PeopleCats of the World. Cat of The Day: Sir Nicolas from Sankt Gilgen

We continue inviting PeopleCats of the World to our Blog. Today's story is about very Important Purrrson, director of a Hotel - Sir Nicolas, a Royal Tuxedo Cat.
Sir Nicolas in managing Kendler Hotel located in Sankt Gilgen, Austria. He was interviewed by our columnist and editor Alex Butova - a big time traveler whose first writer's priorities during every trip are - botanical gardens and cats.
Sir Nicolas's lakefront Kendler Hotel located by the beautiful mountain Zwolferhorn. Accoring to what Sir Nicolas told Alex, besides beauties of the Alps, his city is famous with the fact that Mozart's mother was born here. But the most important feature that Sir Nicolas appreciates here is a small butcher's shop which is actually a part of the hotel's property. Sir Nicolas and Alex spent good hour chatting about life, people, and nature. He showed her his business card - a leather collar with his full name, job position (hotel manager), address, and a phone number. He added (off the record) that he also owns (as a silent partner) the Guest House, the Club Restaurant, the Brewery, and - most definitely - the Butcher's shop. He says hi to TopTropicals cats and all the cat-and-plant lovers!

In the photo: Sir Nicolas and Alex

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Delicious Turkish Brown Fig

...Did you know that figs were among the very first plants grown in the hot and arid Middle East? Fast growing and utterly delicious, they soon made their way all over the Mediterranean, transported aboard ships and on the backs of camels...
If you are a fig lover, you may be tempted to grow your own. Market-bought figs are never as good and tasty as your own, homegrown figs. They just simply do not keep well in supermarkets. Fast growing, undemanding and low maintenance, figs will bear fruit in just two years, often bearing two crops in a year. Another plus is that they are not bothered by too many pests and are self-fertile. Apart from the delicious fruit, any fig tree will add beauty and shade to a garden...

Tropical Treasure magazine # 13 (3) 2010:
- Hard copy
- PDF Download

Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cat of the day: Russian Blue - a true Angel

Many customers ask if they can adopt one of our PeopleCats. Sorry, the answers is no, because they are not only members of our family, but also valuable employees who help us around the nursery: to grow and ship plants, work on construction projects, and even take care of property security. However, we can give some advise on what kind of cats make the most purrrfect companions.
If you are searching for a pet with a heart of an Angel, who is gentle and loving, the Russian Blue is the perfect purrson to add to your family. The Russian Blue breed comes in beautiful shades of gray, varying from a light shimmering silver to a darker, slate gray. Their short, dense coat has been the hallmark of the Russian breed for more than a century. It is a naturally occurring breed originated in the port of Arkhangelsk in Russia. They are also sometimes called ArchAngel Blues. It is believed that sailors took Russian Blues from the Archangel Isles to Great Britain and Northern Europe in the 1860s.
Throughout the history of Top Tropicals, we've had many Russian Blues, including famous Wesley, Marco, and King that are loved by everyone.

In the photo: TopTropicals editor Alex with Gosha - manager of the Puppet Kingdom, Museum of Dolls in Preili, Latvia

In the photo: King is checking security of the new window

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Grafted fruit trees for Hawaiian gardens

Q: Aloha guys, I purchased a Diospyros digyna - Black Sapote grafted var. Black Beauty from you and am checking to make sure it will fruit by itself and not need both sexes. Also checking to see if the grafted atemoya I bought from you will fruit at sea level (where I'm at) or if I should give it to a friend who is above 1,000 so it will fruit? My grafted Maimi soursop is thriving! Looking at getting a grafted jackfruit from you all next.

A: Black sapote Black Beauty does not need a second plant to produce fruit. Grafted trees should be flowering and setting fruit right away, or sometimes on the second year.
Atemoya does not require high elevation for fruiting. It is a hybrid Annona squamosa x Annona cherimola (A. cherimola species prefers higher elevation) so Atemoya is usually is happy at sea level.
Congratulations with your Soursop! It should be really happy in your location.

As for grafted Jackfruits, this is the list of varieties we usually carry. Since many of them are very rare, they sell out quickly once we get new arrivals. If you are looking for a specific variety, I strongly recommend to add it to your wishlist (click on "Notify me when available") and you will receive email from us as soon as we have it in stock, so you will be the first one to know about it!

Our favorite Jackfruit varieties (and also hot sellers)

Black Gold
Borneo Red
Crispy
Dang Rasimi

We also suggest to get a Kwai Muk (while we still have it!) - the most delicious fruit, and it should do well in Hawaii.

Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cat of the day: Wesley's Independence

Wesley is the biggest cat at TopTropicals. He weighs almost 30 pounds. He believes in good nutrition and never sweats the small stuff.
In spite of being the Biggest Purrrson, Wesley is not exactly fearless... Everyone knows that there are two things Wes is afraid of - a thunder, and... a doorbell. When someone rings the doorbell, Wesley zooms into the nearest closet faster than a lightning and stays there until dark. No more than one visitor per day for him!

In the photo below: Wes is celebrating his Independence - "It's better be safe than sorry!"

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Plants like to snack!
How to feed Poinciana tree

(and other tropical flowering trees)

Q: We purchased a Royal Poinciana tree from TopTropicals not too long ago and we gradually gave it more sun until finally we were able to plant it in direct sunlight where it's been for a week or so. Rain has been sporadic lately so I'm giving it a little bit of water every day. It seems to be doing fine. I do have a question about whether the leaves are as green as they should be? I read online that I should fertilize it with gardenia / ixoria fertilizer in March, June, and October. I looked on homedepot.com but didn't really find anything that goes by that name. Would fertilizer help? Can you suggest a fertilizer?

A: Your Poinciana tree looks pretty healthy and happy, congratulations with a great job!
Traditional (old-school) fertilizer recommendations usually suggest feeding a plant 2-3 times a year with a slow-release fertilizer. And although a plant will benefit from any fertilizer application (extra food is always good), however, for the best results, faster growth, sooner and more profuse blooming, your should use complete plant nutrition products - liquid fertilizers (see why liquid fertilizers are better than dry).
Here is an example. Some people eat a big heavy meal once a day which we all know, is not very healthy. Other people eat balanced food more frequently but in smaller portions - this is always the best way to go.
From this point, plants prefer SNACKING - frequent feeding, but with less concentrated, mild and balanced nutrients.
For your beautiful Poinciana tree (and other flowering plants), we suggest the following nutrition program:

1) SUNSHINE Megaflor - Bloom Nutrition Booster - you may use this fertilizer as frequent as with every watering, it won't burn the roots, and will provide a complete nutrition for all plant needs throughout the year. You can continue fertilizing with Megaflor even during winter time. Sunshine Megaflor will help you to keep the plant healthy, vigorous, and resistant to stress and diseases. It turns leaves green and makes the plant strong so it will start flowering sooner for you.

2) Tropical Allure - Smart-Release Booster. Apply it once a month during hot season only (in Florida - from March to November).

Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cat of the day: Anders from the King's Palace

We receive many letters from customers who enjoy our Cat of the Day column, including those who want to share their cat stories with us! Today's guest in PeopleCat studio -

Cat Anders. Anders lives in Stockholm. He is a manager of a Garden Center located in one of the King's properties - Palace Ulriksdal. He has so many beautiful flowers in stock! Lots of orchids, camellias, and showy colorful annuals.
Anders' favorite spot is to sit by the cash register where he can closely monitor every payment transaction. Sometimes he takes a walk around the premises to take care of security issues and to stay on top of his inventory control. During lunch time Anders visit Flower Cafe nearby, to make sure visitors' dogs behave properly... Yes, dogs and cats are welcomed in!

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Plant of the Month: Golden Dewdrop - Duranta erecta

Stevie's Pick: what's in bloom?

Duranta - Golden Dewdrop - is simply stunning with cascading flowers in abundance. Either it has lavender, blue, or solid white flowers, it is a sight to behold. The popular name Golden Dewdrop is inspired by the clusters of bright orange-yellow berries that follow the flowers, in such quantities that they often cause the slender branches to droop gracefully.
Duranta erecta blooms off and on all year and can be pruned to size as a bush or a standard tree. If let go, it can grow up to 20 feet tall and wide.
Durantas are excellent butterfly and hummingbird attractors. They will complement your tropical garden or a stand alone in your Southern landscape. Great for providing a color contrast in the landscape, they are especially well-suited as a bright-colored background or screening.
White Golden Dewdrop has pure white flowers that appear in loose clusters, and both berries and blossoms are often seen on a plant. This evergreen fast growing shrub spreads and arches to 10 feet tall and wide and is great for live hedges and covering fences and corners.
Variegated variety, also called Variegated Sky Flower, is grown for its summer flowers, and very showy leaves that are dark green with bright white variegation and creamy-yellow margins around the one inch long serrated leaves.. In the summer, cascading clusters of blue tubular flowers appear followed by wonderfully contrasting orange-yellow berries.
In mild climates, Durantas can be in flower nearly year round with flowers and fruit appearing at the same time. It does best in full sun with frequent deep watering and is pretty hardy, to about 20-25F. It is a good choice for espaliers, as a small tree or large bush; all forms benefit from frequent selective pruning. Prune back in late-winter to encourage a more compact shape and strong flush of fresh spring foliage. Requires moderate watering in a well-drained soil.

Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cat of the day: Google the Cat says Happy Fathers Day!

Google the Cat is joining Fathers Day celebration as a Founding Father of TopTropicals (along with Jim the Founder). Google just turned 13 years old - pretty senior age for a cat, and although he is still full of energy (and Brainpower), he spends most of his day managing the business, setting the goals, and knowing everything. This is Because, and this is Why - he is the Google!

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The easiest to grow Gardenia

Gardenia (Kailarsenia) vietnamensis

by Onika Amell, tropical plant expert

One of the easiest and hardiest Gardenias in our collection is the Vietnamese Gardenia. This plant is much easier to grow than many other Gardenias. It can handle overly moist soils much better, is quite drought tolerant once established and has a high resistance to the typical Gardenia woes. It is hands down also the most cold hardy Gardenia in our collection!

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