From
Mark, the Garden Whiz. Since working in the
horticultural field for nearly 50 years, at either
nurseries or botanical gardens both in Florida and
southern California, I have come into contact with a LOT
of very cool plants. So many of them in-fact, that it's
becoming increasingly difficult to run across new ones
that really make me take special notice. Since being at
Top Tropicals for a while now, there are a few species I
had not met before which really stand out. Among them are
a couple of kinds of Portlandia. Continue reading...
This one is the most wanted variety with
elongated petals that are sweetly scented. Compact and
slow growing shrub, it makes a great houseplant and
flowers freely throughout the year. The most profuse
flowering is from Spring to Summer.
Called pikake in Hawaii, Jasmine sambac is the plant
used to flavor the jasmine tea and making perfumes.
Perfect houseplant takes both sun or shade, it is a
beautiful fragrant everbloomer for your home and garden.
Belle of India is a slow grower, with pale green pointed
leaves and double flowers with elongated narrow petals.
Prefers filtered light for a better look of the leaves,
but will tolerate full sun. In fact the more sun the
more flowers you get.
Secrets of successful culture:
1) use only well-drained potting soil
2) keep the plant a little bit on a dry side so roots
don't get too wet. Water again when the soil gets
slightly dry.
3) Use micro-element mix - SUNSHINE Superfood works
the best. It will keep leaves nice and green and induce
more profuse flowering.
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!
Q:
A few months ago, i was given a Hoya vine. At the time, I
was told to not cut-off the flowers but was never told
why. However now that it IS flowering, they are so
wonderful I would like to. Is there really a reason to not
clip them off?
A:
Actually, that was very good advise. Unlike most plants we
encounter, hoyas develop perennial flower spikes. This
means that each spike flowers more than just once! In
other words, after the flowers on such a spike have gotten
old and fall off, the knobby ended spike remains. Then,
after a period of time, that same spike will develop
another ring of flower buds. Depending on what kind of
hoya it is, these perennial flower spikes may continue to
periodically make more flowers for several years! And
while the plant will continue to make more of these
perennial spikes its whole life, the flowering display
becomes better all the time as more and more spikes grow.
(By the way, these are technically called "flowering
spurs"). So every time a spur might be cut for ornamental
purposes, it'll be one less place the vine can flower from
in future years.
Sign up for Happy Miles Card and/or attend Harvest Fest and get
a FREE STARTER KIT for the Next Year Flower that
includes:
-
Sunshine S
-
fertilizer
- Literature on Sunshine, seed germination, fertilizer
and Soil
- A pot with professional seed growing mix
- Seeds of Cotton Candy Hibiscus - a
seed pod with lots of seeds inside.
Sign up for FREE Happy Miles card and get the kit RIGHT
NOW! Hurry up while supply lasts!
Cheena is a natural hybrid between jackfruit and
chempedak. Comes true from seed.
This highly recommended variety has grown in TopTropicals
garden from a seedling of Cheena (Jackfruit x Chempedak)
that fruited within 3 years from planting. The fruit
(20-25" size) is probably the best we ever tasted! It is
super sweet, crunchy and has a rich, pleasant, excellent
flavor. It has very little latex which makes it easy to
handle when cutting up. The tree produces at the very base
of the trunk, so you can prune it as short as you want.
Our tree survived light frosts as well as 48 hours of 3ft
flooding, with no damage!
The tree has an open, low and spreading growth habit and
can be maintained at a height and spread of 8 ft with
annual pruning. It is very easy to grow and is not as cold
hardy as we thought for a Jackfruit x Chempedak types of
plants. The only two recommendations are - good fertilу
soil with a high content of compost and regular watering.
Cheena is a consistent producer. The fruit is up to 5 lbs,
long, narrow and uniform in size and shape. The skin is
green, with blunt spines that yellow and open slightly
upon maturity.
How to get Passion Vine to flower?
From Mark Hooten, the Garden Whiz
Q: Several
months ago, I purchased a passionflower vine, a red one with lots of
flowers. I ended up putting it in a much larger pot with a large trellis, using a
popularly advertised bagged potting soil recommended at a big box store. I have
given it a blue colored water-soluble fertilizer every couple of weeks as
recommended. However, while the vine seems very happy, growing faster than i
can keep winding it around the trellis, it has not flowered all summer. I there
something I am doing wrong?
A:
Passionvines as a group (and there are some 500 different kinds!) are sort-of
unusual among popularly grown ornamentals because they have "nitrogen issues". This
is because, even though unrelated, they are much like most legumes, as they
maintain a symbiotic relationship with certain beneficial soil bacteria which
allows them to gather atmospheric nitrogen and store it in their roots. When
they have an overabundance of nitrogen, they simply stop flowering and
produce rampant leafy growth while never flowering. They only flower well after a
period of healthy vine growth, because the plant had finally used up all of
its stored nitrogen.
Since you had both used a bagged potting soil which likely already
contained fertilizer with nitrogen added, as well as bi-monthly doses of a liquid
fertilizer which also contains nitrogen, it has been receiving so much
nitrogen it only knows to grow more vineage until the nitrogen is used up. If and
when that happens, it will again begin to flower. This rule applies of course
not only to flowering but also to fruiting varieties of Passiflora: the more
flowers, the more fruit you get!
So the answer is - for the time being, just stop giving it supplemental
fertilizer and it will start flowering for you sooner than later!
Q: We have
lots of earthworms in our soil. I've heard they are beneficial for the
plants, it it true? Or should I try (and how) to get rid of them at least for
container plants?
A: From my
earliest childhood, I remember learning that "earthworms" are wonderful,
beneficial creatures for our gardens. I had heard that they improved the soil by
both aerating it via the tiny tunnels they dig from burrowing activities,
AND leaving their droppings which act as fertilizer. However, both my personal
experiences and studies have shown otherwise. The truth is that the vast
majority of earthworms we encounter in our daily horticultural practices are not
even native to North America. In fact, they were introduced from Europe,
beginning with the colonial period, mostly accidentally in things like the
ballasts of ships, and from soil from around the roots of plants being imported.
However, once they arrived here, they began to irreparably alter the natural
eco-systems of our forests... Continue reading...
Season Colors from Kristi, TopTropicals Flower Queen
Q: I live
in New Jersey and I have a collection of potted tropical plants in my sun
room. Our Fall season comes in bright colors, do you have something with
colorful foliage for Fall?
A: For our
northern customers it's almost time for the changing of the seasons. It is a
very exciting and enjoyable time. The onset of fall means, less humidity,
cooler nights and the Fall foliage. Here in Florida we do not get the chance to
see the changing of the leaves, except maybe a few like Florida Maple Tree. So we use plants that mimic the season change, for
all year round color! These are a few examples of the plants with colorful
leaves that you may use for your Fall colors, plus remember - there is always a
big list of Fall and Winter Flowering Tropicals!
1) Easy planting. No sweat. Enjoy your gardening fun during
cooler weather!
2) Easy shipping. With cooler weather, there are less chances for
the mail order plants to get overheated in transit or at your doorstep in
case you miss the delivery. But don't wait too long, another few weeks and too
much cold will put another restriction for deliveries up North.
3) Easy establishing. Stress-free roots = stress-free plants =
happy gardeners. Cooler weather is always better for planting and quick
establishing.
4) Easy maintenance. Plant growth rate slows down during cool
period, so your garden maintenance will be minimal.
5) Winter bloomers will brighten your days! Look at these winter-flowering plants that create a spectacular show during
Fall-Winter in subtropical climates. If you grow them as houseplants, this is
your chance to have flowers in Winter!
6) House plants Many tropical species suitable for indoor cultivation are available year round, but when you
buy them in Fall - they are in their fullest and best shape after Summer
vigorous growth.
Checklist - Preparing for winter in subtropical areas
Watering. Start reducing the amount you water your plants in
early fall, once the temperature drops below 65F. Avoid watering your plants
during cool nights, as this may cause serious root rot.
Mulch. When a plant is protected by a thick layer of mulch, the
root system stays healthy.
No Pruning. Avoid pruning, trimming, or pinching branch tips
altogether during the fall and winter which encourages new shoots that are soft,
tender, and very cold sensitive. Last trimming should be done no later than
September - early October.
No Fertilizer. Avoid fertilizers during the winter. The main
reason being the same as above for pruning: fertilizing promotes growth of the
upper plant parts which should be avoided during the winter months. The last
time for fertilizer should be no later than October.
