"/>
Index > Garden Blog

Date:

Perfumed Milky Way Tree

Stemmadenia litoralis

by Onika Amell, tropical plant expert

What is a garden without fragrance? Unknown to so many gardeners because of its rarity, the Milky Way tree or Stemmadenia litoralis is one of those trees that are simply unforgettable. This is without a doubt one of the most fragrant flowering trees you can plant in the tropics or warm greenhouse conditions...
When this tree is in full bloom, masses of large, white, tornado-shaped flowers cover the branches. The fragrance is something to behold… soft, vanilla sweet and musky. Leaves are dark green and sparkly and a striking contrast against the large, white flowers. Even the seed pods are pretty, double-horned and orange-gold, born in pairs and hanging from the tree. This tree is so ornamental!..

CONTINUE READING >>

Date:

PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cats of the day: the most unusual and weird.

Biggy and Marco won/shared today's contest of Cat of the Day for being the most DIFFERENT. For eating corn and for sleeping in a tree like a bird!

TopTropicals PeopleCat Club

Thank you for supporting us in helping PeopleCat Community!
Make your kind donation today and receive a surprise gift from us! Every little bit helps. Thank you and God bless you and your pets!

Date:

How to prevent Jasmine flower drop

Q: My jasmine buds turn purple to brown and drop before it blooms. What should I do to get the jasmines to bloom fully. Appreciate your help & suggestions.

A: At this time of the year in Florida, jasmines may drop flowers because of the sudden hot weather. The plants didn't have a chance yet to change their metabolism to summer type. The high temperatures promoted early bloom, but the plant is not strong enough to support the flowers. It needs extra food. To improve flower quality and reduce bud drop, we recommend these supplements:
SUNSHINE Pikake - Fragrant Plant Booster
Sunshine Honey
and Sunshine Superfood

Date:

PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cat of the day: King the Biker

King just keeps winning "Cat of the Day" honorable title! Last time he excelled in his traveling talents, and today is no exception. Since he was scolded for his unapproved trip to Miami, got his drivers license suspended and now is strictly prohibited from big-time traveling... he learned how to ride a bike!

TopTropicals PeopleCat Club

Thank you for supporting us in helping PeopleCat Community!
Make your kind donation today and receive a surprise gift from us! Every little bit helps. Thank you and God bless you and your pets!

Date:

Harvesting from a young mango tree

Q: About a year ago we bought a mango tree from you folks and planted it in our backyard in Estero. It has done well. It now has several mangoes and I am wondering if the tree is strong enough to support the fruit or if I should just cut off the fruit and wait until next year when the tree is a bit stronger. I am attaching some pictures. I am most concerned about the branch on the right which seems to be sagging. If you do not suggest that I cut off the fruit, can I wait until they ripen on the tree and eat them. They seem to be a bit on the small side for eating.

A: Your mango tree looks very healthy and happy, congratulation with a great job! For young mango trees, it is always recommended to minimize a number of fruit to 2-3 so the tree has enough energy for vegetative growth rather than fruiting. In your case, as we can see from the pictures, your tree is very well established, has a strong root system, nice symmetrical shape, and vigorous new growth. In our opinion, you can save all these fruit and let them ripen on the tree. To support the plant's energy, make sure to fertilize it during summer with slow-release Mango Food, and year around - with Mango Tango booster. Use Sunshine Honey supplement for sweeter fruit.
Secure the heavy fruit branch with a v-shape stake (a big branch may work), it can definitely use the support otherwise may break under strong Florida winds. You are all set to enjoy your first crop and be rewarded with fruit of your excellent work!

In the photo above: Mr B is harvesting Mango Pim Seng Mun after his successful Sunshine Boosters fertilizing program.

Date:

PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cat of the day: Snitch - here, there, and everywhere

Everyone who visited TopTropicals Garden Center, most likely met Snitch. He greets customers at the front office door, and often helps them with checking out in the office. Snitch is an expert on fragrant plants and herbs. He is a great office assistant who is always there when you need him! A Purrrfect multi-tasker, Snitch even find time to give a hand in Shipping department, so don't be surprised if you find his whisker in the box! :)

TopTropicals PeopleCat Club

Thank you everybody for supporting us in helping PeopleCat Community!
Make your kind donation today and receive a surprise gift from us. Every little bit helps! Thank you and God bless you and your pets!

Date:

The best Aquarium fish food ever - stikiStik

Everyone knows that Top Tropicals is good at unique, special novelties. And it is not a secret that most plant people also are pet people - cat people (with PeopleCats), dog people (with PeopleDogs) or at least fish people, right?
Today we are excited to introduce our new revolutionary Fish Food developed by our business partners at Floritin Aquarium Labs

Floritin stikiStik™ - Ultimate Aquarium fish food

StikiStik is a dry powder that you just mixed with water to create a sticky paste. The paste can be attached to any surface inside your aquarium.

Watch a cool video of fish having a stikiStik meal!

StikiStik is a patent pending fish food that does things which conventional fish food does not. It introduces picky eaters to a more natural feeding environment, does not pollute the fish tank, is easy to mix from its powder format and provides gradual feeding. It is easy to apply to any surface in the aquarium, such as interior glass wall, rocks or coral skeleton.

stikiStik advantages

- Easy to use. Just mix with a few drops of water and stik it in! Self adhesive paste can be applied to any surface. Stays intact for hours in aquarium. Does not pollute water
- Scientifically designed and proven for all types of aquarium fish, invertebrates, and corals
- Optimal and balanced nutrition. Contains vitamins and amino acids
- Natural. No hormones, no artificial colors
- Stimulates fish appetite and enhances fish color
- Promotes natural feeding habits. Helps training hard to feed fish. The perfect food to acclimate newly introduced fish, including Moorish Idol, finicky butterfly fish, such as Copperband Butterfly, Pearscale Butterfly, Mandarinfish, and many oithers
- Easy to store. Can be used immediately or frozen for future use
- Add any frozen fish food or medications to mix

See element contents / instructions and more information with videos on stikiStik website

"The stikiStik is the best Aquarium fish food ever - hands down!"
- Mr Booster -

Date:

PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cat of the day: Ricki - a cat or a bird?

After 4 years knowing Ricki (raised from a tiny kitten), we came to a conclusion he was a Bird in his previous life.
Ricki likes sitting next to you (preferably on a dining table) and have a conversation, with his head slightly tilted. And although nobody ever heard a sound of Ricki's voice (he is a silent cat), he is very good company - because he knows how to listen! How many people have a talent like this? If any - only PeopleCats.
Ricki will sit next to your plate and never take a piece. He just wants a conversation. And you will enjoy his Sounds of Silence as the best gift.

Stay safe and healthy with your PeoplePets!

TopTropicals PeopleCat Club

Thank you everybody for supporting us in helping PeopleCat Community!
Make your kind donation today and receive a surprise gift from us. Every little bit helps! Thank you and God bless you and your pets!

Date:

Which fertilizer is right?

Q: I need some advice on which fertilizer(s) would be perfect for my C​annonball tree and its cousin Heaven's Lotus (Gustavia augusta). ​I also have fruit trees... soursops, mango, etc. and a collection of flowers including pua keni keni, plumeria, bougainvillea, etc. I am wondering if you can recommend a custom fertilizing regimen for my garden (especially the cannonball and the gustavia since they are young).

A: It is a perfect time now to fertilize your plants as they start active growth. We have suggestions on fertilizing programs for your trees. You will find here our recommendations for:

1. Young trees
2. Flowering trees
3. Fragrant plants
4. In-ground grown fruit trees... CONTINUE READING >>

Date:

PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cats of the day: Biggy's Cat Hospital

Biggy checking on patient Abu when he couldn't walk

During these challenging times for the whole planet, we receive kind letters from our customers checking on how our PeopleCats are doing, especially those that previously were ill. And since we promised to follow up on everyone, including heart-breaking story of Raja and Abu, today's report is about everybody's progress!

As we mentioned in our previous newsletter, several cats in TopTropicals Cat Sanctuary had a coronavirus (we call it COVID-Cat-20), or simply a cat respiratory infection. Chiefy, Snitch, Marco and Biggy had it really bad, but some other PeopleCats surprisingly didn't get it! Just like with humans. Lucky King didn't have a single sneeze!
Finally, everybody has recovered by now, but it has been a very stressful couple of weeks for us, considering limited vet availability at this stay-home time. On top of that, Lil S had an abscess and was also contained in a home hospital, away from flu-quarantined PeopleCats. Our homes become real cat hospitals!
We are thankful to our customers support, especially Silvia who made several donations for our PeopleCats, and also recommended antiseptic pads - those worked great for Lil S!
Abu and Raja's adventures were not over... After 2 weeks of seeing a vet treating their infections and injuries, they got worse... Then after a couple of weeks in another hospital (and a couple thousand more in bills) we were suggested to put them down as hopeless since they would never walk again... But Kristi did not want to believe it, she did not give up! The kittens heard her. They won. Today, they are all better, walking, jumping and playing!

Thank you Kristi!
Never give up hope!

Stay safe and healthy with your PeoplePets!

TopTropicals PeopleCat Club

Thank you everybody for supporting us in helping PeopleCat Community!
Make your kind donation today and receive a surprise gift from us. Every little bit helps! Thank you and God bless you and your pets!