How to Plant a Mango Tree in the Ground

Mango trees prefer to grow in a sunny spot with loose, well-draining soil. Be sure to scout out the ideal location for your mango tree before planting. Dig the planting hole deeper than your desired depth. Partially backfill the hole with dug out soil to provide loose soil for young roots. If growing trees from seed, make sure the seed is planted at least half an inch (1 cm) deep in the soil. Seedling trees will need to be staked to support them as they grow.

5 Steps to Plant a Mango Tree in the Ground

Planting mango trees is all about finding an ideal location. Mature mango trees need plenty of space, plenty of sun, and the right soil to bear ripe fruit. Below, we’ll cover the step-by-step process of getting your seed ready for planting.

Scout the Best Location

All trees need to be planted in ideal soil where they can get the best sun exposure for their growth. Additionally, trees that grow to a larger size need considerable space to grow. Consider how their future growth might impact nearby objects like buildings. A healthy mango tree will need the following planting needs met for optimum growth:

• Exposure to full sun.
• Loose, well-draining, rich soil that is mildly acidic.
• Plenty of space for the tree roots and tree canopy to grow.

Tree spacing is especially important. Mature mango trees can live for a very long time. They often reach 100 feet tall (30 meters) and 35 feet wide (10 meters). Mango roots reach just as wide as their branches. Healthy mango tree roots can be destructive and invasive to sewer lines. Make sure your tree will have sufficient space that its growth won’t impact nearby buildings or anything underground.

Prepare Your Seed For Planting

Mango seeds require a bit of prep work before planting. Start by taking the mango pit out of your mango fruit and scrubbing away any remaining fruit fibers. Take care not to damage the pit itself while doing this. Then proceed to let the pit dry out overnight somewhere cool and away from the light. Once dry, use a very sharp knife to cut open the pit. Be careful to only use shallow cuts as you don’t want to damage the seed inside the pit. Once the pit is open, extract the seed (it will resemble a lima bean) and gently rinse it. At this point, you can plant it directly.

• Learn how to extract a mango seed from a mango pit.
• You can germinate the seed before planting for faster tree growth.

You can also continue on to germinate the seed before planting if you choose. Once the seed is extracted from the husk, soak it in water for a full day. After this, wrap your seed in a moist paper towel and place this wrap in a plastic sandwich bag. Use sandwich bags to seal in moisture for best germination. Place this bag somewhere warm (like a window sill) and check for growth every few days. Once the seed begins to sprout, it’s time to go out and plant it.

Dig the Planting Hole

If growing a mango from seed, the planting hole only needs to be half an inch (1 cm) deep. However, it’s useful to dig deeper than you need to in order to loosen up the garden soil more. Use this handheld garden trowel to dig a small hole for your seed. Partially backfill this hole with the dug up soil or with a fresh planting mix until a half-inch of depth remains. 

• It’s best to dig up more soil than you need to and then partially backfill to loosen up the soil.
• You can fertilize the hole if you need to but mango trees in rich soils don’t need fertilizing this early.

At this point, you can choose to add things like fertilizer into the hole. However, fertilizer is unnecessary if your soil is already rich. For an in-depth guide to digging planting holes, check out our guide on digging a hole for a tree.

Plant the Tree

Mango tree planting is relatively simple. Simply place a seed in the hole. Backfill the hole with the dug up native soil or with seed starter mix. If the seed is germinating, take care not to cover the green shoots with soil. Thoroughly water the freshly planted seed. The surrounding soil for the freshly planted seed should be very moist but not soaked. You can also mulch mango trees with organic mulch to help the soil retain moisture. That’s all there is to mango tree planting.

Provide Growth Support

Seedling trees will need support whether they are planted directly or growing into the seedling stage. The best way to provide this support is through staking. Use this tree staking kit to prop up your seedling. Simply use a mallet to pound as many stakes as needed a couple of feet deep into the soil. 

• Learn the process of staking a tree to provide support for growing seedlings.
• Staking is important to growing a healthy tree. It must be done properly to prevent damage to your mango tree.

Attach the seedling to stakes using soft string or twine Be sure to place the ties where they will provide the most structural support for the tree. Move your hand up the tree, gently shaking every inch or so. Find the height where the tree remains upright even when moved about. This is the spot where you should affix your ties.

How Deep Should You Plant a Mango Tree?

A mango seed should be planted at least half an inch deep (1 cm) into the soil surface. Mature mango trees have incredibly deep roots that grow very quickly. As a result, mango seeds don’t need to be planted very deeply to find stable footing.

• Be sure to plant your mango seed half an inch (1 cm) deep in the soil.
• Mature mango trees grow deep roots so shallow planting is sufficient for them to take root.

Mango tree seedlings should be planted at least a foot deep. Be sure to add organic matter to mulch mango trees. The mulch will provide an additional layer of depth as well to help support rather fragile seedlings. Mulch also provides vital moisture retention for mature mango trees during dry weather. 

What is the Best Soil to Plant a Mango Tree?

Loose soil that is well-draining is the best for mango tree growth. Sandy soil or sandy loam is perfect for a mango fruit tree. Test your soil’s acidity before planting. Mango plants prefer a pH between 5.5 and 7. 

• Mango varieties need loose soil that is well-draining and slightly acidic.
• Use this soil tester to find your soil pH.
• Mango trees grow best in soil with a pH of 5.5–7.

If the native soil you are using is not the right type, you can use soil amendments such as lime or sulfur to correct soil pH. Lime will reduce soil acidity while sulfur will increase acidity. These amendments must be tilled into the soil to provide lasting benefits.

How Do You Grow a Mango Tree in the Ground?

Growing mangoes from seed is not a hard or lengthy process but it still takes some prep work. To get the job done:

• Find the best location for planting (one with rich, well-draining soil and plenty of sun).
• Make sure you provide adequate tree spacing your mango tree canopy and roots have plenty of room to grow.
• Prepare your seed for planting by rinsing and scrubbing away fruit fibers.
• Dig a planting hole with adequate depth (at least half an inch for a mango seed).
• Place the seed in the hole, taking care not to cover exposed shoots.
• Properly stake seedlings for growth support.

With these tips, you can grow a majestic mango tree beginning from a seed. Just remember to patiently care for your young plant so that it grows into a massive mango tree.