Planning a 1-acre mango farm in Dhar, MP (Malwa region, black soil) — need advice on variety choice, spacing, and overall plan
I'm planning to plant mangoes on 1 acre of land in the Malwa region of Dhar district, mp — black soil, and about 50km from Indore. The main goal is commercial income, not a hobby orchard, so I want to get this right from the start
Current plan
Spacing: 22x22 ft between plants
Varieties I'm considering: Amrapali, Kesar, Badami
Can you give feedback on this
1 is 22x22 ft spacing right for these varieties, or should I go tighter (like high-density planting with Amrapali, which I've read can be planted closer)? What's worked for you?
2 Are Amrapali, Kesar, and Badami a good combination for black soil + this climate zone? Should I drop one and add another variety for better market price or staggered harvest timing?
3 Black soil holds water and can have drainage issues — any specific land prep, raised bed, or drainage steps I should take before planting in this soil type?
4 For someone aiming purely at income (not personal consumption), what should my proceed-from-here checklist look like — pit digging timeline, monsoon planting, irrigation setup (drip vs flood), fertilizer schedule for the first 2-3 years, intercropping options to earn while waiting for mango trees to mature?
5 Any region-specific pests/diseases in MP for these varieties I should watch out for from year one?
If you have done something similar in mp or nearby black soil belts please guide me