Two Collections of Superior Blackberry Varieties, well adopted to
tropical and subtropical climates. Mouth watering, all time favorite fruit will be
always with you - these plants are so easy to grow!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt butter half-way so it's just warm,
not hot. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except for blackberries.
Pour into a 4-5" ramekin sprayed with Pam. Sprinkle blackberries on top of
batter and bake for 15-20 minutes. It's best slightly gooey on the inside (not
completely cooked). Enjoy!
September is a great month to plant. The soil is warm and the air
is beginning to get cooler which helps to encourage new roots to grow. For
much of the Country, September typically brings more opportunity for
additional rain and moisture, allowing you to water less. Take advantage of this time
of year to establish new plants in your gardens!
...When I first started working at Top Tropicals eight years ago I knew
nothing about plants. I didn't even know which ones I liked. Over the first
few months I took in information on plants like I was a starving kitten who
had just gotten its first meal in weeks...
...What I started to notice was that the plants I tended to gravitate to
were more cold weather plants. Plants that couldn't be grown in the hot
summers in Florida, and vines. Seemed like everything I set my sites on was a
large vine or couldn't grow in the heat...
...Many of our local customers are from up North as well and are used to
these colder weather plants too. This got me thinking, I wonder how many of
these people are missing the plants they grew up knowing and loving. I know
there are at least a few from the conversations I have had with some of you at
the nursery. So, I decided to make a list of a few of the plants that will
grow here that are similar but not the same and, in some instances, even
better!..
Q: We just moved to Florida from New York. The weather is so hot
and I wonder if I should wait till Fall to plant my garden? I tried to plant some seeds of annuals but nothing grew, just weeds. I also planted
tomato seeds, they germinated but died in few days. What am I doing wrong?
A: Growing from seeds during hot season can be tricky. Here in Florida, we still can grow anuals and vegetables from seeds, but only during
winter season. Annuals and tomatoes need cooler temperatures and protection from
rain water which we have in abundance during summer. Combination hot + wet
can kill those seedlings. On the other hand, seeds of tropical species love the heat and
humidity, and germinate in no time, they just require a little experience.
However, Summer is a perfect time to plant and establish starter plants in your garden.
Five advantages of summer planting
1. Root growth. High temperatures promote rapid root growth - this is one secrets of a plant nursery. If you grow plants in pots, putting a pot on top of
black ground cover will increase the effect, and the roots will grow even faster than the tops! This is a great head start for a plant. Make sure to provide adequate watering. 2. Fast development. With bright sun and longest day light, photosynthesis is more efficient. In simple words,
during hot summer tropical plants have faster metabolism, they produce cells faster and grow leaves and stems faster. 3. Bugs be gone. Bright sun in combination with good air circulation will help to stay away from insects, leaf fungus, and
other diseases. 4. Fertilizing can be generous and will be most efficient. In summer, there is less chance to overdose, as plant food is consumed fast, and summer rains help to prevent nutrient lock up in soil. 5. Rain water works like magic. Rainy season in Florida is our blessing. It can not be replaced by sprinklers or even daily hose water. Rain penetrates
evenly and saturates not only a root ball but also the surrounding area that gives room to spread even bigger roots. Rain water
also works like a "flush" to rinse off all excessive salts that may build up in soil.
As a result, plants will establish faster and grow bigger before
winter, which will give them a better chance to survive possible cold spells.
Plant in summer and watch plants grow healthy and happy
every day!
Champaka, or Joy Perfume Tree, is regarded as one of the most sacred
trees of India and tropical Asia. Its flowers exude a divine fragrance that is
exceedingly pleasing to the Gods... and women!..
(See more info about Champaka). This video presented by our video host David
Mortimer.
About David in his own words: "...I am passionate about health and living life to the fullest. I grew up in northern Wisconsin and my travels have allowed me to live in places like Colorado and Arizona before I arrived in SW Florida. I make fresh vegetable juices and cleansing programs for people as well as inspiring, educational and some funny videos on my
YouTube channel and Instagram. I got into gardening during the first month of
the pandemic. After I harvested my first radish and ate it fresh I was hooked!
I am excited to be working and learning in such a great environment like Top
Tropicals. I hope to talk about all the cool plants with everyone while I am
here!.."
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: I need something unusual to plant next to a small pond at my
front yard. It is full sun location. I need a plant that is not too messy and
doesn't require much maintenance. Preferably without flowers, so they don't
drop into the water, and not too tall. Any suggestions?
A: Your ideal solution is - colorful Colocasia hybrids with
spectacular large leaves. Our favorite is variety Black Magic - it creates a magic tropical atmosphere. The color of the
leaves in full sun is dark purple, almost black, and the brighter the light,
the deeper the color.
Light colored varieties - Royal Hawaiian Maui Sunrise, with bright sunny stripes, or Illustris, in case you want to create a bright, mixed-color border
around your pond. Colocasias are perfect plants for perimeter borders, and
naturally are marginal plants around lakes and along river banks.
Photo above: for enhanced effect of your Black Magic Colocasias, use
Black Magic Ti Leaf for the background planting... Cordyline fruticosa Black Magic - Hawaiian Good Luck Ti Leaf.
Loquat trees are famous for their abundant
fruit production. Many customers who purchased this tree from us, soon end up with some serious crops and start asking if we have
any special recipes for loquat fruit - because you can only eat so much out of hand! Here is our manager Kristi's favorite Loquat recipe - not only delicious and tropically-aromatic, but also good for you. Happy Tropical Meal!
Ingredients
2 lbs loquat fruit
cup soft brown sugar
cups malt vinegar
1 onion chopped
cloves garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
cloves whole or 1/2 tsp ground cloves
Instructions
Wash the fruit, cut them in half and remove stones. The loquats will
lose about a third of their weight once stoned (3 lbs of whole fruit = 2 lbs of fruit, stones removed). Add loquats and all remaining
ingredients to a large saucepan. Bring to a low boil, then simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally. The liquid will have reduced quite a bit and the fruit
will be collapsed and very soft. Allow to cool slightly, then liquidize the sauce in a blender or a food processor. Be careful, hot sauce really
burns!
This delicious tropical sauce is great for any BBQ - with meats or fish. Enjoy!
...One of the most fascinating exotic fruit, as amazing as Miracle fruit, Peanut Butter Fruit is loved by both kids and
adults... and yes, it tastes exactly like peanut butter!.. Yet it is much healthier food, with many medicinal benefits...
...The easy, low-maintenance Peanut Butter Fruit tree is essential for any
edible landscape, rare fruit collector, or tropical/subtropical garden. It has a great ornamental or
screening value. Also can be grown in container, and will fruit indoors... Similar to fast-fruiting Annonas, and its close relatives Malpighia
(Barbados Cherry) and Bursonima (Nancy Tree), Bunchosia tree starts fruiting in small size and at young age: 2-3 years from
seed!..
Q: I purchased a Magnolia champaca 1 gallon a few years ago. It is still growing as I
bring it into my greenhouse in the winter. I live in VA. This spring I planted
it in the ground hoping it might bloom which it did not. Will it survive our
fairly mild winters with several freezing days with some special attention?
What would you do?
A: Magnolia champaca is a tropical tree and won't survive winter in VA. It can not take hard freeze. Your only option is, to keep it in a pot and bring inside. If the temperature inside your greenhouse is too low, this may affect the plant's ability to flower. For example, if it stays 35-40F for a whole month - although it is not a hard freeze and the plant may survive, but the duration of the cold period is more critical than the low temperature itself. Champaka can survive a few hours even at upper 20's, but not many days with cool temperatures. The temperature in winter should be maintained at least above 55F during day time (the higher the better) and at least above 45F at night.
If the tree has grown too big, you may trim it. If the root ball is too
large, roots can be trimmed too (similar way like they do with bonsai) before
repotting. However, trimming must be done either during warm season and active
growth, or in Spring, when the tree starts waking up and promotes new
growth.
To encourage flowering, start fertilizing your Champaka with a liquid bloom
booster - SUNSHINE Pikake - Fragrant Flower Booster. It can be used year round
including winter months, and it is safe to apply with every watering. This way
you will provide to the tree enough energy for the next flowering season, so
flowers can be expected in late Spring - Summer.
...Champaka, or Joy Perfume Tree, is regarded as one of the most sacred
trees of India and tropical Asia. Its flowers exude a divine fragrance that
is exceedingly pleasing to the Gods... and women!..
...The tree was traditionally used to make fragrant hair and massage oils.
Jean Patou’s famous perfume, 'Joy', the second bestselling perfume in the world after Chanel No. 5, (but definitely the most expensive number one!) is derived from the essential oils of champaka flowers. The plant common name "Joy Perfume Tree" comes from this perfume. Many niche perfumers are now once again using Champaka Absolute as single note fragrances...
Planting a Golden Champaka really makes your home a sweet home. Also you
can take the flower into your car, office, restroom, and anywhere you want to
create fragrant atmosphere. It emits a unique warm fragrance which promotes a
peaceful state of mind, reduces stress and helps you to relax and breathe
easily. Looks like it is specially designed for moments of tranquil
contemplation. It’s the nature of Champaka - to remind us of the Divine in all
things...
