Jul 22, 2025 | written by: People at Treedom
Sprouting a mango seed indoors? It’s not the easiest thing in the world, but it’s not impossible either. What’s much harder is taking care of the plant later on, which is why our first piece of advice is this: only try if you have a bright, sunny spot where your little mango tree can live. If you can’t give it lots of light (ideally direct sunlight for many hours), it doesn’t make much sense to start this adventure. But if you do have that possibility and you’re up for it… well, here are some useful tips!
🌱 Choose a ripe mango
Pick a nice, ripe mango (not too green), eat it… but keep the pit!
🌱 Clean the pit thoroughly
Rinse the pit under water, removing all the pulp. Then let it dry for a day or two, until the outer shell becomes hard and a bit easier to open.
🌱 Carefully open the pit
Using a knife (very carefully), open the hard wooden shell. Inside you’ll find the real seed, which looks like a large bean.
If it’s dark or mushy, it’s no good. If it’s light-colored and firm, you’re ready for the next step!
🌱 Get the seed to sprout
This part can be quite challenging, but with a little patience and some luck, you can do it!
We suggest the simplest method: wrap the seed in damp (not soaking wet) paper towel using warm water. Place it inside a resealable plastic bag and keep it somewhere warm and dark (like on top of the fridge or inside a cupboard).
Check every 3–4 days to keep the paper moist (but not too wet). After about 1–3 weeks, you should see a root appear and maybe even a small sprout! At that point, if the root looks healthy and visible, you can move on to the next step.
-------> Want to plant your Mango in one of our projects? Click here
-------> Curious about the mango’s nutritional benefits? Discover them here
🌱 Planting the seed
Once you see the root and sprout, it’s time to plant it. If you’re indoors, the best option is a pot with well-draining soil (a mix of potting soil and a bit of sand or perlite works well).
Plant the seed so it’s partially above the soil, with the root facing down and the sprout facing up. Water lightly. The soil should stay moist but never soggy. We know that sounds a bit vague, but if your soil drains well, you won’t need too much water to reach deeper layers.
☀️ Caring for your mango plant
. Light: Lots of sun! Really – as much as possible. A south-facing window is ideal.
. Temperature: Mango loves warmth (preferably above 20°C / 68°F). In winter, keep it indoors.
. Water: Soil should be moist but never waterlogged (use a teaspoon to gently lift a bit of soil and check underneath if it’s still moist).
. Growth: In the first months, it grows slowly, but with patience it can reach 30–50 cm (12–20 inches) in the first year. Of course, it needs plenty of sun – did we mention that? Just in case: lots of sun!
🥭 Note
With care and patience, your mango can grow – but in UK (or similar climates), it’s almost impossible to get actual fruit without a tropical greenhouse. Still, as a tropical decorative plant, it’s beautiful… and growing it from scratch is incredibly rewarding!
-------> Want to grow an Avocado? Read here
-------> Want to grow an Apple tree? Read here
