How do mangoes grow?
Mango or mangifera (lat. Mangifera) is an evergreen woody plant. In nature, it can reach a height of up to 30 m, more spreading, has a spherical crown and lush foliage. Mango can also grow indoors – in this case, gardeners usually give the tree a palm tree shape by pruning.
The leaves of Mangifera are leathery, lanceolate (long and pointed), drooping, and reddish when young. The flowers are small, growing in large racemose inflorescences.
One or two of the thousands of flowers in a cluster turn into fruit.
Wild mangoes are usually fibrous, but cultivated varieties with soft flesh are sold in stores.
Some mangoes are grown as ornamentals rather than for their fruit. This species grows best in tropical monsoon climates: it prefers sunny locations protected from winds, humidity and deep, fertile soil.
How to choose mangoes for sprouting
To grow mango from seed at home, the first thing you need to do is choose a good fruit. The mango should be ripe, soft and moderately elastic, and should not show any signs of spoilage.
If you can’t find a ripe mango, don’t worry. Buy any and wait for the fruit to ripen. You can put it in an open paper bag and leave it for a few days. You can speed up the process by placing apples or bananas nearby – these fruits emit ethylene gas, which stimulates the growth of plants and helps them ripen faster.
How to grow mango from seed: all stages
1. Removing the seeds. Cut the flesh and remove the core. It is white and fibrous to the touch – this is the shell. You need to cut this shell and remove the seeds from there – they are similar to beans on a mango. Plants can emerge from them. You need to choose embryos that are light in color and look healthy; dark and already wrinkled are unlikely to survive.
2. Soaking the seeds. To prevent fungal infections before germination, you can soak the seeds for 10 minutes in a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate. Instead of potassium permanganate, you can use special fungicides for plants.
3. Preparation for germination. After soaking, the seed can be rinsed, then wrapped in damp gauze or any soft cloth, placed in a bag and placed in a container. There is no need to close the lid; the seed needs oxygen.
4. Waiting. The container should be placed in a warm place and the fabric should be moistened regularly. On average, after two weeks, the seeds will begin to sprout.
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If the seed has already sprouted inside the seedling, there is no need to germinate it; you can plant it immediately in the soil and water it regularly.
You can grow mangoes at home in another way: place the seeds in a container of water so that only the lower part (two-thirds) is in the liquid. Toothpicks will help to keep the beans in this position: with them you need to pierce the upper part and stick them into the seed so that it hangs. The structure should be kept in a bright and warm place until the sprouts appear.
5. Descent. Hatched sprouts need to be planted in spacious pots with pre-prepared soil – initially at least 10 cm in diameter, and then you will need to transplant them into a larger pot. It is better if the pot is high, as the roots of mangoes are long. Some gardeners recommend planting mangoes immediately in large pots of about 5 liters.
When growing mango from seeds, you need to remember that this tree loves neutral and nutritious soil: if possible, you can purchase a substrate for citrus fruits. At the bottom of the pot you should pour drainage to a height of 3-4 cm: expanded clay, gravel, vermiculite, charcoal or other stones.
The seed should be planted in a small depression in the soil (about 2 cm) with the roots pointing down. About a quarter of the beans should be left outside. Be sure to water the soil.
6. Adaptation. The seedling needs to be placed in a “greenhouse”: covered with a transparent plastic container or cling film. Once a day, the planting should be ventilated to keep the soil slightly moist, and watered as needed. When a sprout appears, the protection must be gradually removed: first make holes and increase their number in 3-5 days, and then remove them.
How to care for a mango tree
Mango is a tropical plant; it needs warmth, good humidity and plenty of sun. But it is better to protect it from direct sunlight. Also, the tree does not like drafts and sudden temperature changes.
Dry indoor air will cause the leaves to dry out and spraying will not help. It is better to have a home humidifier.
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The mango pot can be placed on a windowsill or next to a window where the sun regularly looks, or on a bright loggia.
When the plant reaches a height of 1.5 m, it can be pruned with pruning shears or garden shears. The mango crown can be easily shaped into any shape. For the first time, you can shorten the branches and remove ugly growing shoots. The tree recovers quickly after pruning.
Pruning can be done 1-2 times a year: in autumn or spring. After the crown is formed, it is better to feed and spray the tree.
If the leaves of the plant are covered with dust, it is better to wipe them with a damp cloth or spray them. You can periodically give the tree a warm shower: cover the soil in the pot with foil and water the crown generously.
The first planting can be done when the sprout reaches 7-8 cm. It is better to replant mangoes in the spring, no more than once a year. The older the tree, the less often it needs to be replanted.
If the roots of the plant completely envelop the earthen ball, fill the entire inner space or are visible through the drainage holes, then a new pot is needed. It is also worth replanting a tree if it suddenly stops growing or begins to dry out with regular watering.
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You can fertilize the tree once a season – humus or a universal fertilizer containing nitrogen for indoor plants is suitable. With proper care, the seed will grow into a large tree, and perhaps in a few years it will even begin to bloom.
How to plant mango at home?
In order for a mango to bear fruit, you need to find a tree that already bears fruit. A kidney with a small piece of wood should be cut with a sharp, clean knife. In the tree that needs to be grafted, you need to make a cut in the shape of the letter “T”. Bend the edges of the incision and carefully place the cut kidney there. Wrap the junction tightly with a soft cloth and leave until the bud starts to grow.
It is better to graft a tree in the summer. Adaptation after grafting is slow: the branch needs to grow. Usually the first fruits appear after 2-3 years. During this period, mangoes need to be fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers.
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But even after grafting, the mango may not bear fruit. Such a tree will need additional illumination with a phytolamp and, perhaps, pollination with the participation of insects, which is difficult to organize in a city apartment. But gardeners who are persistent enough eventually bear fruit.
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Source: Gazeta
Calvin Turley is an author at “Social Bites”. He is a trendsetter who writes about the latest fashion and entertainment news. With a keen eye for style and a deep understanding of the entertainment industry, Calvin provides engaging and informative articles that keep his readers up-to-date on the latest fashion trends and entertainment happenings.