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Garden Blog - Top Tropicals
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This Saturday, 12/16:
Holiday Plant Market
December 16, 9 am - 4 pm
Escape the ordinary and join us at Top Tropicals for the most anticipated event and the biggest plant sale of the year - the Holiday Plant Market! Immerse yourself in a kaleidoscope of colors as you stroll through a garden bursting with life. Uncover incredible one-day-only deals on tropical treasures...
Highlights of the event include:
30% OFF online price
Special discounts and offers on selected plants
Fruit tree specials: selected varieties as low as $45 Avocado and $60
Mango
Secret Garden: Super savings area 50-70% off
$5 and $10 plants, raffle
Free plant with any purchase as a token of our appreciation
Event discounts valid at both locations:
Ft Myers Garden Center: 13890 Orange River, Ft Myers, FL
Sebring B-Farm: 9100 McRoy Rd, Sebring, FL
Facebook event page - Download invitation
NOTE: CLOSED ON 12/14
Our Garden Center and Farm both will be closed on Thursday Dec 14 for maintenance and preparation for the event.
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What plants are good to order in Winter?
Photo above: Christmas time in Ukraine (left) and Florida (right)
Q: Are there any tropical plants that will do well if I order them in Winter? We just bought a house in New Jersey with a large sunroom, and I can't wait to fill it with tropical beauties! Should I wait until Spring, or do you have something for a Winter start?
A: This is indeed a very good question, as many tropical plant collectors grow their treasures outside the tropics. The short answer is - yes! You can start filling your tropical sunroom any time of the year, but some plants are easier to deal with in Winter than others. Below are some guidelines.
Winter bloomers today, left to right: Jatropha, Champaka, Brunfelsia, Calliandra, Leonotis.
1. Plants that prefer Winter shipping to avoid overheating stress:
- All plants with lush foliage such as Philodendrons, Medinilla
- Trees with fine feathery leaves such as Moringa, Jacaranda, Poinciana
- Some fruit trees sensitive to overheating during shipping: Papaya, Stawberry Tree, Starfruit (Carambola), Bilimbi.
2. Subtropical plants that are relatively cold hardy
- Fruit trees:
Loquats, Olives, Avocados, Tropical Cherries: Eugenia, Malpighia, Noni (more cold
hardy than you may think),
Canistel.
- Flowering trees: Champaka, Tabebuia.
- All Bananas
- see all relatively cold hardy
plants
3. Winter-dormant and/or deciduous plants: Adeniums, Plumerias, Gingers, Sugar Apple
, Peaches and
Plums, June Plum and Hog Plum.
See all deciduous/winter dormant plants.
4. Orchids, including Ground Orchids.
5. Winter flowers. Keep in mind that many tropical plants are
winter bloomers, and their flowering is most profuse in Winter months, so you
can enjoy the blooms right away:
Dombeya,
Thunbergia,
Gloxinia, Brunfelsia, Calliandra, Tibouchina, Barleria, Leonotis, Clerodendrums, Chinese Hat (Holmskioldia).
See all Winter bloomers.
Winter bloomers today, left to right: Clerodendrum minahasse, Variegated Malvaviscus Summer Snow, Kopsia fruticosa
6. Winter plant care. During Winter the daylight is shorter and temperatures are
cooler.
- Reduce watering
- Use only liquid amino-acid based fertilizer Sunshine Boosters (safe to use year around)
- Monitor insects.
7. Shipping in Winter. We ship year around. However, if it gets below freezing in your area, you may use FedEx Hold location, they are temperature controlled so you don't have to worry about a box being dropped off at your cold porch outside.
8. A note for mild climate residents. Most tropical plants can be planted in the ground year around. Some ultra-tropical tender species such Chocolate tree, Ylang Ylang, or small size Mango trees can be grown in pots until Spring and planted out once chances of cold spell are gone. Until then, they can be moved indoors for cold nights.
Think outside the box and bring tropical paradise indoors during the time when we need warmth the most! Tropical plants will brighten your short winter days and help you to have truly HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Winter bloomers today, left to right: Gloxinia, Barleria, and ever-bright Crotons...
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Veterans Day: November 11
Special Deals
Our special Veterans Day sale on tropical plants is a salute to those who served! Enjoy this discount code - a small token of gratitude for our heroes:
VETERANS23
Your savings with this code:
5% off orders $100+
10% off orders $150+
15% off orders $200+
Excluding S/H. Exp. 11-12-23
Mango & Avocado Super Sale!
Instant 20% off Mango and Avocado trees
Celebrate Veterans Day with the taste of the tropics! Indulge in our exclusive offer on Mango and Avocado trees, available now at unbeatable prices. With the discount code above, your qualified purchase of these trees can be as low as:
$64 for Mango trees
$61 for Avocado trees
Hurry up! Limited time quantities - while supply lasts!
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A note from our customer:
Dwarf Avocado
"Our beautiful Dwarf Avocado we bought in April 2021. Thought
you'd enjoy seeing!"
~Marge & Nick
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Avocado Variety Guide: Snack or Guacamole?
Collector's inspiration
Photo above: It's NOT an egg plant! It's a Red Russell :)
A comprehensive guide to Avocado varieties by: flower type A or B, tree habit, fruit shape and quality, cold hardiness, origin, season and more!
Many gardeners who are eager to purchase their first avocado tree often wonder which variety to choose. Most people are familiar with two primary classifications commonly found in grocery stores: Small & Black or Large & Green.
Frequently, we hear customers ask, "Do you have the one I like, the smaller fruit with bumpy skin? Not that big, tasteless, and watery one!" What they may not realize is that this basic (but practical!) classification doesn't encompass all the wonderful qualities avocados have to offer. There are numerous hybrids in cultivation, and once you plant your first tree and taste the REAL fruit (not from the grocery store), you'll be eager to explore other varieties. It's a guarantee! While it's true that avocado fruit can vary in "butter" content and how "watery" or "buttery" it is, most superior varieties are equally delicious. Or perhaps we should say they are so versatile and distinct in taste that you'll start building your collection of these trees, much like fruit enthusiasts do with mango varieties.
Every garden has unique requirements based on climate, temperature, and property size. These factors must be considered before planning your avocado garden. Additionally, many gardeners may wonder about Type A vs. Type B classifications and whether they need more than one tree to yield fruit. You'll find all this valuable information in our Avocado Variety Guide.
Basic classifications of avocados
1) By flowering pattern and pollination behavior: Type A and Type B
2) By origin: Mexican, Guatemalan, and West Indian (along with many hybrids)
3) By fruit appearance, texture and taste: Guacamole Avocado ("Smooth skin") and Snack Avocado ("California" or "Hass" type)
4) By growth habit: full size trees, free branching or upright, semi-dwarf low growing, and dwarf ("condo avocados")
5) By cold hardiness: Cold sensitive (requiring frost-free conditions), cold tolerant (able to withstand light frost), and cold hardy (capable of enduring some hard freezes once established)
6) By ripening season: Early or Spring (March-June), Mid or Summer (July-September), and Late or Fall-Winter (October-February).
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How cats eat pineapples
TikTok Reels from TopTropicals
Our PeopleCats love roaming in the gardens. They often guide customers in our Garden Center, and their favorite isle is fruit trees! At this time of the year, Pineapples are ripening, and these fruit are always fun for both people and PeopleCats.
In this short video, Philemon and Scooby are discovering new tastes of Pineapple varieties.
More to see: Watch Philemon eating Avocado!
Discover more exotic plants and fun garden happenings from our TikTok updates!
Subscribe to Top Tropicals TikTok:
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Easy,
stress-free plants
for Summer planting
Q: With the rising temperatures, I'm concerned about shipping my plants safely. Can they withstand the heat during transit? Also, is it okay to plant them in the ground now, or should I wait for cooler Fall weather?
A: Your concern about shipping plants in hot weather is valid. For sensitive plants, we'll delay shipping until conditions are more favorable in your area. However, there are plenty of heat-tolerant tropical plants that handle shipping well with minimal stress. These plants adapt easily when planted during the hot summer months. Simply follow the included planting instructions, gradually acclimate them to full sun, and they should thrive.
Certain flowering tropical plants, such as Allamandas, Calliandras, Caesalpinias, Adeniums, and Clerodendrums, are excellent options for shipping and establishing during the summer. Flowering vines like Jasmines also adapt well. Consider using Sunshine Booster fertilizers to promote robust growth, they are safe to use right after planting.
Additionally, many fruit trees flourish in heat. Mangoes, Avocados, Pomegranates, Pineapples, Loquats, Eugenias - Tropical cherries, Bananas, Jackfruits, Dragon Fruit, and Olive trees are great choices for summer planting. Noni trees are hardy survivors and usually ship and grow well during the summer, in spite of their lush tropical leaves.
Feel free to check with us about the specific plant you plan to order for its suitability in summer shipping. We're here to take care of your green babies and address your year-round planting needs!
Pitaya, Yellow Dragon Fruit, Selenicereus megalanthus
Jasminum sambac Maid of Orleans thrives and blooms in hot sun
Kalanchoe synsepala Magnificent - Walking Cup Kalanchoe, spectacular plant, loves dry and hot conditions
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NEW VIDEO:
ABC7 Fort Myers News:
Avocado Varieties at Top Tropicals
We continue the series of ABC-7 News on Top Tropicals selections. Previously, we showed you segments about Butterfly Plants, Rare Fruit Trees, and Mango varieties. Today's video is about growing an Avocado tree in your home garden.
Growing your own avocado tree has many benefits. You can enjoy fresh, delicious avocados right from your garden. Avocado trees are attractive, provide shade, and enhance your landscape. There are many avocado varieties to choose from, offering unique flavors, sizes, and ripening times. You will find Avocado trees for sale online right here at TopTropicals.com. Our trees can be shipped to you!
Watch the news segment by Rachel Anderson for ABC-7:
.
Subscribe to our Channel:
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!
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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