How to plant a mango seed and grow a tree at home?

Ripe mango fruits can be seen on store shelves, but the tree on which they grow is only found in countries with a tropical climate. The homeland is considered to be the territory from Pakistan to Indonesia, but even in northern latitudes, growing mangoes from seeds is not difficult if you learn all the secrets of planting this exotic at home.

Where and how does a mango tree grow?

The mango tree is an evergreen tree and never sheds its leaves. In the wild, its height can reach 45 m, and its crown diameter can reach 10 m. Such a plant can be grown not only in a greenhouse: there are dwarf mango varieties on sale, which are easier to care for. When grown at home, the height of the plant will be about 1.5 m.

The mango tree is decorated with large, bright green, lanceolate-shaped leaves. Their length reaches 40 cm. Externally, the tree resembles a ficus.

If you purchase a grafted seedling, the tree will grow short, with a well-developed crown.If you grow mango yourself, the variety will be unknown and, with a high probability, a rapidly growing crown will have to be formed. To do this, the plant is pruned 1–2 times a year, leaving 3–4 branches for further growth.

An ungrafted tree does not bear fruit. If the goal is to obtain ripe, aromatic fruits, the tree must be grafted. Fruits grown at home will be no less beautiful, tasty and aromatic than those brought from India, Malaysia or another country.

Mango is a long-lived tree. Some specimens are up to 300 years old and still produce edible fruit. In India, one of these trees produces about 16 thousand fruits per year.

In the tropics, mango fruits most actively at an altitude of 1000 m, but despite this, the exotic tree can be grown from a seed at home. The instructions with a detailed description of the process will help with this.

Growing mangoes in a pot

To start growing a mango tree, all you need is a seed and a seed and a minimum set of gardening supplies.

It is very difficult to find seeds for sale. The purchased seed may turn out to be overdried; in this case, it cannot be expected to sprout. A win-win option is to buy a ready-made seedling, but this is not as interesting as growing a mango from the seed of a ripe fruit.

Where can I get a seed for germination?

To grow a mango tree, you need ripe fruit.

A ripe mango has the following characteristics:

• easy separation of the stalk from the fruit, characteristic aroma when broken;
• loose fit of ripe pulp to the seed;
• softness and juiciness.

After selecting the ripest fruit, you need to check the condition of the pit. To do this, you need to clear it of pulp and check the tightness of the valves.The following options are possible:

• The bone flaps are slightly open. This means that the fruit is fully ripe, the probability of successful germination is 70%. You need to remove a bean-shaped seed from the shell; it should be the size of ½ a matchbox. To avoid damage to the seed by harmful microorganisms, it should be treated with a fungicidal protective agent (for example, Topaz, Skor).
• The doors are closed. Then you can use a sharp object, such as a knife, and open the nut flaps. If the fruit is mature, there should not be any special difficulties, but still you should not trust the process to small children. The main thing is not to damage the “bean” inside.
• The valves are very tightly compressed, and further actions may lead to damage to the seed. In this case, you need to germinate the seed: place it in a glass of water for up to 2 weeks; change the water every other day. An alternative method is to place the seed between moistened layers of cotton wool. After some time, the valves will begin to open on their own and a small sprout will appear.

If germination is not successful the first time, you need to try again and be more careful in choosing the fruit. High-quality shoots are obtained from fresh “beans” of a greenish color.

After preparing the seed, it’s time to start planting it.

Planting a seed

You can plant the seed in a plastic cup or pot, having previously prepared the soil most suitable for growing a mango tree.

Soil for growing

It is necessary to plant the seed in universal neutral soil (pH value is about 7). This is the best environment for plant nutrition. In more acidic or more alkaline soil, the mango will die.Alternatively, you can prepare a mixture of 2 parts peat and 1 part coarse sand.

The drainage layer will prevent rotting, proliferation of fungus and pathogenic bacteria, leading to the death of the root system.

As drainage you can use:

• expanded clay,
• clay shards,
• coarse sand,
• pebbles,
• broken red brick,
• gravel,
• Styrofoam.

Orchid lovers know that pine bark can be used as a drainage layer, but it creates an acidic environment and can kill the mango seedling.

You should stock up on a drainage volume that allows you to fill the pot to at least ¼ of its height.

After backfilling, it is recommended to disinfect the top layer of soil: prepare a solution of 3-5 potassium permanganate crystals in 200 ml of water and sprinkle it on the soil in the pot.

Which pot should I plant my mango in?

The mango tree is large in size and has a powerful root system. In the future, it needs to be planted in a pot with a diameter of about 30 cm, but for a seedling you can take a smaller pot - about 15 cm.

There is no need to immediately purchase a large pot for the tree. It will make it difficult for the soil to dry out. As a result, the soil may become acidic and the roots will die.

Using a plastic cup for germination, you will have to replant the plant after a month. This can negatively affect the condition of the still immature sprout. It would be correct to plan the first transplant no earlier than a year after germination, so it is better to immediately use a medium-sized pot.

Planting a Mango Seed

The crucial moment is landing. If there is no sprout yet, the seed should be inserted sideways. If there is a small sprout, the seed is placed horizontally.

It is important that ¼ of the seed remains on the surface.You should make sure that it is not accidentally covered with earth. Then the planting site is watered abundantly with settled water at room temperature.

Next you need:

• To create a “greenhouse effect” - cover the planted seed with cellophane, cling film or a plastic bottle with the bottom cut off.
• Make a small hole in the improvised greenhouse for air access, otherwise the sprout may rot.
• Place the pot in a warm room. The windows should face the sunny side, but exposure to direct sunlight should be avoided.
• Regularly moisten the soil in the pot. Once every 2-3 days will be enough. More frequent watering can lead to waterlogging of the soil.
• Ventilate the greenhouse by lifting the film (unscrewing the cap of the plastic bottle) once every 2 days for 10–15 minutes.
• Wait until a strong sprout appears (there may be several of them). The time from planting the seed to the appearance of the sprout is 2–3 weeks.
• After a month, make holes of a larger diameter in the greenhouse. You should not remove the covering abruptly, otherwise changes in temperature and humidity will destroy the plant.

As soon as it is noticeable that the tree has begun to grow, the greenhouse can be removed.

First shoots: how to care for a tree

Mangoes need a lot of light and warmth. The tree will quickly increase in size if you follow the rules of care.

• Lighting

There is no need to place mangoes under the scorching sun. It is enough to place the pot near a window in a brightly lit place. If in the winter season, as daylight hours decrease, the plant begins to turn yellow and shed its leaves, it is recommended to install an artificial light source.

• Air temperature

An evergreen tree needs a temperature of about +25˚С. Its decrease by more than 7 degrees below normal can lead to a worsening of the condition.If the air temperature in a room with wood has reached +18˚C, it’s time to install heating devices.

At a temperature of +15˚С the tree “falls asleep”. Temperature +5˚С is considered critical. Cold weather is detrimental to a young tree.

• Fertilizer

Fertilizers will provide nutrition to the plant. Vermicompost and nitrogen-containing fertilizers are suitable for mangoes. You can purchase nutritional mixtures intended for palm trees and citrus fruits.

In summer, fertilizing is done once every 2 weeks by watering the plant with solutions of nitrate and ammonium sulfate. Organic fertilizers (infusions of litter, manure, plant leaves) are also good as a top dressing.

If you decide to use humus as a fertilizer, you need to make a small depression along the edge of the pot, fill it with biofertilizer and cover the mini-trench with earth. Such feeding will ensure active growth of the plant for a period of up to six months.

How often to water?

The humid tropics are the ideal climate for mango growth. To recreate the most approximate conditions, you need to:

• Control indoor air humidity. Ideally, it should be at least 70%.
• Water the plant at least once every 3 days. In summer, the dry air increases, so it is better to increase watering to once every 2 days.
• Spray the plant 1-2 times a day or wipe the leaves with a damp cloth. Spraying should be sharp and short-lived. When the leaves and stem are waterlogged, there is a high probability of fungus appearing, which can destroy the crown.

The main thing is not to forget about watering and maintain a sufficient level of air humidity.

Crown formation

When the tree reaches 1.5 m in height, it is time to form a crown. Mango tolerates pruning the top painlessly and easily restores it.

Branches that create unnecessary density should be removed. The central branch can be trimmed to the desired size.

If desired, you can give the plant the shape of a pyramid, a ball, or a spreading tree.

The cut areas must be treated with garden varnish. You can purchase the product in a store or prepare it yourself by mixing equal parts of paraffin, rosin and drying oil.

Transfer

For a painless transplant you need to do the following:

1. moisten the soil in the pot generously;
2. carefully remove the plant along with the earthen lump;
3. place in a larger pot;
4. sprinkle with earth.

In order for the plant to take root, it is necessary to place it in a dark place for 3-5 days, and then bring it out into the light.

Mango grafting

An exotic tree will be able to bear fruit after grafting. You can do this yourself:

1. Find a bud of a fruit-bearing tree and cut it off with a sharp knife (and in addition to the bud, you need to grab a piece of bark and wood).
2. On a homemade mango, make a cross-shaped cut at the bottom of the trunk and carefully bend the edges of the bark.
3. Place a bud at the cut site.
4. Wrap the stem at the point where the bud is attached with electrical tape and leave until germination.

Once the bud takes root, the mango will bear fruit. However, you will have to wait.

When does a mango start to bear fruit?

The flowers of the tree do not have any particular aesthetic value, but lovers of exotic plants await their appearance with great trepidation. Homemade mangoes begin to bloom and bear fruit only 6–10 years after grafting.

It takes 3 months from the moment of flowering to the appearance of the fruit, but what a pleasure it is to try such a long-awaited exotic fruit grown at home!

So, success in growing a mango tree at home largely depends on the microclimate.The less light and humidity, the lower the chances of success. However, many gardeners manage to achieve their goal - their apartments are decorated with exotic plants with a spreading dark green crown, and sometimes even with fragrant juicy fruits.