Joseph Francis grows 50 types of mangoes on his terrace that don’t have any fibers, and the pit is small, He also shows the first.
The tree that produces Patricia
When Joseph observed a budding mango plant blooming on the five cents of ground on which he built his home in Mundamveli, Kochi, he invented ‘Patricia’ 22 years ago.
The plant was a cross between two local species that were pollinated naturally He grafted this and made Patricia.” Patricia is exclusively available at his residence, not on the market
50 varieties of mangoes and 150 plants
What sets Joseph unique is his rooftop mango orchard, which currently has 50 varieties of mangoes and 150 trees. Hesell Patricia plants, but the fruits are only for guests, family, and friends.
The idea
He started his career as a refrigeration mechanic and has been interested in agriculture since he was a child. Using traditional plant knowledge, he grafted a local variety called ‘kalluketti’ onto a tree growing on his land. After a few years, the tree bloomed and yielded delicious, fragrant, juicy medium-sized mangoes. Patricia was named after his wife and “the same-named Queen.” Kerala Agriculture University also presented him with a diploma recognizing the fruit’s remarkable sweetness and purity.
Joseph’s mango plantation is a riot of low-hanging mangoes during the summer. In 2010, the family went to the Flower Show for the first time and saw mangoes blooming in bags. That’s where it all began.
Cultivation Techniques
In dazzling blue, high-density plastic oil drums, trees grow in a mixture of coco peat, cow manure, and red dirt. Joseph keeps the trees at a manageable height of four feet by pruning them regularly. He says,
“You chose your height.”
Weekly, he cuts the roots and tills the top soil, which is kept damp in the drum’s bottom. Once a week, a mixture of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium is sprayed. This helps the plant to thrive and produce more fruit The mangoes are wrapped in newspaper and left to ripen for eight to 10 days.
Joseph creates new plants by “layering” mature plants. The procedure of removing the bark and replacing it with soil until roots form. “These are then clipped and planted, noting that the plants begin to bear fruit after a year. There is no tap root in the fibrous layered plants. As a result, the tree is more likely to topple during strong winds.
Joseph also tried orchids, roses, and even mushroom farming before focusing solely on mangoes. He also kept pigeons and bees.
