Synonymous with tropical vacations and fruity drinks, the mango is considered to be the apple of the tropics and one of the most commonly eaten fruits in tropical countries around the world. Few things compare to the delicious taste of a juicy, ripe mango.
Fortunately, home gardeners in tropical and sub-tropical climates can pull that taste out of their garden instead of making a trip to the grocery store.
All plants need certain essential nutrients to grow; as they remove these nutrients from the soil it’s necessary to add them back in through fertilizer applications.
Like all other fruit-bearing trees, it’s important to make sure mango trees are properly fertilized so they can resist insects and diseases, while simultaneously having enough nutrients to produce fruit.
For that reason, in this post, we are going to look at what makes a good fertilizer the best fertilizer for mango trees.
What is the best fertilizer for mango trees?
The quick answer is that Mango trees like other citrus trees prefer a well-balanced fertilizer. A slow-release one is more effective than a quick-release one as it supplies your tree with a constant supply of food throughout the season.
Here is a quick preview of my top choices, for more information keep reading below.
- Citrusgain
- Espoma Citrus-tone
- Jack’s Classic Citrus FeED
- Jobe’s Organics Fruit & Citrus Tree Fertilizer Spikes
- Dr. Earth Natural Wonder Fruit Tree Concentrate
- EZ-Gro Citrus Fertilizer
What to look for in a good fertilizer?
Before we begin, let’s talk about an important aspect to look for when searching for the best plant food for your tree: the fertilizer formula.
Although not classified as a citrus tree, mango trees follow a similar fertilizer regime. They prefer a balanced fertilizer (or one slightly higher in nitrogen) that contains nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium as well as the micronutrients iron, manganese, and zinc for optimum growth.
These numbers found on the fertilizer label are the N-P-K ratio (nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium); the consumer can look at this ratio and determine the percentage, by weight, of nutrients in the bag.
In an 8-8-8 fertilizer formula, a 10-pound bag would contain 0.8 pounds of nitrogen, 0.8 pounds of phosphorus (in the form of P2O5), and 0.8 pounds of potassium (in the form of K2O).
When looking for a good fertilizer for mango trees, your best options are citrus-specific or fruit tree specific products as they have been formulated to meet the needs of these types of trees.
With that being said, let’s take a look at some of my favorite options on the market right now.
The Best Fertilizer For Mango Trees
Citrusgain
Features:
- Nutrients Ratio: 8-3-9
- Slow Release
- Apply every 4 to 6 weeks
- Specifically designed for citrus trees including Mango Trees
The first to make our list of the best fertilizer for mango trees is called Citrusgain by BGI.
This fertilizer has an 8-3-9 nutrient ratio fertilizer and is specially formulated for citrus and trees. Citrus trees/plants need adequate amounts of essential nutrients to develop strong root systems, maintain overall tree health, and produce high-yielding, high-quality fruit.
CitrusGain contains nitrogen, potassium, magnesium, manganese, iron, copper, zinc, sulfur, other macronutrients, and micronutrients to meet these needs.
Application Tips: For best results apply every 4-6 weeks during the growing season. Sprinkle evenly, in a circular pattern, under the tree/plant outward to the drip line; do not apply directly against the trunk or base of the plant.
Jack’s Classic Citrus FeEd
Features:
- Water Soluble
- Citris Specific
- Nutrient Ratio: 20-10-20
Another great option is Jack’s Classic Citrus FeED specifically designed for trees in the citrus group such as mangos.
A nutrient ratio of 20-10-20 provides higher nitrogen and potassium levels for overall tree health and better fruiting.
It is important to note that this is a water-soluble fertilizer. As we mentioned earlier we prefer slow release as it supplies the tree with food over time. However, liquid fertilizers can be effective if you are trying to revive what seems to be a dying tree as you can immediately supply it with food.
That being said be sure to follow the instructions closely so as not to overfeed.
Application Tips: Apply 1 scoop per gallon of water and follow the instructions.
Espoma Citrus-Tone
Features:
- Nutrient Ratio: 5-2-6
- Slow Release
The next one on our list that we want to take a closer look at is Citrus-tone.
This option is an all-natural, organic plant food based on leading university recommendations and formulated for citrus, fruit, and nut trees.
Espoma Citrus-tone contains a 5-2-6 ratio of nitrogen/phosphorus/potassium and is enhanced with thousands of living soil microbes to aid in the development of the entire tree, as well as enhancing the soil ecosystem.
It is a slow-release formulation, providing small, continuous amounts of nutrients to the mango tree over a sustained length of time.
Simply apply at the recommended rates (2-8 pounds depending on the size of the tree) three times a year for optimum results.
Application Tips: Apply in Late winter as a pre-bloom application to enhance flowering, late spring as a post-bloom application to enhance fruit set, and then again in the fall to replace nutrients already used by the tree.
Please note that this plant food does have organic materials that will smell. For that reason, it might not be the best option to use on indoor plants.
Jobe’s Organics Fruit & Citrus
Features:
- OMRI certified
- Plant food spikes
- Slow Release
- Nutrient Ratio: 3-5-5
- Contains Biozome
- Apply every 2 or 3 months
An OMRI-certified organic fertilizer, Jobe’s Organics Fruit & Citrus Tree Fertilizer Spikes are specially formulated to provide fruit-bearing plants the nutrients they need to yield abundant, healthy citrus fruit.
It contains Biozome, bone meal, feather meal, potash, and manure with an N-P-K ratio of 3-5-5.
Biozome is a proprietary product containing a combination of healthy bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi, and microorganisms that helps to improve soil texture, and also increase water infiltration and retention.
Application Tips: Apply every 2-3 months per the recommended rate on the package for optimum results.
Dr. Earth Natural Wonder – Fruit Tree Concentrate
Features:
- Organic
- No GMO’s
- Liquid Plant Food
- Nutrient Ratio: 7-4-2
Another 100% organic option, Dr. Earth Natural Wonder Fruit Tree Concentrate is a liquid fertilizer, free from GMO’s, chicken manure, and/or sewage sludge.
The all-natural, organic product contains an N-P-K ratio of 7-4-2 to enhance strong root development and more abundant fruit sets in the trees.
Nutrients are derived from fish meal, fishbone meal, mined potassium sulfate, kelp meal, seaweed extract, and earthworm castings.
This plant food is rich in prebiotic (solid sugars that feed existing soil microbes) to help maintain a healthy soil ecosystem and is safe for use around kids and pets.
Application Tips: Use four tablespoons of product per gallon of water, making sure to mix thoroughly.
Apply 4 cups of diluted solution to fruit trees either as a spray or directly to the soil at the base of the tree.
Can be applied every two weeks during the active growing season.
EZ- Gro Citrus Tree
Features:
- Liquid Fertilizer
- High in Potassium
- Nutrient Ratio: 20-3-19
Lastly, let’s take a closer look at EZ-Gro Citrus Fertilizer.
This fertilizer has been specially formulated for a wide variety of different fruit trees such as lemon, grapefruit, kumquat, lime, orange, and yes of course mango trees.
The N-P-K ratio is 20-3-19. As you can see from that rating that this formula has a lot of nitrogen and potassium.
Keep in mind that not only does potassium help to strengthen the plant, but it also helps the plant to increase its yield. So if you would like to see your mango tree yielding more fruit, you might want to give this one a try.
Lastly, it is a liquid fertilizer making it easy to apply.
Application tips: Simply, follow the instructions to dilute the concentrate with water, making sure to mix thoroughly. Apply the recommended amount of diluted solution to fruit trees either as a foliar spray or directly to the soil at the base of the tree.
Final Thoughts…
It’s easy to bring the taste and feel of the tropics into your home garden by growing mango trees.
If you’re in a tropical or sub-tropical climate they can be readily grown in your backyard providing you with a bounty of delicious, ripe fruits.
When properly fertilized with one of the above-mentioned fertilizers, they make a fantastic addition to the garden.
What are your thoughts? What have you found to be the best fertilizer for mango trees? Share with us your thoughts in the comments below.
Leave a Reply