Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

🌵 How to grow Dragon Fruit from a cutting - Quick Guide

• 🐉 Get a healthy cutting

Use a 6-10 inch long stem cutting from a mature dragon fruit plant. Let the cut end dry in the shade for 2-5 days so it forms a callus. This also helps prevent rot and fungus.
• 🐉 Prepare the soil

Use well-draining soil - well drained potting mix, Adenium mix, or cactus mix is ideal. Dragon fruit hates wet feet!
• 🐉 Plant the cutting

Stick the callused end about 2-3 inches deep into the soil. Make sure it's planted upright (the way it grew on the parent plant).
• 🐉 Support it

Add a trellis or post. Dragon fruit is a climbing cactus and needs something to grow on.
• 🐉 Water lightly

Water once after planting, then wait until the soil dries before watering again. Overwatering can rot the cutting.
• 🐉 Give it sun and warmth

Place in bright, indirect sunlight while it roots. Once established, it can handle full sun.
• 🐉 Watch it grow!

Roots usually form in 2-4 weeks. New growth means it's taking off! This is the time to Ferilize it!

🛒Shop Dragon Fruit plants and cuttings

📚 Learn more:

• · How 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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🕷 Bug off! Simple and safe way to clean your plants

• 🕷 Got pests? Try this quick, organic fix:

▫️1 cup warm water

• ▫️1 tsp cooking oil
• ▫️A few drops of dish soap

Mix it up and wipe leaves with a soft cloth or paper towel. Works great for aphids, mealybugs, spider mites, and whiteflies.

• 🕷For sucking insects like scale, you may need a stronger solution, like a systemic insecticide from local garden center. Try products containing Imidacloprid (also safe and found in flea shampoos).
• 🕷Got sooty mold on leaves? Wipe with household hydrogen peroxide, then rinse.
• 🕷 SUNSHINE NoBug - Natural Plant Protector works for all kinds of bugs! Fast. Easy. No bugs!

🛒 Stay bug-free with SUNSHINE NoBug - Natural Plant Protector

📚 Learn more:

• ▫️Pesticide 101 Safe and Easy 📱
• ▫️How to get rid of pests on Hibiscus?

#How_to

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How to grow tropical fruit outside the Tropics

👨‍� Can you grow tropical fruit in colder climates? Absolutely! The key is growing them in containers so you can move them indoors during cold weather. With the right plant selection, a bit of motivation, good plant food, and a little love, you can enjoy a delicious harvest of exotic fruit - enough to treat your family and even share with friends. Here's everything you need to start your own Tropical Fruit Garden in containers.

🏆 Top tropical fruits and expert tips for growing in containers

• 📌 Top 10 Dwarf "Condo" Mango, great for container culture
• 📌 What are the Condo Mangos - a practical guide
• 📌 How to grow cold-hardy avocados
• 📌 Avocado everyone should have: dwarf Condo Avocado
• 📌 What is the best Avocado variety?
• 📌 The best tropical fruit tree for container: Annona.
• 📌 How to grow your own Carambola
• 📌 Tropical Cherries: Eugenias
• 📌 Peanut Butter Tree and Blackberry Jam Tree produce right away
• 📌 How to grow a Guava Tree: practical guide
• 📌 Coffee as the best Gift plant
• 📌 Top 10 fast-fruiting trees
• 📌 Three must-have fruit for every tropical garden
• 📌 What Fertilizer to Use Now and How?
• 📌 How to make plants green quickly: Green Magic - the fertilizer that truly works

🛒 Shop top picks for your container tropical garden:

Condo Mango
Cold hardy Avocado
🍒 Tropical Cherries - Eugenias
⭐️ Carambola (Start Fruit)
🍉 Guava
🍈 Annona
🍍 Pineapple
🌶 Herbs and spices - tropical edibles right away
🕙 Fast-fruiting trees
🍊 Shop all fruit trees
Supplies and Boosters

#Food_Forest #How_to #Discover

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🌸 Napoleons Plume - Orchid Tree that blooms in a pot

• Bauhinia monandra - Napoleons Plume Orchid Tree - is a breathtaking tropical tree with flowers that truly resemble delicate orchids, and leaves folding like butterfly wings. It is one of he most impressive varieties of orchid trees.
• Each blossom starts off pale yellow and transforms to soft pink by the next day, with the center petal beautifully streaked in magenta - a unique color shift that makes the tree look like it's blooming in multiple shades at once. When in bloom, it's covered in these showy flowers, creating a dazzling display.
• Despite its exotic look, this tree is surprisingly well-suited for containers. It can be easily kept trimmed and compact, with seedlings often blooming when just 2 feet tall. While it's sensitive to cold, growing it in a container makes it easy to move indoors during chilly weather. This makes Bauhinia monandra the perfect choice for gardeners who want a tropical tree that delivers nonstop visual impact in a manageable size.
• How to enjoy the orchid flowers and butterfly foliage of Bauhinia right on your patio or balcony? Choose the right variety. More bauhinia species suitable for containers: B. galpinii, B. madagascariensis, B. monandra, B. alba (candida), B. acuminata, B. bidentata, B. blakeana, B. grandidieri and many others.

🛒 Shop Orchid Trees

📚 Learn more about Orchid trees:

• ▫️How to grow Orchid Trees in pots
• ▫️Bauhinias: trees with Orchid Flowers and Butterfly Wings
• ▫️Why Bauhinias are called Orchid Trees: orchid flowers with butterfly wings...
• ▫️Bauhinia blakeana - Hong Kong Orchid Tree
• ▫️Bauhinia galpinii (punctata) - Pride of De Kaap or Nasturtium Bauhinia

#Container_Garden #How_to #Trees

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Adenium Rainbow, Part 2 🌈

Continued from the previous post ⤴️

• 🌸 Our Desert roses at Top Tropicals - Adeniums - were planted in March - and the first video posted in April.

Now, in June, they have more and more blooms! We are sharing these amazing colors with you.
• 🌸 Check out the varieties still in stock and grab yours before they’re gone!

📚 More about #Adenium

🛒 Shop Adenium colors and hybrids

#Container_Garden #How_to #Shade_Garden #Adenium

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🏠 Ten common greenhouse mistakes and how to avoid them

• 1. Overwatering

It's easy to overwater in a controlled environment. Many greenhouse plants need less water than you think. Overwatering can lead to root rot, yellowing leaves, and fungal issues. Monitor soil moisture regularly and adjust watering based on the plant type, season, and current weather conditions.
• 2. Not enough light

Don’t block too much light - plants need full-spectrum light to thrive. Most greenhouse plants require as much light as possible to ensure healthy, vigorous growth. Lack of light causes leggy, weak plants and increases the risk of disease, pests, and fungal problems.
• 3. Too much of sun and heat

Greenhouses with plastic covers can trap intense heat, and during sunny afternoons, plants may get “cooked”. Direct sunlight can quickly overheat and damage foliage. Use shade cloth during the hottest months or to protect light-sensitive plants and prevent heat stress.
• 4. Overcrowding plants

Packing in too many plants reduces airflow, creating ideal conditions for disease and pest outbreaks. Give each plant enough space to breathe, grow, and receive light. Proper spacing also makes pest control and maintenance easier.
• 5. Poor ventilation

Lack of airflow leads to overheating, humidity buildup, fungal disease, and weak growth. Use fans, roof vents, or roll-up sides to improve circulation and maintain healthy growing conditions.
• 6. Skipping pest inspections

Greenhouses can trap pests in an ideal environment. Check plants regularly for aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, and fungus. Use systemic insecticides or organic treatments like neem oil at the first sign of trouble.
• 7. No consistent schedule

Inconsistent watering, feeding, and lighting can stress your plants and reduce productivity. Set a simple routine, and monitor conditions daily - even a quick walkthrough helps catch problems early.
• 8. Neglecting temperature and humidity control

Temperature and humidity can fluctuate dramatically between day and night. Use a thermometer (preferably with max/min memory) and a hygrometer to track conditions. Install heaters, shade cloth, misting systems, or dehumidifiers as needed.
Modern WiFi-based sensors that monitor temperature and humidity 24/7 are convenient tools - you can keep tabs on your greenhouse right from your smartphone.
• 9. Recycling old soil

Avoid reusing soil from plants that died, as it may harbor root diseases or pests. Always use fresh, high-quality soil for new plantings. Don't cut corners - healthy soil is key to healthy plants.
• 10. Dirty tools, containers, and covers

Reusing dirty pots or tools spreads disease. Clean and disinfect containers, trays, and tools regularly. Use a diluted bleach solution to clean clear plastic or ground covers if they show mold or algae buildup.

#How_to

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Adenium Rainbow, Part 1 🌈

• 🌸 Our Desert roses at Top Tropicals - Adeniums - were planted in March - and the first video posted in April.

Now, in June, they have more and more blooms! We are sharing these amazing colors with you.
To be continued, check back soon!⤵️
• 🌸 Check out the varieties still in stock and grab yours before they’re gone. Some are already sold out, but you still have a chance to score amazing blooms!
• 🌸 Why Collect Adeniums?

· Easy to grow indoors or out

• · Thrive in sun, shade, and low humidity
• · Drought-tolerant, low maintenance
• · Not picky about soil
• · Stunning blooms and unique caudex shapes

• 🌸 How Many Varieties Exist?

· Over 200 hybrids at Top Tropicals

• · 100+ varieties in stock now
• · From doubles to red, purple, yellow, striped, dotted, rainbow, even black flowers - you'll want them all!

🌸 How to Grow a Big, Swollen Caudex - a simple trick with big results:
Each time you repot, raise the plant slightly to expose more of the upper roots. This encourages new root growth downward and helps form a thicker, more dramatic caudex.

• · Use a well-draining mix
• · Water only when dry - Adeniums love dry conditions
• · Feed with Sunshine Megaflor Booster that supports both caudex and blooms
• · Grow best in filtered bright light

📚 More about Adeniums:

• • More posts about #Adenium
• • The First Video of Exotic Adenium Hybrids
• • Why Adeniums are the most popular container plants
• • How to grow a happy Adenium
• • What is the easiest container plant with beautiful flowers
• • Multi-grafted Adenium with different colors of flowers on the same plant
• • What you need for successful growing Adeniums

🛒 Shop Adenium colors and hybrids

#Container_Garden #How_to #Shade_Garden #Adenium

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🌴 Why is my palm tree turning yellow?

Yellowing leaves are a common concern with palms and can be a sign of several issues, most commonly: nutrient deficiency and pests or disease. Additionally, leaf yellowing may be a sign off overwatering or poor drainage, underwatering, or cold damage.

• ✔️Nutrient deficiency

Nutrient deficiency is the most frequent cause of palm issues. Palms are heavy feeders, and even a slight imbalance can lead to yellowing. Lack of nitrogen, magnesium, iron, or potassium is the leading cause.
• ✔️Signs of nutrient deficiencies:

▫️Magnesium and Iron deficiency is one of the top culprits, especially in sandy soils. It causes older fronds to turn yellow with green veins.

• ▫️Potassium deficiency causes yellow or orange spots on older fronds.
• ▫️Nitrogen deficiency leads to overall pale yellowing, especially in new growth.

• ✔️How to fix?

Use a slow-release fertilizer with high Nitrogen content, like Green Magic, that includes all these elements; with 16-6-11 grade and 6 months release, it turns plants green very quickly! You can also use a balanced liquid fertilizer like Sunshine Robusta. Additionally, a supplement of magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) and micro-element supplement containing chelated Iron can help, like Sunshine Superfood (amino-acid based natural product).
• ✔️Pests and Diseases

Pests and fungal diseases can lead to yellowing. Check for signs of scale, mites, or fungal and bacterial problems, especially if yellowing is uneven or spotted.
• ✔️Signs of pests:

▫️Thrips cause silvery-yellow streaks or mottling

• ▫️Spider mites, especially in dry conditions, cause yellow speckling
• ▫️Scale insects can suck sap and weaken fronds
• ▫️Mealybugs often found in leaf bases and crowns

• ✔️How to fix?

Inspect your palm regularly and treat pests early with neem oil, insecticidal soap, or horticultural oil.
• ✔️Lethal yellowing

Lethal yellowing is a serious disease caused by a phytoplasma, a type of bacteria-like organism. It affecting mostly Coconut palms and some other species like Phoenix (Date) palms. It causes premature fruit drop, yellowing of fronds starting from the lower ones, and eventual death of the tree.
• ✔️How to fix?

Unfortunately, there's no cure, but early removal of infected trees can slow the spread. Disease-resistant coconut varieties are available.
• ✔️Other causes

▫️Overwatering or Poor Drainage: Too much water can suffocate roots and lead to yellowing. Make sure the soil drains well and let it dry slightly between waterings.

• ▫️Underwatering: Dry soil for too long will stress the palm. Water deeply but infrequently.
• ▫️Cold Damage: Exposure to cold temperatures can turn fronds yellow or brown, especially in tropical varieties.

✔️In most cases, leaf yellowing isn't fatal, but it's a sign your palm needs attention. Focus on balanced feeding, proper watering, and pest checks to keep your palm healthy and green. Trim only fully dead fronds - yellow ones still provide nutrients to the palm. With proper care, your palm should green up again.

🛒 Shop garden supplies

#How_to #Fertilizers

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🍯 How to grow the Amazing Peanut Butter Tree - in one short video

• 
  Peanut Butter Tree (Bunchosia argentea) earns its name from its fleshy fruits that boast a delightful peanut butter flavor. One of the most fascinating exotic fruit, as amazing as Miracle fruit, Peanut Butter Fruit is loved by both kids and adults... and yes, it tastes exactly like peanut butter!.. Yet it is much healthier food, with many medicinal benefits...
• 
  Compact in size, small tree reaching only 10-15 ft or kept as a bush, it's a perfect choice for limited spaces. Can thrive indoors, starting to fruit within just 2-3 years from seed. Watch the video how easy it is to grow:

📱

📚 Learn more:

• 💋Top 10 fast-fruiting trees: #10. Peanut Butter Tree (Bunchosia argentea)
• 💋Delectable Peanut Butter Tree
• 💋The best small fruit trees that will produce right away
• 💋How soon will Peanut Butter Tree fruit?
• 💋Top 10 fast-fruiting trees

🛒 Shop Peanut Butter Tree

#Food_Forest #How_to

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🍀 Give your plants their magic treat

Bring your plants back to life with Green Magiс Fertilizer (16-6-11) - professional formula for container-grown fruit trees and ornamentals.

📊 What's in it? Guaranteed analysis:

Macro-nutrients:
Total Nitrogen (N) – 16.00%
Available Phosphate (P₂O₅) – 6.00%
Soluble Potash (K₂O) – 11.00%

Micro-nutrients:
Magnesium (Mg) – 1.3% (Water Soluble Magnesium 1.3%)
Sulfur (S) – 6.4% (Combined Sulfur)
Copper (Cu) – 0.07% (Water Soluble Copper)
Iron (Fe) – 0.32% (Chelated Iron)
Manganese (Mn) – 0.13% (Water Soluble Manganese)
Molybdenum (Mo) – 0.011%
Zinc (Zn) – 0.07% (Water Soluble Zinc)

⚙️ How to use:
Apply 1 tea spoon per 1 gal of soil (mix in with soil) every 6 months during active growth period, or with every re-potting.

🛒 Watch the magic begin

#Fertilizers #How_to

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