Mango Blog

Best Mango Varieties for Smoothies and Desserts
For smoothies and desserts, pick mangoes with smooth, fiberless flesh and a strong flavor. Fiberless varieties blend silky instead of stringy, and bold-flavored ones still taste like mango after you add yogurt, milk or ice. On our trees, that means varieties like Alphonso, Nam Doc Mai #4, Lemon Meringue and Pineapple Pleasure. I'm Chris Haynes. We grow about 29 varieties on our own trees in Merritt Island, Florida, and they don't all behave the same in the kitchen. Here's how I'd match them to what you're making. What makes a... Read more...
Ripe sapodilla (chicozapote) fruit with leaves
Sapodilla (Chicozapote): The Brown Sugar Fruit and How to Tell When It's Ripe
Sapodilla, also called chicozapote or naseberry, tastes like brown sugar and pear. Here's when it's in season in Florida (about November–July) and the easy scratch test for ripeness. Read more...
Ripe black sapote cut open showing dark chocolate-pudding flesh
Black Sapote: Florida's "Chocolate Pudding Fruit" and How to Ripen It
What black sapote is, when it's in season in Florida (December–March), and how to ripen it on your counter until it turns soft and pudding-like. Read more...
Florida Mango Season: When Each Variety Ripens
Florida mango season runs roughly May through September. Each variety has its own window inside that stretch. On our trees in Merritt Island, Valencia Pride leads off in May–June, July is the busiest month, and Venus and Giselle finish the season in September. I'm Chris Haynes, and I grow about 29 mango varieties on our own trees. The question I hear most from people who pre-order is "When will my box ship?" This is the calendar I use to answer it. Why Florida mangoes ripen May through September Florida mangoes... Read more...
How to Tell When a Mango Is Ripe
A mango is ripe when it gives slightly to gentle pressure and smells sweet at the stem end. Color is not a reliable sign. Plenty of good mangoes stay green when they're ready to eat, and some red-blushed ones color up long before they're ripe. I'm Chris Haynes, and I grow about 29 mango varieties on our own trees in Merritt Island, Florida. The question I get most after a box arrives is "Are these ready yet?" Here's how I tell, and how to get the best eating out of... Read more...
Rare Mango Varieties Guide: Cotton Candy, Pineapple Pleasure, Lemon Zest and More
Rare Mango Varieties Guide: Cotton Candy, Pineapple Pleasure, Lemon Zest and More
Rare Mango Varieties Guide: Cotton Candy, Pineapple Pleasure, Lemon Zest and More If the only mangoes you know are the hard red-and-green ones at the grocery store, this post is... Read more...
Why Merritt Island's Climate Grows Exceptional Mangoes
Welcome to the first post on the Merritt Island Mangoes blog. I'm Chris Haynes. I grow about 29 mango varieties on my own trees here on Merritt Island, Florida, and I ship them tree-ripened to the lower 48. People ask me all the time how mangoes this good come from a place this far north of Miami. The short answer is location. The long answer is this post. A Barrier Island Between Two Bodies of Water Merritt Island sits between the Indian River Lagoon to the west and the Banana... Read more...