Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

What to do and not to do before a cold snap?

Growing tropical plants outdoors? Here are a few practical notes for your cold protection guide.

⭕️ 5 things to DO to prepare your plants before a cold snap:

1. Water well. A well-hydrated plant is stronger. Juicy stems and leaves handle cold better than dry ones.
2. Add mulch. A thick layer around the base helps insulate the roots and keep them warm.
3. Block the wind. Move pots to a sheltered spot or set up a windbreak.
4. Cover at night, uncover by day. Use frost cloth, blankets, or plastic at night - but remove during the day so plants don’t overheat in the sun and can get as much light as possible.
5. Add gentle heat if needed. Christmas lights or a small heater can help - just use caution and make sure everything is safe.

❌ 5 most common mistakes, what NOT to do before or during a cold snap:

1. Don’t prune. Fresh cuts and new growth are tender and will freeze first.

2. Don’t overwater. Cold and soggy roots can rot. Keep soil moist, not soaked. Water just enough to quench the plant’s thirst and fill stems and leaves with moisture. Cold and wet is a dangerous combination.

3. Don’t let plants dry out either. Wilted, thirsty plants are more likely to suffer cold damage. Cold and dry can be just as harmful as cold and wet.

4. Don’t use dry fertilizer. It can burn roots in cold soil. A gentle liquid feed like amino-acid Sunshine Boosters is an exception and safe to use with every watering. Its intake naturally slows down as watering decreases.

5. Don’t just watch the thermometer. Duration and wind chill matter. A long cold night with wind can do more harm than a brief freeze.

✔️ Keep these in mind, and your plants will thank you when the cold passes!

#How_to

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🐱 I love Fridays!

"Me by the end of Friday business day"

Are you also looking forward to the weekend?

🐈📸 Cat James Coconuts is a hard worker at TopTropicals PeopleCats.Garden

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What is a Dwarf Condo Avocado that fruits at 3 ft tall?

• Every fruit lover dreams of growing lots of avocado varieties, but space often gets in the way. The good news is that some avocado trees stay naturally small and compact, making them perfect for patios, balconies, and even indoor growing. These are called Condo Avocados.
• They have the same tasty fruit as full-sized trees but take up much less room. You can easily grow them in large pots or containers. They begin to fruit when it's just 2-3 feet tall and remain under 10-12 feet, even after 10 years of growth.
• The most popular condo avocados are:

🟢 Wurtz (Little Cado): A true dwarf avocado tree that stays small and grows well in containers. It can even produce fruit indoors near a sunny window.

• 🟢 Fuerte: A semi-dwarf variety that’s easy to manage and does well in pots or small yards.
• 🟢 Joey: Not a true dwarf, but naturally compact. With a bit of pruning, it can stay small and fit nicely in limited spaces.

Condo avocados are a great way to enjoy homegrown avocados even if you don’t have a big yard. Just give them sun, good soil, and regular care - and you’ll have fresh avocados right on your porch!

✔️ Check outAvocado Variety Guide interactive chart. Sort them by flower type A or B, tree habit, fruit shape and quality, cold hardiness, origin, season and more!

🛒 Shop Avocado varieties

📖 Our Book: Avocado Variety Guide, Snack or Guacamole?

• · Hard copy · PDF File Download

📚Learn more:

• ▫️Five most popular Avocado cultivars
• ▫️More posts on #Avocado

#Food_Forest #Avocado

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🍴 Java plum cooler: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

• 🔵Crush ripe java plums (Syzygium cumini, Jambolan), mix with sugar, salt, and cold water.
• 🔵A tangy, thirst-quenching drink.

🛒 Plant Jambolan fruit tree for summer drinks

📚 Learn more:

• ▫️ 10 reasons to grow this Indian secret tree - the miracle Fruit of the Gods you never knew about
• ▫️ Why is it called the Fruit of the Gods? Jambolan health benefits
• ▫️ How to get a large, bushy, exotic fruit tree in no time

#Food_Forest #Recipes

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Cheese ecstasy - sound on! Warning: intense chewing activity 🎤

Bob loves cheese. Extreme cheese satisfaction in progress.

🐈📸 Cat Bob is eating his favorite graded cheese at TopTropicals PeopleCats.Garden

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Mango's hidden power: the orange fruit that helps your immune system fight cancer

• 🔸 A new study from the University of Chicago (Cell Reports Medicine) found that zeaxanthin - a carotenoid that gives mangoes their golden color - may do much more than support eye health. It can actually make your immune system stronger against cancer!
• 🔸 Researchers discovered that zeaxanthin boosts the performance of the body’s CD8+ T cells, the immune cells that hunt down and destroy tumor cells. In lab and animal tests, diets rich in zeaxanthin slowed tumor growth, and when paired with cancer immunotherapy, the results were even more impressive.
• 🔸 Zeaxanthin helps T cells form stronger receptor structures and increases their signaling and tumor-killing power. The compound occurs naturally in colorful foods like Mango, orange peppers, corn, cantaloupe, and dark leafy greens.
• 🔸 Because it’s already known to be safe and available as a dietary supplement, scientists see zeaxanthin as a promising addition to future cancer therapies. So, eating mangoes and other orange or yellow fruits may not only brighten your plate but also help your body’s natural defenses stay sharp: Pineapple, Carambola, Canistel, Garcinia, Loquat and more.

🛒 Select from Mango varieties

📚 Learn more:

• ▫️Grow your own brain food: avocado and cacao
• ▫️Plant a fruit tree - and breathe easier: fruit might be the surprising key to healthier lungs
• ▫️11 tropical fruits to eat instead of taking a fiber supplement
• ▫️Tropical fruit health benefits guide - what fruit and edibles can help with health issues and vitamin deficiencies, Part 1 and Part 2.
• ▫️Top 10 fruiting plants you'll ever need for your health benefits

#Food_Forest #Mango #Remedies #Discover

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😆 A terrible crime!

A terrible crime has been committed.
The Louvre theft pales in comparison.
Someone snuck in last night and stole the entire contents of the kibble bowl.

The culprit remains at large,
but fortunately... the insurance bag covered the loss.

🐈📸 Cats Klaksa and Jacques recovering from the Grand Theft at TopTropicals PeopleCats.Garden

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⭐️ How to gets lots of Star Fruit Carambola

• 🌟 Star Fruit - Carambola Tree (Averrhoa carambola is one of those trees that makes gardening instantly rewarding. Once you plant it, you’ll soon have a tree covered in shiny yellow fruit shaped like little stars.
• 🌟 Growing tips

🟡 Sun: Loves full sun. The more light, the sweeter the fruit.

• 🟡Temperature: Keep warm and protect from winds. It thrives in warm, tropical climates but can handle light frost if sheltered from cold winds - wind-free is the key.
• 🟡Soil: Prefers well-drained soil. Avoid waterlogging.
• 🟡Water: Regular watering keeps it happy, but don’t let roots sit in soggy soil.
• 🟡Size: Space saver! This compact tree doesn’t take up much room, perfect for smaller gardens. Dwarf varieties also do well in containers.
• 🟡Growth and crop: Fast-growing and early to fruit. Seedlings start producing in about three years, while grafted or air-layered trees fruit right away.
• 🟡Flowers: Beautiful pink blooms appear before the fruit, adding extra charm to the garden.

• 🌟 With just a bit of care and protection from wind and cold, your Carambola tree will reward you with baskets of bright, starry fruit through the cooler months when most other trees rest.
• 🌟 Slice one open and you get perfect star-shaped pieces that brighten up salads, desserts, or smoothies. The fruit is crisp, juicy, and beautifully sweet-tart. It’s nature’s candy - refreshing, low in calories, and rich in vitamin C and antioxidants.

📚 Learn more:

• ✦ Star Fruit from our garden
• ✦ Grow your own Carambola
• ✦ Top 10 fast-fruiting trees: #8. Carambola - Starfruit
• ✦ Carambola Banana Whip
• ✦ Carambola Jam recipe
• ✦ When young Carambola trees are covered with fruit
• ✦ Carambola tree is the Star of the orchard

🛒 Explore Star Fruit varieties

#Food_Forest

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🍴 June plum juice: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

• 🟡Blend June plums with ginger, sugar, and water.
• 🟡Tangy, spicy, and super refreshing.

🛒 June Plum will fruit year around in your garden

📚 Learn more:

• ▫️What fruit tree is full of fruit year around
• ▫️How June plum can "fruit itself to death": look at this heavy load!

#Food_Forest #Recipes

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🐈 When attack is the least expected

Unexpected intrusion in private life...

🐈📸 Cat Jim the II and his unexpected intruder Serge at TopTropicals PeopleCats.Garden

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