Take
advantage of the late season tropicals! Brighten
up your winters with spectacular flowers and winter
producing fruit trees!
Many Floridians move up North during hot summer months,
our snow-bird season usually starts late September and
ends by Mother's Day in May. Many of our local seasonal
customers planting those flowering and fruiting species
that they can fully enjoy while staying in Florida. Below
you will find a few specials that are in bloom right now.
Check out full list of winter bloomers and
late season plants, and download a PDF chart of the most
interesting tropical plants that will flower and fruit for
you in Fall, Winter and early Spring. Some of them are
ever-blooming, others are late- or early season.
Visit our Garden Center in Ft Myers FL
and see those blooming specials right now at our front
office display!
From
Anna Banana, our Garden Center customer advisor. Cool weather - no sweat. Here in Florida we are
blessed to have warm winters. We just went to the beach
for Christmas! Winter time is not only a good beach time,
but also the best planting time here. Why? I always refer
my customers to Murray Corman's article Tropical Planting Breaks the
Rules. "...Wintertime does not just mean hard work
for tropical gardeners. It is also a time to enjoy the
fruits of our labor. Winter-blooming plants and the
visitors they attract - birds, bats and butterflies - make
the garden as enjoyable in winter as any other time of
year. Tasks performed during the spring and summer up
north have to be done during the fall and winter here.
Why? The answer is elementary: It's too hot! Taking
advantage of the coolest months of the subtropical year
for heavy chores like planting trees has a twofold
benefit: The gardener can make hay while the sun shines
without getting heat stroke and the plants appreciate the
moderate temperatures, enjoying a break from the stress of
93 degrees in the shade..." Continue reading...
Q:
I have purchased many tropical plants from you throughout
the summer and now I need to think about how not to kill
them overwintering in my NY apartment. I was told that
overwatering can be a big problem for house plants in
winter. How much should I water, and how many times per
week?
A:
Overwatering in the number one cause of the houseplant
death. But be sure not to underwater, either. - Don't water on the fixed schedule, get to know
your plant's needs instead. Most plants only need watering
when the top 1/2" of potting mix is try. gently poke your
finger into the soil to test it. Some experience gardeners
go by weight of the pot - a very light pot will have a dry
mix. - Aim to make the potting mix moist, but not wet.
Most plants hate sitting in soggy potting mix, so always
let excess water drain away. - Potting mix in terra cotta pots dries out more
quickly than that in plastic or ceramic pots,
because terra cotta is a porous material. - Most plants need less water in winter because
they are not actively growing and need this period of
winter rest. However some plants are winter bloomers and they may
need regular watering providing bright light to produce
flowers, for example clerodendrums.
Q:
My rainforest plant collection thrived outdoors in our
humid summer (I live in Maryland) but of course I had to
bring them indoors for winter and now with snow outside
they are suffering. Some leaves dried and fell of. Please
advise how not to lose my babies over winter!
A:
When overwintering tropical plants indoors, think about 3
factors: light, temperature, and humidity. Light. Providing bright light is obvious, and all
indoor gardeners are doing their best to have as much
well-lit spots for their plants as possible. TemperatureTropical plants, especially those from
rainforest, do not enjoy significant fluctuations in
temperature, so avoid following places: - neat hear
register (or air conditioning vent) - in drafts - on a
windowsill behind curtains at night Humidity. Most tropical plants need more humidity
than is available in the average, centrally heated home,
but some rooms, such as bathrooms and kitchens, are more
humid than others. To created humidity, fill a tray that
is the same width as a plant, with pebbles or gravel. Pour
in water, keeping the level at just below the top of the
pebbles, then place your plant on top. The water will
produce humidity as it evaporates. Alternatively, mist the
leaves using a hand mister in the morning, so leaves dry
before night. If you have hard water, use distilled or
rain water. Grouping plants together will also increase
humidity.
"Happiness held is the seed; Happiness shared is
the flower."(John Harrigan.)
Q:
Our growing season is very short so I decided to start
some of tropicals from seed indoors. When should I start?
A:
It is always a good time to start from seed. If you want
to feel happier, get into gardening. If you want to feel
God, start plants from seeds and watch New Life grow from
a tiny grain.
Traditionally, people prefer sowing seeds in Spring,
especially temperate species for vegetable garden:
tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers... My grandmother up North
started them in early Spring in small pots on a
windowsill, then once the temperatures raised just above
freezing, she planted them out in garden beds, and that
early start always helped her to have the best early
harvest in the neighborhood.
When we deal with tropical plants, "just above freezing"
is not warm enough. Which means, you have to grow small
babies indoors for quite a while, providing additional
heating when needed. Heating pads always work best... When
we had large size monitors and TV's, I always put couple
trays on top of hot monitors, and even on warm top of a
refrigerator, if space by the radiator was all taken. But
that was in very cold apartment...
If you keep your living space around 75F (ideal for many
species), this is a perfect temperature to get your seeds
started. Tropical plants are not like annual tomatoes that
try to grow through the season as fast as possible. They
may take time. So the sooner you start, the more chances
to get small seedlings just in time when Spring air
outside is warm enough - at least in 70's.
A great advantage of starting tropical seeds indoors is
controlled temperature and moisture. In the plant world,
environment extremes are not good for germination process.
Mild conditions of your home or a greenhouse create better
chances for successful growth. Seeds won't get overheated
in hot Summer sun, and won't get rotten because of a
sudden heavy rain. Just keep in mind that some species
require light for good germination.
Conditions for the best seed germination:
- Soak seeds for a few hours. Adding a few drops of Sunshine Seed Germination booster
is very beneficial and improves germination rate by 30-50%
- Well-drained mix, you may use our Professional Seed Germination Mix.
Put seeds not too deep (1/2 inch deep or less) to allow
air circulation
- Keep warm (75-85F) and in bright light
- Keep soil slightly moist but not soggy.
"Someone is sitting in the shade today because
someone planted a tree a long time ago." (Warren Buffett)
Q:
I live in California and I have a large area of my garden
in full shade. Are there any plants that will be happy
there? I am looking for something colorful. I also have a
smaller area in front of the house that has full sun
almost all day long, but I am afraid this can be too hot
for flowering plants? Can you recommend something?
A:
Full sun gardens have a strong, bright look while shade
gardens have cooler, subdued appearance. Both types of
gardens are fun to design and maintain as long as you pick
the right plants. Full Sun Garden is the easiest to grow. Depending
on exposure, it may require some plants that can tolerate
the hottest summer days and the dry conditions in your
area. The good news is, the majority of tropical and
subtropical plants prefer full sun, so you have a large
selection to pick from - fruit trees, flowering trees,
shrubs, vines, and small perennials. The more sun, the
more flowers and fruit you will get! However, keep in mind
that sun gardens require more water, but generous mulching
will help to minimize watering. Shade Garden is much more restful in appearance,
but sometimes may be a little more difficult to work with.
As shade trees grow bigger and thicker, it may become too
dark; nothing will grow in total darkness. In this case
you need to prune back some branches to let more light in.
Filtered sunlight or dappled light coming through the
leaves of the trees is beneficial and considered light
shade, which would be the best light conditions for shade
loving plants to thrive. Although shady cooler spaces
attract more insects and will require more attention to
control them, they also have some advantages over sun
gardens. You can enjoy working in cooler conditions, and
your garden will require less water. Many foliage plants
look more deeply colored and healthier than in full sun;
white flowers shine instead of looking washed out!
Our favorite shade plants are fragrant brunfelsias , clerodendrums, and of course
colorful gingers and heliconias. You
may also consider ornamental foliage of Calatheas, lush Alocasias, Colocasias, and colorful Cordylines. Check out our shade loving plant list for
more colorful suggestions. These are also great for indoor
gardens!
Spring is coming, plants need food!
Time to fertilize...
Last winter was long and snowy in the most part of our
country. Hold on fellow gardeners up North, it is almost
over!
Here in Florida we have been blessed again with a mild
winter without serious cold snaps. Early Spring that is
already in the air. Look at this picture of flowers in our
front yard now.
If the weather is already warm in your area (low
temperatures above 55), it is time to start fertilizing.
We are sending our love and support to tropical Puerto
Rico suffered from hurricane last year, and will be happy
to help you guys to restore your lost gardens!
CHECK LIST
what
to do to give your garden a good kick start:
1. Slow release granulated food. Apply Slow Release Fertilizer and
continue once a month. 1 tsp per gallon of pot, or a
handful for in-ground plants. This will provide essential
macro elements (NPK) required for a plant growth.
2. Water soluble micro-elements. Besides
macro-elements, plants need many other elements that most
of the time missing in soil. A lack of micro-elements
causes different deficiencies, resulting in weak root
systems, slow growth, deformed leaves, leaves yellowing,
lack or no flowers/fruit. Apply these supplements as a
foliar spray once a month to induce healthy growth and
flower/fruit development. We recommend the following
micro-element products to keep your plants healthy and
vigorous year round:
a) SUNSHINE SuperFood - plant
health booster. This revolutionary new liquid complex
contains ALL microelements needed and can fix all possible
problems occuring to your tropical plants - from roots to
flowers and fruit. We have convenient dropper bottles of 5 ml for small plant
collections, 50 ml for larger gardens, and
100 ml for professional
landscape applications.
b) SUNSHINE-Micro - Microelement
booster - for common iron deficiency (pale leaves)
c) SUNSHINE-Super-Iron -
Microelement booster - for severe iron deficiency
(severe yellowing leaves)
3. SUNSHINE plant boosters -
SUNSHINE-E, -BC (caudex plants and bonsai), -H (house
plants). Apply these natural plant stimulants to
help plants recover from cold, dormancy, increase plant's
metabolism and make a plant more readily absorb both
Macro- and Micro-elements. SUNSHINE boosters also will
help plants grow vigorously, withstand Summer heat and
drought, and produce bigger and better flowers and fruit.
4. Kickstart a sweeter fruit. To get a better and
sweeter crop in Summer and Fall, you need to start first
application now. SUNSHINE Honey - is natural,
Amber-colored, honey-like liquid microelement product for
fruiting and edible plants that will make them sweeter,
tastier and more flavorful! Very effective for tropical
fruits, tubers, vegetables. Great for tropical fruit
trees: Mango, June Plum, Annonas, Tropical Cherries,
Carambola, Citrus; subtropical fruit trees: Peaches,
Apricots, Loquat and berry plants (blackberry, mulberry,
etc.)
5. SUNSHINE-S. Don't
forget to plant seeds! It's a perfect timing
now to start your tropical garden indoors even if it is
still cold outside. Soak them in SUNSHINE-S solution to
increase germination rate.
See full list of SUNSHINE boosters.
All these products are essential plant elements. They are
not toxic and can be used safely for edible landscapes.
From Kristi the Wizard of Rose: I grow many
plants from seeds, both for my personal
collection, and for TopTropicals. I receive many questions
from customers who want to grow tropical plants from
seeds. Some of them live in colder climates and try to
extend growing season of their tropical collections by
starting new varieties early in the year from seeds. These
are a few tips that may be helpful.
Q:
What do I need to do to speed up germination process?
A:
Many factors affect germination. Considering you get fresh
seeds (for example from TopTropicals) and Mother Nature
gives them a good kick start, there are a few things that
may speed up germination: 1) Scarification. Large seeds with a hard outer
shell can be slightly sanded down just enough for moisture
to get inside to wake up the seed during the pre-soaking.
Be careful not to damage the seed. See example of Lotus seed
scarification. 2) Pre-soaking. We recommend pre-soaking most of
the seeds for only a few hours (3-8 depending on species.
Some seeds are very sensitive to moisture and may start
rotting if stay wet without air circulation. Small seeds,
especially tiny ones like dust, should not be soaked. 3) SUNSHINE-S treatment. Adding a few drops of SUNSHINE-S booster when
pre-soaking seeds increases their germination rate 3-5
times. 4) Temperature. Warm temperatures help germination.
If grown indoors, put seeds containers or trays in the
warmest spot of your house; you may use heat pads.
Outdoors, putting them in full sun helps a lot, just don't
let soil to dry out.
Q:
Should I keep seeds in refrigerator before planting?
A:
Do not refrigerate tropical seeds. Stratification
(treatment with cold) works only for temperate species,
and some subtropical (like non-tropical Magnolias)
Q:
How do you grow eucalyptus from seeds? I tried a few times
with no success.
A:
The secret of germinating tiny seeds like eucalyptus is -
to sow them on top of the moist soil surface (soil must be
very fine and soft), without covering. Keep container
covered with clear plastic, in bright light. Use spray
bottle to keep surface moist but not soggy. I have a
customer who germinates eucalyptus seeds using an old fish
tank, covered with a glass. Perfect environment - bright
light and moist all the time.
Avocado, Lychee and Mango setting
fruit... give them some FOOD!
Q:
Do I need to fertilize tropical fruit when they set fruit?
A:
It is traditionally believed that mango and other tropical
fruit shouldn't be fertilized during fruiting period. It
is true to an extent: you don't want fruit to burst from
fast excessive growing. Instead, try to feed fruit trees
wisely, because they still need proper nutrition to
produce flowers and fruit.
Our spring specials of Lychee, Avocado and Mango are full of buds and
some already set tiny fruit (see examples on the photo).
Here is the feeding plan for these plants once you receive
your mail order:
1) Once received the plant, pot it into container size of
the root ball and let establish for couple weeks. Use SUNSHINE-E to help the plant
recover from shipping stress and establish root system.
2) Apply SUNSHINE-Honey right before
flowering, and next time at setting fruit, to provide
sweeter and bigger fruit, eliminate fruit cracks and help
resist fungus and other fruit diseases.
3) Use balanced granulated fertilizer,
1 tsp per each gallon of soil. Apply once a month during
Spring-Summer season. This gives the plant balanced
macro-elements (NPK) necessary for overall plant health.
Do not use on fruit trees fertilizers with high Nitrogen
content.
4) Apply SUNSHINE SuperFood
micro-element booster to keep fruit trees vigorous,
develop strong root system and avoid deficiencies.
5) In case of signs of chlorosis (yellowing leaves with
darker veins), give the tree SUNSHINE-GreenLeaf and watch
the leaves turning green quickly.
After harvesting, don't forget to make another treatment
of SUNSHINE-Honey as a
preparation for the next year flowering and fruiting
season.
You can have them... We can ship!
Whether you live in Tropical Florida or Downtown New York,
you can grow tropical plants and enjoy the beauty of
fragrant flowers and exotic fruit. Bring some happiness
into your life and let us do the rest - grow these plants
for you and give you some advice how to keep them happy.
Stay updated with TopTropicals Videos by
subscribing to our channel at YouTube.com/TopTropicals and
get our latest video news of what is fruiting and
blooming!
