Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Can you name all the fruits on this tray? One of them will stump you!

• This morning I walked the garden and came back with a tray of fruits! That’s the joy of living in Florida with your own tropical garden: something new is always in season.
• On today’s tray: Papaya, Avocado, Egyptian guava and Cas guava, Barbados cherry… And this little red one? Peanut butter fruit!
• At Top Tropicals, you’ll find every tropical fruit tree you can imagine. What fruits are you harvesting from your garden right now?

🛒 Explore rare tropical fruit

📚 Learn more:

• ▫️10 best fruit trees to grow in Florida and Southern landscapes
• ▫️Five best fruit trees to plant in Summer
• ▫️Top 10 fast-fruiting trees

#Food_Forest #Discover

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🍴 Loquat salsa: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

• 
  🔴Dice Loquat fruit with tomato, onion, and jalapeno.
• 🔴Great spooned over grilled fish or eaten with chips.

Loquat Salsa Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh loquats, peeled, pitted, and diced
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeno, finely diced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Peel and pit the loquats, then dice them into small cubes.
2. Dice tomatoes and onion, finely chop the jalapeno.
3. In a bowl, combine loquats, tomato, onion, jalapeno, and cilantro.
4. Add lime juice and salt to taste, stir gently to mix.
5. Chill for 15 minutes before serving.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with tortilla chips.
• Spoon over grilled fish, chicken, or shrimp.
• Use as a topping for tacos or salads.

🛒Plant your Loquat tree

#Food_Forest #Recipes #Loquat

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🍴 10-minute recipe Bo La Lot with a leaf you’ve never cooked before!

• 🌮 Forget boring tacos - this wrap will blow your mind! In Vietnam they call it Bo La Lot - beef wrapped in peppery Lalot leaves.
• 🌮 It started as grape leaf wraps in the Middle East, but in tropical Asia grapes don’t grow, so people swapped to Lalot. Way more flavor than grape leaves!
• 🌮 Grilled beef, garlic, onion, lemongrass - all can be tucked into these shiny green leaves. Smoky, juicy, and so good you’ll wonder why you didn't try it sooner! It's better than grape leaf wraps, because it has so much flavor!
• 🌮 Most large leaf pepper plants will work for this recipe - Vietnamese pepper Lalot (Piper sarmentosum), Betel Leaf (Piper betle), or even large leaves of the traditional Black Pepper plant (Piper nigrum).

🌯 BO LA LOT RECIPE

✔️ Ingredients

• · 1 pound ground beef or turkey
• · 2 tablespoons chopped lemongrass (optional)
• · 1 tbsp spice powder
• · 1 tbsp curry powder
• · 1 tbsp finely minced garlic
• · 1 tbsp oyster sauce or fish sauce (optional)
• · 1 tsp ground black pepper
• · 1 tbsp finely minced shallots
• · 1 tbsp soy sauce
• · 2 tsp sugar or honey
• · 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• · 1/2 tbsp salt
• · 10-15 fresh Lalot leaves

• 👉 Directions

• · Preheat the grill.
• · Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well.
• · Wrap about 2 tablespoons of the mixture into each betel leaf.
• · Spear 3 to 4 betel leaf wraps onto a skewer and grill until the meat is thoroughly cooked.
• · Be sure to eat immediately.

🛒 Grow Leaf Pappers for tasty, peppery recipes

📚 Learn more:

• ▫️Lalot beef wraps: quick n fun exotic recipes
• ▫️Vietnamese Pepper - Lalot food wraps BBQ recipe
• ▫️How to grow your own Pepper plants. Five most valuable Pipers
• ▫️How to to get Pepper leaves large and green

📱 Growing" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" > Lalot Pepper

#Food_Forest #Recipes #Container_Garden #How_to

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🍴 Moringa omelet: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

• 🟡Whisk eggs with chopped Moringa leaves, garlic, and a dash of soy sauce.
• 🟡Pour into a hot pan with some cooking oil and cook for a minute or two until fluffy and golden.
• 🟡A green power-packed breakfast!

Moringa Omelet

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup fresh Moringa leaves (chopped)
• 1 small onion (chopped)
• 1 tomato (diced)
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp oil or butter

Instructions

1. Beat the eggs in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in a pan, sauté onion, garlic, and tomato until soft.
3. Add the chopped Moringa leaves and cook for 1 minute.
4. Pour in the beaten eggs and cook until set, flipping once.
5. Serve hot with rice or bread.

🛒 Plant Moringa tree and harvest superfood year around

#Food_Forest #Recipes

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🍴 Dragon fruit coconut parfait: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

• 🔵Layer Dragon Fruit cubes with coconut cream and toasted granola.
• 🔵A tropical breakfast that looks neon and tastes fresh!

Dragon fruit coconut parfait recipe

Ingredients

• 1 fresh Dragon Fruit, diced into cubes
• 1 cup coconut cream
• 1/2 cup toasted granola
• Optional: honey or maple syrup for drizzle

Instructions

1. Layer Dragon Fruit cubes in a glass or bowl.
2. Add a layer of coconut cream, then sprinkle toasted granola.
3. Repeat layers until glass is full, finishing with granola on top.
4. Serve immediately for a refreshing tropical breakfast or snack.

🛒 Explore Dragon Fruit varieties

#Food_Forest #Recipes

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🍉 When do I get the fruit from my Dragon Fruit?

• 🌵Dragon Fruit (Pitaya) is one of the most rewarding exotic fruits to grow. Sweet pulp, striking looks, and plenty of health benefits make it a favorite. You'll see it in three main types: white-fleshed (Hylocereus undatus), red-fleshed (Hylocereus costaricensis), and yellow-skinned (Hylocereus, or Selenicereus megalanthus).
• 🌵Don't want to wait years for fruit? Here’s the good news: unlike many tropical trees that test your patience, dragon fruit is a fast-fruiting, easy-going cactus. With the right care, you can harvest in just 1-2 years from a cutting - or even the same season if you plant a well-established specimen.
• 🌵 How to get Dragon Fruit faster

• ▫️Give it strong support - trellis, fence, or post. This cactus loves to climb.
• ▫️Full sun and good drainage - sandy or well-draining soil works best.
• ▫️Smart watering - water deeply in hot weather, then let the soil dry. Dragon fruit loves water during active summer growth, but remember it's still a cactus - don’t keep soil soggy.
• ▫️Pollination matters - flowers open at night. Some varieties are self-fertile, but planting a few different types boosts fruit set. This is why it helps to keep several varieties close together.
• ▫️Feed well - use organic liquid fertilizers like Sunshine Boosters C-Cibus with every watering, or Green Magic controlled-release fertilizer every 6 months.

With these steps, dragon fruit quickly rewards you with flowers, followed by colorful, delicious fruit. Few exotics are this easy - or this fast!

🛒 Start your fast-growing Dragon Fruit production

📚 Learn more:

• · Pitaya vs Dragon fruit - what is the difference and how to grow it. Varieties.
• · The secret to abundant dragon fruit harvests
• · How to grow Dragon Fruit from a cutting - Quick Guide
• · How" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" > to grow Dragon Fruit 📱
• · Planting your own Dragon Fruit plantation
• · Do-It-Yourself Support Structure for Dragon Fruit
• · Grow Your Own Exotic Dragon Fruit Garden
• · Top 10 fruit you'll ever need for your health benefits: Dragon fruit
• · What does Dragon Fruit Flower look like?
• · Why you need to grow your own dragon fruit
• · Do red, white and yellow Dragon fruit taste differently?
• · What to do with a lot of Dragon Fruit

#Food_Forest #How_to #Dragon_Fruit

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🍴 Ackee breakfast scramble: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

• 🔴Saute boiled Akee with onions, tomatoes, and Scotch Bonnet, Wiri Wiri or Biquinho pepper.
• 🔴A Jamaican classic that looks like scrambled eggs but tastes buttery and rich! 🍲

Ackee breakfast scramble recipes

Ingredients

• 2 cups boiled Ackee (Blighia sapida)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1-2 hot peppers (Scotch Bonnet, Wiri Wiri, or Biquinho), sliced
• 1 tbsp oil or butter
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a skillet. Saute onion until soft.
2. Add tomatoes and sliced hot peppers, cook for 2 minutes.
3. Gently fold in the boiled ackee, stir carefully to avoid breaking it up.
4. Season with salt, cook until heated through, then serve warm.

🛒 Grow your own Akee fruit (banned for import) and hot peppers

#Food_Forest #Recipes

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💚 How to make lots of Insulin Ginger plants quickly and get more health benefits

• Costus igneus (Chamaecostus cuspidatus) - Fiery Costus or Spiral Flag is believed to help lower blood glucose levels naturally and managing diabetes.
• Have you heard of Insulin Ginger? Everyone wants to have it in the garden!
• Gardeners in India grow it not just for its pretty spiral leaves, but for what those leaves do. People with diabetes often chew them fresh or brew them into tea, saying it helps keep their blood sugar under control.
• Researchers have found something interesting: the leaves contain an insulin-like compound, along with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. In animal studies, extracts from the plant lowered blood sugar, protected the liver and kidneys, and even made the body more sensitive to insulin.
• The way folks use it is simple. You can chew a leaf right off the plant, steep dried leaves for tea, or find it in powders and capsules. It's one of those plants that shows how tradition and science sometimes meet in the garden.
• Its lush, turmeric-like leaves spiral around upright stems, with a glossy dark green top and a striking light purple underside. In warm months, it produces bright orange, cone-like flowers that stand out beautifully in the garden.
• Beyond its beauty and natural insulin effects, the insulin plant is credited with aiding digestion, reducing cholesterol, boosting energy, improving skin health, supporting weight loss, relieving stress, and promoting heart wellness. A real botanical multitasker!

🎥 In this video, we’ll show you how to multiply Insulin Ginger fast, so you’ll have plenty of plants for yourself and even extras to share with friends and family.

✅ Don’t forget to use Green Magic fertilizer for the best results. Gingers absolutely love this plant food - they thrive on it and respond better than any other plant, with vigorous growth, lush foliage and loads of leaves you’ll need for all the benefits.

🛒 Grow your own sugar-fighter - the Insulin Ginger

📚 Learn more:

• 🟡The fiery plant that fights sugar: Nature secret insulin?
• 🟡Most interesting edible gingers

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Shade_Garden #Discover

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🍴 Banana cinnamon fritters: quick n fun exotic recipes 🍌

• 🟡Dip banana slices in a light batter, fry quickly, then dust with cinnamon sugar.
• 🟡Sweet street-food style snack!

🛒 For home grown ingredients you will need:
Banana trees
Cinnamon tree

#Food_Forest #Recipes #Bananas

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Truth about which fruit helps you lose weight faster: Mango or Papaya?

❓ Mango vs. Papaya: what's best for you?

• 
  ✔️ Nutritional comparison

Mango is rich in vitamins A and C, boosting immune health and skin.
Papaya brings more folate and contains papain, an enzyme that aids digestion.
• 
  ✔️ Health perks

Mango may help lower inflammation and support blood sugar balance.
Papaya is known to ease digestion, reduce bloating, and support gut health.
• 
  ✔️ Calories and sugars

Both are low in calories, but mango has slightly more natural sugar.
If you’re sugar-sensitive, papaya might be the better option.
• 
  ✔️ Weight loss support

Mango and papaya both contain fiber and natural compounds that slow digestion.
This helps you feel fuller longer, which can reduce snacking and support weight management.
• 
  ✔️ Which to pick when

Choose mango for a skin and immune boost.
Go with papaya if you want a gentler fruit that supports digestion and gut comfort.

Don't forget about Avocado when planting your fruit garden!
Avocado deserves a spot at the table too. While not sweet like mango or papaya, it's packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, fiber, potassium, and B vitamins. Avocado supports brain and heart health, keeps you full longer, and provides a creamy balance to any tropical fruit plate.

All three fruits are also great for weight management. They're high in fiber and water content, which slows digestion, helps you feel fuller longer, and may reduce overall calorie intake naturally.

🛒Explore Mango, Papaya, and Avocado varieties

#Food_Forest #Mango #Papaya #Remedies #Discover

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