How To Sprout A Mango Seed In Water

This easy method shows how to abound a mango tree from seed using a mango from the grocery store. Eat the mango, salvage the seed, and follow these simple steps to grow it into a institute.

You can also grow an avocado from seed using the same method.

Growing a Grocery Shop Mango Seed

Mango fruit, scissors for cutting the seed, and a young mango plant.

Did you know the husk within mango fruit contains a seed? And it'south a nice large seed! And that's what we sow to grow a new mango plant.

If you alive in a cold climate, without outdoor tropical growing conditions, you can still grow mangos indoors as houseplants, start with a mango fruit.

I'll bear witness yous a simple style to set the seed, make it sprout, and grow it as a houseplant. These are tropical plants, so you lot'll desire a sunny, warm place in your abode to provide the best growing conditions.

So, what makes this method piece of cake?

By starting the mango seed in damp paper towel (see below), we tin can first determine if the seed is viable (will grow).

Y'all could besides found information technology straight in damp potting mix, but that means waiting to run into if there is growth (for several weeks).

The piece of cake method reveals which seeds are practiced ones so we don't waste time on the duds.

Will it grow fruit?

Probably not, unless you manage to provide exceptional, tropical-like growing weather condition for many years that eventually trigger flowering and fruiting. Grafted mango trees can produce fruit.

How long does it accept to grow a mango tree?

A mango tree grown from seed indoors can take five to 8 years to mature.

A grafted mango tree may have 3 to 4 years to reach fruit-bearing age.

How to Grow a Mango from Seed
- Supplies
- Steps
Indoor Mango Plant Care Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can you abound a mango tree inside?
- How long does information technology have to grow a mango seed?
- How practice you germinate a mango seed chop-chop?
- How large will an indoor mango tree grow?
- Will my indoor mango tree abound fruit?
Resources

Related: How to Grow Ginger Root from the Grocery Store

How to Grow a Mango from Seed

Supplies

To get started, gather your supplies. In addition to a ripe mango fruit, y'all will need these items.

Steps

ane Buy a Ripe Mango

Every mango has a seed inside. It'southward protected past that thick, husk-like thing you fix bated when preparing the fruit for eating.

Y'all have to start with a ripe mango because otherwise the seed within the husk may not be mature enough to grow into a plant.

2 Remove the Husk/Seed from the Mango

Use the edible fruit (yum!) and set aside the husk. They tend to have stringy pieces of fruit attached to them and we'll take care of that in the next stride.

If you like propagating stuff like this, get my Kitchen Propagation Handbook here for more than projects.

Want more than propagation tutorials? Get the ebook hither.

3 Clean and Dry the Husk

Next y'all want to gently scrub off the pulp/stringy bits of mango fruit from the husk. The purpose of this step is simply to help the husk dry out faster and make it easier to cut open up.

You tin can hold the husk under tap water and apply a soft scrub castor to push the pulp off.

Or, very carefully scrape it off with a small-scale knife, always aiming abroad from yourself!

When the husk is fairly lurid-free, dry out it off with a towel and set it somewhere to farther dry out for a solar day or two (non much more than).

4 Remove Seed from Husk

Subsequently ii days, the mango seed husk is dry enough to cut open.

This is the part that amazed me the first time I did it. I have eaten a lot of mangos over the years, and I had no idea there was a dandy big seed in in that location!

Yous want to cut the edges of the husk and then you can pry it open without dissentious the seed inside.
I use proficient scissors that can cut thick things like leather (not your fabric or paper scissors or y'all'll wreck them) and trim abroad the edges.
You could too put the husk in a vice and use a fine wood saw to trim off the edges.
Then, peel back the husk and run into what's inside.

5 Clean Off the Seed

This is a mango seed found within the husk of the fruit.

This is a mango seed establish inside the husk of the fruit.

Pretty cool! It's similar some sort of giant bean seed. And no two mango seeds look the same.

Gently remove the seed from the husk and have off any loose paper-like layers around it but don't force or peel anything.

Some mangos produce polyembryonic seeds, merely the ones shown hither are singles (monoembryonic). Plants from polyembryonic seeds produce fruit true to the parent (like grafted plants do since they are created from vegetative cuttings). Our grocery stores have very little diverseness so I've only always seen two types of mango seeds hither and they are ever singles.

If the seed appears shriveled or rotten, start again with another mango.

half dozen Sprout Seed

The mango seed is wrapped in moist towel and placed in a plastic bag.

The mango seed is wrapped in moist towel and placed in a plastic purse.

I utilize this method for sprouting all sorts of the things including avocado seeds and ginger. I like this method because it shows me I have a viable seed before I go to the problem of planting it in soil.

There is no need to purchase plastic bags for this step. Simply use any plastic numberless or wrap you take.

Dampen a fabric (can exist a washcloth) or newspaper towel (see eco-friendly reusable ones here) in warm water so it's moist merely not dripping.
Wrap your mango seed with the damp textile and place information technology in the plastic bag.
If y'all are sprouting several seeds, put ane on the damp towel, fold over, add together another, fold over and then on. I go along them autonomously with a layer of towel to prevent whatsoever roots from growing together or becoming entangled.
Identify the purse in a dark kitchen cupboard. Yous tin also put it in a warm spot, which is always good to speed up germination, but exist sure the towel does not dry out.
Set a timer on your phone to check on it every 3 days. Have photos each fourth dimension to continue track of changes.

7 Check for Sprouting

After 3 weeks, the seed is sprouting.

Every few days, open the paper towel and check for signs of sprouting.
Dampen the newspaper towel again if needed.

The mango seed pictured above (after 3-weeks) is growing a red sprout!

I expect until any new growth is 2 to 3-inches long before planting in potting mix.

Related: How to Grow an Apple Tree From Seed

8 Keep Checking for Growth

After 5 weeks, there is enough new growth to found the seed in potting mix.

At this indicate y'all tin can encounter how the red sprout is as well growing roots, and at that place is another sprout on top. This took v weeks to grow.

That new sprout on peak (correct) is pale in color because information technology is growing without lite. It will turn green when exposed to sunlight.

Now information technology's time to constitute the seed in potting mix.

ix Establish the Sprouted Mango Seed

At week v (or when there is a few inches of new growth), nosotros plant the seed in potting mix.

Some of the new growth will go roots and the other parts are shoots, but it'southward very difficult to tell what's-what at this phase.

Because of this, it'south fine to plant the seed flat in the pot (the way it is in the photo, higher up). The plant volition sort itself out just fine.

Your pot should be a few inches wider than the seed and have room for several inches of root growth. The pot I used is 8-inches deep total, but 6-inches would be fine too.

Likewise, be sure the pot has drainage holes and a baste saucer to avoid water-logging the plant.

Fill the pot with potting mix (suitable for houseplants) leaving two inches below lip of pot.
Water the potting mix thoroughly, let it settle, tiptop it upwards to aforementioned level (2-inches below lip) and ready sprouted seed on top.
Cover seed in an inch of potting mix, water information technology and top it up.
You want to end up with about an inch of space betwixt top of potting mix and lip of the pot for piece of cake watering without overflowing.

Dorsum to Top

10 Grow Your Plant

At half dozen weeks, a shoot has emerged from the potting mix and leaves are forming.

Mangos are tropical plants and savor warmth and humidity.

Place your plant in a sunny location but not in direct, hot sun where it could dry out.
Keep soil moist but non clammy.

The mango institute in the photograph (above, half-dozen-weeks sometime) decided to send its shoot up at the side of the pot. That'south fine! It's approximately four-inches tall and nice and healthy.

11 Don't Worry Well-nigh Limp Leaves

During the early growth stage, the leaves may be limp. Information technology'due south normal.

Limp leaves! I've had this several times and I've seen others mention information technology so I'k confident it's normal.

As the mango grows its kickoff leaves, they may look limp, as if the plant is over— or under—watered.
Unless you accept been a bit off with your watering and/or accept stressed the plant, this limp stage is normal.
Go along providing proper intendance and it volition perk upwardly. And don't exist tempted to change your water routine if you know it'south fine.

Back to Height

12 Grow as Houseplant

Just a calendar week later, my mango plant perked up:

After 9 weeks, the leaves take perked upward and the found is approximately ix-inches alpine.

At this betoken the mango constitute is approximately 9-weeks quondam (from the day nosotros put it in paper towel) and it's nine inches tall.

The 5 main leaves formed early (week 3) and no boosted leaves have appeared since then.

It's adequately absurd in our dwelling (simply below 20°C / 68°F), then growth will be slower than you'd get in a warmer space with better humidity.

Homegrown mango tree grown from the seed after 18 months.

Later on xviii months, the main stem is starting to die off at the top of the establish but a lot of new side shoots with leaves have formed.

Basic Indoor Mango Plant Care Tips

Ideally, yous will mimic tropical conditions in your home, or equally close to it as yous can manage.

Warmth | Mango trees abound all-time in ambient temperatures ranging between 21º to 24ºC (70º to 75ºF).
Temperature | Mango trees dice at temperature below .5ºC (33ºF) only tin tolerate upward to 48ºC (118ºF).
Humidity | 50-60% until/if flowers form (and so lower it).
Calorie-free | Needs heat more than intense light; do non permit the plant to dry out out.
Summertime | Place outdoors in dappled dominicus for maximum warmth.
Autumn to Bound | Keep indoors.
Fertilizer | I cannot find whatever research on specific fertilizer needs for indoor mangos. This is what is recommended for outdoor ones: Fertilizer may be a i:one:ane or ane:2:2 N-P-K ratio formulation, such as 16-sixteen-xvi or 10-20-20 N-P-K.
Warnings | Mango trees are in the aforementioned family as poisonous substance ivy. The skin, bark, and leaves tin crusade strong reactions. [Read more hither at Academy of Illinois]

Oftentimes Asked Questions

Tin can y'all abound a mango tree inside?

Yes, indeed. You tin can start a mango tree from the seed inside the fruit or buy a grafted tree, which is much more likely to grow fruit, although information technology does accept several years and the correct growing conditions.

How long does it take to abound a mango seed?

With the method listed above, information technology took 9 weeks from the twenty-four hours I started the formation procedure to having a 9-inch alpine constitute.

How exercise you germinate a mango seed quickly?

About seeds germinate fastest inside certain temperature ranges but it varies for each plant. This is normally a bit warmer than the plant'south condolement zone.

Because mango plants grow best in when the ambient temperature is between 21º to 24ºC (70º to 75ºF), information technology's a fair assumption that the seed would sprout fastest at temperatures simply higher up that.

How big volition an indoor mango tree grow?

Outdoor mango copse growing in tropical climates tin reach 35 meters alpine if non pruned.
Growing indoors, both because conditions are not optimal and the institute is restricted to a container, will limit growth.
I realize that didn't answer the question with a specific measurement, just that's considering I'm not sure. I have seen a few indoor ones that appear to exist well-nigh 6-anxiety tall. The more tropical the conditions, the bigger they will get.

Will my indoor mango tree abound fruit?

It's highly unlikely. If you desire fruit, start with a grafted mango tree (from a nursery that specializes in them). These are intended for growing fruit, although the quantity will exist small.

Provide optimum growing conditions including intense estrus without drying out the soil.

Grafted mango trees are reported to take 3-v years to blossom and fruit.

Some say mango seedlings (like we're germinating here) can grow into fruit-producing trees after 5-8 years, but I have non however constitute anyone to confirm this.

The fruit, if y'all do get some, will vary depending on the source. Mango seedlings cannot produce fruit true to the parent plant (considering they are hybrids). Merely grafted mango plants can (considering they are clones). But really, it's such a cool achievement to grow the plant to produce fruit, either way I'd be happy.

Resource

More Data

How to Abound and Harvest Mangos | UCDavis.edu (PDF format)
Mango Growing Data | extento.hawaii.edu

Go the Ebook

Kitchen Propagation Handbook
7 Fruits & Vegetables To Regrow As Houseplants
past Melissa J. Will

Acquire how to grow houseplants from avocado, oranges, lemons, ginger, and more using leftover pits, seeds, and roots.

This ebook is a digital file you save to your device (not a physical product).

Buy Now

$4.99 US | PayPal, Credit Card, Apple tree Pay
PDF Format | Most Ebook

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛

How to Grow Mango From Seed

Use these step-by-pace instructions to employ the seed inside any ripe mango fruit to grow into a new houseplant.

Cost: $10

▢ i whole Mango ripe
▢ one Tea towel or paper towels
▢ 1 Plastic bag or food container
▢ ane viii-inch Bloom pot with drainage holes and saucer
▢ i bag Potting Mix

Prepare Husk

Carefully remove all edible fruit from mango and fix bated the husk. This is the seed.
Utilise a soft scrub castor to remove any remaining stringy bits from husk.
Dry out husk with tea towel and fix bated to further air dry for one-2 days maximum.

Fix Seed

Husk should at present exist quite dry (crisp). Carefully cut away edges and remove husk to reveal seed inside. Do not cut seed.
Accept before photo.

Sprout Seed

Identify seed between damp tea towels or paper towels and place in plastic food handbag or container. Towel should be moist but not soaking wet.
Identify bag in dark, warm kitchen chiffonier.
Set reminder on your phone to check on it every 3 days.

Check for Growth

Every few days, unwrap seed to cheque for signs of growth.
Take photos to monitor growth.
Over the adjacent few weeks, the seed will start to swell a bit. Shoots or roots will start appearing from ane end. Some seeds are polyembryonic and may sprout from several locations.

Found Sprouted Seed

When the new growth is around 3 inches long, the seed is ready to be planted.
Fill up 8-inch flower pot with potting mix leaving 2 inches beneath pot lip. H2o thoroughly and summit up soil every bit needed.
Lay sprouted seed on soil and cover in one inch of potting mix. Water again and top upward soil as needed stopping one inch below lip of pot.

Grow Your Mango Plant

Mangos are tropical plants that enjoy warmth and humidity.
Choose a sunny location but not in direct, hot sunday where it could dry out out.
Go on soil moist but not damp.