Mango is a delicious tropical fruit that is loved by the inhabitants of Russia. Depending on the variety, the fruit may taste like peach, juicy carrots, sugar pineapple and fragrant strawberries. Is it possible to grow mangoes from seed? The subtleties of its cultivation are described in the article.
How does it grow in nature?
India is considered the historical homeland of the plant. Mango tree is found in countries of South and East Asia, East Africa and the state of California. The plant loves warmth, so it can die at +5 degrees. The tree has sprawling branches and large green leaves. In nature, it grows up to 20 meters in height, while it has a wide rounded crown.
The roots of the plant are in the ground at a depth of more than 5 meters, which ensures constant access to moisture and nutrients. During flowering, delicate flowers form on the branches. When they fall, threadlike panicles appear, on which fruits grow, two or more. The plant is able to bear fruit for 300 years.
By size, the fruits are 5-22 cm in length and come in different shapes - flattened, ovoid, curved. The peel is green or yellow with a red tint on the sunny side. The weight of one fruit can be 250-750 g. In the process of ripening, the fruits hang on the long branches of the predecessor flowers. Under the peel they have a rich orange flesh, and under it is a bone.
At home
Is it possible to grow a plant from a mango seed? Exactly following the instructions will result in a decorative tropical plant with graceful leaves, similar to a palm tree. Flowering and fruitfulness have only grafted specimens. They can be purchased in a botanical garden or nursery or planted using the budding method using a fruit-bearing kidney.
To plant a mango tree grown at home, you need:
- Take a sterile knife and cut off a kidney with a piece of bark and wood.
- On a tree near the ground, using a sterile tool, make an incision in the shape of the letter T, bend the edges of the bark and plant a cut kidney.
- Then you should wrap the site of vaccination with soft electrical tape and wait for the growth of the kidney.
Flowering begins 2 years after vaccination, and if this happened, then after 3 months you can expect the first harvest of fruits. A grafted plant requires regular fertilizer, especially during flowering and fruit ripening.
Growing
How to grow mango from seed at home? There are 2 ways to grow:
- Acquisition of the finished seedling in the nursery. The purchased plant must be transplanted into the soil and provide the necessary care.
- Germination of seeds, for which you need to buy fruit in the store. Focusing only on the color of the mango, it is difficult to establish ripeness. A green and even color can hide no less mature fruit than yellow or red.
When choosing, lightly press on the mango. Elasticity without hardness, deformation is an indicator of ripeness. It is necessary to carefully examine the tropical fruit - the skin on it should be whole, a little shiny and without spots.
The ripe fruit has a sweet aroma with a slight hint of turpentine. The presence of the smell of alcohol indicates the overripe fruit and the beginning of fermentation. When cleaning, the pulp of the fetus is easily separated from the seed with fruit fibers.
Seed preparation
How to grow mango from seed? Before germination, the bones are removed from the fetus. The fruit must be cut in half with a knife, to clear the core of the pulp. Then you need to thoroughly wash the bone under running water.
To accelerate the emergence of sprouts, seeds can be freed from a seed similar to a clam. To do this, open the bone and get the contents, similar to large beans.
If the shell is very hard, then you should not break it - there is a high risk of injury to the sprouts. A strong bone should be placed in a transparent dish and pour water. It is important to provide heat and sunlight, and the water needs to be changed after a few days. After a few weeks, when the bone swells, it is necessary to open it from the side and get the seed.
A new plant emerges from the sprouted seed. This stage should be given special attention:
- After extraction, the seed must be treated with a fungicide to eliminate spores of parasitic fungi. This stage is very important, since the young seed is prey for fungi and mold.
- Seed must be wrapped in moist, breathable material or a paper towel. The material must let air through and not be very wet, otherwise the seed may begin to rot.
- It is necessary to create a mini-greenhouse for the future plant: a moist cloth with a seed must be placed in polyethylene, and pack it all in a plastic food container with a lid.
- The resulting construction for germination needs to be removed in a dark place and every day to check the humidity.
At home, you can sprout in another way - using a container with wet sawdust, where the seed removed from the stone is removed. 2-3 weeks after the appearance of the first embryos, one can proceed to a transplant in a pot.
Landing
To grow mangoes from the bones of the house, you must follow the planting instructions. After the last stage, you need to plant a bone in the ground, treated with growth stimulants, but this method is not the most effective. The reason for this is that the seed protects and preserves the seeds to give life to the new tree. The new climate may not be suitable for this, so there is no guarantee that the plant will appear.
Proper preparation is important at this stage. Before planting the seed, you need to prepare the container and soil. In nature, a tree has a root system per meter, so you need a spacious pot. Frequent transplants harm and destroy the plant. If you are interested in how to grow a tree from a mango seed, then you need to follow simple rules:
- At the bottom of the pot spread drainage, a layer of 5-6 cm. This is necessary for root breathing and to protect the plant from stagnation of water, as well as from decay.
- A substrate is placed at 2/3 of the height of the pot. Soil must be chosen light and with a neutral pH. A universal soil is used, the acidity of which is determined by a special device or a paper indicator.
- It is necessary to make a small depression and plant the seed with the embryo down 3/4 into the ground. If there is no germ after germination or the seed is planted without preparation, it must be placed with a flat section down.
- Mango is a thermophilic plant that needs a suitable climate.
- After planting, you need to spray the seed with a spray gun and cover with a domed lid or a transparent container.
- It is necessary to periodically check the plant, water and ventilate the air in the pot so that rot does not begin and the plant does not die.
- The tree should be placed in a warm, bright place.
- After 2-3 weeks, a sprout will appear, and the greenhouse protection should be removed. No need to worry if the leaves are different in color. Purple and green leaves are a feature of the plant.
That's all the nuances about how to grow mangoes from seed. It remains only to ensure proper care of the tree.
Lighting
If you are interested in how to grow mangoes from seed, you should pay special attention to suitable lighting. Direct sunlight is not harmful to the tree, so it can be left on the illuminated windowsill. You should not put it in dark places, because the plant will drop leaves and die. In winter, to prolong daylight hours up to 12 hours, fluorescent lamp illumination is required.
Temperature
How to grow mango fruit from seed? In order for the tree to be healthy and beautiful, it is important to ensure a suitable temperature. The plant does not need climate change. Suitable temperature ranges from +21 to +26 degrees. Do not take the plant to the balcony or to the garden even in warm weather: sudden rain, a sharp change in air temperature and wind are dangerous for him.
Humidity and watering
How to grow mango from seed so that it can be taken at home? He does not need very dry soil; watering should be done at least twice a week. Excess moisture is not as fatal as lack. It is better to use settled water for irrigation.
Dry air is also not suitable for a tropical plant. You need to regularly moisten the leaves with a spray gun, maintain optimal humidity - 70-80%, an air humidifier is great for this.
Fertilizer
How to grow mango from seed so that it grows well? The plant requires regular feeding. Tender fruit needs natural organic fertilizers and stimulants. To ensure proper growth, add humus to the pot with the plant. You can make a small circular recess near the trunk, lay the fertilizer and sprinkle with soil on top. Once a month, you need to feed the mango with fertilizing with minerals and a high nitrogen content, this will keep the foliage green.
Pruning
In nature, mango grows high, but at home, the tree turns out to be tall. If you do not plan to create a greenhouse, you need to take care of the crown of the tree. When 8 leaves appear on the seedling, pinch the top. As soon as the tree is about 1.5 meters in height, it is necessary to form a crown. This is usually done one year after planting. Pruning is preferably done in the spring, leaving 5 branches. Trimming areas need to be treated with garden var.
Transfer
If the tree was planted in a small pot, you should not rush to move it immediately after the emergence of sprouts. It is advisable to do this after a year, mango is sensitive to changes.
To grow a tree, you need to provide a place for the roots to appear. After a year, you need to change the pot, increasing its height and depth. When the plant is 3-5 years old, it is advisable to transplant after 3 years.
Even with good care, proper watering, lighting and bait, it’s difficult to grow mangoes. It is likely that by the 6th year of life the plant will bloom and after 3 months the fruits will appear. But usually, to get fruit, a kidney of a fruiting tree from a nursery is required. Then after 2 years the tree will bloom and give sweet fruits.