mango

Everything You Will Ever Need To Know About Mangos

Mango fruit is simply excellent, sweet, and full of incredible flavor. Some even call it the “King of the fruits.” In this article, we are going to tell you all about So make sure you read until the end if you don’t want to miss out on all the exciting mango fun facts. So let’s imagine that there are no fruits in your country and you just came from a holiday in India where you bought a mango just before you flew back home. Before you start to eat the mango at home, you decide to figure out the best way to eat a mango. After you have managed to cut it up and eat the fruit, you wonder what to do with the seed. You wonder how amazing it would be to have your mango tree. But first, you must find out how to grow a mango tree from a seed, right?

How To Grow A Mango Tree From A Seed

Before we get into the details of how to grow a mango tree from a seed, we want to answer some key questions.

How Long Does It Take To Grow Mango Tree From A Seed?

Mango seeds will germinate in two to four weeks. Then, after a few months, your mango tree will start to grow.

When Do Mango Trees Start Producing Fruit?

On average, it will take three to five years for a mango tree to start to bear fruit. If the climate is right, it could be as early as three years, but it would be closer to five years in most cases.

How Do You Get A Mango Seed To Sprout?

The next time you eat a delicious mango, remove as much of the flesh as you can, and then gently separate the pits shells with a knife. Inside the shell is a seed that looks like a big bean. Now wrap some synthetic cloth or even a plastic wrap around the seed and water lightly with sterile water. Using synthetic materials instead of kitchen towels will help avoid mold forming. Put in a ziplock bag and store in a warm place until it starts germinating. The germination process can take two to four weeks.

Growing Mango Trees From Seeds

Mother nature intended mango pits to land on the ground after an animal or human ate the fruit. So probably, you could have success by simply throwing some mango pits on top of a compost pile. But if you want to play safe, we recommend the previously described process. It is essential to select a good seed. If possible (and if you can find out), the best seed comes from a “polyembryonic” variety. Polyembryonic is a kind of cloning, meaning that multiple plants will grow from that single seed. It will sprout several identical trees, again like the parent tree. So if the fruit you just ate tasted awesome, you could check out the seed and see if it is polyembryonic. Check this video to understand better the difference between monoembryonic and polyembryonic.

How To Plant A Mango Tree

Here are a few steps you would need to take to plant your mango tree outdoors.
  • Grow a small plant indoors in a pot in late winter or early spring.
  • Make sure temperatures have reached at least around 70-75F (21-24C)
  • Make sure you select a place in full sun.
  • Select a place where the tree can grow big.
  • If your mango tree is grown in a shade house, gradually get used to the sun first.
  • Dig a hole
  • Remove the tree from the pot without disturbing the roots.
  • Put the tree in the hole and water around the plant.
  • Ensure the soil is fertilized and follow up every two weeks with extra nutrition.

How To Grow A Mango Tree Inside Your Home

Can you grow a mango tree in the house? How to Grow a Mango in a Pot. Dwarf mango trees are perfect as container-grown mango trees; they only grow to between 4 and 8 feet. They do well in USDA zones 9-10, but you can fool Mother Nature by growing them indoors if you can fulfill the mangoes’ heat and light requirements or have a greenhouse. Basic Indoor Mango Plant Care Tips Ideally, you will mimic tropical conditions in your home or as close to it as you can manage. Warmth | Mango trees grow best in ambient temperatures ranging between 21º to 24ºC (70º to 75ºF). Extremes | Mango trees die at temperatures below .5ºC (33ºF) but can tolerate up to 48ºC (118ºF). Humidity | 50-60% until/if flowers form (then lower it). Light | Needs heat more than intense light; do not allow the plant to dry out. Summer | Place outdoors in the dappled sun for maximum warmth. Fall to Spring | Keep indoors. Fertilizer | I cannot find any research on specific fertilizer needs for indoor mangos. This is what is recommended for outdoor ones: Fertilizer may be a 1:1:1 or 1:2:2 N-P-K ratio formulation, such as 16-16-16 or 10-20-20 N-P-K. Warnings | Mango trees are in the same family as poison ivy. The skin, bark, and leaves can cause strong reactions. [Read more here at the University of Illinois]

How To Grow A Mango Tree In Your Garden

First of all, mango trees don’t grow in a cold climate. The best USDA zones are 9-10. The plant can thrive in almost any soil but requires well-drained soil in a site with protection from cold. Position your tree where it will receive full sun for the best fruit production. New mango tree planting is done in late winter to early spring when the plant is not actively growing.

How To Take Care Of A Mango Tree

Mango tree care is similar to that of any fruit tree. Water the trees deeply to saturate the long taproot. Allow the top surface of the soil to dry to a depth of several inches before watering again. Withhold irrigation for two months before flowering and then resume once fruits begin to produce. Essential Indoor Mango Plant Care Tips Ideally, you will mimic tropical conditions in your home or as close to it as you can manage. Warmth | Mango trees grow best in ambient temperatures ranging between 21º to 24ºC (70º to 75ºF). Extremes | Mango trees die at temperatures below .5ºC (33ºF) but can tolerate up to 48ºC (118ºF). Humidity | 50-60% until/if flowers form (then lower it). Light | Needs heat more than intense light; does not allow the plant to dry out. Summer | Place outdoors in the dappled sun for maximum warmth. Fall to Spring | Keep indoors. Fertilizer | I cannot find any research on specific fertilizer needs for indoor mangos. This is recommended for outdoor ones: Fertilizer may be a 1:1:1 or 1:2:2 N-P-K ratio formulation, such as 16-16-16 or 10-20-20 N-P-K. Warnings | Mango trees are in the same family as poison ivy. The skin, bark, and leaves can cause strong reactions. [Read more here at the University of Illinois]

How often do you water a mango tree?

When first planting, you should water every day or two for a couple of weeks, making sure not to let the root ball dry out, then gradually back off the watering frequency so that after 6 weeks, you are watering every two-three days or so in the summer and every week to two weeks in the winter.

What is the best fertilizer for mango trees?

Commonly available fertilizer mixes that are satisfactory for mango trees include 6-6-6 and 8-3-9-2, the 2 indicating magnesium. Additional rapid-release fertilizers containing nitrogen are applied just before mango trees flower to encourage flowering and mango yield.

How much sunlight do mango trees need?

Mango seedlings require bright light but not direct sunlight. Once the plant starts to grow, give it as much light as possible, including moving it outside if possible. It needs at least six hours of sun per day and preferably eight to 10 hours.

Do you need a male and female mango tree?

While you don’t need two trees to get a fruit crop, you need both male and female flower parts. It’s more convenient with mangoes since each tree is monoecious, producing both male and female flowers.

How To Prune A Mango Tree

When To Harvest Mango Fruit

Harvest mangos approximately 100 to 150 days after the flowering stage is completed. In most cases, the flowering blooms will develop fruit. You will see the fruit begin to fill and expand in size. Check mangos approximately three months into the growing process. Firstly, you can eat green mangoes by turning them into green mango pickles, chutneys, and in cooking. Thinly sliced green mangoes make a wonderful Asian salad, and green mangoes go well with almost anything. However, most people are accustomed to eating ripened mangoes, so how can we tell when a mango is ripe to eat? Easy, a mango is ripe to eat when the skin has a slight blush, the mango feels soft and not firm when lightly squeezed, and the mango is fragrant (smells lovely and sweet). As a side note, not all types of mangoes ripen with a blush as some remain green-skinned (but most go yellow or orange when ripe).

What is The Yield Of A Mango Tree

The yield varies with the cultivar and the age of the tree. At 10 to 20 years, an excellent annual crop maybe 200 to 300 fruits per tree. The harvest can go up to double that amount with double the age. In Java, old trees have delivered up to 1,000 to 1,500 fruits in a season. Some cultivars in India bear 800 to 3,000 fruits; exceptional cases have reported up to 5,000 fruits on one tree. mango on table

Mango Nutrition Facts

Each cup of sliced mango (165 grams) contains approximately: 107 calories 3 grams of fiber 24 grams of sugar 1 gram of protein 25 percent daily value of vitamin A 76 percent daily value of vitamin C 257 mg of potassium 0.2 mg of vitamin B-6

Health Benefits Of MangoS

Here’s a breakdown of the many health benefits of mango, from providing essential vitamins to improving digestion. Vitamin A Mango is rich in vitamin A. As noted above, 1 cup of mango has about 25 percent of the daily recommended value of vitamin A. This vitamin has many critical bodily functions, especially for the eyes and skin. It also boosts the health of your bones and the reproductive and immune systems. Vitamin C Mango is one of the highest food sources of vitamin C. This vitamin is essential for your immune system. It also plays a role in muscle, tendon, and bone growth. Eating mango improves plant iron absorption due to its vitamin C content. One cup of mango has 46 milligrams of vitamin C, or about 76 percent of what you should get in a day. Weight control Mango demonstrates some exciting potential when it comes to healthy weight control. Recent research suggests that mango and its phytochemicals may suppress fat cells and fat-related genes. Another study showed that mango peel inhibits the formation of fatty tissues in a way similar to antioxidant resveratrol. Anticancer The micronutrients in mango may fight cancer, and research on breast cancer is promising. In one animal study trusted Source, mango decreased tumor size and suppressed cancer growth factors. In another study, mango stopped advancing an early-stage breast cancer called ductal carcinoma. Improved digestion Mango consumption has shown impressive results in people with chronic constipation. In research published in The Official Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, a group of people who ate mango every day had more improvement in their constipation symptoms than those who ate an equivalent amount of fiber. The mango group also adhered to their treatment plan more efficiently. It showed increases in healthy fatty acids and other measures of digestive wellness, like gastric secretions that aid in the digestion of food. These positive effects may be due to mango’s high water and fiber content and its healthy antioxidants. As mentioned, mango fruit is rich in pre-biotic dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and polyphenolic flavonoid antioxidant compounds. According to a new research study, mango fruit has been found to protect against colon, breast, leukemia, and prostate cancers. Several trial studies suggest that polyphenolic anti-oxidant compounds in mango are known to offer protection against breast and colon cancers. Mango fruit is an excellent source of Vitamin-A and flavonoids like beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, and beta-cryptoxanthin. 100 g of fresh fruit provides 765 IU or 25% of recommended daily levels of vitamin-A. Together, these compounds have been known to have antioxidant properties and are essential for vision. Vitamin A is also required for maintaining healthy mucus and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in carotenes protects from lung and oral cavity cancers. Fresh mango is a good source of potassium. 100 g of fruit provides 156 mg of potassium while just 2 mg of sodium. Potassium is an essential component of cells and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure. It is also a very good source of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin C and vitamin E. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals. Vitamin B-6 or pyridoxine is required for GABA hormone production within the brain. It also controls homocysteine levels within the blood, which may otherwise be harmful to blood vessels resulting in coronary artery disease (CAD), and stroke. Further, it composes moderate amounts of copper. Copper is a co-factor for many vital enzymes, including cytochrome c-oxidase and superoxide dismutase (other minerals that function as co-factors for this enzyme are manganese and zinc). Copper is also required for the production of red blood cells. Also, mango peel is rich in phytonutrients, such as pigment antioxidants like carotenoids and polyphenols.

Can A Sweet Mango Be a part of a Weight Loss Diet?

Mangoes are not just tasty but provide us with many nutrients, including folate, vitamin A, vitamin B6, and vitamin C. Talking about weight and mango – mango is no miracle fruit that alone can help you shed those extra kilos. But eating it and some other seasonal fruits can help you reach your weight loss goals a little sooner due to its high fiber content and low energy density.

Mango and weight loss

Replacing unhealthy foods with mango can help you skip the extra calories and lose weight. A study published in the “Nutrition Research” in April 2008 found that obese people who ate more fruits lost more weight than people who ate fewer fruits. By the end of six months, people who ate more fruits lost 0.3 kilos more weight than people who ate less or did not eat fruits at all. Mango is a low-energy-density fruit. Several studies claim that foods that are low in energy density or calories per gram make great food for weight loss. These fruits fill you up with fewer calories. Mangoes have 0.6 calories per gram, making it very low-density fruit.

Mango Fibre Content

It is no more a secret that foods with high fiber content are great for weight loss. Fiber increases the feeling of fullness and decreases the absorption of micronutrients such as fats and carbs, says an article published in “Nutrition” in March 2005. One cup of mango serving has 2.6 grams of fiber, 10 percent of the daily value one needs. Mango is also rich in beta carotene, which reduces the risk of certain types of cancer. To reduce the consumption of calories, mangoes are a great choice.

Mango Calories

Eating mangoes won’t help you lose weight if you eat them more than what you already eat. Instead, you should replace your unhealthy snacks with this delicious fruit for successful weight loss results. You also need to exercise and create a calorie deficit to lose weight in a sustainable manner. And eating mangoes and other such low-density vegetables and fruits makes it easy to create this calorie deficit required to lose weight. Not just losing weight, consuming mangoes daily can also make your skin brighter and softer.

How To Eat A Mango

Fresh mango is delicious and flavorful when eaten plain. Just peel and slice it up — or simply take bites!

There are several other ways to eat it, too. Here are a few ideas to get you started: Mangoes are ripe when they are slightly soft to the touch and have a fruity aroma. Look for ripe or soon-to-be ripe mangoes at your local store or market. Stick to fresh, frozen, or no sugar added dried mango. MODERATION IS KEY Try to keep your mango portions reasonable (typically no more than 1 cup fresh or 1/2 cup dried). Mango is one of the sweetest fruits and is lower in fiber than other fruits, so a good rule of thumb is not to exceed two servings a day. The United States Department of Agriculture recommends that adults eat 1 1/2 to 2 cups of fruit per day. For the rest of your daily fruit intake, consider higher fiber, and lower sugar options like citrus, apples, or berries that provide a range of nutrients and benefits. If you have diabetes or another health condition that makes you sensitive to fruit or sugar, talk to your doctor about what is suitable for you.

Can Diabetics Eat Mango

It is a popular notion that diabetes is worsened by consuming mangoes. This school of thought derives its references from mango being sweet and thus claims that diabetics should restrict their fruit consumption. Mangoes are advised not to be eaten by diabetics as their carbohydrate content is high. However, when we talk of quantity, the quality of carbs is equally essential. Keeping both the parameters, quality and quantity of carbs in view, you can include mango in your diet plan -but in the right amounts and at the correct times. I would just like to draw your attention to some research that says mango exhibits some anti-diabetic properties and help reduce blood glucose levels.
  • Mango contains a bioactive compound, mangiferin. This is a xanthanoid molecule that acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. Many studies have also proven that it also helps lower blood sugar levels.[4, 5]
  • Mangoes provide polyphenols, triterpene, and lupeol. These compounds have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Vitamin C is also known for its anti-inflammatory action. These compounds impart some blood glucose lowering properties to mango, as shown by some studies.
  • Diabetics can eat mangoes, but the mantra is to stick to smaller portions. It is very important to get clarity from your doctor about the quantity of mango you can consume. About 100–150 g of mango can be eaten by a diabetic in a day, depending on blood glucose control. people may consume small portions of the fruit which is friendlier to glucose metabolism than a more significant portion of it consumed with the heaviest meal.
  • Divide the portions
  • Divide your mango into smaller portions. This provides sufficient time to help your body normalize the elevated blood glucose levels. So, it is better and safer to eat 50 g of mango slices thrice a day than whole 100-150 g at one time.

A Lot Of Other Interesting Stuff About Mango

As you are here because you are interested in mango fruit, we thought we would tell you some exciting stuff about this incredible fruit Mangoes are tropical fruit from the drupe family. This means they have a single large seed or stone in the middle. Sometimes called the “king of fruits,” mangoes are one of the most widely consumed fruits in the world. Mangoes originated in India around 5,000 years ago. Their sweet, golden flesh is now beloved around the world. Some of the most common varieties of mangoes eaten today are cultivated in Mexico, Peru, and Ecuador. Mangoes are not only delicious but also nutritious. As with most foods, however, moderation is key. Sweet fruits like mangoes can have a lot of sugar. But fruit sugar is different from processed sugar because it’s balanced by fiber and a host of nutrients for the body. Sweet fruits like mangoes are a great alternative to junk food and other unhealthy snacks. If you’re craving something sugary, grab some mango instead. Once you start phasing out the junk, you won’t crave it as much. Whole foods are more satisfying, plus they offer many health benefits. Mango is one of the delicious seasonal fruits grown in the tropics. The tree is believed to originate in the sub-Himalayan plains of the Indian subcontinent. Botanically, this exotic fruit belongs within the family of Anacardiaceae. This family also includes numerous species of tropical-fruiting trees in flowering plants such as cashew, pistachio,…etc..etc. Mango is a tropical tree cultivated in many regions of India, and now its farming has been extended worldwide in many continents. After flowering, its fruits generally grow at the end of a long, string-like peduncle, with sometimes more than one fruit to a peduncle. Each fruit measures 5 to 15 cm in length and about 4 to 10 cm in width and has a typical “mango” shape, sometimes oval or round. Its weight ranges from 150 gm to around 750 gm. Outer skin (pericarp) is smooth and is green in unripe mangoes but turns in ripe fruits into golden yellow, crimson red, yellow or orange-red, depending upon the cultivar type. Fresh mango season lasts from April until August. Mango comes in different shapes and sizes depending upon cultivar types. Internally, its flesh (mesocarp) is juicy, orange-yellow in color, with numerous soft fibrils radiating from its centrally placed flat, oval-shaped stone (enveloping a single large kidney-shaped seed). Its flavor is pleasant and prosperous and tastes sweet with mild tartness. High-quality mango fruit should feature no or significantly less fiber content and minimal tartness. Mango seed (stone) may either has a single embryo or sometimes polyembryonic.

Want To Become A Mango Farmer

If you got so inspired by mango growing and eating that you want to start your own mango farm, here is a video giving you some essential info on how to harvest mangos.