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By Alex Butova, the Witch of Herbs and Cats
Q: I saw your beautiful cats in your garden and now I know you are not only plant experts, but also cat experts. Do you now what is the classic color of European shorthair cat?
A: You are right, here at Top Tropicals we have a whole PeopleCats garden with all sorts of cats, and we can tell stories about each breed and personality! In fact, our cat expert Alex Boutova just started a series about cat breeds.
With European shorthair cat breed, there is a twist! Sometimes, people get confused because European shorthair covers lots of different cats found all over Europe. It's not just one type of cat, but a whole bunch! You've got cats with two colors, including bicolor cats (including tuxedo cats), multicolor cats, and even cats with just one solid color like black, grey, ginger, or tabby...
Continue reading:
European Shorthair: a cat that came from the wild.
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Introducing Matilda, the newest member of the Top Tropicals PeopleCats.Garden family. Matilda is a Manx cat, a special breed known for being tailless, originally from the Isle of Man.
Matilda is a loving and friendly cat who enjoys her meals. After dining with her fellow PeopleCats, she dutifully cleans all 11 dishes. While she may still remember her days in the bushes, Matilda is now happily settling into her new life at Top Tropicals. Stay tuned for more stories about this unique cat breed in our upcoming Cat Breeds Series.
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By Kristi VanBenschoten
For those of you who have been following the Cat of the Day stories, you may remember the heartbreaking story about Little Raja... When Raja passed, I was heartbroken and vowed, "No more new cats." Well, wouldn't you know, I would eat those words...
One of our shipping experts, Rob, came in and said that a feral cat
around his house had just given birth to a kitten on his front porch, but the
mother had left and not returned. I immediately asked him to go get me the
kitten, knowing it was going to be cold and hungry and could not be left without
warmth and food for long...
Rob rushed off to get the kitten and, within what felt like the blink of an
eye, returned with the tiniest (about 4 inches), yet astonishingly vocal,
kitten I had ever met.
And this is what happened next...
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We usually stop using dry slow-release fertilizers from November to March. However, liquid Sunshine Boosters, which are natural plant food, can be used all year. They help your plants survive winter. When it gets colder, we water less, so the fertilizer decreases too. The plants only use what they need. To learn more about how Sunshine Boosters work and why they're safe and helpful, check out this blog: Using Sunshine Booster during Winter.
Apart from giving your plants nutrients during winter, you also can improve their ability to handle the cold. Try the Sunshine Boosters supplement kit for tropical plants. Follow the schedule and use three different supplements: SUNSHINE Superfood, SUNSHINE Epi, and SUNSHINE-Power-Si. Read more about treatment with Sunshine boosters supplement kit.
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Introducing Clifford, the freshest face on the Top Tropicals team at the
Garden Center and an honorary partner of the PeopleCats (or should we say, PeoplePaws). This
dynamo has been appointed as the chief of our Security Crew, much to everyone's surprise and delight.
Now, the story goes like this: Clifford strolled in from who-knows-where and, with the charm only a puppy can muster, looked
up at Chiane with those soulful eyes as if to say, "Hey, can I crash here?" Well, what else could
she do? She gave him a warm bath, and lo and behold, beneath all that stray dust, Clifford turned out to be
white!
Clifford is a little ball of sunshine. He's got a heart of gold and a zest for life that's absolutely contagious.
When it comes to shipping activities, he's the first one to volunteer. And the best part? Clifford is the epitome of punctuality. You can set your watch by him. He shows up
for work every day with his tail wagging and ready to conquer the world.
Clifford is not just our head of Security Crew; he's our daily dose of happiness and a reminder that sometimes, the best things in life simply wander in when you least expect them!
Fruit image by jemastock on Freepik
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By Alex Butova, the Witch of Herbs and Cats
How to know the astrological sign of your cat?
The astrological sign of a cat can be determined by either their date of birth or
adoption, as adoption is often considered a second birth for cats...More >>
Purrrrfect office companions!
Are you someone who occasionally finds themselves in a state of disarray, struggling to maintain a tidy living
space and manage your time effectively? Do you often find yourself behind schedule, struggling to fulfill your plans punctually?
If this sounds familiar, let the Virgo Cat lend a helping paw to restore order and rhythm to your life... The Virgo Cats are more than just a
pet; it's a dedicated companion that excels at instilling structure and cleanliness...
Eventually, you will realise that they want to accompany you to the office to be your office mate. This is why Virgo cats spread themselves over your laptop or sit
deliberately in front of the screen - it is not because they need your attention, but because they (and you!) need to get to
work...
In the photo: introducing a new member of Top Tropicals PeopleCats family - Jacques, September cat by point of entry. He is only 5 months old and still learning how to be an office cat... but he already has very daring plans!
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Akee is a close relative of Lychee, Longan, and Rambutan. You can find delicious akee meals only in Jamaican restaurants! But no need to search for it - grow your own tree, it can't be easier. It will start fruiting for you the next season, you don't have to wait long. Sometimes it fruits twice a year! However, the fruit is used as a vegetable, and is not eaten raw. It must be picked after the fruit has opened naturally. After the fruit has "yawned", the arils are parboiled and lightly fried in butter. Then they are really delicious! Watch the QUICK RECIPE provided by our PeopleCats!
The Akee tree - scientific name Blighia sapida - is easy in cultivation, fast growing and can be maintained compact. It is not bugsy or picky about soil/water conditions, and is relatively cold tolerant for being a tropical tree. Now it's the perfect time to plant it!
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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We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for making our garden event in celebration of our manager Kristi's birthday such a resounding success!
To our wonderful guests, thank you for joining us on that beautiful Saturday and making the day special for Kristi and all of us at Top Tropicals. We hope you enjoyed reconnecting with nature and finding the perfect plants to adorn your gardens. Your presence and the efforts of our amazing Team combined to create a memorable day filled with tropical beauty and inspiration for all.
A heartfelt shout-out goes to our exceptional Top Tropicals Team, the
true heroes behind the scenes. Our dedicated People and PeopleCats
, who generously shared their knowledge and passion, guided you through the
nursery, and helped you select the perfect plants. They are the ones who work
tirelessly to ensure every plant thrives, nurturing our garden with love and
care. Their unwavering dedication was particularly evident in the incredible
recovery of our garden after Hurricane Ian last year. Today, you witness its
beauty once again, renewed and flourishing, thanks to their hard work and
commitment.
These People are: Kristi, Jamie, Onika, Tony, Chiane, Mark H, Mark
M, Ed, Beatriz, Aurelio, Mick... (see Our Team).
The PeopleCats are: King, Snitch, Sushi, Loki, Paisley, Josephine...
(+10 more at Garden Center and 9 more at B-Farm! See all PeopleCats)
Here are a few pictures from the past event, and please visit Event Mementos page to see all of them!
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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!
