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Index > Garden Blog

Date:

What are your Lucky Zodiac plants? Plant Horoscope: Capricorn sign

by Alex Butova, the Witch of Herbs and Cats

Plant Horoscope: Capricorn sign

...We continue our story about Lucky Zodiac Plants. Today we introduce lucky plants for the first two signs of the calendar year - Capricorn and Aquarius...

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Top Tropicals: Learn more about this 
subject

Clitoria, plant horoscope Aquarius sign

Date:

How to survive Winter in South Central Florida

A touching story

by Ed Jones, the Booster Guy

Top Tropicals: How to survive winter in South Central Florida

...As much of the country is still in the midst of winter, I believe the worst has passed for us here in the South Central part of Florida...
...This Winter, almost all of zone 9b and some of zone 10a had frost and many had a hard freeze...
...Now, many of us here in this part of the state enjoy growing subtropical plants and trees. There are many that grow well here and most can handle a frost or even a dip to the high 20s for a short time. Smaller and more recently planted trees and bushes are most at risk...
...At the Top Tropicals nursery here in Sebring, home to over 20,000 plants, we scrambled for several days to try to protect as many of our plants as possible. We moved smaller plants into some of our hoop houses that had propane heaters...
...After 2 weeks of moving plants in and out of protection, we were all pretty worn out; happy that everything survived and hoping that we would not have to do that again anytime soon. Slowly, things at the nursery are beginning to resemble our old normal. Seeds are being planted, cuttings are continuing to grow and grafting season will be upon us soon. We are all very happy for that...
...What to do and not to do when the freeze is coming and you have mango, avocado, and other tropical fruit trees and tender tropicals? Here is some news from the Orchard and many more coming... check it out and stay with our updates to learn more!

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Top Tropicals: Learn more about this subject

Top Tropicals: Winter greenhouse 
protection

Date:

Grains of Paradise and Pink Cone Ginger: Just add Spice and Color!

Saving on your favorite plants is Easy.
Easy like Sunday Morning...


It's time for our favorite day and another Easy stroll through Top Tropicals Garden with savings of

up to 50% and MORE!

This week let's add a little Spice and Color to your garden collection! Start with Grains of Paradise, to spice up your meal and naturally improve your health. Then add lots of vibrant color with the Hawaiian Pink Cone Ginger, one of the most desirable symbols of the Tropics.

Grains of Paradise or African Cardamom

- Aframomum melegueta -

Aframomum melegueta - Grains of Paradise, African Cardamom. Seeds of this rare Ginger are similar in flavor to cardamom and used as a pungent spice. This Ginger has many bioactives, great for digestive and intestinal health. The plant has many other medicinal values: anti-diabetic and anti-obese mechanisms, aphrodisiac and testosterone boosting properties. Aframomum melegueta may be promising for a spice to add to a diet in hopes of body recomposition. Studies show this spice increases sexual behavior.

The plants are large and developed, in 2 gal pots, regularly $42.95,
on Easy Sunday sale for only $21.48!

Pink Cone Ginger

- Alpinia purpurata -

One of the most desirable symbols of Tropics, Alpinia purpurata, also called Ostrich Plume or Pink Cone Ginger, is native Malaysian plant with showy flowers on long brightly colored pink bracts. Grows in Hawaii and Central America including Belize. It can be grown as a houseplant; its cut flowers last very long and are perfect for arrangements.

The plants are well-developed, in 2 gal pots, regularly $37.95,
on Easy Sunday sale for only $18.98 !

Combine the two for maximum affection and save even more!
Only $34.95 for both, savings $46 on both!

Picture of the actual plants for sale:

2 plants total price: Reg. $80.95 - Easy Sunday Deal: $34.95

Remember, this Easy Sunday Deal is one day extended and expires on Tuesday 2-22-22!

Date:

For the Love of the Garden: Sweetheart and Chocolate

Happy Valentine's Day!

Saving on your favorite plants is Easy.
Easy like Sunday Morning...


It's time for our favorite day and another Easy stroll through Top Tropicals Garden with savings of

up to 50% and MORE!

This week we combine our Easy Sunday with Valentine's Day, a day to express your affection and a time to give your attention to those who you Love.
While you're giving Love and Attention, don't forget that special place that is always there for you, beautiful to look at, satisfying to work with, and a peaceful place to enjoy, Your Garden.
Gardens need your love as well, and we have a wonderful way for you to add to that special Garden:

Sweetheart and Chocolate

Chocolate tree

- Theobroma cacao -

Theobroma cacao - Chocolate tree, Cacao - with a flesh that is eaten as a dessert and seeds that are the raw material of chocolate! This exotic rare tree loves filtered light and warm environment, it can be grown as a houseplant or in a greenhouse.

The plant is large and developed, in 2 gal pot, regularly $82.95,
on Easy Sunday sale for only $41.47!

Valentine Hoya Sweetheart

- Hoya kerrii -

Sweetheart Hoya, Valentine Hoya, Heart leaf - Hoya kerrii, with its unusual and quirky heart shaped leaves, makes an ideal houseplant. A perfect novelty gift for any plant enthusiast. The plant is super easy to look after, with only minimal care, can tolerate one good watering a month - it's that hardy!

The plants are well-developed, in 4-6 gal pots, with several leaves, regularly $37.95,
on Easy Sunday sale for only $18.98!

Combine the two for maximum affection and save even more!
Only $52.95 for both, a savings of over $67 on both!

Picture of the actual plants for sale:

2 plants total price: Reg. $120.95 - Easy Sunday Deal: $52.95

Remember, this Easy Sunday Deal is one day extended and expires on Tuesday February 15th.

Date:

Plant Horoscope and Lucky Zodiac Plants

by Alex Butova, the Witch of Herbs and Cats

Since early in the history, humans observed the cyclicity that plants have when they grow according to their seasons, while astrology and botany with their cyclicism have similar nature. The myths surrounding the plants, their medicinal properties given from Mother Nature, unseen cycles that connect many different factors in our world gave ideas to some astrology concepts such as: Druid Horoscope, Celtic Tree Calendar, Indian Vedic Systems Jyotish Shastra (Vastu Shastra), Ayurvedic studies, and many others...
It is common knowledge that there are people with "green thumbs," who, as they say, have a stick grows in the ground, but there are such that they can grow nothing, even if they really want. What's the matter? It is acting of the Zodiac again. The most fortunate "green thumbs" are...

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Date:

New Video:
How to make a "Dragon Fruit" fruit?

Selenicereus megalanthus

Selenicereus megalanthus - Yellow Pitaya, Dragon Fruit, is the best tasting Dragon Fruit in the world that is not only sweet, it has a great flavor (unlike most Pitayas that are pretty watery). This particular species of Dragon fruit doesn't mind regular water and rains but is also drought-tolerant.
In this video you will find out how to grow this plant and how to make it fruit.

WATCH NEW VIDEO >>

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!

Date:

Easy Sunday Morning Deals: Fried Egg Tree and Giant Mafafa

Saving on your favorite plants is Easy.
Easy like Sunday Morning...


It's time for our favorite day and another Easy stroll through Top Tropicals Garden with savings of

up to 50% and MORE!

Fried Egg Tree and Giant Mafafa

How do you like your eggs for Sunday breakfast, sunny side up or over easy? We have an amazing Sunny flower for you that is Easy to get today - with Easy Sunday Morning Deals. And yet another plant that is not only amusing, but also edible and nutritious...

Fried Egg Tree

- Oncoba spinosa -

Oncoba spinosa - Fried Egg Tree, has beautiful white and yellow camellia-like flowers look like 'fried eggs'! Flowers are honey-sweet fragrant and attract butterflies and bees. The fruits have a sour, edible pulp.

Taro Root, Mafafa

- Colocasia Thailand Giant -

This Taro has the biggest leaf on planet, it is a conversation piece in every garden. Grown as a root vegetable for its edible starchy corm, and as a leaf vegetable. The corms are roasted, baked or boiled, and the natural sugars give a sweet nutty flavor. The starch is easily digestible, and since the grains are fine and small it is often used for baby food. The leaves are a good source of vitamins A and C and contain more protein than the corms.

Both plants are large and developed, grown in 2-3 gal pots, regularly $42.95 each,
on Easy Sunday sale for only $21.95!

Combine the two and save even more!

2 plants total price: Reg. $85.95 - Easy Sunday Deal: $39.95

Remember, the Easy Sunday Deal expires on Monday February 7th.

Date:

5 most rewarding tropical fruit trees

Top Tropicals @ Garden America Radio Show

...The most popular garden radio show Garden America is featuring Top Tropicals topic "5 most practical and rewarding fruit trees for subtropical areas".

1) Jackfruit Orange Crush (Artocarpus heterophyllus)
...We recently obtained this variety and it is hands down the best Jackfruit we ever tasted. It is crunchy, sweet, aromatic, with bright orange pulp...

2) Dwarf Guava Hawaiian Rainbow (Psidium nana)
- A very small version of the favorite aromatic Guava.
- Grows only up to 5-6 ft tall with a short trunk and branching, bushy habit.

3) Yellow Pitaya, Dragon Fruit (Selenicereus megalanthus)
- This particular species of Dragon fruit is the sweetest and has great flavor unlike most pitayas
- doesn't mind regular water and rains but is also drought-tolerant

4) Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica)
- Can be kept as a very compact tree, and fruits in a pot.
- Flowers and fruits right away. The plants are covered with flowers now and setting fruit.
- Very cold hardy to upper 20's, drought tolerant, fast growing

5) Macadamia Nut (Macadamia integrifolia x tetraphylla)
- The most delicious and popular sweet nuts that are usually so expensive, can be produced in your garden!
- Cold hardy, fast growing, and very productive.

Listen to Facebook-Live Show (recording):

Date:

Happy New Year 2022:
Year of Tiger!

Year of Tiger starts: February 1, 2022

by Alex Butova, the Witch of Herbs and Cats

According to Chinese astrology, 2022 will be the Year of the Blue Water Tiger. In the following story we will unveil the secrets of Tiger's personality, what drives him, what are Tiger's favorite colors and of course - what are his favorite plants that will make him happy, kind, and cooperative...
...As the Tiger Year starts, per our readers suggestions, we will continue everyone's favorite column Astrology of Plants and will be updating you on your Zodiac Lucky Plants every month! Look out for our upcoming publications for the first two Zodiac signs of this year and their lucky plants...

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Date:

Don't miss this one:
PodCast Premiere!

Episode 1
How to Protect Tropical plants in Winter: Q & A

Featuring Horticulturist Mark Hooten

...We are introducing our new Series: Top Tropicals Podcast. Growing tropicals and pushing the limits. Watch the first episode:

How to Protect Tropical plants in Winter

...Who doesn't like tropical beauty? Everyone wants tropical plants. But not everyone lives in a warm climate. Is it possible to grow tropicals outside of Tropics?
Top Tropicals horticulturist Mark Hooten, who is well known to many gardeners as the Garden Doc with his Saturday Plant Clinic, is answering gardeners' questions about how to prepare and protect tropical plants during winter...

Premiere scheduled:
Thursday, January 27, 8:00 AM

More about cold hardiness and cold protection:

Cold hardy tropical fruit trees
Growing Stephanotis and cold protection
Cold protection of tropical container plants
Plumeria cold protection
Ghost Cold Protection
Seven rules of cold protection for tropicals
Improving cold hardiness before winter: fertilizer and micro-elements
3D garden ideas and winter cold protection
Cold protection - winter action for your plant collection
About Cold Protection