you're using floor-dry, use
3 bark
3 grit
2 floor-dry
or
3 bark
4 grit
2 floor dry
The floor dry holds more water than Turface.

No need to run water through the mix before planting. The floor dry will soak it up like a sponge as soon as you water, & within an hour will have broken the bark's hydrophobia and transferred some of its water into the bark by diffusion.

I posted more pics to the China Doll thread, in cased you missed it.

Al

Strike the comment about the China Doll thread, please - wrong forum - too many irons in the fire. ;o)

Al