Growing a Bailey's Marvel Mango

Cold Tolerance

• In the continental United States, the coastal regions of South Florida and coastal Southern California provide the most suitable climate for growing mangoes. Hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10b through 11, these tropical trees are highly sensitive to frost. "Bailey's Marvel" exhibits superior cold tolerance that allows better performance inland than other varieties. Temperatures below freezing usually result in severe damage or loss of a mango tree. "Bailey's Marvel" can tolerate 28 degrees Fahrenheit for six hours with limb damage but no tree loss. Like other mangoes, younger trees may be damaged and small fruit and flowers lost when exposed to temperatures below 40 degrees.

Culture

• If allowed to mature naturally, "Bailey's Marvel" reaches 30 to 45 feet in height and width. When selecting a planting site for this long-lived tree, allow ample room. A full sun location encourages maximum fruiting. Adaptable to most soil types, "Bailey's Marvel" prefers consistent ample moisture with well-drained soil. Occasional flooding and excessively wet soils can be tolerated, as long as the soil is not poorly drained. Salt tolerance adds to this tree's suitability for coastal regions. With mangoes, excess humidity combined with heat can lead to anthracnose, a fungus that can adversely affect fruit and leaves and limit fruit production. "Bailey's Marvel" displays notable resistance to this fungal disease.

Establishment

• The first several years of your mango tree's life set the foundation for its success. Normally grafted onto a rootstock during their second year of existence, mangoes may then be offered for sale at this young age. During the first four to five years of establishment, ensure your tree gets plenty of water to promote proper root growth, development and health. Mulching will help conserve and maintain consistent soil moisture. During these several years of establishment, prune all fruit from the tree. This pruning is necessary for the tree to become strong and sturdy enough to withstand the weight of its fruit. When the tree attains 4 to 5 years of age, fruit can be allowed to mature.

Fruit

• With an attractive sunny peach color, the large fruit of "Bailey's Marvel" may be its best feature. Very flavorful, the taste combines components of mango, peach and pineapple. Considered one of the most excellent varieties for eating fresh, it enjoys world-wide popularity and is widely grown in Asia for its flavor. The fruit ripens in early to midsummer, and a single "Bailey's Marvel" mango may weigh more than two pounds. Pick fruit when it is firm and mature, when the end away from the stem -- called the "nose" -- broadens and fills out. Do not refrigerate your mangoes until they fully ripen or the cold will damage fruit. At 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, you'll enjoy fully ripened "Bailey's Marvel" mangoes in three to eight days.