Information on new exotic fruit variety:
Artocarpus x integer (Jackfruit x Chempedak), Cheena cv. TopTropicals

FRESH SEEDS! Grow exotic Chempedak from seeds and you will have the trees for only $1 each!

Check out a short video of the opened fruit.

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.

Check out Chempedak Cheena seeds - FRESH - FRESH - FRESH
Check out Chempedak Cheena plants - special offer $30 OFF!

6 Things to Do on Labor Day Weekend

1. Plant a tree... or a shrub, even just a small perennial will do. This plant will make you feel good and accomplished for the whole year, until next Labor Day (or even longer!). You will always see this fruit of your work and remember your motivation, so things are not that bad with you!

2. Pull 66 weeds. Needless to say, you have plenty of those in your yard at the moment. Why 66? Just do it and see what happens. If you don't see any happy results, pull another 66.

3. Fertilize all plants in your garden or potted collection with slow release fertilizer and microelements. Remember, this is the last chance to give them food and strength to survive, before winter. Starting October, all leftover fertilizer goes to storage, even in tropical gardens.

4. Apply SUNSHINE booster to protect your plants from cool temperature, help to go into dormancy and rest without stress.
Remember, there are products for all your pre-winter needs: Sunshine-T for improving cold tolerance, Sunshine-BC for caudex and bonsai plants, Sunshine-H for houseplants, and general booster Sunshine-E to cover all occasions... 50 and 100 ml bottles available for large plant collections.
Sunshine-Honey should be applied on all fruit trees to ensure their next year successful crop.

5. Add extra mulch in those areas where it was washed off with summer rains or broke down. One day of mulch work will provide 6 months of safe overwintering for your plants.

6. Have a BBQ or simply a nice meal with your friends or family. Enjoy your holiday relaxation after hard work weekend and recharge your Happiness for many days to come.

How to get shade quickly... and stay away from oaks

Q: I just moved from Tennessee into a new house in Florida and there are no trees on the property, the yard is brutal hot. What can I plant so I have some shade real quick? I like Florida shady oaks, how long will they take to grow?

A: First of all, do not rush into oak solution. Oaks are beautiful shade trees, however they have at least 2 problems:
a) Oaks are slow growers and unless you are willing to wait some 20 years... you won't get that desirable shade that quickly.
b) We have hurricanes in Florida... sometimes. A hurricane can damage any tree, however with oaks it may be the worse case scenario - the branches of those giant trees are huge, hard and heavy and in unfortunate situation when you need to remove or trim a broken tree, it may cost you... a few thousand dollars.

These are solutions that are more economical and practical:

1) Selection. If you have room, get one of these most popular Florida shade trees: Royal Poinciana, Golden Shower, Hong Kong Orchid Tree, Red Kapok, Bottlebrush, and many others. See full list of fast growing shade trees. Or simply get a Mango Tree and have delicious fruit too! Many varieties of Mangos are very large and fast growing.

2) Do it right. Even if you are planting a smaller tree, 1-3 gal size, it may become a nice shade tree within 2-3 years and start providing your driveway with desirable shade. The keys for fast growth are -
a) Good soil. Dig as big hole as possible and fill it with good rich soil containing compost. See planting instructions PDF.
b) Water. Do not rely on sprinklers and rains. Water your tree daily for the first week, then at least twice a week for another month. After that, irrigation system will be enough.
c) Fertilizer. Put a few handfuls of fertilizer in a planting hole. Then fertilize once a month during warm season. Apply micro elements for even better results and faster growth.

3) Ask experts. Contact our office for advice. We will suggest the most suitable shade tree for your yard based on features of your property: location, soil, exposure, etc.

Check out fast growing shade trees

Fabulous Frangipani - Plumeria

New article! By Jane Jordan, a horticulturist who studied and worked at the RHS botanical gardens in Cannington, England. She now lives in Sarasota, Florida. Alongside her passion for horticulture, she is also a novelist.
"...The name Frangipani is derived from a 16th century Italian Marquess, who invented a plumeria scented perfume. While in Hawaii they are known as Lei trees. Lei means garland or wreath, and Lei flower garlands are famously given as a symbol of affection. Hawaii has become synonymous with this beautiful flower, although Frangipani, is native to warm tropical areas of the Mexico, Central America, India and the Caribbean, accordingly, this plant is well suited to the Floridian climate and hardy to USDA planting zones 9-11..."

Adenium: a Rose by any Other Name

New article by Jane Jordan.
"...The famous quote is often used to imply that the names of things do not affect what they really are, in the case of The Desert Rose (Adenium obesum) it is not a rose at all, rather a succulent that thrives in hot, dry and sunny conditions. These spectacular plants have no relation to the rose family, they are a species of flowering plant from the dogbane family, Apocynaceae. The naming of this plant is partly correct as they originate in sub-Saharan Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, where they can grow into large trees with huge swollen trunks..."
Continue reading...

Choosing the right Mango for your garden

Q: Do the mango trees you sell already have fruit? Or how long does it take to get fruit? Are they tricky to keep up? I live locally and have been interested in getting a few!

A: Some of our mangos in both 3 gal and 7 gal pots have fruit on them. All our mango trees are grafted which means they are ready to produce fruit. So if not the same year, you should get fruit the next year.
Mangoes in general are easy to grow plants. They are not picky about soil and water, however they need full sun for fruiting. When you are lucky to live in tropical or subtropical climate, your mango will thrive in a ground, and within 2-3 years you will have a mature tree, and a crop every year (those who have cold winters, still can grow a mango tree in a pot, and move it indoors for colder period). Visit our garden center for a tour of our Mango Gardenthat is only 3 years old and is full of fruit! Tasting table available :) We offer over 100 varieties, and our experts can help you to make the right choice for your garden. To start your own mango tree collection, depending on space available, you may begin with the following varieties:
Nam Doc Mai - one of the most popular and delicious Asian mango
Carrie - very compact grower, reliable producer with great taste
Cogshall and Ice Cream - dwarf varieties for small yards, excellent taste
Alphonso - considered one of the best tasting

See full list of our mango varieties, all fiberless and great sweet flavors.

Cold hardy tropical fruit trees for Luisiana

Q: I’ve just moved to Louisiana and have been wondering whether it would make sense to plant some tropical fruit trees in our garden. Average lows in New Orleans are 41 deg F in January and February, although we did hit 25 once with the Arctic vortex. I’m interested in litchi, longan, rambutans, and persimmons. Do you have varieties that can tolerate Louisiana’s temperature range? I’d love mangosteen but I don’t suppose they will survive. Do you have any suggestions on tropical fruit trees that I could try?

A: Average temperatures are for statistics only; it is actual temperatures that may hurt your cold sensitive plant. This is what you should keep in mind when starting your tropical fruit collection:

1. Ultra-tropical plants like Rambutan can not survive winters below 45-50F. However, they can be successfully grown in containers in a greenhouse or moved indoors into a sun room during cold periods.
2. Tropical plants like Litchi and Longan may take some light frost once established. Still, for areas with freeze our advice is - keep them in pots and move inside in case of cold.
3. There is a number of subtropical fruit trees that are hardy enough to take some freeze. Persimmon, Feijoa, Fig, Cattley Guava, Jujube, Kiwi, some Eugenias and others. Please refer to our Tropical Fruit Sensitivity Chart.
4. Remember that plant's ability to survive winter depends on several factors, not only temperature itself. Important factors are: wind protection (chill wind kills rather than low temperature itself), exposure, how close the tree is planted to the house, plant maturity and its overall strength and health. If a plant had received good nutrients during summer, has well established root system, planted in enclosed area protected from winds and has plenty of bright sunlight - it has better chances to survive than a weak plant in warmer conditions.
5. Use SUNSHINE plant boosters for improving cold tolerance of your tropical plant. It only takes a few drops, and only costs $5!

Virgo - 8/23-9/22. Virgo is an EARTH sign ruled by the planet Mercury, which also rules Gemini. Virgo is traditionally the Goddess of the Grain, and is associated with autumn. Her plants often have finely divided leaves or stems, subtle odors, or small, brightly-colored flowers. The most beneficial plants for Virgo are high in potassium and help to calm the nerves. In its rulership of Virgo, Mercury governs the abdomen and the lower intestinal tract and the entire digestive process. Herbs associated with Virgo assist in digestion (as do Cancer herbs) and help to reduce flatulence. The relaxing, calming scents help Virgo release stress and worries.

Virgo Zodiac lucky plants: Amorphophallus, Dill, Barringtonia, Bolusanthus, Dioscorea, Grewia asiatica (Falsa), Hibiscus Karkade, Iboza riparia, Lagerstroemia Queens Crape Myrtle, Laurus nobilis (Bay Leaf), Lippia, Melissa, Catnip, Mint, Arugula, Piper betle, Piper sarmentosum, Psychotria, Clove, Banisteriopsis, Papaya, Mesua ferrea (Ironwood), Assai Palm, Jacaranda, Pimenta dioica (Allspice), Petrea, Plumbago, Clitoria, Eranthemum, Litchi, Cashew, Pecan, Nut trees, Cherries, Lavender, Sansiveria, Aloe vera, Blackberry, Honey suckle, Satureja, Vitex, Mulberry, Elaeocarpus, Feronia elephantum (Bel Fruit). On the photo: Sauromatum venosum - Voodoo Lily.

For links to these plants and other signs information, see full Plant Horoscope.

TopTropicals on NBC News 10/2/2017:
How to raise a fallen tree and how to tell if it can be saved

4 steps how to check and save a tree:

1. Checking. To make sure a fallen tree can be restored, check:

a) Roots: If less than a half of root ball is out and has been exposed less than a week, the tree has more chances to recover.
b) Trunk: scratch-test the bark, if it is green underneath, then the tree is alive and worth saving.
2. Trimming. Before lifting, trim the tree. Bush the crown approximately half-way, keeping round shape. If the tree has only an upright trunk left, cut off the broken top. It may bush out from the top.
3. Lifting and securing. Using towing strips or strong thick rope, pull the tree up. For larger trees, you may use a power of a pick up truck (we use our golf carts). Hammer 48" metal stakes ($5 from Home Depot) 3-4 ways around the tree, at 45 degrees, 5 ft away or more depending on tree size, and secure the tree with a strong rope. Make sure to check rubbing points from now on and loosen as needed to avoid bark damage and creating braking points.
4. Maintenance. Water the tree on regular basis and give it a few weeks for new buds to appear in case it lost all its leaves. Some trees may take a few months to recover. Keep the stakes at least for a year.

Watch the NBC video.

Sagittarius - 11/22 - 12/21. Sagittarius is a FIRE sign that is ruled by the large and optimistic planet Jupiter.
Archer's plants tend to be large in size and fairly conspicuous, with a pleasant odor. They may have large, or elongated leathery leaves and showy flowers.
The best plants for Sagittarius will support the body’s largest glandular organ, the liver. The planet Jupiter also rules the hips, thighs, lower spine, and the autonomic nervous system, as well as the process of growth and preservation. Herbs related to Jupiter have traditionally been used to treat lower back problems (including sciatica and lumbago), arthritis, and rheumatism. Herbs with a high silica content are related to Sagittarius (they promote a positive frame of mind), as are plants with large taproots and trees that produce fruit and nuts. Illnesses of Jupiter are said to arise from immoderate consumption. Basil is an herb that's both expansive and cheerful - just like Sagittarius - and its reputation as a money attractor resonates with this sign's generous nature as well. Use this happy herb when you want to infuse your life with fun and prosperity!

Sagittarius Zodiac lucky plants: Mulberry, Ceiba, Chonemorpha, Beaumontia, Baobab, Grapefruit, Anise, Sage, Cinnamon, Blueberry, Thistles, Nut trees, Lemon, all Ficus trees, Peepal, Fig, Coleus, Basil, Banana, Mango, Ironwood Mesua ferrea, Clematis, Peony, Jasmine, Nutmeg, Mint, Tea, Date palm, Guava, Jambul, Maple, Magnolia, Teak, Bird of Paradise, Heliconia, Showy Gingers.

For other signs information, see full Plant Horoscope.