How to Grow a Mango Plant in Water

Mangifera indica L., or the mango tree, is native to Asia. The oval fruit has a leathery skin that is pale-green to yellow when ripe. Sometimes the ripe fruit is mottled with red, a variation that depends on the cultivar. Under the skin is a juicy flesh, high in sugars and acid. After enjoying the sweet flesh of the mango, you can plant the seed contained in the pit. Place it in a jar of water to germinate before planting it in a pot.

Mango pit
Nylon scrubbing pad
Chisel or knife
Paper towel
Jar, 1-pint size
Pot, 10-gallon size
Organic potting soil

Instructions

- 1
  Remove all of the flesh from the mango pit by scraping it off with a nylon scrubbing pad. Set the seed on a paper towel and allow it to dry for two days.
- 2
  Slide a chisel or knife between the two halves of the mango pit and pry it open to reveal the seed inside. It looks like a large lima bean; the lighter colored area on one end is called the "eye."
- 3
  Hold the mango seed vertically with the "eye" pointing upwards. Push one toothpick about 1/8 inch into one side of the seed and another toothpick into the opposite side. Set the ends of the toothpicks on the edges of the 1-pint jar. Fill the jar with lukewarm water to cover the lower half of the seed.
- 4
  Check the water levels in the jar daily. If the water line is below the lower half of the mango seed, add more water. Watch for signs of germination. Sprouting usually begins within two weeks of soaking. Remove the mango plant from the water once green sprouts and white roots have developed.
- 5
  Fill a 10-gallon pot with organic potting soil. Plant the seed approximately 2 inches below the soil level with the roots pointing downward. Keep the soil moist at all times as the mango plant grows. Set the plant in a warm area that receives bright sunlight.

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