Q.Indoor Young Mango Plant Suffering
Hello, I managed to grow a mango plant from a seed last summer. The first few leaves looked healthy, but started to turn from green to brownish, curling and dying away. The plant is not yet dead, it keeps growing new leaves, but these do not last more than a couple of weeks before turing brown and dying. The plant is kept indoors, in a pot, in a warm corner of the house. I changed the soil once, to no avail. Any advice? Please help.
Thanks, Barbara
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
This is a severe bacterial infection. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to be the Grim Reaper today.
Mangoes are sensitive to a broad spectrum of soil infections that are brought about by overly moist soils. Overwatering is the culprit here.
As one who grows mango in container, also, I can tell you, without a doubt, that the tree is on its way out.
Now, the good news is that it is very easy to grow them from seed, and with proper care, have very fast and uncontrollable growth.
You will need to start over, making sure that your container is sterilized, or just start with a new container. (That's what I recommend.)
Make sure that you have as much light as possible. This will mean indoor horticultural lighting. Usually, this should be about 200 watts or greater per tree, as window lighting will not be enough for proper growth. There are many lights on the market, but one of the most beginner friendly lights will be fluorescent lighting. My personal recommendation is "Ceramic Metal Halide" (not "Metal Halide") as it is a set standard of 315 watts and will light a 4ftx4ft area as the sun would.
Watering is very important. It is only necessary to water a mango in container when the soil is completely dry down to 3 or 4 inches. This time will vary depending on the conditions surrounding the plant.
Here are some articles that will offer more tips other than the major tips mentioned:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/mango/planting-mango-pits.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/mango/growing-mango-trees.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/mango/mango-trees-in-pots.htm
Thank you so much; this is very helpful. I am so sorry for my plant :( but will try again, following your advice!
