Mangifera indica(MANGO)

The mango tree generally prefers deep sandy-loam soils, which are cool but well drained - a soil that is often wet can be deadly to it - and it is more fruitful in semi-arid areas - it requires 2 to 3 months of dry season!

Given its low hardiness - between 4 and 10 ° C minimum - it should be grown in pots in most temperate regions.

Plant it in the spring, in a large, deep pot. Fill it with a draining soil. Place the pot on a saucer filled with damp gravel to maintain high air moisture.

A mango tree grown in pots needs regular inputs otherwise it risks of not being at its best!

Repot in the spring, every 2 to 3 years, changing medium for a good potting soil.

Make sure the pot is large and deep enough, and the bottom of the pot is well drilled - add some pebbles to the bottom for a draining effect.

If you do not want to repot, you can scrape the soil and add new substrate on the first centimeters, without changing the pot.

Keep the mixture moist at all times by generous waterings in the summer.

However, do not soak it and think about emptying the saucer.

The young plant will also be sensitive to the drying of the mixture.

In winter, consider reducing watering but do not let the mixture dry out completely. The plant at rest always needs moisture, but must feel a clear difference between the abundance of inputs in summer and the moderate ones in winter. During flowering - if you see a bud you are in luck! - some "water stress" - the shortage of water! - may allow better flowering

Observe your mango tree in winter: if leaves turn black, it's a cold snap, and if they turn pale, it's a lack of fertilizer! The mango can also have other troubles: the aphids can be seen with the naked eye, under the leaves, near the veins. Spray on the leaves some soapy water, or a mixture of water and olive oil that will nourish your plant. Mealybugs lock themselves in a brown carapace or under a white felting, on the back of the leaf against the main vein and secrete a honeydew that will eventually attract mushrooms. Against mealybugs, you can moisten the foliage preventively by spraying it several times a week with non-calcareous and non-chlorinated water.