Mango - and other "stuff"

[MaureenHall]

I love having a bit of a challenge, and I'm one of those people who see a seed or a pip and think "Wonder if that'll grow?" I've already got a lemon (or was it orange) tree from a pip, not fantastic yet, but it's survived 5 years even though I forgot about it last winter and left it outside! I've got avocado, long leggy thing but I don't know what I'm supposed to do with it once it's germinated, potted up, and growing.
What I'd really like to know about is MANGO's . I've managed to get mango seeds growing, but they get to about 6" high, with 6 - 8 leaves, then just fade away. Any suggestions?

[armadillo]

Hmmm . . you've done better than me - my attempt at mango dodn't work at all; the seeds just rotted away! How did you get them to germinate?

[MaureenHall]

I took the large "bean" thing out of the case, put it on top of a pot of compost, watered it and put it inside a poly-bag. I think I put it in the kitchen but out of direct light. I'm trying another one at the moment in damp kitchen paper inside a poly bag - it was an idea on another thread on here

[quark1]

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...one_15573.html

The above is an introduction of 'muslimgrower' who seems to have much documented success with this exotic and others.

Seems to have been a bit quiet - but hey MG - we'd love your input as you seem to have a track record here!

[Rhona]

I grew two avocado leggy things. I gave them about five years then realised they just looked like Sideshow Bob and gave up. Apparently it's nigh on impossible to get fruit, but they're not unattractive as houseplants!

[muslimgrower]

Hi maureen and everyone else

been busy growing spuds in old soil bags ( to save space) had great success


regards the mango
I was reading somewhere once, that in the wild when a mango drops from the tree and germinates in the ground, it only grows maybe 5 set of leaves and then dies, the reason being that it would compete with the main tree for moisture and root space.. i dont know if there is any truth in that but i have read that some mango plants just wither away and die for no valid reason atall.. Maybe its in the DNA coding of the mango that it should die ..
I wonder if it would happen with a wild mango thats in a pot miles away from its natural habitat..

[MaureenHall]

Mango plant dies

Hi MG

Thanks soooooooooo much for your reply, it answers my original question perfectly . I think my challenge now is to try and get over that 5-6 leaf stage Think there's going to be a lot of mangoes eaten at my house in the next few weeks (1 of my 5 a day?) to get the seeds. Wonder if it'd be worthwhile asking on Freecycle for the seeds, people will definitely KNOW then that I'm 1 sandwich short of a picnic (or should that be 1 lettuce short of a salad )

[SlugLobber]

I gave them about five years then realised they just looked like Sideshow Bob and gave up.

PMSL! Why not grow another and prune it, a la Krusty?

[Mrs Jackson]

Sorry for resurrecting this old thread. Maureen - did you have any more luck with the mangoes? I planted a seed in July and it finally germinated in September. It's now got 7 leaves and it looks like it's just stopped growing. The leaves have dropped down a bit (but that might just be because they've got really long) and gone a darker colour. It doesn't look ill though and the leaves are still nice and shiny. I brought it in from the garden a couple of weeks ago and stuck it on a south-facing windowsill above the radiator so I'm wondering if maybe the change of scenery is having a funny effect on the plant. I really hope it starts growing again soon, it looks like it'd grow into a lovely looking plant!

Mrs J