Garden Blog - Top Tropicals
Date:
Garden Sustainability Tips: Live your Life. Dig your Garden.
You can grow herbs and vegetables that can be easy incorporated into your home landscape. You don't need a raised bed for a few little things that will come really handy for your kitchen.
1. Parsley. Get a small 4" pot parsley plant from a local garden
center. It grows super fast and just one plant can provide great healthy
addition for your cooking for a few months. Plant in in full sun, under a tree or
shrub, where it gets hit by a sprinkler.
2. Dill. This one grows from seeds quickly and easily. It also needs
full sun and regular water.
3. Chives, or Green Onion. Don't through away "bulbs" from chives
you got from the store. Stick them in the ground, pretty much anywhere in your
garden. You will have supply of fresh chives loaded with vitamins right away
(withing a few days!) and for many months. You can also plant an onion bulb
(root-end down... duh) - this one will produce greens even faster!
4. Bay Leaf. If you live in a mild climate, plant a Bay Leaf in your yard (closer to the door - closer to the kitchen!). It
is a wonderful healthy spice for soups and stews that makes them super
flavorful. If your winters are cold, keep the plant in a pot. Bay Leaf makes a
great undemanding houseplant that needs bright light, but very little water.
5. Cherry tomatoes are easy to grow, heat tolerant and even grow in
lower light, so they are easy to incorporate into any existing landscape. Get
Sunshine Boosters to double your crop: see how it works.
6. More herbs and spices. Check out our large selection of herbs and spices - they are on sale today!
7. Garden work is a great exercise. While the gym is closed - get to
gardening. Read about Fun workout and Calories Burning Gardening.
8. Lemons. Vitamin C is your best friend for boosting immune system,
and Lemons have tons of it! In areas where citrus can grow outside, Lemon
tree is a must-have for your garden, or at least find a friend who has one!
Citrus also makes a great house plant, so you can keep it in a pot, too. Just
make sure to have a grafted tree that will produce right away.
Lemon Juice Health Booster Recipe
1. Squeeze juice from 1 lemon and mix it with 1 cup of water.
2. Add ice cubes and 1-2 tbsp of any flavored syrup (optional). You may add
some fresh mint for Mojito flavor.
3. Enjoy this drink at least once a day.
4. Get a bunch of lemons, squeeze fresh juice into ice cube trays and
freeze. 1 lemon = makes 1 ice cube. Store in freezer and use 1-2 cubes to make the
above drink, daily.
Besides being rich in vitamin C that will boost your immune system,
Lemon juice is a Natural medicine that helps to treat:
- cold and flu
- headaches and high blood pressure
- stomach problems
- insomnia
- and much more
Drinking lemon juice on regular basis will make your body stronger and more
resistant to infections and many illnesses.
Please take good care of yourself and your loved ones. Stay healthy.
Date:
Benefits of growing your own tropical fruit
"The fruit of the mango tree is no longer forbidden.
Indeed, it has been recommended to me by the physicians as an antidote to the
plague."
- Louis IX, King of France -
Q: Why do you want to grow your own tropical fruit tree?
A: Growing your own tropical fruit tree can have many benefits. Here are a few reasons why someone might choose to grow their own tropical fruit tree:
1. Fresh, flavorful fruit: When you grow your own tropical fruit tree, you have access to fresh, flavorful fruit that you may not be able to find at your local grocery store. Tropical fruit, like avocado, mangoes, papayas, and passionfruit, jackfruit, Dragon Fruit, Annona have a short shelf life, and the fruit you find at the store may have been harvested weeks ago. When you grow your own fruit tree, you can pick the fruit when it's fully ripe and enjoy it at its peak flavor. Besides, some rare fruit like Akee or Sapodilla simply never offered from the store.
2. Environmental benefits: Growing your own fruit trees can have environmental benefits. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen, which can help reduce your carbon footprint. Additionally, growing your own fruit trees reduces the need to transport fruit long distances, which can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
3. Cost savings: Depending on where you live and the availability of tropical fruit, growing your own fruit tree can be a cost-effective way to enjoy your favorite tropical fruits.
4. Gardening and outdoor hobby: Growing a fruit tree can be a fulfilling and rewarding outdoor hobby. It can also be a great way to teach children about where their food comes from and the importance of taking care of the environment.
Overall, growing your own tropical fruit tree can be a great way to enjoy fresh, flavorful fruit, reduce your carbon footprint, save money, and enjoy a fulfilling outdoor hobby.
In the photo: Mango tree in Top Tropicals garden.
Date:
Ten steps to Happy Gardening in 2023
Beginning of the year checklist
To assist our customers in creating a happy and enjoyable gardening experience this year, we consulted with our horticulturist to compile a list of ten recommended items. Here are the results...
1. A favorite. Get yourself a favorite small flowering plant that is compact, manageable, and easy. Such as Ground
Orchid. Keep it in a pot or plant in the ground by the entryway where it can
be seen often and enjoyed.
2. A fruit of your labor. You need at least one (or one more) fruit tree for your
garden, or for container culture if you live in colder climate. Growing and
especially harvesting tropical fruit will make you happy. The Winner of the last
year was Cherry
Lolita - an easy, compact fruit tree that can produce almost year
around. Some fruit
trees will fruit right away!
3. Be exclusive. A rare plant is a must for every gardener. It can be a useful gem such as
Noni Tree
or an unusual-looking like a Bat Lily - Tacca. Show your friends and neighbors something different
they have never seen!
4. Make it cool. Finally plant that shade tree by your driveway. Yes it takes time to grow, but the sooner
you plant it, the sooner you get that shade! There are some fast growing species, some only take a couple of years to the mature
size.
5. Beauty. If you have an ugly fence or unwanted view in your yard,
cover it with a
flowering vine. Look at the beauty every day and make your life better.
Replace a boring standard hedge with colorful flowering shrubs that will make you smile.
6. Scent. Add some fragrant plants to your landscape and inhale their healing magic.
7. Tropical. For a shady corner, select a showy tropical with lush foliage such as Philodendron or Monstera, or
all time favorite
Banana. Get a feel of tropics.
8. Happiness of giving. Buy a gift plant for someone you care about but don't know how to thank them.
Live plant is the best expression of love and gratitude. If you are unsure
what plant to pick, ask our Team or simply buy a Gift Certificate that will never expire - let them chose the plant they
like.
9. Food for all. A set of quality liquid fertilizers is a must - try Sunshine Boosters that can be used year around. They will make your
plants healthy, strong, fast growing, cold hardy and disease-resistant. You can
choose formulas for different plant types from our selection, or simply buy online a Nutrition Kit of 8 bottles that will cover all your needs and save you
50% on fertilizer cost!
10. Share. Subscribe your friend to TopTropicals Newsletter so they can get a weekly Piece of Tropics in
their mailbox. Cool Cat Photos come as a bonus!
Make sure to always have on hand at least 2 main formulas of Sunshine Boosters - Robusta for vegetative growth, and C-Cibus that will satisfy plant needs for both fruit production and profuse flowering
Date:
Add a little Sunshine
to keep your plants looking their best
By Ed Jones, the Booster Guy
...Just like people, a little sunshine goes a long way in keeping them
happy. It is usually easier to keep a plant healthy than it is to fix it when
it is not well. Proper plant nutrition is often times the issue. The good
news is that it is easy to keep your plants looking good by following proper
nutrition practices...
...Feeding your plants with micronutrients that they just don't get in
regular fertilizers can prevent deficiencies. Let's get started on a regular
program of using foliar sprays to help keep your plants looking their best...
We recommend using three products in combination - the Complete SUNSHINE Microelement Supplement Kit that consists of:
- Sunshine Superfood
- Sunshine Epi
- Sunshine Power-Si
How often do I need to treat my plants?
We are recommending a foliar spray once per week to maintain optimal
health conditions. This is based on recent studies done in Ukraine by the scientist who invented Sunshine Boosters products...
Continue reading to see an easy treatment schedule that will provide
your plants with:
- Increased photosynthetic activity
- Increased insect and disease resistance
- Reduced mineral toxicity
- Improvement of nutrient imbalance
- Enhanced drought and frost tolerance
- Enhanced plant growth
Read more about these wonderful products and what they do >>
Sunshine Boosters are developed in Ukraine and manufactured in the USA. We support Ukraine fight for freedom. All profits from these fertilizers will be donated to support our Team in Ukraine.
Date:
Five reasons to give your mother a live plant
In the photo: Hoya kerrii - Wax Hearts, Sweetheart Hoya, Heart leaf - makes an ideal houseplant. It has become increasingly popular in recent years because of its unusual "heart" shape leaves...
Q: What is the best Mother' Days present?
A: Buying a live plant for your mother is a thoughtful and meaningful Mother's Day gift for several reasons:
1. Growth and Nurturing: Just like a mother's love, a live plant symbolizes growth, nurturing, and the bond between a caregiver and their offspring. By gifting a live plant, you acknowledge and honor your mother's role in nurturing and supporting you throughout your life.
2. Long-lasting Beauty: While cut flowers may fade within days, a live plant has the potential to flourish and bloom for months or even years. It serves as a constant reminder of your love and appreciation, bringing beauty and vitality to your mother's living space.
3. Therapeutic and Relaxing: Gardening has been proven to have therapeutic benefits, reducing stress and promoting relaxation. By giving your mother a live plant, you provide her with an opportunity to engage in a fulfilling and calming hobby that can enhance her overall well-being.
4. Personalized and Thoughtful: Choosing a live plant allows you to select a specific type or variety that holds significance for your mother. You can consider her preferences, favorite colors, or even a plant that carries a special meaning. This personalized touch shows that you've put thought and effort into selecting a gift that resonates with her.
5. Symbol of Renewal and Hope: Plants have a natural cycle of growth, renewal, and resilience. By giving your mother a live plant, you convey a message of hope, renewal, and the endless possibilities that lie ahead.
Some suggestions of live plant gifts
Spice trees and
plants - you don't need to wait until it fruits or blooms, the spice is
with you right away!
Mango or Avocado tree - a
classic present of a valuable tropical tree and a sign of respect
Fragrant
plants - 100% success! Ladies love fragrances. Especially Jasmines.
Flowering
butterfly attracting plants are so romantic!
Gingers and
heliconias - are very tropical looking, exotic beauties.
In the photo: Panama Queen - a very rare, much wanted tropical plant with extremely tropical look, fragrant flowers of unusual color combination: orange and pink
Date:
6 Things to Do on Labor Day Weekend
1. Plant a tree... or a shrub, even just a small perennial will do. This plant will make you feel good and accomplished for the whole year, until next Labor Day (or even longer!). You will always see this fruit of your work and remember your motivation, so things are not that bad with you!
2. Pull 66 weeds. Needless to say, you have plenty of those in your yard at the moment. Why 66? Just do it and see what happens. If you don't see any happy results, pull another 66.
3. Fertilize all plants in your garden or potted collection with slow release fertilizer and microelements. Remember, this is the last chance to give them food and strength to survive, before winter. Starting October, all leftover fertilizer goes to storage, even in tropical gardens.
4. Apply SUNSHINE
booster to protect your plants from cool temperature, help to go into
dormancy and rest without stress.
Remember, there are products for all your pre-winter needs: Sunshine-T for improving cold tolerance, Sunshine-BC for caudex and bonsai plants, Sunshine-H for houseplants, and general booster Sunshine-E to cover all occasions... 50 and 100 ml bottles available for large plant collections.
Sunshine-Honey should be applied on all fruit trees to ensure their next
year successful crop.
5. Add extra mulch in those areas where it was washed off with summer rains or broke down. One day of mulch work will provide 6 months of safe overwintering for your plants.
6. Have a BBQ or simply a nice meal with your friends or family. Enjoy your holiday relaxation after hard work weekend and recharge your Happiness for many days to come.
Date:
Cold protection for tropical plants
Pushing the limits of tropical gardening
The year is almost over but the winter is not. This Christmas weekend at our Sebring B-farm we had it down to 30F. As a tropical gardener, winter can be challenging, especially if you grow plants outside of tropical zones.
To protect your garden from the cold, consider the following:
1. Monitor freeze watches and be prepared to take action if
necessary.
2. Create temporary structures like mini-greenhouses using PVC pipes,
carport frames, or bamboo sticks to support covers.
3. Use covers such as frost cloth, cardboard boxes, blankets, and bed
sheets.
4. Use Christmas lights and other heating elements, including propane
heaters, to keep plants warm.
5. Add a layer of heavy mulch around plant trunks to protect them from the
cold.
6. Apply plant boosters that improve cold hardiness, such as Sunshine Epi,
Sunshine-Si, and Sunshine Superfood.
At TopTropicals B-Farm, we sprayed our plants with a special cold hardiness treatment Sunshine-Si and covered and wrapped everything we could. We also moved cold sensitive species inside greenhouses. All of our plants are looking great and happy!
Photo above: Mulching mango trunks and using Christmas lights for cold protection
Read more about this special treatment plan: Cold Hardiness Improvement Kit.
Photo above: Temporary wrapping of a section of a greenhouse with a plastic or frost cloth protects from a windchill. It may also win you a few degrees even without a heater. In this particular case, according to our temp sensors, it was 30F outside, and 41F inside this "dome", no heaters used.
Sunshine Boosters:
Last chance to stock up
at a lower price!
Sunshine Boosters are natural, amino acid-based liquid fertilizers made with only the highest quality ingredients. Starting in 2023, the pricing for Sunshine Boosters will be adjusting to reflect the increasing cost of supplies. This is your last chance to stock up on Sunshine Boosters before the end of the year! Sunshine Boosters are safe to use year around, with every watering.
Don't miss out on this opportunity to get the best value for your money!
Use discount for even better deal:
22FOR22
for 22% off orders $220+
Min order $220. Offer expires 12-31-22
Date:
Healthy Plants: Q&A from Mr Booster - Mango Talk
Today we are introducing a new column - Mango Talk! Everybody loves Mango
- the most delicious fruit in the world. Fruit experts like to talk about
varieties, how to grow a Mango tree better, and the fruit bigger and sweeter.
And beginners want to know more! What variety to get? How to take care of it?
How to get more fruit sooner than later?
This easy-read blog from Ed Jones is about the first steps - what to do
when you get your first Mango tree...
In our future publications, you will hear from Mango experts and have a
tour on Mango varieties...
Fertilize your Mango trees
By Ed Jones, the Booster Guy
Ok, you finally did it. You bought your first mango tree. Now what? Well, you have to love it and feed it and trim it and love it some more. But today, lets talk about how to fertilize your mango tree. The photo above shows some very small grafted mango trees. This is probably how yours will look when you bring them home or have them delivered....
CONTINUE READING >>
The photo above is of the two trees at the beginning of this blog after just under 10 months of TLC.
Date:
Fertilizing a Mango tree in container
Q: I live in the area with cooler winters so I am keeping my mango tree in a pot. What fertilizer do you recommend for the best growth and fruit production?
A: If you're growing fruit trees in pots, using liquid fertilizers is a great choice. And when it comes to liquid fertilizers, ones that are based on amino acids are super cool because they're natural and plants can gobble up all the good stuff without any problems. So, if you have a mango tree, the absolute star in amino acid-based fertilizers is -
Your tree will be doing a happy dance with this stuff!
Why Sunshine Boosters liquid fertilizers are so popular?
Here are a few awesome reasons:
1. Speedy nutrients: Sunshine Boosters liquid fertilizers are like a fast pass for plants. They get absorbed by the roots super quick, giving your fruit tree a speedy delivery of all the nutrients it needs. This is especially great for potted plants with limited soil space, like those yummy fruit trees.
2. Nutrients for all: Sunshine Boosters are like the fairy godmothers of nutrients. When you pour them around the base of your tree, they spread out evenly, making sure every bit of the tree gets its fair share of the good stuff. No nutrient deficiencies allowed!
3. The power of precision: Sunshine Boosters liquid fertilizers and other cool plant supplements let you become a master mixologist for your plant. You can measure and mix them just right, giving your tree the exact nutrients it craves. It's like creating a customized cocktail for your tree's taste buds. Try adding the magic works of SUNSHINE Microelement Supplement Kit - that improves hardiness, vigor, and production.
4. Leafy goodness: Sunshine Boosters have a secret talent - they can be sprayed directly on the leaves! It's like giving your tree a refreshing nutrient-packed spa treatment. The leaves slurp up those nutrients, bypassing any soil limitations. Talk about a VIP treatment!
Remember, while liquid fertilizers are awesome, they work best when you team them up with other good plant care practices. So don't forget to water properly, keep that soil in tip-top shape, and give your tree plenty of sunshine. With this dream team, your potted mango tree will thrive and grow like a champ!
Date:
How to keep iguanas away?
Q: Really enjoy all the plants that I have got from you, but having a hard time keeping iguanas eating everything! We are not on the water, any solution to keep them out?
A: Iguanas may become quite a problem in the garden. Our first suggestion would be - get a Duck as we have (Duck Dobi), she is so dominant and keeps any wild animals away from the property, including gators... and cats! They are scared of her! Dobi thinks she owns the place.
Here are a few other ways to control iguana problem in your backyard:
1. Rid your lawn of dropped fruits. Iguanas love fruit. And they love
low-hanging fruit or fruit that's easy to get to. If you have fruit trees, take
the time to pick up your yard and dispose of any dropped fruit.
2. Keep a lid on a garbage can. Put your garbage cans in a place they
can't get to, or put a cinder block on your can lid.
3. Do not leave pet food out. If you're putting a bowl of dog food or a
plate of cat food out for your pets, you're inviting iguanas into your yard.
4. Fill iguana holes. Iguanas like to dig. Wherever you see a hole,
fill it. Stuff rocks into the hole first, then fill it with dirt and top it with
sod. The iguana may return to dig again, but he won't dig through large
rocks.
5 Do NOT feed the iguanas. Don't be friendly with them, so they won't
come back.
6. Wire netting around plants. You can use wire netting or screens to
prevent iguanas from entering plants and shrubs.
7. Spray them with a hose. When you see an iguana in the yard, spray
them with the hose. They also hate loud noises. Constant harassment can keep
them from returning.
8. Keep your yard clean. Excessive overgrowth or yard storage are great
places for iguanas to hide.
9. Do not leave food out, unattended. Iguanas are mainly herbivores but
that doesn't mean they won't smell something good and want to eat it. They
will TRY anything.
Hopefully these tips help keep your iguana problems to a minimum.
