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If you are interested in growing mango trees, then you’ve come to the right place.
Without exaggeration, this is the most in-depth and practical guide to growing mango trees that you will find on the internet. The contents of this grow guide are derived from:
- My 6+ Years of Personal Experience Growing Mangos
- Interviews with the Best Mango Growers in the United States
- Published Research from the University of Florida
Furthermore, I want to give a special “Thank You” to Alex Salazar from Tropical Acres Farms for doing an exclusive interview with TropicalTreeGuide.com and contributing to this guide. Alex has invaluable knowledge from his 13+ years of growing 300+ mango cultivars and has one of the most diverse mango collections in the world.
Warning: There is A LOT of information on this page. It’s not called the ‘Ultimate Guide to Growing Mango Trees’ for nothing 🙂 With that being said, all the information on this page is practical and to the point.
Whether you are here to get a quick answer or wanting to learn everything you can about growing mango trees, please use the table of contents below to jump to whatever you care about the most 🙂
Note: TropicalTreeGuide.com is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, I may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Basic Requirements for Growing Mango Trees
Mango Tree Climate Requirements
Mangos are considered tropical trees that can be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 9B – 11.
If you don’t know what your USDA Hardiness Zone is, you can input your zip code into the USDA’s Hardiness Zone Map (they recently changed in 2023). I have also included the latest and greatest map below:
As we can see, the states where we can grow mango trees generally translates to areas found in Florida, California, Hawaii, Texas, Arizona & Puerto Rico. According to the University of Florida, “mature trees can withstand air temperatures as low as 25°F for a few hours with injury to leaves and small branches. However, young trees may be killed at 29°F to 30°F .” As a result, mango trees should not be planted in areas that receive regular freezes.
With that being said, how successful a mango tree will grow in a particular area (even when located in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 -11) largely depends on both the area’s humidity levels and specific cultivar of mango. That is because mango trees tend to thrive in areas with humidity levels consistently above 50%.
For instance, California’s Mediterranean climate, which is cool and dry, requires mango cultivars that are much more vigorous in order to actively grow. On the other hand, Florida’s tropical environment is warm and wet (closer to a mango tree’s native habitat) and can support more slower growing dwarf and semi-dwarf cultivars.
Beyond USDA Hardiness Zones, mango trees should be planted in areas that receive full sun (6+ hours / day).
Mango Tree Soil Requirements
Aside from climate, mango trees thrive in sandy-loam soils that are well-draining.
For those growing mango trees in Florida, the native sandy soil is perfect. On the other hand, if you are interested in growing mangos in containers, I outline my recommended soil mixture in the “How to Grow Mango Trees in Containers” section of this guide.
While mango trees can tolerate occasional flooding, they generally do not like having “wet feet” or prolonged exposure to excessive water. Likewise, consistently overwatering a mango tree can exponentially increase the chances of the tree getting root rot.
From a soil pH perspective, mango trees prefer a soil pH between 5.5 – 7.5. If your soil is more alkaline, you’ll want to use sulfur to lower your soil’s pH. On the other hand, if your soil is more acidic, you’ll want to use lime to raise your soil’s pH.
Mango Tree Water Requirements
The most effective way to water mango trees is by “deep watering” at longer intervals and allowing the soil to dry out in between waterings.
A simple and effective trick to knowing whether or not a mango tree needs water is by sticking your finger a few inches deep into the soil. If the soil feels moist, then the mango tree doesn’t need to be watered. If you don’t want to get your fingers dirty all the time, you can also opt to use a moisture meter.
Newly planted mango trees should be watered twice a week for the first two months, with waterings then dropping down to once a week for another two months.
Once a mango tree flushes new foliage growth, it is considered established. With that being said, young mango trees would still benefit from being watered every 1-2 weeks for the first few years of there lives. This is especially important for areas that are currently experiencing drought conditions.
The good news is that mango trees are very good at telling us what type of water stress they are experiencing.
As an example, the leaf tips of an overwatered mango tree (more common problem) will look like this (look for the dark black line separating the ‘burnt’ tip from the rest of the green leaf):
Growing Mangos by Seed vs Choosing a Grafted Mango Cultivar
Growing Mangos From Seed
When growing mango trees from seed, there are two important considerations to keep in mind.
First, mango tree seedlings can take upwards of 5-8 years before they produce their first fruit.
Additionally, mango seeds can either be monoembryonic or polyembryonic.
Monoembryonic Mango Seeds
Monoembryonic mango seeds produce one mango tree seedling that is a product of cross-pollination. As a result, monoembryonic mango seeds will NOT develop into the same mango cultivar that it originally came from.
As an example, if we planted the seed from an Angie Mango, we will not get an Angie Mango Tree. Instead, we would get a brand new mango cultivar whose fruit can taste either better or worse than Angie.
Polyembryonic Mango Seeds
On the other hand, polyembryonic mango seeds produce multiple mango tree seedlings. All of the seedlings (with the exception of one that is the result of cross-pollination) represent “clones” of the mother tree that will develop into the same mango cultivar that it originally came from.
As an example, let’s assume that we planted the seed from a Coconut Cream Mango and it produced 4 seedlings. Three of the seedlings would be Coconut Cream Mangos while one would be a product of cross-pollination.
The best way to identify whether a seedling is a clone or not is to separate the seedlings and allow them to grow out over the course of several months. We can then compare the more mature trees (i.e. growth rate, leaves, height, etc.) to see which seedlings look identical and which one looks different from all the others.
Generally speaking, I have found that cross-pollinated seedlings tend to look weaker relative to the rest of the seedlings.
Choosing a Grafted Mango Cultivar
When it comes to growing mango trees, grafted mango cultivars are typically the better route to take.
That is because not only are you getting a known mango cultivar (you know what fruit you are getting), but also grafted mango trees generally begin producing fruit within 2-3 years. This is much faster than growing from seed!
When purchasing a grafted mango cultivar, there are three primary factors to consider:
Note: Where applicable, I’ve included links to cultivar-specific grow guides 😊
Mango Cultivars by Season
Below is a non-exhaustive list of different mango cultivars by season:
| Early-Season (April – May) | Mid-Season (June – July) | Late-Season (July – September) |
|---|---|---|
| Angie | Pickering | Lancetilla |
| Rosigold | Coconut Cream | Venus |
| Philippine (Carabao) | Sweet Tart | Valencia Pride |
| Lemon Meringue | Sugarloaf | Lemon Zest |
| Florigon | Julie | Cotton Candy |
| Glenn | Carrie | Peach Cobbler |
| Edward | Pina Colada | Fruit Punch |
| Rosa | Orange Sherbet | M-4 |
Mango Cultivars by Tree Size
Below is a non-exhaustive list of different mango cultivars by tree size:
Note: Just because a mango cultivar is labeled “dwarf” or “semi-dwarf” doesn’t mean it won’t get big eventually. Those growth habit labels generally mean that they just grow more slowly. With that being said, there are “true dwarf” mango cultivars that include but are not limited to: Julie, Pickering, Dwarf Hawaiian & Saigon.
Mango Cultivars by Flavor Profile
Below is a non-exhaustive list of different mango cultivars by flavor profile:
| Classic | Citrus | Coconut | Indian | Indochinese | Thai |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rosigold | Peach Cobbler | Pickering | Super Julie | Venus | Nam Doc Mai #4 |
| Valencia Pride | Orange Sherbet | Julie | Angie | Philippine (Carabao) | Chok Anon |
| Cotton Candy | Lemon Meringue | Pina Colada | Alphonso | Kathy | Brahm Kai Meu |
| Fruit Punch | Mallika | M-4 | ST Maui | Buttercream | Diamond |
| Pineapple Pleasure | Lemon Zest | Sugarloaf | Neelum | Sweet Tart | Okrung |
| Cogshall | Orange Essence | Coconut Cream | Ugly Betty | Fairchild | Ivory |
| Beverly | Seacrest/Triple Sec | Dwarf Hawaiian | Carrie | Cac | Maha Chanok |
Bonus: Delicious Mango Cultivars That Aren’t As Well-Known
When I asked Alex from Tropical Acres Farms if there were any delicious but less well-known cultivars that he’d recommend to homeowners, he suggested that folks should check out Carla, Bennet Alphonso & Saigon (not to be confused with Dupuis Saigon – which is still delicious!)
How to Plant a Mango Tree in 7 Steps
1. Choosing the Perfect Location for a Mango Tree
When choosing a location for a mango tree, there are four primary considerations to keep in mind:
- Sun Exposure: Does the location receive full sun (6+ hours / day)?
- Soil Type: Does the location have a sandy loam soil with good drainage?
- Elevation: Will the location not flood in the event of a normal rain?
- Spacing: Does the tree have enough space to grow?
If you answered “Yes!” to all the above questions, then it is likely a great location for growing a mango tree.
However, I do want to take an extra moment to talk about the “controversial topic” of mango tree spacing. That is because the most common question that I get emailed, hear in growing videos, see discussed online etc. is: “How close can I plant my mango trees? 8 feet apart? 10 feet apart? 16 feet apart?“
Simply put, there is no one correct answer. It depends on a variety of factors including but not limited to:
- What are your growing goals?
- Which mango tree cultivars are you growing?
- What rootstock are your mango trees growing on?
- How are you fertilizing your mango trees?
- Are you staying on top of an active pruning regimen?
To further illustrate my point, consider the following real-world examples:
- Alex Salazar at Tropical Acres Farms grows his mango trees 16 foot apart with 20 feet in between each row
- Dr. Richard Campbell has a high density mango orchard with 200+ mango trees on a half acre
- The trees in my personal mango orchard are spaced 10-12 feet apart
Generally speaking, if you want to grow as many mango trees as possible (i.e. less spacing) then it’s important to:
- Choose dwarf/semi-dwarf mango varieties (see above)
- Do not use any nitrogen fertilizer (for more information see the “How to Fertilize Your Mango Tree” section)
- Actively and aggressively prune the trees (for more information see the “How to Prune Your Mango Tree” section)
- Once the tree is mature enough to support consistent fruiting – maximize fruit production in order to slow down the tree’s overall growth rate (for more information see the “How to Fertilize Your Mango Tree” section)
2. Dig a Hole & Prep the Surrounding Area
After settling on a location for our mango tree, it’s now time to dig a hole and prepare the surrounding area.
According to the University of Florida, we should “dig a hole that is one and one-half to three times the width of the root ball (the roots and soil attached to the plant when you remove it from its pot). You can also dig a hole that is only slightly larger than the root ball and simply loosen the soil around it with a shovel.”
The hole should be wide and shallow. When placing the tree (while still in the pot) into the hole, the rootball should ideally be about 1/2 – 1 inch above the ground.
While this may look silly at first, the rootball will eventually settle to ground level. This is a critically important with mangos because if we plant the tree at ground level, then the tree will sink and create a basin that will pool water during storms. While mangos can take a little bit of water, they do not like wet feet (constantly wet soil).
Once we’ve dug our hole, we should prepare the surrounding area. In a nutshell, this just means removing any grass or weeds within 2-3 feet of the hole. This will provide the following benefits:
- Preventing plants with shallower root systems from stealing water from our young mango trees
- Preventing mango trees from being harmed when landscaping (most landscapers don’t care)
- Decreasing humidity around the tree leading to decreased disease pressure (Alex recommendation)
While each bullet point is important, I really want to emphasize the second point. If your tree is planted with grass around it, it will become a pain in the ass to keep the turf looking good without harming the tree. Mango trees have very loose bark and are easily damaged by nylon string.
According to the Nashville Tree Conservation Corps:
When bark is removed or cut by a weed trimmer or mower, it can lead to short-term problems like decay, creating entry points for fungus, bacteria or insects. Long-term issues from damage to bark include brittle branches and other structural weaknesses that stem from poor health. This can contribute to later damage from falling branches or trees.
3. Prepare the Mango Tree for Planting
Before planting our mango tree in the ground, we need to prepare the tree so that it has the best shot of becoming established with a healthy root system. We do this by preparing the root system and canopy prior to planting.
Preparing the Root System
If our mango tree looks as if it was recently potted up (small tree in a big pot), then it may be a good idea to keep the tree in a pot for a little longer. That is because the root ball could have lost some structure during it’s most recent transplanting.
As a result, it’s better to be safe and allow the root ball to “heal” and develop some more structure prior to planting. Once the tree flushes new growth (and that growth has hardened off) it will be ready for planting. While we can still technically plant a recently potted up tree, we should take extra caution not to damage the young & fragile roots.
On the other side of the spectrum are trees that have been in pots longer than they should have been and have become pot bound. Classic signs of a pot bound mango tree include:
- Thick roots coming out of the bottom of the pot
- Circling roots when taken out of the pot.
If your mango tree has circling roots, then the tree will need to be root pruned prior to planting.
That is because planting a mango tree with circling roots can lead to continued circular growth, restricting the roots from extending beyond the initial root ball to access essential nutrients and water. This, in turn, significantly increases the risk of stunting the tree for its entire lifespan.
A common mistake when root pruning is just grabbing and pulling the roots. Not only can this damage the roots, but this can also result in the roots matting up which can increase the chances for an infection.
Instead, we’ll want to use a pair of pruning sheers that have been sanitized with either alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. For root pruning, I like to use needle nose sheers. Because mango soil from nurseries usually have a lot of sand (dulling the sheers), I make sure to periodically sharpen them with a blade sharpener.
To root prune a mango tree, you just have to take the tree out of the pot and lightly clip any roots that have touched the container. When pruning, don’t be afraid to cut into bigger feeder roots. After root pruning, it’s perfectly natural for the tree to be slightly shocked; we can mitigate the shock by keeping the tree well-watered.
If we end up cutting a lot of roots, then we’ll have to also prune the canopy back. That is because our tree now has a “smaller” root system that can no longer support the canopy’s original size. If we don’t cut the canopy back after root pruning, the tree can die.
Preparing the Canopy
Prior to planting, we can prune the canopy into our desired shape.
As an example, if the mango tree is long and skinny but we prefer a lower-branching tree, it’s perfectly OK to take off some of the top branches/trunk to promote that structure. I personally prefer promoting lower-branching trees because I have found that they are less susceptible to wind damage and are easier to control in terms of height.
That is exactly what I did with my Coconut Cream Mango:
Additionally, we shouldn’t plant a mango tree with new/tender foliage growth. That is because the new foliage is more susceptible to wilting (increased transpiration) relative to the more mature leaves.
If we want to keep the new growth, that’s OK – we just need to keep the tree in the pot until the new leaves have hardened off. On the other hand, it’s perfectly OK to plant a tree with swelling buds.
4. Place the Mango Tree in the Hole
DO NOT PUT FERTILIZE (ORGANIC, CHEMICAL) IN THE HOLE!
According to the University of Florida:
Adding slow release fertilizer of any type at planting has never been associated with improved or reduced survival. There are only a few documented growth increases associated with fertilization applications made at or soon after planting (Gilman et al. 2000). Response to fertilizer applications at planting is most likely to occur in poor soils, and response is likely to be minimal. Application of slow release fertilizer is not likely to hurt the plant provided it is applied according to the directions on the product. On the other hand, adding soluble fertilizer to a newly installed plant could burn roots if too much is applied. Burned roots will injure the plant and could kill it under some circumstances”
University of Florida
With that being said, every tree that I have every planted in my mango orchard has gotten three amendments at the time of planting:
- Absucular Mycorizhae
- Small handful of earthworm castings
- Small cup of Azomite
For more information on why I use these specific amendments, see the “How To Fertilize Mango Trees” section.
When placing a grafted mango tree in the hole, it’s a good idea to have the graft facing north.
That is because the graft represents one of the weakest parts of the tree and can easily get sun-burned when facing east or west due to the additional sun exposure. With that being said, I like to be safe and use a “sunscreen” to prevent the trunk from getting sun burnt by using a product like Plant Guard by IV Organics.
After placing the tree in the hole and making sure it’s straight, backfill the hole with the original native soil.
Afterwords, go around the diameter of the root ball with a screwdriver/stick to remove any air pockets. Then lightly stomp around the diameter of the new tree to help the soil get settled; do not make the soil super compact (roots still need air!).
5. Top Dress the Soil with Compost & Mulch
After the tree is planted, we can take 1-2 bags of our favorite compost and top dress the surrounding soil area that we prepared earlier in Step 2. Make sure the compost is at least 6 inches away from the tree trunk (not touching).
At this point, we should put several inches of mulch on top of the compost. This will assist with soil moisture retention that will make the soil more attractive for the roots to grow out into.
Additionally, this will also create a mini mulch berm that we can use to more easily deep water our mango tree.
6. Water the Tree Deeply
Using the mini mulch basin that we’ve created, we can now deeply water the tree.
The technique that I like to use is filling the basin full of water and then letting the water slowly steep into the ground. I will repeat this 3-5 times to make sure that I know I got all the roots wet. It’s that easy 😃
With that being said, here are some additional tips in regards to watering our tree for the first time:
- It’s better to plant a smaller gallon mango tree because they require less water to get established.
- The best time to plant a mango tree (or any tree for that matter) is before a thunderstorm because all the surrounding soil will definitely get wet.
- If you are watering with a hose, make sure that you are not directly hitting the root ball with water.
7. Continue Watering Tree Until Established
After planting our mango tree, we’ll want to continue watering infrequently and deeply.
Do NOT rely on overhead water from an irrigation system.
A good rule of thumb for watering newly planted mango trees is watering twice a week for the first two months, with waterings then dropping down to once a week for another two months.
A simple and effective trick to knowing whether or not a mango tree needs water is sticking our finger a few inches deep into the soil. If the soil feels moist, then the mango tree doesn’t need to be watered. If we don’t want to get our fingers dirty all the time, we can also opt to use a moisture meter.
Once the tree pushes out new foliage growth, it is established! However, if we live in an area with ongoing drought conditions, it may be a good idea to continue deep watering young mango trees at least once a week.
How to Fertilize a Mango Tree
Fertilizing Mango Trees: General Considerations
Consider Getting a Soil Test
Before fertilizing our mango trees, it would be a good idea to first get a soil test done in order to gain a better understanding of our current soil nutrient levels. We can get an inexpensive soil test done by contacting our local university extension office.
A soil test is a great investment because the results will give a more accurate picture of how and what we should be fertilizing with. That is because blindly applying fertilizers can result in excess levels of nutrients.
While excess levels of nutrients sounds like a good thing, it can actually have a detrimental effect on the health of our mango tree. That is because excess levels of specific nutrients can result in other nutrients being “locked up” and not being accessible to the tree. Below is a table showing the impact of excessive nutrients on other nutrients:
| In Excess… | Ties Up… |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen | Potassium, Calcium |
| Potassium (raises pH) | Nitrogen, Calcium, Magnesium |
| Phosphorous | Zinc, Iron, Copper |
| Calcium (raises pH, looses soil) | Boron, Magnesium, Phosphorous |
| Magnesium (raises pH, tightens soil) | Calcium, Potassium |
| Iron | Manganese |
| Manganese | Iron, Molybedum |
Selecting a Complete Fertilizer with Micronutrients
When selecting a fertilizer, it’s very important to look beyond the 3 large numbers: N-P-K (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium). Ideally, the fertilize that we select should contain secondary nutrients (i.e., Calcium, Magnesium, Sulfur, etc.) as well as a healthy supply of micronutrients (i.e., Boron, Manganese, Iron, Molybdeum, etc.).
Florida’s native soil is deficient in a lot of these minor elements. As a result, selecting a more complete fertilizer will keep our trees better nourished and less prone to certain diseases and malformations. As an example, calcium deficiencies in mangos can result in jelly seed, soft nose and reduced shelf life.
When selecting a mango tree fertilizer for Established Non-Fruiting Mango Trees, Alex from Tropical Acres Farms recommends the nitrogen (first) number should be less then 10 AND less then the potassium (third) number. However, once the tree has begun fruiting with regularity, Alex goes on to recommend that we should transition to a strict Potassium-focused fertilizer and micronutrient foliar spray.
In my fertilizer program below, I go over specific products that we can use in order to make sure that our trees are getting the essential nutrients needed for healthy tree canopy and fruit development.
Limiting Nitrogen Fertilizer (Continued)
It is absolutely paramount to limit the amount of nitrogen that our mango tree receives.
That is because young mango trees do not need a lot of nitrogen to grow. In fact, mango tree’s leaf nitrogen content is bizarrely low at 1% (whereas most fruit trees are around 10%). As a result, mango trees can actually have a negative response to too much nitrogen.
Once a young mango tree has become established and developed a canopy that can support regular fruit production, the tree should be immediately cut off from all compost, fish emulsion, fertilizers (anything that can raise the soil nitrogen levels).
That is because we want to promote increased fruit set (not vegetative growth), which in turn will also slow down the tree’s growth rate.
Additionally, according to Australia’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s Agriculture and Food: “providing excessive amounts of nitrogen can lead to “poor [flavor] quality and green fruit with poor storage characteristics.”
Finally, homeowners can inadvertently feed excessive amounts of nitrogen to their mango trees via turf fertilizers that traditionally contain a lot of nitrogen. Even if the turf fertilizer isn’t applied near the trees, mango tree root zones often extend 2-3 times beyond the canopy.
As a result, homeowners who want to maintain small mango trees should exercise extreme caution with how/where they are applying turf fertilizer.
When to Fertilize a Mango Tree
It’s important to note that recently planted mango trees should not receive any fertilizer.
That is because mango trees should only be started on a fertilizer regimen once they have become established (see the ‘Mango Tree Basic Requirements’ section for more information).
Once our mango trees are established, we should fertilize once in the fall to influence flowering and once more in the spring to influence fruit quality.
With that being said, when/how to fertilize will differ by fertilizer. As a result, it’s important to follow the specific fertilizer’s application instructions because the label is the law.
Mango Tree Fertilizer Program
The following mango tree fertilizer program was designed from a combination of my own knowledge/experience along with specific recommendations from Alex at Tropical Acres Farms.
The goal of this program is to get our mango trees’ root systems well-established, quickly develop a canopy that can support fruit production & controlling the long-term size of the tree without sacrificing fruit yields.
Note: I grow mangos in Florida. As a result, this fertilizer program is designed for homeowners in Florida. That doesn’t mean that the schedule/products can’t be used elsewhere, but should be taken with a grain of salt.
The program is split into three phases:
- Phase 1 – Newly Planted Mango Trees
- Phase 2 – Established Non-Fruiting (Young) Mango Trees
- Phase 3 – Established & Fruiting Mango Trees
After detailing each phase, I will be providing an explanation of why I use/recommend the products that I do:
Let’s dive in!
Phase 1 – Newly Planted Mango Trees
| Product | Application Rate | Application Amount | Specific Products |
| Arbuscular Mycorrhizae Powder | One-Time Only (In Hole) | Sprinkled In | Great White Premium Mycorrhizae |
| Arbuscular Mycorrhizae Soil Drench | One-Time Only (Base of Tree) | Follow Label Instructions (Watered In) | Kangaroots OR Microbe Brew |
| Earthworm Castings | One-Time Only (In Hole) | Very Small Handful | Espoma Earthworm Castings (or fresh if you have available!) |
| Azomite | At Planting (6 Inches From Trunk) | 1 Cup | Azomite |
| Mushroom Compost | At Planting (6 Inches From Trunk) | 2 Bags / Tree | Organic Mushroom Compost |
Phase 2 – Established Non-Fruiting Mango Trees
| Product | Application Rate | Application Amount | Specific Products |
| ‘TTG Special’ Foliar Spray | Bi-Weekly (Tree Canopy) | Min. 70% Canopy Coverage | *Recipe in Component Description* |
| Fish Emulsion | Monthly (Base of Tree) | Follow Label Instructions (Watered In) | Neptune’s Harvest |
| Granular Fertilizer | Follow Label Instructions (Tree’s Drip Line) | Follow Label Instructions | Citrus Tone (Organic) OR Citrus Gain (Conventional) |
| Mushroom Compost | Semi-Annually (Tree’s Drip Line) | 2 Bags / Tree | Organic Mushroom Compost |
| Azomite | Annually (Tree’s Drip Line) | 1 Cup | Azomite |
Phrase 3 – Established & Fruiting Mango Trees
| Product | Application Rate | Application Amount | Specific Products |
| ‘TTG Special’ Foliar Spray | Bi-Weekly (Tree Canopy) | Min. 70% Canopy Coverage | *Recipe in Component Description* |
| Potassium Sulfate | Semi-Annually (Tree’s Drip Line) | Follow Label Instructions | 0-0-50 (My Preference) OR 0-0-22 |
| Azomite | Annually | 1 Cup | Azomite |
Mango Tree Fertilizer Program – Components Explained
Below is an explanation of how/why I use the products that I do:
Arbuscular Mycorrhizae Powder + Soil Drench
- Mycorrhizae are beneficial fungi that assist with nutrient uptake, increase a tree’s overall tolerance to environmental stressors and protects a plant’s roots from pathogenic fungi & parasitic nematodes. In fact, according to Suzanne Simard, a researcher and professor at the Department of Forest and Conversation Sciences at the University of British Columbia: “mycorrhizas supply trees and other plants with up to 40 percent of the nitrogen they received from the environment and as much as 50 percent of the water they needed to survive.”
- Mangos have a symbiotic relationship with Arbuscular Mycorrhizae; both of which can be found in Great White Premium Mycorrhizae Powder & Bushdoctors Microbe Brew/Kangaroots (only one soil drench product is needed).
Earthworm Castings
- Earthworm castings provide a small amount of nutrients to the tree as well as “[stimulates] microbial activity due to their high organic matter content.”
- I prefer Espoma’s earthworm castings (due to affordability) but any fresh castings will also work!
- Using regular compost can retain too much water and lead to our mango tree developing root rot.
‘TTG Special’ Foliar Spray
- The ‘TTG Special’ Foliar Spray is comprised of 50% rainwater, 50% Aerated Compost Tea, 1 Low Dose Aspirin & 1 TSP of Maxicrop Liquid Kelp.
- Rain Water
- Rainwater is free of chloramines (found in city/tap water) that would otherwise kill the beneficial bacteria in the foliar spray. If you don’t have rain water readily available, you can leave the water uncovered at room temperature for at least 24 hours and the chlorine will evaporate.
- Aerated Compost Tea Solution (Stump Tea)
- Aerated Compost Tea has beneficial enzymes and bacteria that can boost the tree’s immune system and help protect from common diseases when over 70% of the canopy is sprayed.
- I include Stump Tea in my foliar spray because I can get it for free/pre-made at my local gardening store. However, if you don’t want to make your own Aerated Compost Tea every other week (can be tedious) feel free to either add this in every few months or not at all.
- Low Dose Aspirin
- Plants produce small amounts of salicylic acid in the presence of environmental stressors.
- As a result, spraying a low-dose aspirin solution (salicylic acid) can boost a mango tree’s System Acquired Resistance and give extra protection to insect pests & diseases.
- Maxicrop Soluble Seaweed Powder (0-0-17)
- Maxicrop soluble seaweed powder is derived from seaweed and supplies potassium, vitamins, enzymes and more than 60 different minerals that can assist with our tree’s response to environmental stressors including but not limited to: flooding, drought conditions and cold weather.
- Note: Buying the powder is much more cost effective then buying the pre-made liquid solution and doesn’t contain any added preservatives.
- Rain Water
Fish Emulsion
- Fish emulsion provides Established Non-Fruiting Mango Trees with a low dose of immediately available nitrogen in order to speed up the canopy development process. According to a research paper by Scientia Horticulturae, fish emulsion also act as a “nutrient source for…beneficial microbes.”
Choose One: Citrus Tone (Organic) or 8-3-9 Citrus Gain (Conventional)
- Citrus Tone is ‘complete’ slow release organic fertilizer provides a balanced amount of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium to Established Non-Fruiting Mango Trees. It also contains calcium/magnesium/suflur as well as a variety of micro-organisms as well.
- Citrus Gain 8-3-9 is a great conventional fertilizer for Established Non-Fruiting Mango Trees due to it’s ideal N-P-K ratio as well as added micronutrients (hard to find a synthetic fertilizer that checks both boxes).
- Note: If you decide to use a conventional fertilizer, it should be noted that applying more than 2 pounds of synthetic fertilizer / 1000 sqft will kill most soil microbes. This is because synthetic fertilizers are made of salts.
Mushroom Compost
- Compost (organic material) provides a slow-release food for both the mango trees and soil microbes.
- I prefer organic mushroom compost because cow/horse manure can contain herbicides such as Grazon.
Azomite
- Azomite is a rock dust containing trace minerals and elements that are typically lacking in soil, especially in Florida’s native sandy soil.
- Because we are adding these trace minerals and elements back to the soil for our trees to use, our mangos are going to end up being more nutritious as a result.
Choose One: 0-0-50 or 0-0-22 (Potassium Sulfate)
- For those with a lot of Established & Fruiting Mango Trees, I recommend the 50lb Bag Organic Solution Grade Sulfate of Potassium Fertilizer Powder 0-0-50. For those with not as many Established & Fruiting Mango Trees, I recommend the 1 lb Down to Earth Organic Langbeinite Fertilizer Mix 0-0-22.
- Alex from Tropical Ares Farms recommends two applications of Potassium Sulfate: one in the fall (Oct/Nov) and the second application in spring (March/April). The first application influences when the tree is about to flower or is flowering. While the second application is designed to influence the quality of the fruits.
- According to a paper by the University of Puget Sound, “potassium has been shown to relate to higher fruit quality in plants.”
How to Prune a Mango Tree
Pruning mango trees is not an exact science. How we decide prune our mango trees is highly dependent on our individual goals (i.e. keeping trees small, maximizing production, aesthetics, etc.).
If you have never pruned a mango tree because you don’t want to “hurt” the tree, don’t worry.
Mangos are highly resilient trees that can greatly benefit from an active pruning regimen. As a general rule of thumb, we can remove between 25% – 30% of a mango tree’s canopy without impacting next year’s fruit production.
Furthermore, when pruning a mango tree, it’s highly recommended to wear gloves and long sleeves.
That is because mango sap contains urushiol, which is the same compound found in poison ivy/oak (and what causes some people to get Mango Mouth). If you are particularly sensitive to poison ivy/oak and get mango sap on your bare skin, you are not going to have a good time.
With that being said, there are three main components to successfully pruning mango trees:
Note: shaping/wood removal should only be done once a year after the last fruit has been harvested.
Let’s now get into the nitty gritty of pruning!
Mango Tree Shaping
There are two primary goals/benefits associated with mango tree shaping:
- Creating a healthy canopy
- Maintaining a desired aesthetic
Let’s talk first about canopy health.
Actively pruning our mango tree canopy is one of the most natural/effective options that we can implement in order to decrease disease pressure.
Common shaping practices that we can implement include:
- Removing branches that are point backing into the middle of the canopy
- Note: This does not mean creating a “vase-like canopy” similar to what is found with apple and peach trees. I am referring to crossing branches that would otherwise create a dense middle canopy.
- Removing diseased and dead branches.
- Removing very-low branches (<3 feet above the ground) that would produce fruit touching the ground.
By increasing sunlight and air flow into the canopy, we are creating an unfavorable environment for the proliferation of common fungal diseases. This in turn significantly decreases our chances of having to spray our trees in order to maintain high levels of fruit yield.
Aesthetically speaking, we want to keep our mango trees at a manageable height and width. I personally like to keep my trees short and compact so that I can more easily pick the fruit.
When shaping my mango trees, I will usually:
- Stand 10-15 feet away from the tree.
- Pick a branch for my desired reference height, grab a ladder & prune off all the branches above that height.
- Note: I’ll usually go above or below the cut that I made in the previous year but not in the same spot.
- See which sides are growing more vigorously and prune them back to the desired width.
As I previously mentioned, pruning is not an exact science. As long as we are not removing 25% – 30% of the mango tree canopy, we can still reasonably expect a tree to fruit the next year with no problems.
Mango Tree Tipping
Tipping our mango trees is the most powerful thing that we can do to increase our fruit yields.
“Tipping” simply refers to removing the “tips” of the branches. Here is a brief explanation on how it works:
- Pruning branch tips results in us removing that particular branches primary apical meristem (the part of the branch that is actively growing)
- The energy flowing to that branch now needs somewhere else to go, so the tree will send the energy to the buds at the end of the branch that was cut
- These buds will then create additional branches via new apical meristems
Instead of a single branch, we now have new 3-4 branches. And if we continue to tip those new branches, we can create even more branching and complexity to the canopy.
This is a big deal because mango trees are terminal bloomers (they flower at the end of their branches). By having significantly more branches, we can exponentially increase the number of flowers the tree has which in turn can increase our fruit yield.
And more fruit = slower growing tree 🙂
A common rule of thumb is allowing a branch to grow out “two hand lengths” before tipping. However, Alex from Tropical Acres Farms says that people’s hand sizes can vary considerably and that a better approach would be tip pruning every 12-16 inches from the last point of branching.
Alex goes on to recommend tip pruning our trees 2-4 times a year.
The more aggressive that we are with our tip pruning (closer to the four times), the quicker the tree will develop a dense enough canopy that can support fruit production on a consistent basis.
Note: We should allow any new flush that we are planning to tip to harden off and mature prior to tipping.
Tipping also has the added benefit of training mango cultivars with naturally lankier branches to be much more compact and manageable. This is a strategy that I’m implementing with my Coconut Cream Mango.
With that being said, according to research by the University of Florida, we should stop tip pruning 4-5 months prior to when our mango tree is expected to bloom. This gives our tree a chance to be dormant and rest prior to flowering. When we should stop tip-pruning varies cultivar to cultivar, however I generally like to stop tipping at the end of August / beginning of September.
Finally, and most importantly, don’t overthink it 🙂
Mango Tree Wood Removal
We are not growing mango trees for the wood, we want the fruit!
As a result, we should do our best to encourage the tree to have a high leaf-to-wood ratio. We can accomplish this by promoting leaf growth through tipping (the previous section) and removing excess wood.
Removing wood is especially important because buds will not form on mature wood.
For homeowners, removing wood is usually the “scariest” part of pruning.
However, if our goal is to maintain a small tree, that requires us to make a few “hard prunes” in order to cut out any excess wood. In addition to keeping our mango tree small, this will allow for increased sunlight and airflow into the canopy which can result in decreased disease pressure.
Furthermore, we do not want to promote apical dominance (having a single large central trunk).
By making hard prunes, we are encouraging our tree to use its energy to grow more branches. With that being said, we do not want to prune the tree into an “open-vase” design that is commonly used with peaches and apples. Instead, we should aim for a complex and complete canopy.
In my backyard orchard, I have personally had success with Dr. Richard Campbell’s recommendation of replacing the entire tree’s canopy over a period of 4-5 years. In practice, this usually translates to removing 1 major scaffolding limb every year. My favorite tool for this is the Corona Razor Tooth Saw.
With this technique, we will end up with a hole in our tree’s canopy. However, don’t worry – branches will grow back and completely fill that area back in within 1 -2 seasons.
Finally, when making our cuts, DO NOT CUT INTO THE COLLAR.
Cutting into the collar may lead to an infection and decay spreading into the tree’s trunk. The University of Florida has a helpful diagram on their Pruning and Maintaining Trees page.
How to Pick Mango Fruit (What to look for)
According to Alex from Tropical Acres Farms, there is no universal checklist that can be used for every mango cultivar. In fact, Alex told me that this one of the most common myths that he hears.
The truth is that each mango cultivar varies widely in the unique characteristics that they exhibit when they are ready to be picked. As an example, some Indian mangos shouldn’t be allowed to tree ripen whereas it’s OK for other cultivars to tree ripen. In other words, not all mango cultivars can be picked at the same stage.
With that being said, Alex did mention that generally speaking yellow color break (not coming from the sun) is a good indicator of maturity for a lot (but not all) mangos cultivars.
If you are looking for cultivar-specific information, I recommend checking out all the cultivar information that we have documented on our Tropical Fruit Trees page.
Common Mango Tree Diseases & How To Treat Them
Anthracnose
Anthracnose is a plant disease caused by various fungal pathogens, characterized by the appearance of dark, sunken lesions on leaves, stems, fruits, or other plant parts.
Anthracnose thrives in warm and wet weather. While it’s not usually a huge problem along the coast, it can be much more of a problem in higher humidity areas like in the Florida interior.
Cultural practices that we can implement to prevent Anthracnose include:
- Not overfeeding mango trees with nitrogen
- Spacing and pruning our trees to maximize air flow and sun exposure
- Clearing of plant growth under mango trees (decreases humidity levels)
- Keeping our mango tree well nourished (more resistant to infections)
When it comes to chemical control, Alex says to be prepared to spray multiple products in order to keep Anthracnose under control. This includes rotating between two main controls:
- One type of Copper (either copper oxide OR copper sulfate)
- High quality copper can not be found at Walmart/Home Depot/Lowes (liquid copper or copper soaps are a waste of time and money).
- Another Class of Biological Fungicide (that doesn’t include copper); organic options include:
Organic fungicides are much more effective in drier areas near the coast. In more humid areas, one may have to use a synthetic fungicide such as Dithane.
Do not spray copper on open flowers (closed flowers only). Spraying open flowers will sterilize the pollen.
Powdery Mildew
Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that presents itself as a white or grayish powdery growth on the leaves, stems, and flowers of plants, inhibiting their growth and photosynthesis.
Powdery mildew is common during the late fall and early spring. This type of fungus thrives when temperatures are in the 60s-70s, there is high humidity and no rainfall.
Powdery mildew is particularly nasty because it can potentially destroy all of a mango trees’ blooms and result in no mangos that year. Cultural practices that we can implement to prevent powdery mildew include:
- Cutting off parts of the tree that have an active infection (good for small spots here and there, although don’t remove entire canopy if it’s infected)
- Spraying the tree with water; rain/water is a natural fungicide that removes the fungus from the tree
- Keeping your mango tree well-nourished (more resistant to infections)
When it comes to chemical control, copper is not as effective in preventing powdery mildew. Instead, we will want to use a sulfur-based agent. However, it should be noted that sulfur is ONLY a preventative measure and will not have any meaningful impact on an active infection (can’t do anything about an active infection).
One of the products that Alex recommends is MilStop.
However, if this is too expensive or if you have only have a few trees, the key is for a product’s active ingredient to be potassium bicarbonate.
You’ll want to apply an application when the panicles have emerged and continue in accordance with the label’s instructions until you have fruit set. If you get good coverage, you’ll have fruit set with no powdery mildew.
Prior to spraying, take a look at the weather forecast over the next few days.
Do not spray if the temperatures are in the high 80s, wind is present, or if there is a chance of rain. Furthermore, sulfur doesn’t dissolve in water unless it’s agitated… so ensure that you have a sprayer that has an agitation mechanism so the sulfur doesn’t just sink to the bottom of your sprayer’s tank.
How to Grow Mango Trees In Containers
1. Choose a Dwarf / Semi Dwarf Mango Variety
When growing mango trees in containers, we should select a mango cultivar that has a dwarf or semi-dwarf growth habit. Examples of popular mango cultivars that exhibit this type of growth habit include but are not limited to:
2. Purchase an Appropriate Container
When selecting a container, the only hard requirement is for the pot to have sufficient drainage.
If I know that I am keeping a mango tree in a container permanently or for a long time, I will usually opt to keep them in air-pots. While they can be a little more expensive, they can help substantially decrease the amount of time that we have to dedicate to root pruning (more on this soon).
3. Create the Perfect Mango Soil Mixture
Unfortunately, there are no good options when it comes to “ready to use” soil that we can buy for mango trees in containers. That is because most soil mixtures are designed around maximum water retention.
However, mango trees need a very well-draining soil.
Below is my recipe for the perfect mango tree soil mixture. I use this mixture when I am either potting up mango trees or am planning to have a particular mango tree in a container for a long time:
| Component | Percentage | Recommend Products |
|---|---|---|
| Sand | 40% | Native Sandy Soil From Your Yard OR Silica Sand |
| Peat Moss / Coconut Coir | 50% | Coco Loco OR Happy Frogs |
| Earthworm Castings | 10% | Espoma Earthworm Castings |
4. Root Prune
When growing mango trees in containers, we’ll have to root prune every so often to make sure that the root system remains healthy. Otherwise the roots can become circled, girdled and unhealthy.
For more info on how I root prune, please go to the ‘How to Plant a Mango Tree in 7 Steps‘ section of this guide.
Personally, I do not enjoy root pruning.
That is because I don’t particularly like removing large and heavy trees from containers while trying to minimize root ball disturbance. Unfortunately, root pruning is a necessary evil to maintaining a healthy root system when it comes to growing mango trees in containers. As a result, I usually will opt to spend a little more money for an air pot to minimize the amount of time that I have to root prune.
The science behind airpots is simple: as the tree’s root tips hit the edge of the container and encounter air, the tips will naturally dry out instead of continuing to grow and circle around the pot. The mango tree will then respond by producing more fibrous lateral roots, resulting in significantly less circling roots.
Using airpots has significantly reduced the amount of time that I have spent on root pruning. Which is good for me because I’m usually lazy when it comes to that type of care 😂
How to Transplant a Mango Tree
The best time to transplant a mango tree in Florida is between April – October (rainy season).
That is because not only can the afternoon thunderstorms help keep the soil moist, but the warmer weather also can assist with reducing transplant shock while the tree is re-establishing itself.
On the other hand, it’s best to avoid transplanting mango trees between November – March due to the additional stress from decreased rainfall and temperatures potentially dropping into the 50’s.
For the best transplanting results, mango trees should be root pruned over the course of several months prior to transplanting.
However, if you choose to immediately move the tree (highest chance of killing the tree), you’ll need to, at a minimum, trim part of the canopy a month prior to transplanting in order to reduce transplant shock (we want to avoid subjecting the tree to two stressful events simultaneously). It is crucial to trim the tree’s canopy because the disturbed and reduced root system will not be able to support the original canopy’s size.
With that being said, the best case scenario is to move the entire root system without disturbing the roots. However, this is nearly impossible for larger trees without the use of large mechanical equipment.
Whether we are root-pruning over the course of several months or immediately moving the tree, our mango tree will require ample water post-transplanting. Once the tree re-establishes itself (flushes new growth) then we can stop watering the tree.
How to Graft a Mango Tree
Below are my top mango tree grafting tips/advice:
- The easiest type of graft for beginners is the cleft graft. Additionally, scions with swelling buds (active growth) are much easier to graft.
- Only concentrate on lining up one side (graft will still take) One of the biggest mistakes I consistently made with my cleft grafts when I first started was trying to line up both sides… this is nearly impossible to do. Make sure the scions are the same size as the branch that you are grafting onto.
- When grafting, make sure that you have a knife that is extremely sharp; making clean cuts are critical to grafting. Jagged/uneven cuts will lead to the cambium tissue not lining up precisely. Razor blades will absolutely work, however I like using a FELCO grafting knife for better control. Whatever we decide to use, it’s important to make sure that it is is sterile (hydogen peroxide solution or rubbing alcohol work fine).
- If we are wanting to graft multiple cultivars on a single tree, we should make sure the cultivars have the same growth pattern or one will eventually dominate the other.
- Here is a link to the parafilm that I use.
- Here is a link to the buddy tape that I use.
However, grafting is one of those things that is definitely better with a visual aid. As a result, I’ve also included a two great reference videos below that have helped “sharpen” my mango grafting game as well 🙂
Where to Find Mango Trees for Sale
I am a firm believer in supporting local nurseries in your area.
With that being said, I also understand your local nursery may not have the specific mango cultivar that you are looking for (I’ve been there many times). If that is the case and you are considering order a mango tree online, there are three reputable nurseries/farms that I feel comfortable with recommending:
Tropical Acres Farms is mango farm run by Alex and Becky Salazar located in West Palm Beach, Florida. They are famous for having one of most diverse mango farms in the world with over 300+ cultivars of mangos. I have personally purchased fruit, budwood and trees from Tropical Acres Farms.
Lara Farms is a nursery run by Julian Lara that specializes in rare tropical fruit trees located in Miami, Florida. They have a large variety of mangos and can ship to anywhere in the United States.
Truly Tropical is a mango farm run by Chris Wenzel that is located in Delray Beach, Florida. Chris grows over 70+ mango cultivars and sells trees, budwood and of course fruit during mango season.
Frequently Asked Questions about Growing Mango Trees
Do you need two mango trees to produce fruit?
No – mango trees are self-pollinating. However, having two mango trees blooming at the same time can help increase fruit set.
Are mango trees easy to grow?
Yes – mango trees are easy to grow provided that they are being grown in a climate meeting their basic requirements (for more information, see the ‘Basic Requirements for Mango Trees‘ section).
Can you grow mango trees in doors?
Yes – mango trees can technically be grown indoors provided that they are located in an area that satisfies their light/humidity requirements. However, they are not likely to thrive under these conditions.
How long does it take for a mango tree to bear fruit?
How long it takes for a mango tree to bear fruit depends on whether the tree is grafted or grown from seed.
Generally speaking, a grafted 1 gallon mango tree can start consistently bearing fruit in 2-3 years. On the other hand, mango trees grown from seed can take anywhere between 5-8 years before they start bearing fruit.
What is the best size mango tree to purchase?
The best size mango tree to purchase depends on your goals.
If you want fruit ASAP, then it’s best to buy a larger tree (7 + gallons). This is the more expensive option.
With that being said, I personally prefer buying smaller trees (1 – 3 gallon). Not only are they much cheaper, but smaller trees also tend to establish themselves a lot faster. That is because they require less water to get established as well as they are able to spread out their roots earlier in their lives. I have observed that smaller trees generally tend to be healthier over the long-term.
When is mango season?
Mango season runs from April – September. More specifically:
- Early Season Cultivars = April – May
- Mid Season Cultivars = June – July
- Late Season Cultivars = August – September
Why isn’t my mango tree flowering?
There are many reasons why a mango tree may not have flowered, including but not limited to:
- The tree is located in area experiencing drought conditions
- The tree is not getting enough sunlight
- There is not enough potassium in the soil
- The tree didn’t receive an adequate amount of “chill hours”
In regards to the last point, cold weather is the main stimulant for flower growth. “Cold weather” for mangos is defined as 60 degrees Fahrenheit or below. A mango tree’s reaction to a cold front can take anywhere between 2-3 weeks.
How long does it take for a mango to go from flower to fruit?
Once a mango tree has set fruit, mangos can take anywhere between 90 – 120 days to reach maturity.
With that being said, mangos grown in more northern climates (Orlando, Brevard County, etc.) can possibly take even longer to reach maturity. This is due to the additional exposure to cooler weather that can slow down the fruit development process.
What is the best tasting mango cultivar?
Everyone has different tastebuds and flavor preferences. The best tasting mango is the one that you like the most 🙂
As an example, my favorite mango cultivar is Carrie. However, there are a lot of people who can’t stand Carrie!
Why are my mangos dropping?
Mango trees will often set more fruit than they are able to hold to maturity. As a result, the tree will go through a natural self-thinning process and drop the fruit that it can not support. This is perfectly normal.
With that being said, there are ways to minimize fruit drop including, but not limited to:
- Decreasing drought stress by irrigating the tree twice a week for the first 6-8 weeks during initial fruit development. Once the fruit have gotten to about the size of a golf ball, we can stop this supplemental irrigation because the fruit have a greater chance of not dropping.
- Practice good pruning practices and have a great canopy with tons of foliage.
- Keep our trees nutritionally healthy to prevent nutrient deficiencies and canopy dieback.
- Manage disease pressure through a proactive spraying regimen.
When should I start pruning my mango tree?
Mango trees should only be pruned after the last fruit has been harvested from the tree.
However, Established Non-Fruiting Mango Trees that are not mature enough to support year-to-year fruit production can be tip pruned / shaped immediately in order to stimulate growth into one’s desired form.
How often should I water my mango tree?
How often we should water our mango tree depends on the maturity/age of the tree:
- Newly Planted Trees – Deep water twice a week for two months until established
- Established Trees – Deep water every two weeks (once a week in drought conditions)
- Established Trees (When Fruiting) – Deep water twice a week for 6-8 weeks until the fruit is about the size of a golf ball. When the fruits reach that size, the chance of them dropping substantially decreases, and supplemental irrigation can be turned off.
What are the best mangos to grow in California?
The best mangos to grow in California are cultivars that are vigorous and active growers. This includes but is not limited to cultivars such as: Sweet Tart, Cac, Peach Cobbler, Valencia Pride, Cotton Candy, M-4, Lemon Zest & Juicy Peach.
What are the best mangos to grow in Puerto Rico?
The best mangos to grow in Puerto Rico include but are not limited to: Keitt, Edward, Dwarf Hawaiian, Fairchild, & Madama Francais.
What are the best mangos to grow in humid areas?
Mango cultivars that do great in humid areas include but are not limited to: Cac, Orange Sherbet, Maha Chanook, Valencia Pride, Neelum & M-4.
What mango cultivars have the highest fruit yield?
Mango cultivars that have excellent fruit yields include but are not limited to: Duncan, Angie, M-4 & Cotton Candy.
What mango cultivars flower the easiest?
Mango cultivars that flower pretty easily include but are not limited to: Rosigold, Dwarf Hawaiian, Pickering, Angie, Sugarloaf, Julie, Gary.
Which mango cultivars are consistent producers?
Mango cultivars that consistently produce fruit from year-to-year include but are not limited to: Pickering, Duncan, Angie, Sweet Tart, Fairchild, Cac & Carrie.
If you top-work a mango tree that is prone to Mango Bacterial Black Spot (MBBS), will the new grafts be prone to MBBS?
If the newly grafted cultivar is not prone to MBBS, then no. If the newly grafted cultivar is prone to MBBS, then yes.
What insects pollinate mango trees?
While bees are much more effective at pollinating mango trees, mango trees are primarily pollinated by flys, ants & wasps due to their increased frequency of visiting flowers.
Can the amount of mangos on a tree impact the flavor of the fruit?
Yes – having more mangos on a tree can impact individual fruits’ flavors. This is due to the tree’s sugars being spread amongst more fruit.
Can you graft multiple mango cultivars onto one tree?
Yes – you can graft multiple mango cultivars onto one tree. However, it’s important to make sure that the cultivars have similar growth patterns. Otherwise, the more vigorous cultivar can outgrow and dominate the other cultivar.
My young mango tree has set flowers and little fruit, what should I do?
Allowing a young mango tree without a mature canopy to fruit can permanently stunt the tree.
As a result, if the mango tree’s trunk doesn’t have a few inches of girth and at least 4-5 feet of canopy spread, let the tree develop small little fruit and then simply twist them off. Do not snap the panicles/flowers off – this will only result in the mango tree using extra energy to flower again.
Can cold weather impact my mango tree’s flowers?
Yes – low temperatures (30s – 40s) can sterilize mango tree pollen. Don’t worry though, that cold weather will likely trigger another flowering event 🙂
When should I stop collecting mango budwood for grafting?
Mango budwood collection should stop in late August/early September. That is because we need to allow the tree to be dormant and rest prior to the next season.
Should I stop watering my mango tree in the winter?
Yes – we should stop watering Established Non-Fruiting & Fruiting Mango Trees in the winter because they are dormant and not actively growing. Watering should resume at the first sight of young fruit starting to develop.
On the other hand, we should continue watering Newly Planted Mango Trees until the trees have become established.
What factors impact a mango’s overall brix (sweetness)?
According to Alex from Tropical Acres Farms, the major factors that can increase a mango’s overall sweetness include but are not limited to: dry hot weather, low rain & proper nutrition (esp. potassium).
Why do later mango crops generally taste better than earlier mango crops?
Generally speaking, mangos that are picked in the late spring/early summer are going to taste better than mangos that are picked in early spring. That is because the late spring/early summer fruit will have matured during a time when the temperatures are generally higher. According to Alex from Tropical Acres Farms, fruit maturing earlier (Dec, Jan, Feb) are exposed to more cooler nights that can have an impact on a mango’s final brix reading.
Final Thoughts
This ultimate guide to growing mango trees took a very long time to write, edit and fact-check.
If you found anything in this guide helpful, please consider sharing. It helps support the website 😊
Thank you for reading 😃
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