How to Plant Mangoes From Seeds
Ripe, yellow mango fruits have a sticky sweet flavor. After enjoying this tropical fruit, save the seed and grow your own mango tree. While the tree may not produce fruit, it makes an attractive houseplant. These plants have broad, deep-green leaves that add greenery to patios during the summer or to the home. Mangoes do not tolerate frost, so plant your seed in a pot so you can move the tree indoors during winter. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Cut open the husk surrounding the seed with a pair of garden shears. Avoid damaging the seed inside, which resembles an oversized bean.
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Fill a bowl with lukewarm water. Place the seed in the water and soak it for 24 hours. Soaking weakens the seed coating and speeds germination.
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Fill a resealable plastic bag with moistened peat moss. Bury the seed in the peat and seal the bag nearly closed, leaving one corner open for ventilation.
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Set the bag on a warm, sunny windowsill to germinate. Check the moisture in the peat daily and add water if it begins to dry. Seeds sprout within two to four weeks.
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Fill a 6-inch diameter pot with potting soil. Plant the sprouted seed, root-side down, into the soil. Sow the seed so the top of the seed is ½ inch beneath the soil surface.
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Water the soil until the excess moisture drains from the bottom of the pot. Place the pot back in the sunny window and water when the soil surface begins to feel dry.
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Tips & Warnings
Mango trees benefit from yearly fertilization. Use a balanced, time-release fertilizer in spring to ensure the continued healthy of your tree.
You can start the seed directly in the pot, but it may take longer for it to sprout and it is more prone to rotting before it can germinate.
Mango sap contains a skin irritant. Wear gloves when planting the seed or handling the plant.
References
- Photo Credit mango image by Marek Kosmal from Fotolia.com
