6 Must-Know Tips To Help You Grow Mangoes In Cold Climate

Mangoes are a tropical fruit that originated in India and Burma and thrives in tropical or subtropical climates. Mango trees are very sensitive to cold.

Coldness can cause severe damage to mango trees, leading to a halt in their growth and damage, and light cold weather also negatively affects the growth of mango trees. But when suitable conditions are provided, mango trees can grow well.

Actually, they grow in the United States and many regions of Europe with a warm Mediterranean climate.

If you want to grow mango in a cold climate country like Canada, USA or Russia, but are afraid of its effect on the mango trees, then you do not need to worry. Today, we are giving you the most important tips and precautions that help grow mangoes well in the cool places without damage or losses.

How To Grow Mangoes In Cold Climate?

These precautions can help you grow mangoes in cold climate :

1. Choose the appropriate areas
2. Tree base mulching
3. Water mango trees regularly
4. Using Horticultural fleece
5. Use An outdoor lamp 
6. Bring potted trees indoors

Here is a detailed explanation for each of the previous items to know more about the process of planting mangoes in cold countries.

1. Choose The Appropriate Areas

First of all, you have to choose a suitable place to plant mango trees. This will save you from many problems that you will face later. There is no dispute that the weather is cold anyway, but there are certain circumstances in which the cold is severe.

While it can be overcome with some precautions, you should not plant mango trees in areas exposed to strong winds. This is because exposure to winds in winter negatively affects the growth of mango trees, which need a warm climate and environments with little wind to grow better.

Choose a site protected from bad winter weather and at the same time exposed to the sun. It will help you a lot.

You can plant mango trees in an area protected by a fence or near buildings to protect them from the wind, and they can also be exposed to sunlight.

In addition, we all know that the southern side is warmer than the northern side. So if you are going to plant them on your farm or in your home garden, try to plant them on the southern side.

2. Tree Base Mulching

Mulch is a noun for any material we use to cover the soil. There are different types of mulch that People immerse their trees in. Mulch is either organic materials such as rice mulch, wood shavings, and pine mulch.

Mulch may also be inorganic materials such as gravel, landscaping fabric, or plastic sheeting. Adding a thick layer of mulch around the base of the mango trees is very important, as the mulch insulates the roots of the trees, making them warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.

A thick layer of mulch helps retain moisture and isolate the soil from the surrounding environment. It is not affected by the cold in the environment around it.

Spread the mulch in a circle around the base of the mango trees 2 to 3 feet (60-90 cm) thick from the mango tree trunks in all directions. Then pill the mulch to a depth of 7-10 cm.

In addition to protecting mango trees from the cold. Mulch also helps retain moisture in the soil, which helps keep trees hydrated. Mulch also prevents the growth of weeds from growing in the soil. Some mulch can add organic matter that increases fertility to the soil.

Cedar mulch is one of the most famous and widely used sawdust in dipping fruit trees and gives good results.

A point to consider

Excessive accumulation of sawdust around the trunk of the tree leads to damage to the trunk of the mango tree because of the moisture trapped in the sawdust. So do not stack the shavings too close to the trunk of the mango tree, but leave a space free of sawdust about (5 cm) around the trunk.

3. Water Mango Trees Regularly

Some may think that water is necessary for trees only in the summer because of the high air temperature, but this is not true. Mango trees need water regularly during the winter season.

Wet soil resists cold and freezing more than dry soil. As the water makes it moist and relatively warm even with the presence of frost, which protects the mango tree from frost attacks. You have to water the mango tree regularly in winter and fall, once or twice a week.

This is enough to prevent damage to your tree and will help keep it healthy. In case there is expected frost at some point, you should water your mango tree even if it is not due. [1]

Water the mango tree until the ground is well moistened. This is very necessary because relatively warm water compared to the cold weather will provide additional protection and heating from frost.

You can also add some additional mulch around the trunks of the tree and warm it up and lock in moisture and protect it from deadly frost currents.

4. Using A Horticultural Fleece 

Horticultural fleece is a great choice for protecting the entire mango tree from frost attacks, fruits, branches and leaves. Gardening fleece is a cover for covering plants with the same idea as plastic sheeting but with some important differences.

The most important of which is that the plastic sheeting is heavy and it is not easy to disassemble and install it, as it tends to get very hot during the day, while it is not able to insulate  well at night.

Horticultural fleece is widely used as an alternative to plastic sheeting. It is a material made of polyester or polypropylene, and is very similar to the texture of woolen clothing, but it is thinner and lighter in weight. You’ll find Horticultural Fleece to be lightweight and soft.

It insulates plants from frost, and protects them from cold temperatures and winds during the winter. It also has a role in keeping pests away from plants and protecting the soil.

Horticultural fleece can be used to cover mango trees outdoors, in backyards, or even in homes. Horticultural fleece can be used by anyone because it is easy to handle, very light in weight and easy to cut into any shape and size you want.

You can use Horticultural fleece to cover mango trees throughout the winter if it is in a harsh climate. It should also be used on days of strong winds so as not to kill the mango trees.

You can also continue to use gardening wool in early spring if the weather has not improved yet, because mango trees are very sensitive to cold and cold attacks can kill them.

Wrap the fleece over the entire mango tree, securing it securely as it is very light. Secure it to the branches with clothespins and use a bungee cord to secure the horticultural fleece around the trunk of the tree.

You can anchor the garden wool to the ground with stakes and stones. Make sure to wrap the mango trees gently on the branches to avoid damaging them.

5. Using An Outdoor Lamp 

Some people may be surprised when they know that electric lights are used to heat mango trees. But this is already happening, as electric lights give very good results in heating mango trees and protecting them from the cold.

This is because the heat emitted from the bulb constantly leads to controlling the cold and reducing it very much.

You can use a lamp with a 60-watt bulb (non-led light bulb) inside the Horticultural fleece near the mango tree.

6. Bring Potted Trees Indoors

Fortunately, if you have mango trees in pots, it will be much easier, as you can easily bring them indoors when temperatures drop or when there is wind. Of course, the climate inside is better than outside in the cold nights and the intensification of wind and frost.

You can also use a heater for more warmth. If it is not possible to bring them into the house, they can be brought into any hut or garage, while creating a warm atmosphere. If a heater is available, this will be good, especially on cold nights.

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