Two storms within two weeks of each other, both with lots of wind and rain, caused mangos to drop from most mango trees in this area. The mangos have been on the ground long enough to begin to rot. The result is an onslaught of gnats.
Luckily, our outdoor space is screened, but anytime we are in the open, the gnats are thick. Hanging laundry or tending the garden have become uncomfortable chores because of the annoyance caused by swarms of gnats. The easiest way to take the yard back is to bury the rotting mangos and the gnats will move on.
Take the Yard Back
Today, four 2-foot-deep holes were dug around the mango tree. All were filled with small mangos that were blown off during the storms and the holes were covered with sand. With nothing to draw them, the gnats disappeared in less than an hour.
Noble Experiment?
An aside….. it almost hurts to have to throw away hundreds of mangos, including a few that fell just today. They are larger than most of the ones we disposed of, but they are still half the size they should be, and are six or eight weeks from being ripe. (This particular Haden mango tree is a late producer with fruit that ripens at the end of June and into July.)
I decided to lay the the larger fruit on a rack for awhile to see if it will ripen, and if so, how it tastes. The result will be either a pleasant surprise, or it will have been a noble experiment. I learn something either way.
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