mango seed

How To Grow A Mango Tree: Planting And Cultivation Made Easy

85 / 100

The healthy mango can be used in many different recipes. You can plant the mango seed and thus grow a mango tree yourself – we will show you more about this here.

There is hardly anyone who does not like the flesh of the sweet mango (Mangifera indica). However, the fruit tastes not only in desserts but also in more hearty combinations such as curries or in the famous mango chutney. But with the core of the mango, you can also very easily grow your own mango tree.

In our article, you will learn how to grow a mango tree and what you have to consider when planting and caring for it.

Can You Grow A Plant From A Mango Seed?

Just like an avocado plant can be grown from an avocado seed, a mango plant can be grown from a mango seed. Growing a plant from a mango core is very easy. This works with the regrowing method. In this way, the core, which would otherwise have ended up in the garbage, becomes a new plant.

However, you should not expect to be able to harvest your own mangos soon. It is simply too cold for this and the tropical plant does not produce sweet mangos here. Nevertheless, a stately and beautiful plant can grow out of a mango seed, which decorates the garden in summer and the room all year round.

Planting A Mango Seed: How To Succeed

Choose a mango as ripe as possible for planting. It is also advisable to choose an organically grown mango for planting, as conventional mangoes are often treated with growth inhibitors and therefore do not germinate well.

Tip: You can recognize a fully ripe mango by its sweetish, aromatic smell. A slightly wrinkled rind and small black dots are also good signs that your mango is ready to eat.

Once the right mango has been selected, the first step is to prepare the kernel for planting. Then it’s time for planting. Both steps are explained in the following section.

Preparing The Mango Seed For Planting

With our step-by-step instructions, you can prepare the mango kernel optimally for planting.

Prepare the mango core step by step:

  1. Cut open the mango carefully until only the core remains.
  2. Remove all the flesh.
  3. Gently open the cover by prying it open with the tip of a knife.
  4. In the core lies the actual, kidney-shaped seed of the mango.
  5. Mango seeds must under no circumstances be damaged.
  6. Wrap the core in a damp kitchen towel and pack it in a freezer bag.
  7. Seal the bag and let it rest for 10 days.
  8. The kitchen towel should always be damp – that is, if necessary, remoisten it.
  9. After a few days, the seedling and rootlets can be seen pushing out of the core.
  10. Now The Seedling Can Be Planted.
Tip: The mango seed should look fresh and whitish-green or brown. If it is grey or shriveled, it can no longer germinate.

In the mango core is the actual mango seed

Planting Mango Kernels In The Earth

However, before the mango core can be planted, you should prepare the planter. For this purpose, you should create a drainage layer, for example from expanded clay or clay fragments. In this way, the water in the pot can always drain off well and there is no waterlogging.

Next, mix the substrate. In which soil the mango feels most comfortable, you can find out in the section on the substrate. However, it is also important to guarantee a good supply of nutrients from the outset. Therefore, before planting, mix fertilizer with a long-term organic effect into the substrate.

This fertilizer will gently supply your mango with all the important nutrients in the long term. Organic Universal Fertilizer has proven to be the best solution for this.

Now fill the container with the substrate and insert the core vertically and facing upwards. Spray everything with water and place the pot in a mini-greenhouse. Here you will have optimal growth conditions for your mango. In a bright place, for example on the windowsill and at temperatures between 25 and 30 °C, the core can grow well.

Ventilate the mini-greenhouse regularly and spray the seeds with water frequently. Then nothing will stand in the way of your mango growing successfully.

Summary: How do I plant a mango?

  • Create a drainage layer.
  • Mix substrate with a fertilizer with long-term organic effect.
  • Fill the pot with a substrate.
  • Insert the core into the substrate looking vertically upwards.
  • Spray with water.
  • Place in a homemade mini-greenhouse.
  • Place in a bright place.
  • Germination at temperatures between 25 and 30 °C.
  • Regularly ventilate and humidify.

Which Location Is Suitable For The Mango Plant?

There are three main points to consider when choosing the ideal location for the mango: It should be light, warm, and moist. In its tropical home, the mango is spoiled all year round with warm, sunny weather. You should therefore try to get as close as possible to the mango’s home.

Temperatures between 24 and 30 °C are ideal. Young mango trees are still somewhat sensitive to light and therefore do not like direct sunlight. If your mango tree is bigger, it can stand in full sun without any problems.

In order for the tropical fruit to feel really good in your home, it is important to have sufficiently high humidity in addition to light and warmth.

This is where the mango feels most comfortable:

  • Ideal temperatures: 24 – 30 °C.
  • Young mango trees: Half Shady.
  • Larger mango trees: Full sun all year round.
  • High air humidity.

Which Soil Is Recommended For A Mango Plant?

Mango trees prefer to put their roots into a permeable, nutrient-rich substrate. It should also be slightly acidic. A mixture of garden soil with a fertilizer with a long-term organic effect and coconut fibers have proven to be the best choice.

Permeable and nutrient-rich substrate is well suited for the mango tree

This substrate is suitable for the mango:

  • Permeable.
  • Nutrient-rich.
  • Slightly acidic.
Tip: After the second year at the latest it is time to report the mango plant. For this purpose, a pot is chosen that is only slightly larger than the old planter. The substrate is completely replaced.

Mango Tree Care: The Best Tips

Unfortunately, the mango is not one of the easiest plants to care for and therefore needs regular attention in order to grow well. We, therefore, provide tips on watering, fertilizing, cutting, and wintering the exotic plant.

Watering The Mango Tree Properly

In mango trees, the water requirement changes with age. In the first three years after planting, the young plants like it if the substrate is always evenly moist. From the third year onwards, you can let the top layer of the substrate dry out before watering again.

Since mangos like a rather acidic substrate, you should make sure to water with water that is as lime-free as possible. In addition, stagnant moisture should be avoided at all costs, because otherwise, root rot can develop. To do something good for your mango tree, you can spray the leaves of the plant with a spray bottle several times a week.

Summary: How Do I Water My Mango Tree Properly?

  • Young trees: substrate always slightly moist.
  • From 3 years: Allow the uppermost substrate layer to dry before watering.
  • Pour with lime-poor water.
  • Avoid waterlogging.
  • Spray leaves with water.

Especially in the first years the mango plant needs a lot of water to grow

Mango Tree Fertilization

Mangoes need many nutrients to grow well. However, you should only start fertilizing three months after planting. Basically, the plant needs more fertilizer the bigger and older it is. Therefore, the amount of fertilizer is continuously increased with age.

We recommend a fertilizer with a long-term organic effect, as this is more environmentally friendly and more gentle than conventional mineral fertilizer. Organic universal fertilizer also releases the nutrients to the mango plant gently and sustainably, so it only needs to be re-fertilized every two to three months.

An overview of how to fertilize mango plants correctly:

  • Only fertilize from the third month onwards.
  • Fertilization quantity with the age increase.
  • Every 2 – 3 months with a fertilizer with long-term organic effect.
  • Alternatively every 2 weeks with liquid fertilizer.

Cutting Mango Tree

With mangos, regular pruning is generally not necessary. However, mango trees can grow up to 40 meters high in their native land. As an indoor plant, of course, it never reaches these heights. Nevertheless, the mango can grow into a stately little tree.

Therefore, pruning every few years can be quite useful. The best time for this is in the winter months. Old, dried-out, or dead plant parts, on the other hand, can be easily removed throughout the year.

Cutting the mango plant correctly at a glance:

  1. No regular pruning necessary.
  2. Cut back in winter.
  3. Remove old or dried-out plant parts all year round.

In the tropics, mangos grow into huge trees. As houseplants they remain significantly smaller

Mango Tree To Hibernate Properly

You may have already guessed: The tropical mango cannot be wintered outside with us. Admittedly, a mango tree feels very comfortable outside in the summer months. But as soon as the temperature drops below 20°C, you should bring your mango into the warmth.

If the tree is kept in a warm room all year round, the mango does not take a break and is cared for in winter as well as in summer. However, if the mango moves to a cooler room in winter, a few rules must be observed. Even in the cold season, temperatures should never drop below 15°C – otherwise, the plant will die. And even in colder temperatures, the mango wants to stand as light as possible.

Tip: Harvest your cauliflower for fresh consumption as needed, preferably early in the morning. Covered by its own leaves or a light fleece, it will stay on the stem for a few weeks longer.

How do I winter the mango properly?

  1. Do not hibernate outside.
  2. Hibernate in the warm: No rest period.
  3. Hibernate in a cool place: Above 15 °C.
  4. As bright as possible.
  5. Adjust fertilization, moderate watering.

Even though homegrown mango plants rarely bear fruit, you don’t have to do without the delicious tropical treats. You can find out everything about the ingredients and nutritional values of mangos in our special article.

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *