How to plant a Mango Seed: Turn a store-bought mango into a thriving tree
Mango, scientifically known as Mangifera indica, has been grown for over 4000 years, mainly in South and Southeast Asia. Around 300 A.D., the Portuguese spread mangoes from Asia to the world during spice trading. Even the name “Mango” is derived from the Portuguese word “Manga.” Nowadays, mangoes are cultivated worldwide, but Pakistan, India, China, Mexico, and Indonesia are considered top producers.
During China’s cultural revolution, Chairman Mao Zedong presented mangoes as a symbol of love to the public. Multiple phrases and some top songs, including “The Mango Walk,” are associated with mangoes. Mangoes are cultivated at home and commercial levels because of their nutritional value and economic benefits. Home cultivation brings fresh supplies with boosted nutritional value, prepared using organic matter rather than chemical fertilizers.
Home planting connects the grower with nature, gives the grower a feeling of accomplishment, and saves money on buying low-quality market fruits. Mango trees contribute to carbon sequestration, collect atmospheric carbon dioxide, and improve air quality, providing extensive oxygen for human beings. Their lush foliage and seasonal, beautiful flowers with a lighter smell create a beautiful aesthetic in home gardens.
Growcycle provides comprehensive plant cultivation techniques, products, and growth tools that can significantly benefit mango plantations. They provide step-by-step guides on growing plants, best care methods, harvesting, soil preparation, and customized watering plans. They offer access to a wide range of high-quality plantation tools, fertilizers, modern watering and lighting systems, and soil amendment formulas for healthy plant growth. They also guide people in avoiding pests and managing diseases with their cost-effective and practical solutions for healthy Mango plants.
Botanical Characteristics
Mango is an evergreen tree with a typical height of 15 to 17 feet or, in some cases, if provided optimal conditions, 98 to 132 feet. Its dense and symmetrical canopy is mostly 34 feet wide.
Leaves: The leaves are simple, lanceolate, and alternately placed on the plant branches. Mature leaves are dark green, but the young leaves may vary in color from pinkish to reddish to copper colored, but all have a feathery and glossy appearance.
Flowers: The flower inflorescence consists of loose clusters. The majority of flowers are male, but a few are hermaphrodites. They are primarily pinkish, reddish, and yellowish, just like leaves. They are small in size and mildly fragrant to attract pollinators.
Fruit: The mango fruit type is a drupe or stone fruit. It ranges from oval to long and kidney shapes and from plum size to 6 pounds in weight. The fruit color depends upon the maturity level, but usually, a fully ripened mango is dark yellow to orange or slightly red. On the other hand, a young fruit is usually green in color. The fruit is fibrous, unique, sweet-spiced, and juicy, consisting of a single large seed.
Nutritional Value and Health Benefits
Mangoes have extensive benefits for digestive health and skin. They are recommended as a primary dietary supplement for mangiferin, a polyphenol famous for its anti-cancer and anti-diabetic properties. Along with 99% calories, a 165-gram mango fruit’s nutritional value is as follows:
- Protein: 1.4 grams
- Carbohydrates: 24.7 grams
- Fat: 0.6 grams
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: 2 mg
- Potassium: 277 mg
- Vitamin C: 67% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Vitamin A: 10% of the DV
- Vitamin E: 10% of the DV
- Vitamin K: 6% of the DV
- Folate: 18% of the DV
- Vitamin B6: 12% of the DV
- Niacin: 7% of the DV
- Riboflavin: 5% of the DV
- Thiamine: 4% of the DV
- Magnesium: 4% of the DV
- Copper: 20% of the DV
- Calcium: 1% of the DV
- Iron: 1% of the DV
Mangoes are a rich source of carotenoids, such as beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, and lutein, which are crucial for eye health and treating age-related issues. Similarly, they offer a variety of flavonoids, including astragalin and quercetin, which help treat chronic diseases.
Besides these components, mangoes offer a wide range of minerals and vitamins. Even a single mango is more than enough to fulfill a person's daily vitamin C needs. Ultimately, eating mangoes boosts collagen production, which is best for smooth and healthy skin, fast wound healing following any cut or body damage, and boosting immune functions.
Additionally, a single mango fruit fulfills about 42% of the body's copper requirement, which is necessary for red blood cell formation and a healthy and functional nervous system. Pregnant ladies get about 37% folate of the daily required intake from a single mango fruit, which saves their new ones' mental health and controls DNA formation defects.
Mangoes provide a massive amount of vitamin E to protect body cells from damage and lead to muscle mass loss. They are also a good source of dietary fiber, including soluble and insoluble, to regulate blood sugar levels and bad cholesterol and promote gut health, preventing constipation and other digestion issues.
Most importantly, mangoes contain a vast repository of amylase enzyme, which breaks carbohydrates into sugars, giving the body a sudden energy boost and speeding up metabolism. In the same way, mangoes offer two other bioactive compounds, triterpenoids and gallic acid, that prevent the body from oxidative stress, inflammation, and cancer, like chronic diseases.
Growth Stages
The growth cycle of mangoes can be divided into 7 stages, and it takes two to four years from planting to fruit production.
The first phase is seed sowing and germination, which takes 2-3 weeks. Shoot development starts in the first three stages, and within 6-12 months, seeds focus on root sprouting. The first set of leaves grows by breaking the soil and enters phase 5 to make a strong leaf canopy. With proper care, this canopy turns itself into firm and well-rooted trees. Stage 6 starts by blooming the flowers, which enter stage 7 and produce fruit.
The mango tree produces fruit through self and cross pollination, so seeds can be polyembryonic or monoembryonic. In polyembryonic form, the tree's offspring will express the same traits, and if the selected seed is monoembryonic, the offspring can have genetic variations. All these indications and details help to maximize the growth of mango planting.
Popular Mango Varieties
Planting mangoes in a home garden can be rewarding if a suitable variety of seeds is selected. The growing rate of mangoes varies according to each region's climate change, so here are some popular varieties for home growing that can survive in all circumstances. Gardeners should select from these categories after assuring their garden soil and weather changes for robust production.
Haden
Haden mangoes are famous for their bright red skin with hints of green and yellow. They taste very sweet and juicy, with no fibers. They grow best in warm places like Florida and need plenty of sunlight and well-drained soil. Haden mango trees are easy to care for but need regular watering during dry times. They can catch some diseases, so ensure they have enough space and airflow to stay healthy.
Kent
Kent mangoes are big and have green skin that turns red when they’re ripe. They’re very sweet juicy, and don’t have much fiber, so they’re great for eating fresh. These mangoes grow well in Florida and California. They need lots of sunlight and soil that drains well. Kent mango trees are pretty resistant to diseases and only need a moderate amount of water. They also do well with regular feeding using balanced fertilizer and occasional pruning to keep them healthy and well-shaped.
Tommy Atkins
Tommy Atkins mangoes are easy to spot with their reddish-purple skin and green and yellow spots. They have a bit of fiber in the flesh but are known for lasting long and having a firm, tangy taste. They grow well in different conditions, so they’re a good choice for places like Florida and California. Tommy Atkins mango trees are tough and flexible. They need regular watering, especially when it's dry, and should be pruned yearly to help them grow better and produce more fruit.
Keitt
Keitt mangoes are big and have green skin that stays green even when they're ripe. They taste sweet and tangy, and they aren't very fibrous. These mangoes grow best in warm places like Florida and California. They need lots of sunlight and soil that drains well. Keitt mango trees are tough and need regular watering and some fertilizing now and then. They're usually good at fighting off diseases but should be checked for pests and illnesses.
How to Plant a Mango Seed
Mango plantation consists of several steps, which are crucial for healthy growth and long-term fruit production. Here is a detailed overview of all steps:
1. Selecting and Preparing the Mango Seed
The planting process typically starts by selecting the seed variety according to weather and available facilities for activity. While selecting the seeds, beginners should consider disease resistance and fruit quality. Selecting seeds according to soil type and care requirements upon house level helps to grow the plant smoothly.
Some varieties can grow in limited spaces, but overall, a mango tree needs spacious space for growth. The viability test helps in choosing better seeds. It's a quick quality check where mango seeds are dropped into a water container. The liable seeds sink in water, while the hollow seeds start floating in water.
Before planting, it's important to remove weeds and debris from the soil and clean the seed. Using a sharp knife to cut the mango and separate the seed from the fruit prevents damaging the inner embryo. After separation, the seed should be washed under running water and dried for 24 hours. The outer layer of the seed can be removed for fast germination.
2. Germination Methods
The germination of mango seed is possible by multiple techniques:
Paper Towel Method
This method involves wrapping the dry mango seed in a damp paper towel. Then, growers can place the wrapped seed in a plastic bag or container with a lid to keep it humid. The container is placed in dark and warm places. Periodically, if the towel gets dried, it is necessary to re-damp it. The germination process can take 2-4 weeks, regardless of the regional climate.
Water Germination Technique
Removing the husk from seeds and soaking them in water can help the roots sprout faster, usually within 2-4 weeks. This method involves placing the husk-free seed in a water-filled glass or jar. The water should change after a few days to prevent bacterial growth. The seed must be partially dipped in the water. Using a toothpick helps prop up the seed and prevent it from floating.
Direct Soil Planting
The mango seed can be directly broadcast in the soil without outer germination. Direct planting can take a long germination period but does not affect the growth rate. A filling pot is required for direct planting, and the mango seed must kept with the flat side facing down. It should be covered with slightly pot soil.
3. Planting the Germinated Seed
The germinated seed is ready for planting when its roots become visible. The mango seeds can be planted in pot soil or garden beds. The following detail is helpful if the seed is planted in pot soil:
The selected pot must have drainage holes with well-drained soil, leaving a 1-2 inch space from the top. The nutrients can be balanced by mixing sand and peat moss in garden soil. The seed is planted after making a hole in the center, ensuring it's deep enough to cover the roots. While placing the seed, its rot direction must be down, facing the shoot side upward. The covering soil should not overspread, which causes the rot roots. Its sprout side must be 1 inch above the soil surface.
Garden beds can be prepared by mixing organic matter or sand with soil. The planting instructions are the same as for pots. The planted seeds should be watered thoroughly to settle the surrounding roots. Once or twice a week is enough to moisten the soil.
4. Caring for Young Mango Tree
Taking good care of mango trees means giving them the right environment to grow. This includes ensuring they get enough light, keeping the temperature just right, and watering them regularly. The pots should be kept on a south-facing balcony because a minimum of 6-8 hours of direct sunlight is necessary for growth. The mango plants thrive better in tropical environments; hence, the pots must be shifted indoors during cooling months to protect them.
Young plants also need moderate to high humidity. Indoor plants can maintain their humidity through humidifiers or a water-filled tray near the plant. The soil should stay moist during the growing phase, but checking it by hand touch before watering is essential. Balanced fertilizers or well-rotted manure should be used to fertilize young plants.
5. Transplanting and Long Term Care
Growing roots out of the pot or slow-speed growth indicates that the plant lacks space and nutrients. These are signs that the plant needs to be repotted. Summer and spring months are best for recovering from transplanting shocks. The pot should be larger than the current one, and watering the plant before repotting can release the roots’ stress. The pot should be removed carefully by tapping on the sides or using a loosening tool.
Trimming extra and dead roots helps protect the plant from diseases before moving it to a new pot. Don’t place it in the new pot immediately; let it rest for a few days to adapt to the new soil. If the plant is getting too big, growers should shape and prune it. Use sharp tools to make clean cuts and avoid damaging the plant.
6. Harvesting
Fruit production starts with flowering, which turns into small green mangoes with a hard texture. Gradually, the texture and color of the fruit change as it matures. Late summer and early fall are suitable for picking the fruit. The wrinkles on the fruit skin and sweet aroma near the stem are signs of ripened mangoes, ready to pluck from leaves.
Sharp tools should be used to harvest the mangoes, leaving a small stem with fruit. Underripe mangoes can also be harvested to ripen them at room temperature. For this process, the mangoes are wrapped in paper to foster the ripening process.
Mango Plantation - Seedling To Mature Plant
Tips for Mango Growers
Use practical strategies, solid research, the right nutrients, and good tools to get the best results from growing mangoes. Here are some helpful tips for mango growers:
- Onion juice is a great natural rooting hormone for mangoes.
- Planting legume crops with mangoes adds nitrogen to the soil and improves its fertility.
- Fallen mango leaves can be used as mulch around the plant.
- If growers have limited space, they can graft different mango varieties onto one rootstock to enjoy multiple types of mangoes.
- Using biochar improves soil structure and helps beneficial microbes grow. Reflective mulch, like silver plastic, can also help keep pests away.
Potential Challenges and Solutions
As a beginner, a grower should first research the possible challenges he may encounter while planting mangoes. The top considerations should include modern hybrid varieties with high immunity, good sustainability in extreme weather conditions, and substantial yield productivity.
Climate Variability
Generally, mango plantations are safe as they are solid and long-lasting trees that do not require much nutrition to grow. But they can’t bear extreme weather conditions, e.g., frost and drought. Even heavy rains may also lead to root rot in mangoes. So, choosing a specific variety in cultivation is vital rather than relying on a single type.
Microclimate management techniques, including shade hets, windbreaks, and regulating the irrigation system according to climate needs, can save the plant in extreme weather conditions.
Soil Degradation
No single crop should be grown repeatedly for a long time on the same soil. This leads to soil degradation by continuously utilizing some specific nutrients and ultimately accumulating other ones. It results in soil fertility loss, stunts plant growth, soil erosion, and, in extreme conditions, plant death.
To balance nutrition levels, the soil must be regularly checked and bio-fertilized. Cover cropping or rotating crops can also improve soil structure by improving the nutrient cycle.
Pest and Disease Management
Mango hoppers, mealybugs like pets, powdery mildew, and anthracnose-like diseases can stunt plant growth, yellow leaves, and drop young fruits and wildflowers.
Regular inspection and application of fungicides, pesticides, and chemical treatments are mandatory. Lady bugs are the best biological control solution for eliminating mango pesticides.
FAQs
Can I grow a Mango tree from a store bought Mango seed?
Yes, it works. To grow a mango from a store-bought seed, first, it is necessary to thoroughly clean it. Then, opening the husk to remove the inner seed, wrapping it in a moist towel, and putting it in a darker area leads to seed germination.
Can I grow a Mango tree indoors?
YYoucan grow a mango tree indoors, but it needs special care. Mango trees need a lot of sunlight, so put them near a sunny window where they can get at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day. Use a large pot with good drainage, and water the tree regularly, keeping the soil moist but not too wet. Dwarf mango varieties are better for indoor growing because they are smaller and easier to handle. Remember, it might take a few years for the tree to produce fruit, and the amount of fruit may be limited indoors.
How often should I water Mango seedlings?
Watering may vary according to the plant's age, season, and environmental conditions. Generally, seedlings require watering every 2 to 3 days. Mature plants require only one to two times a week, and indoor plants require watering only when the top inch of the soil becomes dry.
The Bottom Line
Planting a mango seed is fun and rewarding. With the right preparation and care, growers can grow a healthy mango tree in their home or garden. From choosing the right seed to caring for the tree to harvesting the fruit, each step helps ensure success. By following these steps, growers can enjoy sweet, nutritious mangoes and help the environment.
Growcycle is the best solution for planting techniques, sustainable practices, and pesticide control. They offer personalized advice on mango cultivation, tips and tools for efficient water management in mango farming, and guidance on improving soil health. Their field experience also provides knowledge of market trends, demanding mango varieties, and resources to manage a commercial level mango plantation with a thorough budget analysis.
Disclaimer: This material is for informational purposes only and should not be relied on for legal, medical, financial, or other professional advice.
