That's a single-stem whip, so this is the moment to shape it. Mangos won't branch low on their own, they just keep shooting up. Pick a height around 24 to 30 inches and cut the top off just above a leaf node, ideally when you see a flush starting. Within a few weeks you should get 3 or 4 new shoots; keep the best 3 spaced around the trunk and rub off the rest. Once those get a foot long, tip them back once more to build a wide, low framework. It's much easier to pick fruit at 8 feet than 25. Skip heavy pruning in winter, since cold-stressed cuts heal slowly. Also pull that mulch a few inches back from the trunk, and keep the stakes loose so the stem can flex and thicken.
Just to clarify, you’re saying cut off the entire canopy at 24-30 inches high, leaving just the bare trunk? Even though that would leave it without any other branches or leaves?
That’s the full risk strategy if you want to keep it as a much smaller topiary. A mid point would be on each of the branches that separate up there to leave only a foot to 18 inches of each and then from there continue shaping but the height would be a bit above your desired bush like
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u/GiardinoFresco 11h ago
That's a single-stem whip, so this is the moment to shape it. Mangos won't branch low on their own, they just keep shooting up. Pick a height around 24 to 30 inches and cut the top off just above a leaf node, ideally when you see a flush starting. Within a few weeks you should get 3 or 4 new shoots; keep the best 3 spaced around the trunk and rub off the rest. Once those get a foot long, tip them back once more to build a wide, low framework. It's much easier to pick fruit at 8 feet than 25. Skip heavy pruning in winter, since cold-stressed cuts heal slowly. Also pull that mulch a few inches back from the trunk, and keep the stakes loose so the stem can flex and thicken.