Pickering is a compact, heavy-bearing mango with coconut-sweet, fiberless flesh. It stays naturally small and bushy, making it one of the best mangoes for small yards and pots. (Mangifera indica 'Pickering')
Shop this plant: Pickering Mango Plant Grafted
Quick Care Summary
- Sun: Full sun, at least 8 hours a day.
- Soil: Well-drained soil is essential.
- Watering: Water new trees 2-3 times a week for the first month, then weekly through the first year.
Sun
Full sun, at least 8 hours a day. Mangoes flower and fruit best in the hottest, brightest spot in the yard.
Soil
Well-drained soil is essential. South Florida limestone, sandy and rocky soils all work if water never stands. Plant on a slight mound in heavy or low ground. Mangoes tolerate alkaline soil well.
Watering
Water new trees 2-3 times a week for the first month, then weekly through the first year. Established trees need little extra water except in long droughts. Reduce watering from late fall through flowering (about Nov-Feb) to encourage bloom.
Fertilizer Schedule for South Florida
Young trees: a balanced fertilizer with minor elements (such as 6-6-6 or 8-3-9) every 2 months from March through September, starting small and increasing as the tree grows. Mature trees: 2-3 applications a year (spring, early summer, late summer). Avoid heavy nitrogen in fall and winter, which pushes leaves instead of flowers. Add chelated iron and manganese if new leaves are pale.
Pruning
Prune right after harvest so the tree has time to set new flowering wood before winter. Tip-prune young trees at about 3 ft to create 3-4 main branches. Head back the tallest limbs each year to keep size manageable, and remove dead, crossing and inward-growing branches to open the canopy.
Cold Protection
Young trees are damaged below about 30°F; mature trees handle brief dips into the high 20s. On freeze nights, cover with frost cloth to the ground and water the soil the day before. Move container trees into a garage or porch.
Container vs. In-Ground
This is one of the more compact mangoes and adapts well to a 15-25 gallon container on a sunny patio. Use a fast-draining mix, prune yearly, and expect smaller crops than an in-ground tree. Pickering is one of the top choices for containers.
Spacing
Plant 20-25 ft from other large trees and at least 15 ft from buildings, septic and pools. With yearly size-control pruning you can go to 12-15 ft.
Flowering and Fruiting Timeline
Very precocious: often flowers in the first or second year. Fruit ripens June-July.
Harvest
Pick when the shoulders fill out and the skin turns yellow-orange; fruit can be picked mature-green and ripened indoors.
Common Pests and Diseases
Start with organic, low-impact fixes: good airflow, clean-up of fallen fruit and leaves, and soaps or oils before anything stronger. Always follow label directions.
Anthracnose
How to identify: Black spots on flowers, leaves and fruit; blossoms blacken and drop in wet weather.
Organic-first treatment: Keep the canopy open with pruning, rake up fallen debris, and spray copper fungicide during bloom and early fruit set in rainy springs.
Powdery mildew
How to identify: White powdery coating on flower panicles and new leaves in cool, dry weather.
Organic-first treatment: Sulfur or potassium bicarbonate sprays at early bloom; good airflow.
Scale and mealybugs
How to identify: Small bumps or white cottony clusters on stems and leaf undersides, often with sticky honeydew and black sooty mold.
Organic-first treatment: Prune heavily infested twigs, spray horticultural oil or insecticidal soap, and control the ants that farm them.
Fruit flies and seed weevil
How to identify: Soft spots or larvae in fruit.
Organic-first treatment: Pick up and destroy fallen fruit promptly and harvest on time.
FAQ
Do I need two trees for fruit? No. Mangoes are self-fruitful, so a single tree will set fruit on its own.
How big does Pickering get? Usually 6-8 ft with light pruning.
Does Pickering bear every year? It is one of the more consistent producers, though heavy crops may alternate with lighter years.
Related Reading
- Carrie vs. Pickering vs. Valencia Pride: Which Mango Is Right for You?
- Mango Anthracnose and Powdery Mildew: How to Protect Your Crop
- Pruning Mango Trees After Harvest: A Florida Guide
Ready to grow your own? Get the Pickering Mango here.
