The mango is known as the king of tropical fruits. It has an intense flavor that may or may not be to everyone's taste. But there's no doubt that it's one of the tastiest fruits in the world. However, to obtain sweet, juicy, aromatic pulp and large pieces, you need to know how to care for a mango tree. And that's exactly what we want to teach you below.
And sometimes, you need to know what you have to do to get a well-cared for mango tree. How about we give you the keys from planting to harvesting? Shall we get started?
What you should keep in mind when having a mango tree
Image - Wikimedia / Michael Hermann
The first thing you should know about the mango tree is that there are more than a thousand different varieties. That means, Among the many varieties, there will be one that suits your climate. Now, you need to know which one it is to choose it. And this is often not easy.
Don't be fooled by any variety you find, whether at a nursery or a supermarket (especially the latter, because sometimes they don't survive and attention is not paid to specimens adapted to the climates where they are sold).
The most popular varieties and those that are easiest to grow are:
- Tommy Atkins, which is hardy and productive. It won't cause you any problems in warm climates, but be careful in colder ones.
- Ataulfo, which has a very sweet taste.
- Kent, which is ideal for the texture of the mangoes, which feels like butter when you chew them.
- Haden, which has a taste that is neither sweet nor sour.
En general, The mango tree needs an ideal temperature of between 24 and 35 ºCThis means that if it's above a few degrees, nothing will happen. But be careful, because as a native of tropical and subtropical areas, the mango tree doesn't tolerate frost or cold weather well. In these situations, you'll have to protect it heavily to prevent it from dying. And we're warning you that it can happen more easily than you think.
Once you've chosen the variety, the next step is where you're going to plant it. And here you should follow the same guidelines as above. In other words, the mango tree needs full sun, ideally for most of the day. This means you need a sunny spot.
But if the climate where you live is cold, it may be more advisable to place it in a greenhouse or in a place where it receives sun most of the day.
Yes, Be careful not to bring it near homes, swimming pools, fences or similar. It is a tree that needs space to grow because it can easily reach 10 meters in height.
How to plant it
You've already chosen your mango tree. And also the location where you're going to plant it. Now you need to figure out how you're going to plant it. And here you have two options:
- mallet. We recommend that you plant it in a long and wide pot, so that the roots can develop easily without overcrowding the space in a short time.
- I usually. Here, depending on the size of the mango tree, you'll need to dig at least a 60 x 60 cm hole. However, if the soil is quite hard, we recommend digging a deeper hole. Then, add some organic compost to the soil and finally, plant the tree.
You may be wondering why not plant a mango tree from seed. It's possible, yes, but you should know that, if you do, it will take, if you're lucky, about seven years to bear fruit. Furthermore, it's harder for it to reach that age, and the fruit often isn't as rich as it is with grafted or mature trees.
Basic care of the mango tree
Once you've planted your mango tree, it's time to pay attention to its needs. To do this, beyond location and temperature, which we've already discussed, we'll focus on watering, fertilizing, pruning, and pest and disease management.
Irrigation
The mango tree isn't a tree that tolerates a lot of water. In fact, it's usually better off if you let it go thirsty than if you soak it.
We recommend that, If the tree does not produce fruit yet, water it once a week., depending on the climate. If it's already bearing fruit, water it every 3-5 days.
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The mango tree needs three essential nutrients: nitrogen, which helps the foliage grow; match, which makes the roots strong; and potassium, which is for the flowering, setting and flavor of the fruits.
Does that mean you have to apply all of them from the moment you plant it? No. You see, until the third year, or fifth year if you plant it from seed, you'll need to apply fertilizers that are very rich in nitrogen and phosphorus. And, from that age on, a balanced one, one that has all three nutrients, but especially potassium.
Pruning
Since we're talking about a tree, it's normal to have to prune it, especially when it's young, to control its size, improve air circulation, and give it the shape you want.
La Mango tree training pruning is done during the first 2-3 years. Then, maintenance is performed to ensure the tree remains well cared for. Finally, pruning is done after the harvest. Considering that the harvest usually occurs between years five and seven, you'll already know that the previous pruning is the most essential.
Plagues and diseases
We're not going to tell you that the mango tree is 100% resistant, because it isn't. In reality, it's affected by many pests and diseases. But the truth is, it's more resistant than other fruit trees.
In the case of pests, the ones you should be most concerned about are: fruit flies, mites and thrips, mealybugs and aphidsAnd, of all, these last two are the worst, because they can kill the tree.
Diseases are also important. Anthracnose, powdery mildew or flower malformation They can affect the development of the tree and cause it not to bear fruit or for the fruit not to be of the quality you expected.
With these basic care tips, you'll be closer to having a mango tree with delicious fruit.