Q: I need some advice on which fertilizer(s) would be perfect for
my C​annonball tree and its cousin Heaven's Lotus (Gustavia augusta). ​I also have fruit trees... soursops, mango, etc. and a collection of flowers including pua keni keni, plumeria, bougainvillea, etc. I am wondering if you can recommend a custom
fertilizing regimen for my garden (especially the cannonball and the gustavia since
they are young).
A: It is a perfect time now to fertilize your plants as they
start active growth. We have suggestions on fertilizing programs for your trees.
You will find here our recommendations for:
1. Young trees
2. Flowering trees
3. Fragrant plants
4. In-ground grown fruit trees... CONTINUE READING >>
How to feed a Mango tree...
and to grow a Dwarf Mango
How to fertilize a Mango tree
Q: My mango trees that I bought and planted last august now have
fruit. I bought 2 types of fertilizer from you and never used it. Should I
use your fertilizer now?
A: It is a perfect time now to fertilize your plants as they
start active growth.
For mango trees, we recommend liquid fertilizer Sunshine Booster - Mango Tango. It is formulated for Mango trees,
especially for container grown. It improves quantity and quality of flowers and
ability to set fruit, reduces bud-flower-fruit drop. Can be used as often as
with every watering. For best results, use in combination with Sunshine Honey and Sunshine Superfood plant supplements. Its scientifically-balanced
stable formula is organic Amino-acid based and has NO EDTA chelators to eliminate
nutrients lockup; it does not affect crop taste.
Additionally, you may use slow-release granulated fertilizer Mango-Food once a month during hot season only. Dosage: 1 teaspoon per
each gal of soil.
Water-soluble fertilizers can be also used, however, those are usually
EDTA-chelated which is not as efficient as Amono-acid based Sunshine Boosters and
may create nutrients build up, especially if overdosed in containers.
For in-ground mango trees, you may use all the above, and slow-release
granulated fertilizer can be applied in larger quantities: spread a handful
around the drip line.
Remember that only liquid Sunshine Boosters can be applied year around.
With other fertilizers, you need to be careful not to overdose, and apply
only during hot weather (when night temperatures are steadily above 65F).
How to grow a Dwarf Mango tree
Q: I received the Ice cream mango tree in great condition (thank you for the ingenious
packing job) on Wednesday and have planted it in a pot slightly bigger than the
root ball. I plan to grow the tree on my front porch, so how big a container
should I ultimately use when the tree outgrows this pot? How big a container
does it need to fruit? I hope to keep it around 6-7 feet high, if possible.
I live in Hawaii.
A: Ice Cream mango is a perfect variety for container culture,
and it should be happy in Hawaii. You did everything right. Keep it in this
small pot for now and wait until it starts vigorous growth in Summer. Once it
starts growing (and you will notice roots growing too, sometimes they try to
grow through the holes in the bottom of the pot), then it's time to step up
into a bigger container (7-10 gal). Eventually you may use container size as
large as 15 gal. Ice cream mango is slow growing and compact, and you will be
able to maintain it under 7 ft with very minimal pruning if any.
Grafted trees, including Mango and Avocado, will start flowering and fruiting right away
Q: It would be easier for us buyers, if we could search for
plants that produce fruit in 2 years or less... I don't have the patience to wait
longer than that for fruit. I'm trying to buy for a fairly good sized garden
but want some fast growers and fruit produced in 2 yrs. Can you help me
out?
A: Fruiting time depends on many factors (growing conditions,
fertilizing, and even specific variety), this is why we can not just put a
simple icon "will fruit within 2 years".
However, most grafted and air-layered fruit trees, including all Mango, Avocado, Loquat, Sapote, Sapodilla, Longan, Peaches and Nectarines - will fruit right away. If you see in our store "grafted" or "air-layered" in plant description
- these trees will fruit soon. Some of them are already flowering and
fruiting!
Some non-grafted trees will fruit within a couple of years or even
sooner (those from cuttings, root division or even seedlings) - such as: Annona, Artocarpus (Jackfruit), Eugenia, Guava, Banana, Dragon fruit, Mulberry, Blackberry/Raspberry. Banana, Mulberry, Dragon fruit,
Blackberry-Raspberry - usually fruit within a year. You may refer to our store directory page for fruit specials.
Recently, while admiring the stunning beauty of a large flowering Brownea planted on the grounds here at Top Tropicals, I began wondering
why these most splendid of tropical flowering trees remain so rare and
obscure in South Florida. Much of our local climate seems perfectly conducive to
their cultivation...
Tu BiShvat is the Israeli Arbor Day, and it is often referred to by that
name in international media. Ecological organizations have adopted the
holiday to further environmental-awareness programs. The modern practices and
interpretations of Tu BiShvat often revolve around the earth and environment.
This holiday is a celebration of nature and appreciation for creating the
natural world. In Israel, Tu BiShvat is celebrated as an agricultural holiday. The
15th of Tu BiShvat was celebrated this year on February 10, 2020. This day
marked the beginning of a new year for trees. This day marks the season in
which the earliest-blooming trees emerge from their winter sleep and begin a new
fruit-bearing cycle. Often the date of Tu BiShvat is used for determining the
age of fruit baring trees and therefore establishes their birth dates.
Therefore, Tu BiShvat is the "birthday" of trees!
The traditions and customs of Tu BiShvat vary, however, the most common
include planting trees and gathering with family and friends for a meal. It
is celebrated by eating fruit, particularly the kinds that praise the bounty
of the Holy Land: grapes, figs, pomegranates, almonds, dates, olives and others. It reminds people that "a man is a tree of the
field", and reflects on the lessons we can derive from the botanical
analogue.
Q: I purchased an avocado tree from local garden centers three
times but every time it dies on me. My neighbor has a nice tree in his yard and
it grows beautifuly. I just purchased one online from you and I need to know
what I was doing wrong? Are there any secrets how to make an Avocado tree
happy? I have a big garden and several mango trees, but no luck with
Avocado...
A:Avocado tree is famous for being such a pain to establish. But once it
starts growing, it's growing! We will share a few simple tricks how to make
it right.
1. Plant high and provide good drainage. Wet feet is number one
reason for failing an avocado tree. It doesn't like wet soil and won't
tolerate soggy conditions. Plant it in the highest spot of your yard and slightly on
a "hill" (3-4" higher than the surrounding ground).
DO NOT plant Avocado tree in low spots or wet spots of your yard. Save
those spots for Cannas or Black Sapote or even a Mango if you want a fruit tree there. 2. Use quality soil. Use only well-drained soil with high content of
organic matter. You may add compost to existing sandy soil, or add some professional potting mix that contains pine bark and perlite. Remove
rocks from the hole if you see any while digging. Dig a big hole and fill it
with a good soil; compact the soil in the hole very well before setting the
root ball. Reminder: plant the tree high! 3. Water regularly. After planting an Avocado tree in a nice high
spot with a good drainage, start watering it... daily! Avocado likes water,
although it doesn't like wet feet! Once you figure out this combination, you've
got the recipe of success. Water by hand daily for the first week after
planting, then twice a week for couple weeks, then once you notice new growth -
you may rely on sprinklers, but keep watching the tree and don't let the soil
over-dry. It must be slightly moist, but not soggy. 4. Fertilize. For such finicky tree, we suggest mild formulas of
fertilizers. Dry fertilizers may burn roots, especially of a young tree. Even
smart-release granulated fertilizers should be used very carefully. The best
way to feed your young avocado tree - get a complete set of Sunshine Boosters Pro system. It has all necessary elements for all
stages of plant development and never burns the roots. Sunshine Boosters Pro can
be used with every watering - no need to guess how much and when. Besides,
it is a natural fertilizer based on amino acids - exactly what you want to use
on your fruit trees and other edibles! 5. Boost immune system of the tree. Apply Sunshine Epi plant hormone every 2 weeks as a foliar spray to boost
immune system and metabolism of the tree and protect it from diseases. Epi makes
plants (especially young plants) grow twice faster! It also enhances effect
of fertilizers by increasing plant metabolism. 6. Do not prune until you see significant growth. The tree is small
and can use as many leaves and branches as possible for photosynthesis and
healthy metabolism. We suggest to avoid pruning for at least the first year. On
the second year your tree most likely will be covered with flowers (assuming
you followed fertilizer program). Let it go through the blooming stage and
setting fruit; prune in Fall after fruiting is over. 7. Keep number of fruit to minimum for the first crop. Don't let the
small tree exhaust itself. Keep just 2-3 fruit to develop. The next year, no
need to control fruit quantity, the tree will develop as many as it can
support. P.S. If you got the tree from a mail-order, remember to establish it
in a pot before planting in the ground; move gradually from shade to sun.
Follow planting instructions.
Q: We have an early Spring here in Florida. All plants in my
garden flushing out new leaves and buds opening. Can I start fertilizing? I have
Mango, Avocado, Peach trees, many medicinal herbs and flowering shrubs: Angel
trumpets, plumerias, bromeliads. I prefer mild organic fertilizers; can you
suggest something that is safe for edibles and butterflies?
Q: As a rule of thumb, tropical gardeners start regular
fertilizing when the minimum temperatures (at night) go above 65F. Keep in mind that
Sunshine Boosters fertilizers can be applied year around because they
have mild formulas and used with every watering; during cooler period, you water
less frequently, so feeding is reduced accordingly. Another advantage of
Sunshine Boosters - they are natural (derived from organic amino acids which is
the basics of Life). They are safe for edibles as well as pollinating
insects.
Here is the feeding plan for your plants: 1. The most universal solution for all plants (both potted and
in-ground): get a complete set of Sunshine Boosters Pro system: Advantage-Pro for vegetative growth, BloomBoom Pro for flowering stage, and Ca-Support-Pro + Constanta-Pro as necessary daily supplements. You will need all these 4
components for your garden. 2. Start adding these liquid boosters with every watering according
to dozing directions and you will notice amazing growth boost within a
week. 3. Apply Sunshine Epi plant hormone every 2 weeks as a foliar spray to boost
immune system and metabolism of plants and protect them from diseases. Epi
makes plants (especially young plants and those "waking up" from dormancy)
grow twice faster! It also enhances effect of fertilizers by increasing plant
metabolism. 4. After cool winter temperatures, some plants may develop element
deficiencies like chlorosis (yellowing leaves). Additional microelement boost
can be provided with Sunshine Greenleaf (iron supplement) and Sunshine Superfood (micro-elements). 5. For additional boosting of flowering and setting fruit, use the
following individual boosters:
Sunshine Robusta - for foliage plants and when you need rapid vegetative
growth
Sunshine TotalFeed - for Plumerias and other fragrant plants
Sunshine Megaflor - for Brugmansias and other flowering heavy feeders
Sunshine C-Cibus - for improving fruit production and quality
Sunshine Honey - for sweeter fruit (must be applied 4-5 times a year) 6. For young/small plants (seedlings, rooted cuttings) as well as
tender tropicals like bromeliads, and orchids - Sunshine Bombino is a perfect choice due to its mild formula. 7. To save money, order complete sets rather than individual
boosters; you will be able to safe up to 40%! Sunshine Complete Nutrition System
Kits: Combo
Kit, and Pro Kit.
If you are a fan of organic gardening, do not use dry fertilizers. While
water-soluble and granulated (smart-realease) fertilizers are popular choice
in plant nurseries due to their convenience, they are not as safe as liquid
boosters because they create salt build-up in soil and have a high risk of
overdosing/burning plant roots, especially potted plants, plants at breaking
dormancy, at establishing, and at early stages of plant development. Besides,
dry fertilizers may affect the taste of your fruit and herbs. See advantages of liquid boosters over dry fertilizers.
There is a particular kind of tall narrow tree, commonly seen planted in
yards all over the Florida peninsula... They perhaps resemble Northern
spruces or firs, and basically everyone knows them as "Norfolk Island Pines". For
many years, I also did not question their identity. Not only are they planted
very commonly here in Florida, but are also found for sale, often as potted
"Christmas Trees" in every major nursery, big box store, and often grocery
stores across the country. They are all sold as Norfolk Island Pines. Basically
everyone knows them under that name. However, they are NOT!..
Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cat of the Day: Mister Booster
Everybody knows our Sunshine-colored Mister B, because... he is the Boss?... Not only that,
but he is also very intelligent Purrrson. After over a decade of running
TopTropicals marketing team, energetic Mr B decided to lead a new project: Sunshine Boosters.
What's in his store for us? He will guide you through his new website and show you around, where you can
find all kinds of good stuff for your plants. For many years, TopTropicals
customers have been enjoying the benefits of many effective plant supplements,
and today Mr B with Sunshine Boosters brings new formulas of scientifically
developed, natural, environmentally safe plant food for all your growing
needs!
- For home gardeners and professionals.
- For small plant collections and large commercial growing facilities.
- For flowers and fruit trees.
- For medicinal plants and vegetables.
- For all to be happy.
Please check out Mr Booster's website
, he worked really hard for the past year on making this project happen, and
helping the Earth to be a better, nicer, and safer place!
And for those of you who are growing your own business, Mr B would like
to help! He is offering
FREE samples for small business starters! He knows it's not easy to find a perfect nutrition system and make your growing a success. He is here to help!
On February 13-14, as a Valentines Day Special, Mr B is exhibiting his
new business Sunshine Boosters in Phoenix, AZ - in the Largest Arizona Expo! Don't miss our presentation seminar Feb 13th, Seminar Room #2, 1:45 PM: Precision growing with
Sunshine Boosters. For those who can not attend the show in purrrrson, the
presentation will be available for downloading from our website.
Improve your intellect with Ashoka,
the tree of Happiness
(Saraca indica, the Sorrowless Tree)
By Onika Amell, tropical plant specialist
Q: I have recently visited India and saw the most beautiful
Ashoka trees at the entrance to a temple. The flowers were simply show stopping, growing
directly on the trunk and branches. I would love to grow one. I have been told it has significant medicinal properties. I am
delighted to see you have them in your inventory. And they are on sale too! Are they easy to grow?
A: Ashoka or Saraca indica is one of the most exotic flowering
trees of the Indian subcontinent. Without a doubt it is one of the most
stunning Indian flowering trees. Buddhists, Jains and Hindus all hold this tree in extremely high esteem and it is considered a
sacred tree. Ashoka is extremely highly valued for nutritional value as well as its beautiful appearance. No surprise then that
they are often found in royal palace grounds and gardens as well as around temples throughout India. Young leaves are a
stunning deep pink color and emerge at the end of branches like hanging tassels. This tree will typically grow to around 20 feet and
is a brilliant bloomer. It will wow you with large, round clusters of fragrant flowers throughout the year. Almost all parts
of this tree are widely used for different medicinal purpose. It reportedly even helps to improve intellect!
Simply amazing...
