mangos like sandy soil, the limestone is not a large issue though, its more important i think to dig deep and ensure there is nothing blocking the taproots journey to the water table.

in some trees limestone tends to create iron deficiencies in our soil buy creating excess calcium and an imbalance. mango trees arent really temperamental this way. they really are the one of the easiest thing to plant here

I don't have a lot of experience planting mangos, but my soil out here in the desert is very sandy and they seem to love it. Zands I like your last idea, top soil removal and break up of the coral crust underneath....

ANd everything Bryan says makes sense too.....I think your intuition was correct - try to adapt them to the native soil if it drains well, and don't put in all that HD topsoil stuff. Certainly a little humus or soil conditioner mixed in to the native wouldn't hurt.....

MangoDiggingDog

MK --thanks much. How deep do you dig when you plant a mango? And do you then put back the coral and subsoil? There also are lots of good oceanic trace minerals in the coral below the topsoil

MD-- "coral crust" yeah it is compacted sand and coral beneath the topsoil. Black topsoil down here is made by chipping trees and brush. They compost quickly in the heat...Then adding sand. Our soil here has no clay. The topsoil was graded in there by the developer and 36 years of grass growing on it has kept the humus level high.

I wish I had never put in the HD topsoil. I'll bet an apple tree would like it though. Apple trees are stressed by the winter and cold and go into dormancy. Mangoes are stressed by a dry season. At least the Indian/Pakistani ones are. Stress makes the fruit tree think of survival so it buds and puts out fruit. This is my understanding

I dont think I have the same coral issues as you. probably 3 feet deep

'Best way to plant a mango tree'

Roots first!

-E

Here's a pretty good link...

Here is a link that might be useful: Mango planting and care

There are so many conflicting views on this subject. The Excalibur nursery says to unceremoniously drop it in a hole the same size as the root ball a bit above the ground level. They have such excellent trees it's hard to argue.

I don't follow their suggestions though. I "ALWAYS" dig a decent sized hole (say 2x the size of the root ball in depth) and remove large shell rock stones and drop a mix of native soil, compost and garden soil (without any sort of fertilizer in it) in the bottom of the hole. I typically dig the hole 3-5" wider on the sides and if the roots are bound loosen them before steadying up the tree with the soil mixed above.

That said, I have never lost a tree, and have had great success without any die back, leaf or fruit drop with new trees.

Excalibur is right as well. I mean its difficult to fudge planting a mango tree here unless you find a spot with unusually compacted soil. the taproot is aggressive enough and they like crappy sandy soil that water is all it really need. wet feet to slight drought, it will be fine, not particular in the least compared to almost everything else I grow. I suppose i just like to get a butchers look at the root system before burying it.

"butcher's look" ......lol......

I personally never DARE look at the roots, thinking ....'if I can see the roots then surely I've done some damage to them already!'

With most of my new potted mangos that went in the ground, I put pot and all in the hole and cut away the container once it was in place. I think only one that felt root bound would I pop out of the pot and give it the "surgeon's sizeup" and see about pulling and spreading the roots if necesario.....

MangoBoneDigger

Remove sod, loosen the surrounding soil to a diameter of 6 to 8 feet and give monthly applications of small amounts of fert and your mango tree will usually establish itself quite well. The alternative approach is to amend the 6 to 8 foot diameter ring of soil to a depth of a foot with composted manure.

Jeff