Best Hot Humid Weather Spinach Crops:
Longevity and Okinawa Spinach
by David Mortimer, Tropical Edibles Expert
...This video is all about the greens. Most find it difficult to grow
vegetables year round in hot climates. In this video we show you two different
spinach varieties that not only handle the heat but thrive in it...
...Can healthy food taste delicious? Healthy Longevity Spinach... it
tastes like... spinach. You can add it to your salads, but let's face it, you can only eat so much of... a salad. So try it cooked!..
Bottlebrush to Little John
or the story of a Dwarf Plant
by Alex Butova, the Witch of Herbs and Cats
...Bottlebrush... Bottle washing brushes... Nowadays, it is hard to
imagine a more outdated concept! For reuse, all glass containers have been
cleaned industrially for many years. Young people have never even heard of,
especially used, such a thing. Nevertheless, Bottlebrush not only lives, but is
often used by many people. In today's world, Bottlebrushes are not brushes at all, but... beautiful ornamental plants!..
...This plant was originally selected as a chance seedling in the 1980s by
Ken Dunstan of Alstonville, New South Wales and was also called Callistemon
Alstonville Dwarf, Tom Thumb and, at last, Little John. They said that the
choice of this name was the song "Little John, Bottle John" by the American singer and songwritter Terry Grosvenor on lyrics by Laura E. Richard. Little John was the 1986 Shrub of the Year in Australia and was originally introduced as a plant that only grew to 3ft tall...
Learn how to shape your mango trees using a technique known as tipping.
Tipping your mangos will help to develop more branches and will give the tree
more places to flower and produce fruit.
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YouTube.com/TopTropicals
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Q: I want to grow flowering vines up and around my garage;
however I want to make sure whatever I put will grow long enough to make it all the
way around the top. I attached photo of my garage and where I mounted the
bolts for the trellis. What plants do you recommend for doing something like
this that will eventually grow long enough to complete the arch over the
garage? Right now I have mandevillas there but I know they aren't the right species. I know bougainvilleas will work, but I was hoping to do something less thorny since it’s near the walkway.
A: There are several vines that can fit your project. These are
just a few suggestions:
Season star:
The Purple Tango of Hypnotizing Jacaranda
by Alex Butova, the Witch of Herbs and Cats
...Hypnotizing bluish-purple, trumpet-like flowers create the magical
image of the tree. Incredible, long-lasting purple blooms in spring give way to
rich, yellow hues in the fall, making the Jacaranda Tree a season-to-season
star that stands out. Fern-like foliage lends volume to its bold, dramatic
silhouette for a landscape look unlike any other. When the trumpet-shaped
blooms finally fall, they form a lilac carpet beneath the awe-inspiring Jacaranda
for luxuriant curb appeal...
Photo above: Clerodendrum indoor garden of Ludmila Ezhova, St Petersburg, Russia.
Enjoy the Tropics Year round!
Bring them inside...
Q: I just discovered your amazing website and spent hours
browsing your beautiful tropical plants! I wish I could have them all! But it's getting cold here (I live in Chicago area), too late? Can you recommend something of a small size, colorful, that I can easily overwinter indoors? Thanks for bringing this beauty into our lives!
A: Don't get discouraged even in colder climates. Yes, you can grow tropical plants indoors! Remember that all traditional houseplants are in fact tropical plants that grow in tropics in a wild habitat. Humans didn't invent them as indoor plants, they originally collected them from the rain forests and jungles! Most of tropical plants, including trees and fruit trees, can be grown in containers and even indoors. It's just a matter of space limitations and amount of time you are willing to spend caring of your exotic babies. Many gardeners up North are very successful with their tropical plant collections.
Below are a few suggestions of compact growing, easy species for your
indoor collection. Enjoy the Tropics Year round!
Cold hardy Aronia and its Superfruit:
a Magic gift from the Native Americans
by Alex Butova, the Witch of Herbs and Cats
...A very cold hardy fruiting plant (USDA hardiness zone 3-9),
Chokeberry has been cultivated for ages as both ornamental and food plant. Enjoy them
in an array of foods as they are rich in vitamins. Masses of fragrant, white
flowers bloom in spring; gorgeous red fall colors and extra large berries
follow the glossy summer foliage. Persistent, purplish black berries are high in
nutrients and can be used for pies and jellies. This is one of the true
super fruits, high in antioxidants with huge health benefits. This fruit is
widely used in Eastern Europe in holistic medicine for lowering blood pressure.
Fruit should be consumed with caution as excessive amount can cause significant
and immediate blood pressure drop...
Q: My mom had to remove a hedge for some renovations and after
being heartbroken about losing my little bird haven, I've decided to plan on a fruit bearing hedge that offers some privacy and places for the little fledgling to wait for food. Any suggestions? I was thinking blueberries or citrus but open to any ideas.
A: Below are a few suggestions for a fruit bearing hedge planted
with fast-growing, tropical species. They will contribute to a nice edible
landscape for both your family and the birds - they will be very happy!
Larger size hedge (small trees), grows full-size within 1
season:
- Loquats
- Dwarf Mulberries (very cold hardy too) such as Dwarf Everbearing
Citrus is probably not a good idea, not bird's favorite, and blueberries require a special acidic soil here in Florida, so they will need extra maintenance, special soil, and heavy mulching.
A Native Virgin - Sweetbay Vanilla Magnolia
(Magnolia virginiana)
by Alex Butova, the Witch of Herbs and Cats
...Fossilized specimens one of Magnolias have been found dating to 20
million years ago. Magnolia virginiana as a true American pioneer - it was the
first magnolia to be scientifically described, and is the type species of the
genus Magnolia; as Magnolia is also the type genus of all flowering plants
(magnoliophytes), this species in a sense typifies all flowering plants...
...The flowers carry a very strong vanilla scent that can sometimes be
noticed several hundred yards away! Fresh off the tree, the flavor of leaves is
unique and fun to use. If you have a Florida Sweet Bay, your cooking will have
flavors folks outside Florida can never hope to duplicate. It likes moist
soils, so if you have a wet spot on your land - plant this tree. The lifespan
of individual trees has been estimated at 130 years! No bugs, no pests!..
Mango Talk: How to prune mango trees for best shape and
production
by Ed Jones, the Booster Guy
...Why should you prune your mango trees? There are a few reasons.
First, a good foundation is the key to strong growth and a shapely tree.
Second, if you get your mango tree started off on the right foot with a
strong foundation, it becomes much easier to keep it shaped nicely.
And third - it will be forced to produce more branches allowing for more
places for fruit production...
...We received our Mango tree in late February of 2020 as a relatively
small plant in 3 gal pot...
...The opening photo was taken just last week and you can see that as she
grows, her shape is very nice...
...She is now about 7' tall and just as wide. She has a great foundation
and a lot of branches. We also have less grass to mow. She also got her very
own marker painted on a brick:
...We have also enlarged the circle of mulched area under the tree to
allow it to be able to get nutrients from it's SUNSHINE Boosters Mango Tango without having to compete with the grass.
This is one mistake that I see frequently in my neighborhood with all
trees...
