Cocoa plant after winter

Q: I purchased the Theobroma cacao two months ago. The leaves are wilting from the edges. Do you think this from not enough water, too much water or not enough sunlight? I am keeping the plant indoors.

A: During winter time, Cocoa plants even inside our greenhouse look the same. Dry tips of the leaves are normal for this time of the year. It is a combination of lower temperatures and low humidity that causes it. Indoors air humidity is especially low. Weather permitting, bring plant outside in the bright shade, when temperatures are above 65F. Humidifier and water-spraying will help too. You may put the plant on top of a tray with pebbles/water. Do not overwater - extra watering is not a substitute for high humidity. As spring comes, Cocoa plants start looking greener and grow new healthy leaves.

Save Coffee from extinct!

The most popular kind of coffee for commercial production, Coffea arabica, is already on the endangered species list. According to research, Coffea arabica plant could become extinct in as little as 60 years.

Coffee requires a forest habitat for its survival. With so much deforestation going on around the world, wild coffee species are being impacted at an alarming rate. Coffee plants grow in very specific natural habitats, so rising temperatures and increased rainfall brought by climate change can make coffee impossible to grow in places the plants once thrived.

Read the whole article

See video: Top Tropicals Showcase: Coffee plant

To reserve a cup of coffee for yourself and your children, plant the Coffee tree now!

Spring mulching

Q: When do I start re-mulching my garden? Should I wait till summer?

A: It is time now to get ready for the growing season when not only plants start growing, but weeds as well. To protect your garden from unwanted invasives, keep a thick layer of mulch in areas around tree trunks and shrubs.
Heavily mulch your garden at least once a year, at springtime. Add mulch during the year as needed.
After mowing your lawn, use cut grass (hay) as a mulch around trees. Hay is the best natural mulch, it compresses well after the rain or watering and becomes very dense - weeds won't grow through it. You may cover it with some colored mulch of your choice for a more attractive look.
Mulching is also helpful for retaining water for root systems, so plants will require less frequent watering.

Spring tips

Once temperatures stay above 65F, growing season starts for tropical plants.

1. Increase watering as soon as you see new buds opening and new leaves growing

2. Trim all dead or damaged wood 1-2 inches above new growth

3. Apply the following treats to make your plants happy:

- granulated balanced fertilizer

- SUNSHINE Superfood microelements as foliar spray for healthy growth, profuse flowering, and disease/bug resistance

- SUNSHINE-E to help plants come out of dormancy faster and increase metabolism. 100 ml bottles and 50 ml bottles available for large plant collections.

- SUNSHINE-Honey to fruit trees so you can enjoy sweeter and bigger fruit later this year

4. If nights are still chilly, take potted plants outside to enjoy the afternoon sun and bring them back indoors for the night.

Fertilizing Ylang Ylang

Q: What fertilizer should we be using for ylang ylang?

A: Ylang Ylang is a free-flowering tropical plant that requires regular feeding during active growth period (March through November in Florida). We use balanced granulated fertilizer that contains micro-elements. Apply once a month 1 tsp per 1 gal of soil. For in-ground plants, 1/2 cup once a month.
We also apply additional micro-element treat SuperFood as foliar spray which dramatically increases growth rate and promotes flowering.

Check out our fertilizers, plant boosters, and garden supplies:

RARE Featured plant, finally in stock!

Vanilla dilloniana - Leafless Vanilla Orchid

Very rare, collectible and extinct species! This plant propagated at TopTropicals nursery from Robert Riefer's unique specimen, the biggest potted specimen in the World, grown in 100 gal pot, originated in 1927, awarded in 2011 with CHM certificate of Horticultural Merit by American Orchid Society. Leafless Vanilla Orchid is amazing exotic vanilla that forms a multi-branched, leafless vine reaching lengths up to 15 ft. The light green flowers are similar to Vanilla barbellata but the petals and sepals are longer and the fluted lip is a deep reddish-purple with a yellow crest. Vanilla dilloniana is distributed throughout the West Indies and had been reported on the banks of the Miami River in South Florida. Vanilla dilloniana is a very rare species and considered vulnerable, endangered across its range. Pieces of plants from the original colony have been shared and may be found in local collections.

See the Video of the original specimen.

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Champaca tree during Spring

Q: The Joy Tree that I purchased from you is going fine but the leaves have brown tips that shriveled up. How can I avoid this?

A: All Magnolias prefer rich and moist soils. These are some useful tips for growing Magnolia champaca:
- when planting in the ground, dig a big hole and replace sandy old soil with a rich organic mix containing compost and lots of peat moss to retain moisture.
- water daily for the first few months until the tree is well-established and root system is large and strong.
- use a large amount of mulch around planting
- remember that during springtime (especially March through May) champacas go through the semi-deciduous stage and lose a lot of leaves. Sometimes the tree may start looking drying out - all the sudden, overnight. Give it a few weeks and you will notice new light green re-leafing that will dress up your tree when the time comes.

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Featured plant. Mango Hoaloc, Cat Hoa Loc

Cat Hoa Loc Mango

Grafted Mango (Mangifera indica) - Hoaloc, Cat Hoa Loc... It is very rare, Exotic mango variety from Vietnam. The fruit is fiberless, oval yellow, with very thin seed. It is a rare, collectible variety.
Among Vietnamese mango cultivars, Cat Hoa Loc is the most popular cultivar because of good appearance, texture, taste, and flavor. Its production ranks the first among commercial mango cultivars in Vietnam.
It is known as one kind of the most famous mango in the Mekong Delta and one of the favorite fruit by appealing color, taste and high nutritional value. Hoa Loc mango became the reputation brand not only in Vietnam but also in the world. With elongated shape, bright yellow skin when ripe, bright yellow flesh, flesh architecture firm, smooth and low in fiber, are very tasty and fragrant.
The Vietnamese Government supports the expanding of the production area for Cat Hoa Loc mango. At the mature green stage, Cat Hoa Loc mango fruits usually turn to full ripening within 4-5 days thereby limiting distribution and marketing options. So the best way to taste this delicious rare variety is to grow your own!

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Surprising Violet fragrance of the Blue Lips

By Mark Hooten, the Garden Doc

A few months ago while working among the bewildering array of great plants we grow, I began to notice wafts of a very unique fragrance. The scent seemed somehow familiar, yet for the longest time, I was unable to determine what kind of plant it was emanating from. I knew it was somewhere toward the back of the growing houses but just couldn't determine its source. The fragrance is very distinct and wonderful and could be detected over a large area... That scent is hard to describe, however, I would suggest a mixture of Lavender and old-fashioned florist violets...

Then, a few weeks later, I happened to lean over a grouping of Sclerochiton plants, and THERE IT WAS!!! This might be the first flowering plant I have encountered which I might rate a full 10...

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Pisces Zodiac lucky plants

Pisces- 2/19 - 3/20. As a WATER sign ruled by both Jupiter and Moon (and Neptune, that was not discovered until 1846, after the plant correspondences were established; Neptune is considered a "higher octave" of the Moon), Pisces plants are often large but hard to find, and may grow near the ocean. The most healing plants for Pisces are those that strengthen the immune system or have an antibacterial effect. Pisces plants may also catalyze expanded states of awareness and be helpful in dream work.
Herbs connected to Pisces are ruled by its former ruler, the Moon (Neptune, the current ruler, was not discovered until 1846, after the plant correspondences were established; Neptune is considered a “higher octave” of the Moon). Diseases of Pisces have traditionally included psychotic disorders, various forms of substance addiction, lung diseases such as tuberculosis, and ailments of the foot; contemporary herbalists also add immune system diseases. Pisces is strengthened by rosemary's ability to promote an aura of centered grounding. This protective herb helps strengthen boundaries and cultivate a closer connection to the physical realm.

Pisces Zodiac lucky plants: Water lily, Lotus, Clematis, Wisteria, Lisianthus, Brunfelsia, Echinacea, English Lavender, Rosemary, Coconut palm, Cranberry, Clove, Coccoloba, Sea Oats, Mangroves, Ochrosia, Aquatic plants, Colocasia, Alocasia, Aralia, Ficus trees, Banyan, Peepal, Banana, Mango, Mimosa, Olive, Anise, Vilca and Yopo, Kava-kava, Nutmeg, Anthuriums, Eucalyptus, Bauhinia, Clusia, Caesalpinia, Callistemon, Bucida, Cassia fistula, Cordia, Calabash, Lipstick palm, Delonix, Elaeocarpus, Erythrina, Fatsia, Guaiacum, Mahoe, Koelreuteria, Kopsia, Macaranga, Pandanus, Peltophorum, Psychotria, Banesteriopsis, Tabebuia.

For other signs information, see Plant Horoscope Page.