Growing Medium ?

[Furkin]

Summmer time,,,, 'n the livin’ is eeezy,,,,

I'm about to plant some fruit pips/seeds etc - yet again.

I've tried growing oranges, tangerines and mango.

I get them to start off every time,,,, but keeping them going is something else.

They will grow about 8/10 leaves,,,, all luscious moist looking green,,, then gradually die away. I liken it to starting off with baby leaves, then toughening up with proper ones (bit like teeth ?!).

As they don't get past this point - ever, I'm guessing that the medium isn't right for the job.

What is the ultimate compost to get these - and similar - things past this stage ?
If it isn't the compost, then what do you rekkon ?

The image is last years mango. After re-potting, it went on to grow another 3 or 4 leaves, which were about 10” long.

hope life is treating you all well.

[Maccabee]

I don't think it's the medium that's the problem. It looks like the pot is way too small for the plant. The plant also looks quite thirsty which could be due to the dinky pot and a bit hungry - again, too small a pot, not enough nutrition. Just my two pence, i could be wrong.

[FB.]

Looks like the pot is too small and the nutrient supply has all been used up, hence the off-coloured leaves.
Or the off-coloured leaves with prominent veins might be due to minerals dissolved in your tap water affecting the pH of the soil (making it alkaline), which, in turn, blocks absorption of certain essential nutrients (sometimes known as "lime chlorosis").

I have slightly alkaline soil which often needs watering with tapwater (due to dry climate here) and I sometimes see the dark veins with paler green between them on some of my fruit trees.

So I suggest:

bigger pots
use rainwater
make sure they aren't too damp nor too dry (check what their natural environment is like)
make sure they are adequately fed (or not fed much, if their natural enviroment has poor soil) - and perhaps avoid synthetic fertilisers as there may be certain essential trace nutrients missing from lab-created fertiliser.
(see the NPK thread here > Link < )

[starloc]

I know nothing about mango growing, but for mandarins and limes etc you need to use something like 50/50 perlite and citrus compost or 100% perlite to grow seeds easily

Keep them in a 3inch pot until about 1 to 2 foot high and about 5mm wide trunk ,they will be quite happy in a very small pot, once at that size go upto 4 inch pot till about 4 years old

If using all perlite add very dilute citrus fertiliser to every watering as perlite has no nutrients in it, with 50/50 compost fertiliser dont fertilise until about 4 inch high, and then only every now and then with very dilute citrus fertiliser

For watering, use rainwater ( warm slightly before use ) or use tap water stored for 24 hours before use and add a tea spoon of hydrogen peroxide per gallon of water to add oxygen

If you want rapid growth with citrus, keep them on a heater mat to keep roots at about 25C to 30C when in strong light

[Two_Sheds]

keep them on a heater mat

You don't mention where you're growing them Furkin ~ indoors, or in a greenhouse? What temps do they have at night in particular? (windowsills get very cold at night, and a sudden chill won't do tropical plants any good at all)

PLANT CULTURES - Growing mango

[Furkin]

Thank you all for your time. I’m sorry for the delay, but as I’m disabled, I can’t always get around to doing things as fast as I’d like to.
The picture that I used is actually one from about 3 years ago. As in my OP, it did get transplanted & went on to make a smashing plant after transplanting – but as usual, only up to a point.

Last years tree was the best yet. It grew to about 15” high, with gorgeous, thick, waxy leaves. I’m sure I took pictures of it, cos I thought I’d got it right this time, but I can’t seem to find them. It might be a bit late for this year – but I have a couple of mango’s to eat & try again.

I usually start them off in a very slightly heated propagator. Once grown I put them in my conservatory (or my little d.glazed porch !) in the day time & bring them indoors at night, unless very warm out. I’m in West Cornwall, so it is quite mild.
I collect rainwater for my other trees & shrubs, but the mango’s usually get both tap & rainwater, depending on what time I water them. I will now stick to rainwater.
I then use Phostrogen general purpose food and another (whose name escapes me), that my garden centre advised.


I have tried 4 or 5 different composts; peat free, soil free, extra this, less that etc

Thanks also for the citrus plant tips: Over the years, I have also grown orange, lemon, tangerine seeds etc, which all go the same way. They always start off great,,,, put out some luscious green healthy leaves, then just die away.
I used proper citrus feeds for those.

Thanks for your help - I will follow your tips & links & see how I get on this year.

[starloc]

Theres more info on growing mangoes here

I doubt its possible to grow them in the UK, as they die at -1C , loose fruit and flowers at about 4C and will not flower below something like 16C

To grow them you would need a heated greenhouse , and they get to 100 foot high, so being seed grown they would need to be large size to be mature before flowering , to have a chance at fruit in the UK with a normal greenhouse or conservatory it looks like you need to find a grafted one to get a small mature fruiting age tree

You could grow one to a non fruiting evergreen bush by pruning back and keeping in greenhouse but if you prune a seed grown tree it may never mature

[Furkin]

Ah - Thanks for that.

It looks like I’m wasting my precious time then. As I have a couple of stones, I may as well try ‘em again this year – but will give up then.

I’ve also tried growing nuts, but have never got them to grow. I’ve tried soaking in warm water to soften the shell, I’ve tried cracking the shell, I’ve tried planting the kernels – all to no avail.

Looks like going back to growing garlic (& weeds)! At least I can grow them.

Thanks for all your help.