Planting a mango tree (Mangifera indica) is straightforward, but you’ve got to take care in selecting exactly what variety to plant and where to plant it. Mangoes are tropical in origin and may be increased in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 10 and 11. On the other hand, the best climate for growing mangoes has 30 to 100 inches of rain in June to September, followed by eight months of dry weather. Temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit will kill mango flowers and little fruit.
Selecting a Cultivar
If you live in an area of USDA zone 10 with always hot weather, you can select from one of numerous mango cultivars. If you reside in a cooler part, then you should plant one of these more cold hardy species. Mangoes species can be tracked to India or the Philippines and Southeast Asia. The California Rare Fruit Growers Association recommends cold hardy cultivars originating from the Philippines and developed in Mexico. Two Philippine cultivars developed in Mexico are the Manila mango (M. indica “Manila”) along with the “Pina” (M. indica “Pina”). Other mangoes cultivars with Philippine origins comprise “Edward,” “Thompson” and “Winters.”
Selecting Where to Plant
Mango trees grow up to 65 feet tall with a taproot extending 20 feet deep and a profuse, wide mat of feeder roots. Their sprawling canopy provides a whole lot of shade, and they are an attractive addition to a landscape. They will grow in any well-drained dirt between 5.5 and 7.5 pH. they’re best planted on the middle or top of a slope.
Planting Basics
Mangoes are optimally planted in a mix of equal levels of soil and peat moss or well-rotted mature in a pit that’s 2 feet wide and 2 feet deep. The soil should be packed around the roots to the same level it had been in the nursery container, mounded slight if necessary, to prevent water from collecting at the base of the plant.
Care of Transplants
Young mango trees need high nitrogen fertilizer. University of Virgin Islands horticulturalists advocate applying 1 to 2 lbs of slow-release 10-10-20 fertilizer the first year along with 1 1/2 to 3 lbs of slow release 10-20-20 fertilizer the third and second decades. The fertilizer is split into a few applications just prior to the springtime growth flush and watered after fertilizing. The fertilizer numbers show that the ratio by weight of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Pellets of slow-release fertilizers are covered with plastic or other material that dissolve slowly, releasing the nutrients more slowly than water-soluble fertilizer. They’re typically more expensive than water soluble fertilizers. Mango transplants will need to be watered twice weekly or more often so they get approximately 4 to 6 gallons of water each week.