Mango trees are one of the fruits that many people love, especially children. Mango fruit has high nutritional value with many vitamins necessary for the development of the human body. In particular, mango has a delicious, sweet taste and is easy to combine with many different cakes. So many gardeners love to grow mango trees indoors or in pots.
For mango trees, the need for water is one of the important factors for growth and development. There are many questions raised regarding watering mango trees. How much water does a mango tree need? Do mango trees need to be watered even when it rains? To answer these questions, let’s find out detailed information about the need for water as well as the preferred habitat of mango trees in the article below.
How Much Water Does A Mango Tree Need?
The water needs of mango trees will depend on the maturity of the tree. The average mango tree needs 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water every 1–2 weeks. However, young mango trees will need to be watered more often than mature mango trees.
You need to water the mango seedlings and seedlings every 2-3 days for the first 2 years. Water mature mango trees once a week. At any age, the mango tree still needs a constant 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water throughout the week. Additional watering is especially important during the first two years of a mango tree. The mango tree will grow to the right age, be healthy and produce delicious and large mangoes.
Some notes you need to keep in mind when watering mango trees are as follows:
- Mango trees do not need daily watering.
- Mango trees need about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water per week whether a young mango tree or an adult mango tree.
- For young mango trees under 2 years old, you can water 1 inch of water 2-3 times per week.
- With mature mango trees over 2 years old, you can water 1 inch of water for one watering in a week.
- Water the mango tree even when it rains but the amount of water is less than usual. The amount of water for irrigation depends on the amount of rainfall in each region.
- You need to water thoroughly so that the root system of the mango tree can soak in the water and drain completely afterward.
- Water with a soaker hose or watering can so that the water really soaks into the soil.
- Depending on the weather conditions and the size of the mango tree, you can adjust the amount of water differently.
- Water the mango tree only when the soil surface is 1-2 inches dry by testing the soil moisture. Use your finger or a hygrometer before watering the mango tree.
- Avoid over-watering and draining soil as they will lead to waterlogging. Mango trees will not tolerate waterlogging for long periods of time.
- Stop watering if water begins to collect on the surface of the soil. You need to remove this excess water to avoid waterlogging.
- Make sure to provide adequate sunlight each day so that excess water will quickly evaporate and remove moisture.
Do Mango Trees Prefer Dry Or Wet Soil?
Most mango varieties prefer wet soil to dry soil. Because the mango tree is native to regions with a tropical climate that alternates between the wet and dry seasons. Therefore, mango trees need a lot of water for healthy growth and development. However, mango trees cannot tolerate too wet environments because the root system will quickly rot from waterlogging.
Mango trees will love to be watered with plenty of water with high humidity but quick drainage and dry soil again. So sandy soil is the key to the excellent drainage that mango trees love. Meanwhile, wet, swampy, or waterlogged soil is very harmful to the root system of the mango tree.
Mango trees will prefer a slightly moist soil environment. However, it can tolerate dry soil more than waterlogging. So you need to make sure the soil has enough nutrients and good drainage to avoid waterlogging. The root of the mango tree needs good air circulation and ventilation to eliminate harmful fungi and bacteria. Because the fungus will thrive in humid or waterlogged environments. Make sure your soil dries at least 3 inches (7.5 cm) below the surface of the soil before you water it again to prevent the soil from getting too wet.
Do Mango Trees Need Too Much Water?
The answer is NO!
Most of us tend to water more than our plants actually need. This is similar to the mango tree because many people often overwater it every day. Young mango trees need more frequent watering, but they are not water-loving plants. Therefore, young mango trees need a small amount of water and often 2-3 times per week.
So, when you have some of the following signs, you need to stop watering immediately because waterlogging has already occurred:
- Small puddles of water on the surface of the land.
- Leaves appear with yellow spots, black spots, and edema.
- Leaves are soft, drooping to the ground, and have no natural green color.
- The mango tree shows signs of stopping growth, not growing leaves or flowering and fruiting.
- Under the roots appear layers of humus and have a stench.
To avoid waterlogging, you need to give the mango tree time to rest between waterings. Water needs to be drained and returned to a dry state when watering again. If you grow your mango tree in a pot, you need to choose potting soil with ingredients like sand, perlite, gravel, or coir to create drainage holes. These drainage holes will help water quickly get out and better air circulation for the root system.
The recovery of mango trees after waterlogging depends on the severity. You can easily check for waterlogging with seedlings, but you cannot do this with a mature mango tree. It is important that you detect the early signs so that they can be corrected promptly. Because when the root system has rotted, the mango tree will slowly die in a few days.
How To Know The Mango Tree Is Lacking Water?
A mango tree with a lack of water will show signs of yellowing, wilting, dry, and brittle leaves, and the edges of the leaves are curled to limit the evaporation of the leaves. You can also observe the surrounding soil cracking and creating small openings. Use your hand or a moisture meter to check the moisture in the soil.
You need to water according to the actual needs of the mango tree and the weather on a weekly basis. If it is too sunny and hot, the evaporation rate will also be faster. Therefore, you need to add a small amount of water to the mango tree every day. You should not water according to any rules, but observe the signs of the mango tree to water.
To limit the lack of water, you can cover with a layer of moist straw or coir to keep moisture around the base of the tree and limit the dryness of the roots. Sugarcane or straw can make a particularly good mulch for most mangoes. Organic mulch has been shown to be beneficial for growing fruit trees and maintaining ideal humidity for mango trees.
Summary
Mango trees are fruit trees native to the tropics, so they require more water than other fruit trees. Mango trees need an average of 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water per week. For young mango trees, you can water them 2-3 times per week and divide that amount of water. For mature mango trees, you can water them once a week with 1 inch of water.
Mango trees prefer moist environments but dry out quickly afterward. So you can water the mango tree a lot but let it dry completely after watering again. Mango trees do not tolerate excessively wet environments as they are prone to root rot from waterlogging. Mango trees prefer slightly moist soil but tolerate dry soil better than moist soil. Also, you need to make sure to let the mango tree roots dry out between watering to simulate the rain cycle of their native habitat.