cupakathy
Full Member
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2011 12:03 am
Location: Upstate New York

Mango Tree started from seed

I started a mango tree/plant from seed and I am so proud of my endeavor. I understand that it won't produce mangoes, but it seems a bit stunted and I haven't seen new growth. Anyone have advice? Should I re-pot it?

Thanks!

[img]https://img198.imageshack.us/img198/8226/pepper001.jpg[/img]

User avatar
!potatoes!
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1938
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 2:13 pm
Location: wnc - zones 6/7 line

not uncommon for them to slow down as the days get shorter. if it were me, I'd wait til early spring to repot...looks good to me.

User avatar
Intriguedbybonsai
Senior Member
Posts: 262
Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 9:03 pm
Location: Escondido, CA (USDA Zone 9-10)

That's a nice looking mango tree. I grew a few mango seedlings from seed last year, but I made the mistake of putting them in the hot sun. :( Bad experience if you live in southern California.

I've heard that seed planted mangoes do indeed produce fruit. Several years to be in fact. The fruit will probably not be like that of the same mango as you bought at your grocery store. Even if you never intend on getting fruit from them, they still make very nice house plants.

As far as the stunted growth goes, I can relate to that with seedlings I've grown in the past. Mango plants have a very long taproot. (Meaning their roots travel very far.) The roots probably aren't getting the room they need within it's pot. If the space is available It wouldn't hurt to re-pot it in a larger pot come spring.

cupakathy
Full Member
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2011 12:03 am
Location: Upstate New York

Thanks for your comment!

I did replant my plant just last week. I hope it continues to grow nicely.

User avatar
Intriguedbybonsai
Senior Member
Posts: 262
Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 9:03 pm
Location: Escondido, CA (USDA Zone 9-10)

I wish you success with your plant. I think I may want to try again, and plant another mango seed. Only this time keeping it indoors during extreme heat...haha

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

I suspect heat wouldn't bother them as much as the direct sun.

@cupakathy - bring it indoors before weather drops below 40's and be sure to give it plenty of light and warmth. I put mine in the sunniest uncovered upstairs (more heat) window I have, and provide supplemental daylight cfl on the interior side from when I wake up until when I go to bed, giving the pot a 1/4 turn once a week. They seem to like plenty of water followed by allowing the top of soil to dry before watering again.

In my experience, they start to grow new shoots after the spring Equinox. If you have repotted now, fertilizing may not be necessary. I water with filtered or de-chlorinated water and water with UCG (used coffee ground) dumped in it -- occasionally with compost tea -- to feed the earthworm(s) that live in my potted plant soil.

I'll repot in spring with compost enriched potting mix.

User avatar
OROZCONLECHE
Green Thumb
Posts: 560
Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2011 12:49 am
Location: So California -Ontario-

Why is it that mango trees wont produce fruit? :( I'm just starting to grow a mango fruit from seed and its about to come out of its seed, so if you guys would be nice enough to explain I'm kinna new to growing my own plants.

User avatar
Intriguedbybonsai
Senior Member
Posts: 262
Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 9:03 pm
Location: Escondido, CA (USDA Zone 9-10)

Mango trees do indeed produce fruit. Though let's say you're looking to get actual mangoes from a tree. You're better off buying a grafted tree from a nursery. They will produce fruit a lot faster.

Growing mangoes from seed is probably one of the easiest fruit to germinate, but there is the down side. Harvesting fruit from a seed grown mango could take many years, and that fruit may or may not be the same variety of mango you purchased at the store.

Many fruit varieties you see in stores are hybrids, and the only way to get that same fruit is by taking a cutting from the mother plant, and grafting it onto a rootstock.

As for germination of a mango seed, it's really simple. After you've finished eating your mango let the seed husk dry out a bit. Using a butter knife, carefully pry it open the husk to reveal a large bean-like seed. Get a pot, fill it with soil, and make an indention in the soil. Place the seed in that indention, and cover it a little with more soil. Keep the soil moist, but not soggy. In a week or so you should see a sprout appear.

Check out these mango seedlings I grew a few years ago. https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18676

cupakathy
Full Member
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2011 12:03 am
Location: Upstate New York

It's going in the soil today and will give an update! :D

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

@intriguedbybonsai -- I have two more seedlings this year, and my original one has 1-1/4" trunk caliper at the base. :(). I'm intentionally stunting #3 to see if that would help keep the leaves small.... 8)

User avatar
Intriguedbybonsai
Senior Member
Posts: 262
Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 9:03 pm
Location: Escondido, CA (USDA Zone 9-10)

@applestar Nice! Never heard of stunting to keep leaves small. It sounds more like a ramification technique used with bonsai. Much luck to you!

User avatar
OROZCONLECHE
Green Thumb
Posts: 560
Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2011 12:49 am
Location: So California -Ontario-

So I was tired of my Mango seeds seedling not growing, so I transplanted it, The seedling is about 1 centimeter and stayed like that for over 1 month, so I took it out of the 10 gallon pot outside and put it on a 1 gallon pot inside and wow it grow to about 4 centimeters in 1 day!!

User avatar
OROZCONLECHE
Green Thumb
Posts: 560
Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2011 12:49 am
Location: So California -Ontario-

So Much Bad Luck I have, I Checked on my Mango Seed and It was Root, The root was out but the whole mango seed was rot, What em I doing wrong, I have the seed under the dirt, I heard of people leaving the seed ontop of the soil, will this work ?

User avatar
Intriguedbybonsai
Senior Member
Posts: 262
Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 9:03 pm
Location: Escondido, CA (USDA Zone 9-10)

Mango seeds can be prone to fungal infections. Treat seed with a fungicide before planting.

It could also be that the mangoes you bought were not in season. I bought 3 mangoes last month or so to plant the seed, and they all rotted. To tell you the truth, those mangoes weren't really all that good. They were somewhat sweet, but very sour. Try in summer with a fresh, ripe, sweet, and slightly soft(not squishy) mango. The mango that I bought in late summer is still growing strong.

Yes, leaving it on top of the soil will work. Using potting soil, and keeping the soil moist(not soggy wet), and keeping it in a sunny location should keep it happy.

I wouldn't get discouraged though. It's no fun when a seed you've planted ends up dying, but it's all about trial and error. These things happen. :)

User avatar
OROZCONLECHE
Green Thumb
Posts: 560
Joined: Tue Oct 25, 2011 12:49 am
Location: So California -Ontario-

Yea Ive Learned Many things from error, I have alot of plants but I have more that Have died, but with all ive learned from that keeps the rest healthier



Return to “All Other Fruit”