How to Plant a Mango Tree in the Ground. Mango trees prefer a sunny location with soil that is loose and well-draining. Before planting your mango tree, make sure to find the best place. Excavate the planting hole deeper than you intended. Backfill the hole with some of the removed soil to give loose soil for developing roots. Make sure the seed is buried at least one centimetre (0.5 inches) deep in the soil when growing trees from seed. Stakes will be required to support the growing seedling trees.
How to Plant a Mango Tree in the Ground
Steps to Plant a Mango Tree in the Ground:
Finding the appropriate spot to plant mango trees is essential. To produce ripe fruit, mature mango trees require sufficient space, sunlight, and the correct soil. We’ll go over how to prepare your seed for planting step-by-step below.
Step 1: Investigate the Best Area
All trees must be cultivated in the best soil possible, where they may receive the most sunlight for optimum growth. Additionally, larger-sized trees require a lot of space to flourish. Think about the potential effects of their future growth on neighbouring structures like buildings. For optimum growth, a healthy mango tree must have the following requirements met during planting:
- Exposed to the sun’s rays.
- Rich, loose, slightly acidic soil that drains easily.
- There is enough room for the tree canopy and roots to expand.
It’s crucial to space trees out properly. Mango trees in their mature state have a very long lifespan. Frequently, they can grow to be 100 feet tall (30 metres) and 35 feet broad (10 meters). Mango branches and roots are equally spread out. The roots of healthy mango trees can invade and damage sewer systems. Make sure your tree has enough room so that its growth won’t affect nearby structures or anything below the ground.
Step 2: Prepare Your Seed For Planting
A little preparation is needed before sowing mango seeds. Start by removing the mango pit and any leftover fruit fibres from the mango fruit. While doing this, take care not to harm the pit itself. The pit should then be left to dry overnight in a cool, dim location. Once dry, cut open the pit with a very sharp knife. Avoid damaging the seed inside the pit by just making shallow cuts. After the pit has been opened, remove the seed—which will resemble a lima bean—and give it a gentle rinsing. You can now immediately plant it.
- Find out how to remove a mango seed from its pit.
- For faster tree growth, you can germinate the seed before planting.
If you choose, you can keep on germination of the seed before planting. After the seed has been freed from the husk, let it soak in water all day. After that, wrap your seed in a wet paper towel and put it in a sandwich-sized plastic bag. For optimum germination, use sandwich bags to trap moisture. Check for growth every few days in this bag by placing it somewhere warm, like a window sill. It’s time to go outside and plant the seed as soon as it starts to sprout.
Step 3: Create a Planting Hole
The planting hole for a mango tree from seed only needs to be half an inch (1 cm) deep. To further loosen the garden soil, it’s a good idea to dig deeper than necessary. To create a small hole for your seed, use this hand-held garden trowel. Fill in this hole only partially, up to a depth of half an inch, with the soil you just dug up or a new planting mix.
- It is best to remove more soil than is necessary before backfilling partially to loosen the soil.
- Mango trees in rich soil don’t require fertilising this early; however, you can fertilise the hole if necessary.
You now have the option to fill the hole with stuff like fertiliser. However, if your soil is already rich, fertiliser is not required. Check out our article on how to dig a hole for a tree for a detailed guide to digging planting holes.
Step 4: Plant the Tree
Planting mango trees is not that difficult. Just bury a seed in the opening. Fill in the hole with the native dirt you dug up or seed the beginning mixture. Make sure not to bury the green branches in the dirt if the seed is germination.
Water the newly planted seed well. The soil should be extremely moist but not drenched around the newly planted seed. Mango trees can also be mulched with organic material to help the soil retain moisture. That is all there is to planting mango trees.
Step 5: Provide Growth Support
Whether they are planted directly or develop into seedlings, seedling trees require support. Staking is the ideal way to offer this support. To support your seedling, use this kit for tree staking. Simply drive as many stakes as necessary a few feet deep into the ground with a mallet.
- Discover how to stake a tree to give young seedlings support.
- To ensure a tree grows healthily, stake it. To protect your mango tree, it must be done correctly.
Using delicate string or twine, secure the seedling to the posts. Place the ties where they will give the tree the most structural support. As you raise your hand up the tree, give each inch or so a light shake. Determine the height at which the tree stands straight even when moved. The place where you should fasten your ties is here.
How Deeply Should a Mango Tree Be Planted?
A mango seed needs to be buried at least one centimetre (0.5 inches) beneath the soil’s surface. Mango trees that are mature have extraordinarily deep roots that spread out quickly. Mango seeds don’t require a lot of soil depth to establish themselves.
- Make sure to bury your mango seed 1 cm (1/2 inch) deep in the ground.
- Mango trees mature into deep roots, so planting them in a shallow location will still allow them to take root.
Planting mango tree seedlings at least a foot deep is recommended. Make sure to mulch mango plants with organic material. Additionally, the mulch will give another layer of depth to support the relatively delicate seedlings. Mulch also helps mature mango plants retain moisture during dry times.
How Should a Mango Tree Be Planted?
The optimal soil for mango tree growth is loose soil that drains properly. Mango trees do best in sandy soil or sandy loam. Before planting, test the acidity of your soil. The ideal pH range for mango plants is 5.5 to 7.
- Mango types require loose, well-draining soil that is a little acidic.
- To determine your soil’s pH, use this soil tester.
- Mango trees thrive in soil that has a pH between 5.5-7.
You can apply soil supplements like lime or sulphur to adjust the pH of the soil if the native soil you are utilising is not the right kind. While sulphur causes soil acidity to rise, lime will decrease it. To have a long-lasting effect, these amendments must be incorporated into the soil.
