How to Grow a Mango Tree in a cool climate or when you don’t have space? Well, Growing Mango Tree in a Pot or container is the answer!

Mango fruits are tart, spicy, aromatic, and sweet in FLAVOR, a unique taste that no other fruits can offer.

Also called the king of fruits, the mango tree grows in the warm tropical climate, not winter hardy and dies in the temperature below 30 F (-1). Usually, it requires a lot of space to grow. But if you’re short of space or living in a colder climate, where growing a mango tree on the ground is impossible–Growing a mango tree in a container can be an option.

USDA Zones: 9b–11, can be grown in zone 8 with care

Difficulty: Moderate to Hard

Botanical Name: Mangifera Indica

Growing Habit

A Mango tree grown on its native place can grow huge. Some cultivars can grow up to 32+ meters (105+ feet) tall. And there are more than 500+ varieties of mangoes grown across the world. A typical mango tree, if cared carefully can live up to 100 of years.

Mango Tree Propagation

Propagating a mango tree from seed is a bad idea because it may take up to 8 years to produce fruit and even after that, there’s no guarantee that it’ll bear fruits or not and of which variety.

The smart idea is to buy a grafted plant. Many mango cultivars are available these days, so it’s best to ask at the local nursery for the dwarf variety that does well in the container.

A grafted mango plant takes a minimum 2-3 years to fruit. In its first 3 to 5 years it grows larger and produces fewer flowers and fruits. More productive fruiting starts after the fifth year of planting.

Choosing a Right Variety

A dwarf mango tree grows up to 2-4 meters (6.5-13 feet) tall and can be tried in containers. There’re some specific dwarf varieties of the mango tree that you can grow in a container—Irwin and Nam Doc Mai are best. Some other varieties you may try are King Thai, Carrie, Cogshall, Glenn, Neelam, Amrapali, and Palmer.

Planting a Mango Tree

Plant it in a planter according to the current size of the rootball of the plant and update the planter as the plant gets bigger in a year or two or whenever it’s required. You’ll need a large pot to accommodate a mango tree.

In the beginning, a two size bigger planter than the rootball would be sufficient.

The Best Time for Planting

The best time for planting a mango tree is in spring. However, in their native habitat like India, mangoes are planted before the beginning of the rainy season (July, August) or after the rainy season.

Requirements for Growing Mango Trees in Containers

Soil

It needs light, well-drained soil that is very rich in organic matter. The pH level around 5.5-7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral). Instead of using regular soil from the garden, use a high-quality potting mix. Also, at the time of planting, add 1/3 part compost or aged manure in the mix.

Position

Mango tree needs a lot of sun and heat to thrive. Almost 8-10 hours of exposure to the full intense sun is required for optimum growth and productivity of the plant. Place the mango tree in a container in the South or West facing position of your garden.

Watering

Mango trees grown on the ground don’t require much watering, but container grown plants are different. You’ll need to water your mango plant regularly in its first two-three years. Once the tree is established and mature enough to bear fruits, start to water moderately during the pre-flowering period.

Keep doing this until 40-50 percent of the tree is full of flowers and then water regularly from flowering stage to fruit formation, until a few weeks (or a month) left before harvesting the mangoes. During this time, start to water moderately again.

Mango Tree Care

Fertilizer

Feed it with the balanced fertilizer when actively growing. At the beginning of blooming season decrease the amount of nitrogen and feed your mango tree with high in potassium and phosphorus fertilizer.

Pinching and Pruning

Continuous pinching encourages bushier growth. The mango tree doesn’t require a lot of pruning. However, it’s necessary to remove dead, diseased and entangled branches that are causing the lack of air circulation and penetration of sunlight to control its shape and health.

Note: Heavy pruning can decrease the number of fruits in the following year.

Also Read: Best Citrus Trees for Containers

Pests

Common pests that attack a mango tree are Hoppers, Mealybugs, Scale, and Spider Mites. They reduce the vigor of the tree, which causes fewer fruits. These must be controlled as early as possible using organic pesticides.

Growing a Mango Tree in Cold Climates

If you live in a colder region, use dark colored pot because mango tree loves the warmth and black color has a tendency to absorb heat. Make sure your pot has sufficient drainage holes; a mango tree doesn’t like a moist, waterlogged growing medium.

Also, you’ll need to cover the pot with bubble wrap when the temperature starts to go below. In winter, moving your mango tree’s pot in a greenhouse or indoors is also a good idea if you’re not growing it in a frost free area.

Place it in a room near a south-facing window, which receives at least some amount of direct sunlight during the day. Try to warm up the room, using grow lights and special temperature raising halogen lights. You can also cover up your plant to insulate it from cold.

Also Read: Drought Tolerant Fruit Trees

Harvesting a Mango Tree

After flowering, mango fruits start to ripe within the next 3-4 month, all depends on the climate, and the variety you’re growing. In hot and humid climates, fruits ripen fast. Pluck fruits when their scent become sweet and tempting. You can harvest unripe fruits too, these are used in making sherbet, pickles, chutneys, and curries.

Also Read: Is Mango a Citrus Fruit or Stone Fruit