You might be someone who has a passion for growing fruit at your home or maybe you just love mangos and want to try growing them. The good news is that a delicious and delectable fruit such as the Mango can be grown at your home under the right conditions. Mango trees, formally known as (Mangifera indica), are known for growing well in climates that stay above 40 degrees Fahrenheit or 4 degrees Celsius. Living in the right conditions can be tricky, especially if you live in a cooler climate, but if you live in a warmer climate there are quite a few different kinds of mangos that grow well in warm conditions. When the weather is hot, the cultivars for mangoes are more abundant to select from. The types of cultivars they have for mangoes are developed in countries such as Mexico and are called the Manila mango and “Pina” mango. There are also mangoes that have origins from the Philippines. In total, there are about 400 varieties of mangoes that have been bred by humans.
Can I Grow A Mango From A Seed? Growing a mango from a seed is not recommended due to the amount of allotted time it will take for the tree to be able to produce fruit successfully. It can take more than 8 years for a mango tree grown from a seed to have a chance to grow fruit. Even then, the tree might not have been successfully grow from the seed and may not be able to grow fruit at all. The best idea is to buy a cultivar or a grafted mango plant. There are nurseries out there that you can purchase these cultivars from online and perhaps even locally. Locally is the best choice if you have that opportunity as you will be able to see the quality and health of your mango cultivar.
Growing A Mango From A Seed If you decide to grow a mango from a seed anyway, it will take about ten days to sprout if you plant each seed separately. Make sure you plant your seed in the place it will grow into maturity, this will make the process easier. If you have concerns about insects or other things that might cause the plant to get uprooted you could always put a cage around it to prevent those things from becoming dominant to the growth of your mango tree. You could also opt into planting your mango tree into a pot if you do not want to plant it directly into the ground.
Can Mangoes be grown indoors? Due to the amount of sun mango plants have to receive, they won’t grow. Mango trees require an efficient amount of sunlight for them to thrive. Even if you put it in a pot near a window inside a room with lots of light, it won’t grow. To grow the mangoes you must have direct sunlight.
How Do I Care For Mango Cultivars In Containers? The quality of the soil you use needs to be very well-drained, light, and be enriching organically as this will help the mango tree grow healthily. The levels of the pH within the soils need to be only slightly acidic to equitable. When you begin potting, you can add a third part of compost to the soil you are potting to enrich the growth of the plant. After potting, make sure the Mango tree is getting a lot of sun exposure and heat. It will not thrive if it doesn’t have up to 10 hours of sunlight to it. To make things clear, mango trees are mainly grown from heat, so make sure your plant is getting the most sun it can get. Surprisingly, Mango trees that are growing directly in the source of the ground do not need as much water, but if you are using a container instead, you will need to water your mango tree frequently for up to three years of its growth. After the Mango tree becomes mature, watering it moderately before it flowers will be enough. When watering your mango tree, make sure the flowers are growing on about half of the tree up until a month before you pick mangoes off of the tree. After harvesting, you can go back to watering the tree(s) moderately again.
Why Your Mango Tree May Not Be Growing If you are having difficulty growing your mango tree there may be several reasons as to why it is not growing healthily. Sunlight is a main source to growing a mango tree successful. Always make sure or calculate how much sun your mango tree is getting by your house’s solar number. Some houses have low solar numbers which just means your sun does not get as much sun as some or is facing away from the direction the sun rises and sets. If your roots are cluttered below the surface of soil, your mango tree can have trouble growing due to the way the roots are growing. If you need to prune them because of them growing in the wrong direction, you might want to do this. The amount of nutrients the roots and whole plant is receiving for its growth is vital to it producing mangoes. Make sure your plant is receiving the right amount and kind of nutrients. There are plenty of resources out there that go over what nutrients a mango tree needs. Here is a site to ensure you are using the right type of fertilizer for nutrients. The quality of the seed can also imply why your tree is not growing or producing any fruit. There could also be other reasons such as weather, overcast, pests, and the fertilizer you are using. Make sure you are taking care of these concerns to ensure you are going to harvest the highest quality mango.
Types of Pests and Diseases To Be Wary Of When making sure your plant is healthy, be wary of any fungus that may grow on the leaves. This fungus can come in the form of black spots that surface on the stems or small immature mangoes that grow on your tree. Make sure your leaves on the tree are healthy looking too. If they are brown this may be a sign of fungus starting to grow on your tree. If you live somewhere with dry seasons during the winter, a type of mango disease called anthracnose might be seen when your mangoes become more mature. You will be able to tell your tree has a disease if the fruit has produced but has black patches on them. To avoid this, always make sure your tree’s branches are is clear from the ground where pests can bite into them and diseases can be transferred. Other pests and diseases can be checked in on easily if you have planted in a garden where there are insects that actually benefit the growth of your plant. Nature will take over if have a diverse garden but make sure you keep this in check by keeping your tree neat and clear from the ground. Fruit bugs are more likely to climb up and dig into your mangoes if you do not steer the branches clear from ground level.
How To Harvest Mango A mango can take up to four months for it to ripen. This beginning of the harvest usually takes place after the mango tree has flowered. The ripe mangoes on your tree will have different color depending on their origin or variety. To know it is ready, smell the mango. If it gives of a sweet fragrance, it is time to harvest your mangoes. If you accidentally pick of a mango that isn’t quite ripe you can place it inside a brown lunch bag. Putting it inside a brown lunch bag will allow it to ripen over several days depending on how unripe it was. You could also find recipes that use immature mangoes if you don’t want to waste your harvest.
Facts About Growing Mangoes The best time to begin growing a mangoes is at the beginning of Summer. The sun is at its hottest so your mango tree will be able to absorb all the nutrients it needs from the sunlight a lot easier than any other time of the year. The best time to plant your mango tree is also at the beginning of the summer. The best time to use fertilizer on your mangoes is only during spring and summer and in small quantities. The sap that is produced by the stem of the mangoes can burn your skin. So be careful when harvesting your mangoes! One of the best ways to harvest a mango is to cut them off with the stem still attached and make sure the stem remains on when handling the mangoes.
Health Benefits of Mangoes So you have ripe mangoes you want to eat. Do they have health benefits? Absolutely. Some of the amazing health benefits of mangoes include their source of vitamin A, C, B6, Folate, Iron, and a touch of calcium, vitamin E, and Zinc. Mangoes are also known to be a good source for antioxidants and reduce heart inflammation. At the end of the day, knowing how to grow a mango tree can be a long process but rewarding experience. If you follow the tips for growing healthy and pest free ripe mangoes you will be able to produce the right results for the best and most succulent mangoes. Just remember that mangoes need lots of sunlight, so whether you cut a seed and plant it into the ground or put it into a pot, make sure the tree or sprouts are getting direct sunlight. Happy mango growing!