Plant a grafted nursery mango in a warm month you can water, set the mix at grade, and leave 20 to 30 feet from buildings and other trees.
Plant a grafted nursery tree, and leave 20 to 30 feet
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| When | A warm month, so the new roots can run before a dry or cold stretch | Do not plant into dry ground with no hose ready |
| Stock | A healthy grafted tree in about a 3-gallon can, 2 to 4 feet tall | Do not bury the graft, and do not buy a large tree jammed in a small can |
| Spacing | 20 to 30 feet from buildings, power lines, and other trees if you will not prune hard | Do not crowd it at 8 feet from a wall |
| Grade | Set the mix even with or slightly above the surrounding soil | Do not put a pad of compost in the bottom of the hole |
Buy a grafted nursery tree so you are not waiting on seed. A 3-gallon can, 2 to 4 feet tall, is the usual start. [1] mango wants full sun and ground that drains, in the warmest part of the yard that does not flood. Leave 20 to 30 feet from buildings and wires if the tree will grow out. [2] Keep the graft at the soil line. Set the mix even with or slightly above the surrounding soil. [3] A tree you will keep small each year after harvest can sit 12 to 15 feet from a building. If the yard ponds after rain, plant on a mound of native soil 2 to 3 feet high. [4]
How young a tree should I plant?
A healthy 3-gallon tree, 2 to 4 feet tall, is the usual start. A large tree jammed in a small can often has a circling taproot.
How far from the house do I plant?
Leave 20 to 30 feet from buildings, power lines, and other trees unless you will prune every year to keep it small.
How to plant a mango tree
- Strip grass from a 3 to 10 foot ring so sod does not compete with the new roots.
- Dig a hole 3 to 4 times the can diameter, and about as deep as the root ball.
- Do not put fertilizer or compost in the bottom of the hole. If you add compost, mix it with the dug soil at no more than half and half.
- Slide the can off, hold the root ball, and set the mix even with or slightly above grade. Keep the graft at the soil line.
- If a taproot circles the bottom of the can, snip that kink so it can run down.
- Backfill, water to settle air pockets, and keep mulch 8 to 12 inches off the trunk.
- If the site floods, build the mound first, then dig the hole in the mound. Sun and the yearly calendar live on How to Grow Mango.
Can I start with a grocery seed instead of a nursery tree?
You can sow a seed, but named fruit will not match, and bearing is slow. Buy a grafted tree if you want fruit in a few years, or read How to Grow Mango from Seed if you are starting a curiosity plant.
Water the new tree until it is set, then keep grass off the trunk so the graft stays sound.
FAQ
Should I fertilize in the hole?
No. Do not put a pad of fertilizer or compost under the roots. Mix compost into the backfill if you want, at no more than half and half.
Do I need two trees?
No. One mango can set fruit. Insects move pollen on the panicle. A wet bloom week drops the set whether you have one tree or three.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] UF/IFAS Extension -
https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MG216 - [2] UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions -
https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/fruits/mango/ - [3] Gardening Know How -
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/mango/growing-mango-trees.htm - [4] UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County -
https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/2025/06/26/suncoast-grown-and-gathered-summer-mango-mania/
This note is part of Mangifera Guides.
More planting notes by plant are gathered in Planting Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors