If you’re looking for a new houseplant that’s easy to care for, edible, and exotically unusual, consider a mango tree. Didn’t know that mango trees could be grown indoors? With the right know-how, cultivating a mango tree indoors is very possible – here’s how to get started.
Start with a Young Sapling
Being kept indoors isn’t natural for a mango tree, so, ideally, you want to start with a tree that’s relatively young, as opposed to a more mature specimen. A younger tree will be more adaptable and will soon grow accustomed to its indoor home. Yes, this means that you’ll have to wait a little longer before you feast on your first harvest, but it’ll also give you a healthier tree that’s capable of surviving long enough to be harvested.
Choose a Large But Lightweight Pot
We’ll be honest – if you only have room for a small, 12cm pot on your windowsill, then a mango tree isn’t going to be the right choice. 50cm in both depth and width is a minimum – the larger the pot, the happier your mango tree is going to be.
If you plan on growing your mango tree purely as an ornamental plant, then, by all means, go for a heavy decorative pot. However, if you’d like to get your tree to the stage where it produces fruit, then you’ll most likely need to move your mango tree around with the seasons (more on this later). In order to do this, you’ll need a lightweight but sturdy pot. We would recommend going with a large GRC pot for the ultimate in both style and ease.
Caring for an Indoor Mango Tree
Let’s start with light. Mango trees need a lot of it – around 8-10 hours a day. This means that you’ll need to sit your tree in the sunniest spot of your house. If you’d like your tree to produce fruit, then chances are that you won’t be able to meet its light requirements indoors. One way to get around this is by moving your mango tree outdoors during the warmer months, and then bringing it back inside when temperatures drop. Alternatively, move it outside each day during the spring and summer, and then bring it back in at night.
It’s important to ensure that you keep your mango tree well watered too. Indoor trees will dry out so much faster than those grown outside.
Pruning an Indoor Mango Tree
Mango trees have the potential to soar up to 20m in height. Chances are, you’re not going to have room for this in your house. This is where pruning comes in.
Outdoors, a mango tree needs very little pruning. However, inside, pruning will allow you to keep your tree’s size under control while maintaining an attractive shape. Prune your indoor mango tree once every year or two, waiting until your tree has finished flowering and fruiting for the year before you do so.
Summary
Mango trees that are grown indoors for ornamental purposes need very little care. However, if you’d like to enjoy your very own mango harvest, a little extra attention will be needed. Try to replicate its natural, outdoor conditions as much as possible and, with some luck, you could soon potentially be harvesting fresh mangos from the comfort of your sofa!