Container Mango Tree - size of pot/soil type

12 years ago

Hi there! I'm a very, very new gardener and have gone a bit overboard with my new pet projects.

I have a Valencia Pride Mango tree (I think "grafted"--whatever that means) that I need to plant in a container ASAP.

Question 1: What is the recommended planter size container? I've heard 15 gallon, but then when I look for pots, they are not labelled by gallon size...rather in diameter.

Question 2: What is the best soil type to fill with. I've heard a lot of "No, no MiracleGro!" so I know to avoid that, but I've also heard that a volcanic-y soil is beneficial.

Suggestions?

Thanks in advance! I probably spent too much on this tree as a novice and really, really don't want to kill it!

Featured Answer

puglvr1

12 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

Hi overcaffeinated, I do grow a couple of Mango trees in containers and I use the "gritty mix"...the recipe/ingredients is posted on one of the threads Al provided for you. I couldn't have grown these as well without Al's help and his awesome "gritty mix". I know because I've used MG soils and I've killed several before I discovered Al and his wonderful potting mix.

FWIW, my Mango trees were in a 5 gallon nursery pot when I bought it and potted it into 20" and repotted it to a 24" where it is right now. The big one is 4 years old and the smaller one will be one year in Feb of next year. The small one is in a 20" and will remain there for a few more years, depending on fast it grows.

Valencia Pride is a very vigorous grower and gets very large when planted in the ground...might have been better had you picked a smaller or dwarf size mango tree for container growing...but since you already purchased it, my suggestion to you is keep an eye on it, you may have to prune them more heavily that you would a "dwarf" or semi dwarf variety. Best of luck, also there's a ton of info in the Tropical Fruits Forum...lots of members there grow them in Containers as well.

Mike wanted me to post these pictures...Some of these were taken last time it fruited.
{{gwi:8780}}
I pruned this one pretty good after it fruited and the new growths are just started to harden off.
{{gwi:53979}}
20" pot...smaller mango(Pickering) Dwarf
{{gwi:43930}}

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