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Fresh, juicy, ripe mangoes might be the very best fruit of all. They have an unmistakable flavour and a fleshy texture that makes them a fantastic ingredient in a wide range of sweet and savoury dishes. When they are in season we like to eat as much as possible, but make sure you save those pits as it is a good idea to grow a mango tree from your seeds.
Growing a mango tree from seed is relatively easy, but it is a long-term investment, it will take between five to eight years for your mango tree to bear fruit, but while you are waiting, you will have a beautiful tree that can grow up to 30 feet high, with gorgeous bushy leaves. They are edible and very nutritious. They can be cooked, wilted or used to make teas.
How do you properly peel a mango?
The mango tree – the leaves, the bark and the fruit are used in traditional and modern medicine, the young green leaves, in particular, are thought to have anti-inflammatory properties, protect against fat gain, may protect against diabetes and can be used to treat stomach ulcers. So with all these health benefits associated with mango fruit and leaves, there is no reason not to save your pits and grow your own mango tree.
How to grow a mango tree from seed
First, you’ll need a ripe, fresh mango. The first step is to strip the mango of its delicious flesh. There are a few different methods to do this. It’s always important to use a sharp knife and to handle the fruit with care as it can become very slippery. However, with the right technique, you can ensure you can strip the fruit, cleanly, efficiently and safely.
Clean the pit
Once you have stripped the flesh, take the pit and use a sharp knife to clean as much of the stringy flesh from the area immediately around the pit. Take extra care here not to cut your hands as the pit is very slippery. Try holding the pit with a dry cloth. You can also use a wire sponge or steel wool (the kind you clean a pot with). When you have the pit clean you can leave it out to dry. You will have a clean, hairy pit when done.
Remove the seed
Use a blunt knife to gently pry open the husk. Again take great care not to slip and cut your hand. Inside the husk you will find the mango seed. Remove the seed and clean the brown skin from the surface. This is not completely necessary, but this skin can be susceptible to mould and fungi.
How to germinate a mango seed
There are three ways to germinate a mango seed. The first is to do it as you would with an avocado pit. Use toothpicks to suspend the seed with the bulging, narrow, rounded edge down in the water. The second way to germinate the seed is to plant it in soil with the narrow end about an inch above the soil. Keep the seed warm and moist, but don’t over-water. You can also wrap the seed in a moist paper towel and store in a cool dark place until the sed sprouts.
The seed should sprout within days, and within two weeks you should see a clear sprout emerging from the seed. Once the sprout is about 12 inches long, you can plant it in a pot with rich soil.
From sapling to tree
Wait until the second growing season before transplanting to a bigger pot. You can keep your mango tree in a pot indefinitely as the tree will slow its growth in a smaller container. But you might like to plant the tree in the garden. Choose a spot that gets all-day sunshine. Mango trees like eight hours of sun per day and they need warm temperatures. Extended exposure to temperatures below 70 F (21 C) can damage a tree, so growing mango trees are really for hot, sub-tropical or tropical climates. Of course, you can keep your mango tree indoors in a pot year-round, as long as it gets enough direct sunlight. It may not bear fruit, however, and it needs daily misting if the air is dry.
Mango recipes
You might have to wait a few years for your own mangoes, but once you have peeled and stripped your mango for the seed, try these recipes with the fruit.
Chicken and mango salad with spinach and hazelnuts
Here’s the recipe for chicken and mango salad explained step by step.
Mango gazpacho
Chef Albert Manso Miras is the S.Pellegrino Young Chef for the Iberian and Mediterranean countries. Here he shares his winning recipe for mango gazpacho.
