It's hard for me to imagine a need for protecting anything in such a mild climate, but Florida does get the odd frost or dip in temperature now and again. Lights and frost blankets must give a very Christmas-y feel to certain neighborhoods during the winter months! Yes, I feel as though there's a very basic knowledge of plants and how they grow, and how growing in containers differs so greatly from growing directly in the garden, that we don't often learn as the base to our "gardening knowledge", so to speak... and if we learn these basics first, applying that knowledge to individual types of plants and growing conditions is made that much easier, and gives us that much more success. I think we have to look at the gardening/plant industry as just that, an industry. It exists to make a profit, and not necessarily to convey the truth in information or sell products that will lead to our success. But the basics of science and physics doesn't change. What plants require to grow healthy roots remains the same. And once we separate the worlds of container growing and garden growing, and we see how we are in control of what that plant in the confines of the pot needs and gets... as opposed to gardens and the organic nature... it becomes so easy to have that success. I found that base of knowledge in Al's article entitled "Container Soils - Water Movement & Retention", and its updates. It allowed me to think logically and clearly about organic growing versus inorganic growing, dispelled a lot of fallacies, and gave me the facts about what roots need to stay healthy within a confined space. It was a great starting point to my learning. Along the way, I learned that each grower has a different and unique set of circumstances to overcome within their own environment or micro-environment, and that one-size-fits-all growing does not exist. There will be certain adjustments required, and what works for one grower may not work for everyone. However, I feel as though that base of knowledge is very important... a very important starting point for anyone wanting real success in container growing. Here is a link that might be useful: Container Soils - Water Movement and Retention XVI

Yes Puglvr, I understand anyone who shy's away from a Kent mango tree,..I expect mine to top out around 40 + feet when it is fully grown,..maybe 20 yrs from now. But speaking of huge mango trees, the Valencia Pride will be even TALLER than the Kent. A very fast grower, one of the reasons it does so well in places with fairly cold winters ( like here ). Grows so fast it adds a layer of outer bark faster than most trees, helping it survive those few 33 - 36 deg nights, just needs the initial 3 or so winters to be moderate. Don't even want to talk about the very rare 30 deg ones !!! lol But thats why I have my C 9 Christmas tree lights strung thru all the trees till March 1st. An ounce of prevention....

You absolutely do NOT NEED TO GRAFT THE TREE TO PRODUCE FRUIT! That is the most uneducated thing I’ve read all morning so far. Grafting will keep it much smaller than a tree that is allowed to grow naturally. Grafting will make it push out fruit during its 3rd to 4th year of life resulting in it not growing to the possible 110 feet and yielding about half as much fruit As a naturally grown ungrafted tree. A fruit tree will start to produce on its own in 5 to 8 years average. Mango trees have make and female flowers which allow to them to produce fruits without the need for grafting. A full grown naturally grown mango tree can put out as much as 330 pounds of mangoes but a grafted tree will only put out about half of that. Mango trees grow in spurts. hope this helps. Also they need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day and you do not need to water excessively . When you stick your finger into the soil and it’s dry then it’s time to water. Your soil should remain moist and damp but not saturated.

Congrats on your new Mango trees...make sure what ever potting mix you use that it drains well, you can add some of these ingredients to help make the mix porous and drain freely... perlite, small pieces of fir or pine bark, crushed granite. If you do a search you will find many different mix that people use. Don't use a mix that stay wet and takes a long time to dry especially since your mango tree will be living indoors for several months in the winter... mango roots don't do well in soggy soils...it could cause root rot. As far as fertilizer goes, you can use slow release like Osmocote or something similar or use 1/2 strength balanced liquid fertilizer or Dyna Gro Foliage Pro, many other great ones out there as well. Just use it at a "weak" solution so you don't over fertilize...young mango trees don't like to be over fertilized. Fish emulsion is another good one to use...again at about half of the recommended dosage. Once the weather warms up and you can bring them outdoors and the tree is growing you can fertilize them a little more often...usually in the winter I would not fertilize them often and only lightly... Good luck!!