Grow a mango tree indoors using a dwarf species that is easy to care for. If you want to add interest to your house with a bushy, shrub-like plant with glossy leaves, consider having a mango tree.
We are here to guide you so that you can grow your plant with ease. This article will help you to have an insight into how best can you grow this long-living fruit tree.
How To Grow a Mango Tree Indoors
Mango trees are easy to grow indoors as long as you choose the correct variety like the dwarf one. A dwarf mango tree indoors can make your journey a success as it is not difficult to take care of. The variety can grow up to a maximum height of eight feet and will save you from cutting it back regularly.
– Growing the Mango Tree From Seeds
Although the tree is easy to grow from the seed by yourself, you can also check for the indoor mango tree for sale with your local nursery or on Amazon.
You can use the mango seed from the fruit that you buy and eat to grow your tree. After eating the flesh, scrape all that is left using the knife so that the pod will not be slippery when you cut its seam to get the seed.
Remove the hard husk using the butter knife to get the soft, white, or yellow seed. You can plant it with the husk but to speed up the germination process, we recommend that you remove it.
Hydrate the sprouted seed by submerging it in water for 24 hours and then wrap it with a damp paper towel. Put the mango seed in a plastic bag, close it, write the date and name of the fruit if you are germinating different varieties, and then leave it in a well-lit spot for two weeks.
Cut one corner of the bag open so that air can circulate and dry out excess moisture to avoid the development of molds. Once you see the developing roots and a shoot, transfer your tree to a pot.
Make sure the shoot is standing upright and start to take care of it but do not expose it to too much sunlight. Keep the potting mix moist for the germinating sprouted mango seed to develop.
– Growing the Mango Tree By Grafting
Grow mango trees by grafting to get fruits sooner. You should have a healthy seedling that will act as a rootstock. Cut the top part of the rootstock and make an opening that slopes inward into the plant seedling stem.
Then, you cut the section from the desired variety making a V-shaped cut so that you can slip it down into the rootstock cut.
You should use the polythene strip to wrap the rootstock so that it will hold the scion tightly and in place. You should completely cover the top part of the rootstock so that it will attach to the scion, making one stem.
You can even graft different varieties so that you can enjoy different types of mangoes grown on one tree. By grafting, you will get the exact variety that you cut a scion from.
– Water Requirements
Water the young mango plant regularly during its first two years. You should water it at least twice a week in summer and once every month in winter. You should water the mango tree directly above its root zone as well as along its taproot.
Irrigate thoroughly and wait for about two minutes so that the water can penetrate prior to pouring some additional water.
Make sure the water you are pouring is making several inches of the soil moist. If the potting mix is draining water properly, do not wait for the topsoil to dry before another watering.
Note that you must spray the indoor mango leaves with water to clean them and improve humidity levels.
– Light Requirements
Mango trees thrive well if they are receiving eight to 10 hours of direct sun. Place your mango plant on a south-facing or westward-facing window. Furthermore, you may use a sunroof but you need to protect seedlings from too much sun until they are well established.
Additionally, you need to take your plant outside regularly for direct sunlight as lack of such light can hinder the plant from producing fruits.
Do not expect any fruit if you are having a mango tree indoors. If your mango tree is not getting enough sunlight, consider supplementing it.
Buy a LED grow light and you should follow instructions on how to use it. Set the light on a 12-hour timer and make sure it is not too close to your plant.
– Soil and Potting Requirements
Mango grow perfectly in a lightweight, well-draining, and nutritious potting mix. Mix forest floor mulch, compost, and pumice so that you can easily carry the light pot around for sunlight.
Put the potting mix in a pot that can hold the root ball for more than a year. After covering your tree with the potting soil, add two inches of organic mulch into the pot to improve water retention and plant nutrients as it decomposes.
You may add gravel at the bottom of the pot to a level of at least one inch to improve drainage. The 5.5 to 7.5 pH level is preferred by a mango tree. The pot should also have draining holes to avoid waterlogging your tree.
Remember, if you want your tree to remain small, do not repot when it becomes root-bound.
– Temperature Requirements
Mango trees grow naturally in a tropical climate so they are hardy to high temperatures as compared to cold weather. The tree is easily affected by very low or frosty temperatures that it can lose its flowers and fruits. The whole tree can die if the tree experiences unfavorable weather conditions of less than 28 to 32 degrees Fahrenheit for an extended period.
The ideal temperature is between 80 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit however it can tolerate 50 degrees Fahrenheit as well.
– Humidity
The trees thrive well in high humidity levels. Also, consider misting your plant to keep the humidity levels on par with its requirements. You should also place the mango in a spot where there is enough ventilation for air circulation.
– Fertilizer Requirements
Mango growing needs more nutrients to thrive so you can apply fertilizer as a supplement. Apply fertilizers in summer, which is the plants growing season, and stop in winter. You should use a slow-release fertilizer and apply it once every two or three months during your plant’s first year of growth. After that, apply fertilizer two to three times per year.
The fertilizer is important for the mango tree to grow healthy, blossom, and manufacture fruits. Mango trees do not need much nitrogen so a balanced fertilizer with equal sharing ratios of 6:6:6 will do.
Keep in mind that you should change the fertilizer when the mango tree begins producing fruits. At this point, you should use the fertilizer with more potassium and phosphorus to improve fruiting.
– Pruning
The mango tree growing indoors should be pruned to maintain a good shape and size, as well as to keep it healthy. Pruning the mango tree will make it bushier. Hence, pruning is crucial in keeping the tree smaller while indoors.
Use the disinfected, sharp hand shear to cut the unwanted, dead, or broken branches of your mango tree. To maintain a smaller size, snip off the treetop so that it can grow sideways. You should continue pruning the top whenever it starts to grow up when it reaches the height of your choice.
– Pests and Diseases
The mango tree that is grown indoors is not highly susceptible to attacks by pests and diseases. Although the indoor one is not easily attacked, the mango tree pests and diseases include sooty mold, anthracnose, mango mealybugs, fruit flies, and bacterial black spot.
These pests and diseases affect the plant stems, fruits, and foliage. Avoid the infections by cleaning the tree’s bases and pruning them when necessary.
Anthracnose is a serious disease of mango. If you see your plant flowers turning black and falling off, know that it has been infected with anthracnose.
The other signs of infection are brown leaves and black spots on fruits and stems. Prune the affected areas, then use copper solution or fungicides to effectively treat anthracnose.
Use Neem oil to control the pests that are attacking your mango tree. Neem oil is safe to use as it does not contain chemicals that are harmful to people if they consume the fruit. If you are growing many trees, make sure there is enough space between them so that air can circulate.
– Harvest Mango Fruits
If you are asking yourself, “Will my indoor mango tree bear fruit?” the answer is a resounding “yes.” With proper care, your mango tree can bear fruit that will be harvested after five months, counting from the flowering stage.
Remember that you should patiently wait for six to eight years without enjoying any harvest if you grow your tree from the seed. Grafted mango can produce fruit after three or four years.
Depending on the variety, some mangoes turn golden orange when they are ripe and ready to be harvested. Mangoes are easy to harvest as there are no special tools required.
You can use your hands to snap the mango off the fruit stem but you need to be careful so that the tree sap will not fall on your skin.
Mango trees produce a chemical called urushiol that can cause skin rash and is found on the plant fruits and stems so you can clip the stem at about four inches from the fruit.
You can use a ladder so that you reach the fruits that are high above the mango tree. You can also use a pole with a bag or net attached to its end so that the plucked mangoes will fall into the bag or net.
Some prefer to harvest the mangoes while still young and green so that they can eat the soft, immature seed inside.
– Storing Mango Fruits
Harvested mangoes can be stored on trays but they stay fresh for a short period. Place them on trays and make sure the stem side is facing down so that the sap will not stain the fruit but drained off.
You can also store your mangoes in a refrigerator to maintain their freshness. You should eat them within five days to enjoy their sweet juice. Mango fruits can also be kept in a freezer and in this case, you can consume them for an extended period of time.
You should peel, slice, and place mangoes in an airtight container, prior to keeping them frozen in a freezer for future consumption.
The frozen mangoes can be eaten after several months while fresh. You can also harvest mature, unripe mangoes and store them to ripe after two to three weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
– How Big Do Mango Trees Get?
The mango trees can reach between 30 to 130 feet tall depending on the variety and this makes them suitable for being grown as an outdoor plant. You can prune your plant and maintain a height of 10 to 23 feet if you want to grow it as an indoor plant.
– Can You Grow a Mango Tree in a Container?
Yes. You can grow mango trees in containers. We recommend the Irwin variety as the best mango tree for container-based plant parenting. Other varieties that you can consider include the dwarf and the Nam Doc Mai.
– What Are the Characteristics of Mango Tree?
The mango tree is an evergreen tropical plant that is native to Southern Asia. Its botanical name is Mangifera Indica. The mango tree has branches, a round canopy, and a thick trunk. The leaves of mango are lanceolate, dark green, and shiny with petioles
The versatile fruits are sweet and juicy, and some are stringy inside. The mango tree fruits’ taste, size, shape, and color also depend on the cultivar. The mango tree can live for more than a hundred years and still be fruitful.
The fruits taste better as the tree grows older with proper mango tree care. The mango tree is also self-pollinating so there is no need to have many for it to produce fruit.
Conclusion
You now have the important information on how to grow your mango tree the expert way.
Below is a summary of the main points that you might need to refer to more often.
- Mango trees can be grown by germinating the seeds or grafting.
- The mango tree grows well if exposed to at least eight hours of direct sunlight.
- Mango indoors should be pruned to maintain a certain height so that it is kept smaller as they can grow up to 130 feet if grown outside.
- You should choose small varieties like the dwarf when caring for your mango tree indoors.
Now, you are ready to have your mango tree. Get the seeds, buy seedlings from the nursery, or do grafting and enjoy the experience of growing your mango tree. Start today and beautify your home with the evergreen tree while consuming the juicy fruits.
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