Mangoes are very popular fruits, but some may not know that their cultivation requires certain conditions. Mango trees are very sensitive to cold. They cannot grow and thrive in a cold place. They cannot adapt to the cold which results in hindering their growth and inability thrive and death in the end.
There are those who live in cold places such as Canada and want to plant mango trees. What should they do? Fortunately, it can be dealt with and you can help mango trees grow in the cold, using some ways that we will teach you. In today’s article we’re discussing some ways and tips that we recommend using when trying to grow mangoes for Canadian people.
Can You Grow Mango In Canada?
While Canada has a climate that it’s not suitable to grow tropical fruits like mango, it’s often possible to grow mango trees in Canada under controlled indoor conditions. Here is a step-by-step guide to help your mango trees grow well in Canada :
- Get a Ripe Mango
- Extract the Seed
- Soak the Seed
- Remove the Seed
- Choose a Growing Method
- Place in a Warm Location
- Monitor and Wait
- Transplant the Seedling
- Care for Your Mango Tree
- Be Patient
Let us go deeper and clarify these points in some detail so that things become clear to you. First, here is a short video where these 2 lovely children give some details on how to grow mango trees in Toronto (Ontario):
Now, let’s head to our guide:
1. Get a Ripe Mango
In Toronto, you have to get a mango seed, you cant just get a mango plant from the nursery. The only way to do this it buy a ripe mango from the grocery store.
Make sure it’s ripe, not underripe or overripe. If it’s not ripe, then don’t worry, there is a solution.
Bring it home, put it on a table at room temperature and watch it. See how it stays there because if you leave it there too long, it might rot.
If you want to get the perfect mango tree, it can’t be unripe and it can’t be overripe, it has to be the perfect ripe!
2. Extract the Seed
The next step is to peel the mango. After doing so, you will find a large seed covered by fleshy skin.
This is the hardest part to grow a mango tree. Make sure to not damage the seed or it will affect your results.
3. Soak the Seed
Place mango seed in water and let it soak for a few hours. You can let it soak for even overnight. When you seek it in water it will become soft.
4. Remove the Seed
Once it has softened, you can carefully extract the seed from the fleshy skin. Avoid any damage to the seed.
Again, if you damaged it, your mango tree will not grow.
5. Choose a Growing Method
According to your personal preference, you can choose one from these 2 options:
A. Toothpick method
Put 3 toothpick in the sides of the seed, keep the space evenly between them.
Suspend the seed in a cup of water with their toothpick and allow it to float. Keep in mind not to submerge the seeds fully. Just let it float like a boat.
Make sure not to damage your mango seeds by jamming the toothpicks like making a go through it. This mango seed has life in it. Treat it nicely with a lot of love.
B. Kitchen Towel Method
Wrap the seed in a damp kitchen towel, then put it in a plastic bag. Now, seal the bag and leave some air inside for the seed.
You can blow into it to make sure there is enough air for the plant.
6. Place in a Warm Location
Put it in a warm and well lit place in your home and let it begin germinating.
Make sure it get sufficient indirect sunlight.
7. Monitor and Wait
Now, wait for few weeks and you will notice that it starts sprouting roots. Keep an eye on the progress and don’t forget to keep it in a warm environment.
8. Transplant the Seedling
Once your mango seed has developed the right roots and a shoot, you need to transplant it into a pot with well-draining soil.
Use a large pot to allow the mango tree to grow comfortably.
9. Care for Your Mango Tree
Make sure that your mango tree is getting enough sunlight and remains in a warm environment. Remember, you’re in canada and need to make sure there a suitable environment for your mango tree.
Water it on a regular schedule, but avoid overwatering, as waterlogged soils isn’t suitable for mango trees.
Don’t forget to fertilize it regularly with a balanced fertilizer.
10. Be Patient
Now, you just need to be patient and watch you mango plant growing.
Keep in mind that you might find some differences in your mango plants. Some will have bigger leavers, some will be just taller. This is quite normal.
7 Important Tips For Growing Mango Trees in Canada
Also, for better results, Here are some important tips to help your mango trees grow well in Canada :
- Choose a certain type of mango
- Choose the warmest place
- Spread the mulch
- Use a Horticultural fleece
- Take care of watering
- Keep them inside
- Use a bulb
Let’s explain each one of them:
1. Choose A Certain Type Of Mango
The most important thing about the mangoes you want to grow in Canada is that you should grow them in containers that can be moved easily. This is to be able to move mango trees planted in containers indoors during frost periods.
Therefore, the first point that you should keep in mind when choosing types of mango trees is to be sure that they are able to grow well in a container so that you can move them indoors and outdoors easily with changing temperatures.
Here are 3 types of mangoes that grow well in containers:
’Cogshall’ Mango
It is very suitable for growing in containers on the balcony or patio. It is Extremely small. This mango tree is only 8 feet tall! It produces fruit with a rich, sweet flavor that often ripens in June and July. The fruits are soft, devoid of fiber. It has a lemon yellow flesh, with proper maintenance will produce a good crop with an expected increase in fruit size year after year.[1]
’Cushman’ Mango
This type grows well in containers. It produces round, grapefruit-like fruits. The flavor of the mango is sweet and rich, and the flesh is pale yellow and devoid of fiber.
The fruits usually ripen in July and August. It produces fruits of fairly large sizes. The average weight of the fruit is more than a pound, and may reach 2 pounds. You must take good care of it because these trees are susceptible to disease. However, keep in mind that it is a strong tree and its disease does not affect the taste and shape of the fruits, but it must be dealt with carefully so that it does not get worse.
’Carrie’ Mango
The tree is very suitable for containers and requires very little maintenance as the tree is small in size, ranging from 10-15 feet. These trees are also healthy and often have no problem with fungi and other pathogens. It produces fruits 4-5 inches in size. and weigh 10-12 oz. It has a sweet, delicious taste and is free of fiber, so it is an excellent quality to eat.
Its green color turns to yellow when ripe and not to orange like other mangoes. This is the only defect in this variety.
2. Choose The Warmest Place
Choose a warm place to plant mango trees, and let it be the southern side of your garden, as the southern side is often warmer, generally you know better about your area, so choose the appropriate one.
3. Spread The Mulch
Dipping mango trees in mulch plays a major role in warming them up, as the mulch insulates the roots of the tree from the cold, and the mulch retains water, which maintains the moisture of the tree and protects it from freezing. Do not exaggerate the application of mulch, as too much mulch traps more moisture that may spoil the trunks of the mango tree. Apply mulch with thickness (60-90 cm) Then pill it to a depth of 7-10.
4. Use A Horticultural Fleece
Horticultural fleece is great for warming mango trees on cold nights. It is very good and easy to spread and install. If you are in a very cold area, you can put it on mango trees permanently.
5. Take Care Of Watering
Make sure to water the mango trees regularly, because the water prevents freezing and increases the humidity of the trees. You can water mango trees twice a week to grow well.
6. Keep Them Inside
If there is a drop in temperatures, do not leave the mango trees to receive frost attacks, but quickly insert them into any garage, cottage, or even inside your home. Frost attacks can kill mango trees. This is important.
7. Use A Bulb
It may be just a small 60-watt bulb that blocks a lot of cold to come to your tree. You can put it inside the horticultural wool near the mango tree to warm it by the heat emitted from it. it does not have to be an LED bulb.
After we have discussed the most important tips for growing mangoes in Canada, let us explain why mango trees do not grow in Canada in a simple way.
Why Mango Does Not Grow In Canada?
Canada is one of the countries with very cold weather. As we all know, temperatures are very low in Canada, especially in winter.
The winter is very cold and snowy. temperatures reach up to -35 degrees Celsius in most of Toronto in the far south, and the average temperature ranges between -10 to -15 degrees Celsius. While the mango is a tropical fruit that grows in warm regions such as the Philippines, India and the countries of the Middle East, and it is a very sensitive fruit to cold.
Coldness causes its damage and death, as it does not tolerate temperatures less than (-4℃). But as we mentioned, mangoes can be grown in Canada by following the tips mentioned above.
