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Index > Garden Blog

Date:

Top Tropicals is now in Telegram!

 Top Tropicals is now in Telegram!
🌴 Top Tropicals is now in Telegram!

TopTropicals.com - the World's leading authority on tropical plants - is now in Telegram. If you grow a tropical garden or indoor collection of rare plants, this is your channel!

Join to get exclusive updates on tropical gardening:

🪼 Fun Facts and Nature Wonders
🌺 How to make your plants flower and stay happy
🥭 How to get the biggest fruit crop
🏆 Sweepstakes and Contests
🦋 Butterfly and Container Garden
🥗 Food Forest
⚜️ Perfume Plants
🍲 Exotic Recipes and Remedies
...and of course, your favorite -
🐾 PeopleCats in the Garden!

JOIN and share with friends! 👇

🏵 TopTropicals
We Grow Happiness

Date:

Top Tropicals is now in Telegram!

 Top Tropicals is now in Telegram!
🌴 Top Tropicals is now in Telegram!

TopTropicals.com - the World's leading authority on tropical plants - is now in Telegram. If you grow a tropical garden or indoor collection of rare plants, this is your channel!

Join to get exclusive updates on tropical gardening:

🪼 Fun Facts and Nature Wonders
🌺 How to make your plants flower and stay happy
🥭 How to get the biggest fruit crop
🏆 Sweepstakes and Contests
🦋 Butterfly and Container Garden
🥗 Food Forest
⚜️ Perfume Plants
🍲 Exotic Recipes and Remedies
...and of course, your favorite -
🐾 PeopleCats in the Garden!

JOIN and share with friends! 👇

🏵 TopTropicals
We Grow Happiness

Date:

Three tropical plants that help you to stay young

 Three tropical plants that help you to stay young  Three tropical plants that help you to stay young  Three tropical plants that help you to stay young
🌱 Three tropical plants that help you to stay young.
  1. Longevity Spinach - as the name suggests, this is one of the superfoods, and it lowers cholesterol. The leaves and young shoot tips can be used fresh in salads, steamed, used in stir fry, stews, and soups. Just add them at the very end. Recipes here 🥣
  2. Amlak, or Otaheite Gooseberry - fruit is a major ingredient of Chavyanprash, a popular Ayurvedic tonic. It is the richest source of vitamin C. Makes a perfect lemonade.
  3. Noni - a world-famous medicinal fruit. The noni juice works on a cellular level and rejuvenates nearly every system in the body. Large leaves, very tropical look, quick to fruit... This is a perfect tree for container and indoors. PDF: Noni's health benefits (Tropical Treasures Magazine).


⚕️ Discover more medicinal plants

#Food_Forest #Remedies

TopTropicals.com
We Grow Happiness

Date:

Elderberry Kir Royale

Grow your own... drink and medicine

Sambucus canadensis (nigra) - Elderberry, American Elder

In the summertime, Elderberry bushes transform into small, bushy trees adorned with sizable umbels of white flowers. As late summer approaches, the tree produces an abundance of dark purple berry clusters. Elderberry is known for its ability to withstand cold weather and can thrive in a variety of soils in either full or partial sun. While it typically grows to a height of 10 feet, its spreading can be managed through pruning.

This dense shrub is beloved by nesting birds, who are not the only creatures that appreciate its fruit. People also prize Elderberry for its delicious uses in winemaking, cocktails, and jellies. Elderberry syrup or cordial can be used to create flavorful fruity drinks and cocktails, like the Elderberry Kir Royale. Alternatively, the berries can be left to infuse their flavor into spirits, with Elderberry gin being a particularly delightful option.

Sambucus canadensis Elderberry, American Elder berries

Elderberry Cordial

When it comes to combating various strains of the flu virus, Elderberry Cordial ranks among the top natural remedies. Whether sipped in small servings or drizzled over a delectable dessert, Elderberry Cordial is a guilt-free way to fortify your immune system against colds and flus.

2 cups of fresh elderberries
16 oz water

  1. 1/2 cups sugar
    1/2 lemon (rind + juice)
  2. tablespoons minced fresh ginger
    1 stick cinnamon, crushed
    1ΒΌ cups dried elderberries
    1/4 cup dried rosehips

About 3 cups brandy
Honey, to taste

Add all ingredients in a jar and cover with a lid. Set aside in a cool, dark place for 3-4 weeks. When ready to decant, strain and squeeze through cheesecloth. For every 1 cup of liquid retained, add 1/2 cup honey. Mix thoroughly. Pour the cordial into a decorative bottle for storage, or gift giving.

Elderberry Kir Royale Cocktail

5 oz white wine, sparkling wine or champagne
2 oz Elderberry cordial
Rocks
Mint leaves (optional)
Pour the Champagne in a flute glass. Add the Elderberry Cordial slowly.
Party time!

Elderberry Kir Royale Cocktail

Date:

What is the easiest, prettiest, and most practical plant?
A plastic one?
Believe it or not, there is a different answer:

Plant of the month: Callisia Variegated Golden Tendril

Callisia fragrans x soconuscensis Melnikoff - Variegated Golden Tendril

Callisia fragrans x soconuscensis Melnikoff - Variegated Golden Tendril

An ultimate plant:
- perfect low maintenance house plant
- easy to grow
- has multiple holistic medicinal properties
- can grow fast as grownd cover
- needs almost no water
- sun or shade
- no fuss, no kidding!

This is an extremely rare variety of the European Holistic Medicinal Plant - Golden Tendril. It has showy variegated leaves and makes a beautiful houseplant on top of its medicinal value. It tolerates wide range of conditions and requires very little water; takes both bright sun or shade and is very fast growing and easy. The plant has wide medicinal use in Europe, literally every household uses this plant as a home remedies... just like Aloe Vera! According to scientific research, active biological substances from steroid group contained in this plant can struggle with any types of infections, stimulates metabolic processes, strengthens immunity and circulatory system, has a positive influence on growths and much more... some people consider it a virtual panacea. Whether it works for everybody or not, it is definitely fun to own such a legendary plant!

These are pictures of actual plants for sale!

Callisia fragrans x soconuscensis Melnikoff - Variegated Golden Tendril

Date:

Healthy Plants: Q&A from Mr Booster

How to get Canistel tree to produce
without dropping flowers and fruit

Q: My Canistel tree is 3 1/2 years old and is growing very well, see the picture below. It gets hundreds of pea sized "berries" but then they fall off. No canistel fruit. What's wrong?

A: You have such a nice looking tree, it is a shame you can't get any fruit to ripen.
In our experience, Pouteria trees dropping fruit prematurely is a very common problem. There may be one of the following reasons, or a combination of them:
- Cold winters may affect production, and while Canistel is generally pretty hardy tropical plant that can easily withstand short periods of chill, the fruit may never form properly if it had a cold winter.
- Lack of water. Canistel tree is pretty drought tolerant, but for the proper production cycle it needs regular irrigation. Especially during hot summer.
- The tree may be not strong enough; young trees drop fruit very often when they don't have enough "fruiting energy" built up in their system.
Your tree looks well established and vigorous, however, flower/fruit drop is often a sign of insufficient nutrients of particular kind, usually Boron (B) and/or Molybdenum (Mo): either when a tree is too young and not strong enough, or because of poor soils and lack of necessary elements.

Here is what can be done, considering you live in a warm, frost-free climate.

1. Provide regular fertilizing program. We recommend liquid fertilizers Sunshine Boosters that are safe to use with every watering and year around. It is beneficial to switch plants from traditional "slow-release" fertilizer to the liquid one because it makes a huge difference in plant growth and flower/fruit quality and quantity. See also:
- Why liquid fertilizers are better than dry
-
Article about benefits of liquid fertilizers.

Use this plant food for your Canistel tree:
SUNSHINE C-Cibus - Crop Nutrition Booster

2. Apply micro-element remedies that are very effective for improving fruit production, especially when flower or fruit drop occurs:

SUNSHINE Honey - promotes more efficient blossoming and pollination, makes flowers bigger and reduces bud drop.
SUNSHINE SuperFood - improves plant vigor and quality and size of flowers These are all natural, eco-friendly supplements that work great for fruit trees and other edibles.

Date:

Growing Loquat in container

Q: I purchased a Sherry Loquat tree from you in April of 2020. It got off to a slow start initially, but now is five feet tall with healthy leaf growth! It is in a 15-gallon pot and was brought into the house by October 15th. I live in Zone 6 and kept the plant outside from end of May to October 15th. I have given the tree artificial lights in addition to slow release fertilizer. Can you please advise me on what steps I need to take to get the Sherry Loquat tree to fruit? E.g., lighting requirements, soil pH, soil type, etc.

A: Loquat is normally winter flowering and spring fruiting tree, here in Florida it is usually heavily covered with fruit by April. With a proper care, you may see flowers throughout the winter and they may set some fruit for you. Considering that during this time you have to keep the plant indoors, here are some recommendations:

1. Soil. Well-drained, porous potting mix. Do not use any heavy garden soils. For our plants we use the following mix which is excellent for containers: Abundance

2. Light. The brighter the better. Sunroom would be great, or at least put the tree next to a large window. Extra lighting with grow lights is beneficial. Any type of light will work, you can even use a simple clip-on light, the brighter the better. 8-10 hours a day.

3. Water. Loquat is drought tolerant but for fruiting it will need regular watering; just don't keep soil soggy, let is slightly dry before waterings.

4. Fertilizer program. Use liquid fertilizer. We recommend Sunshine Boosters that are safe to use with every watering and year around - SUNSHINE C-Cibus - Crop Nutrition Booster.
We recommend to switch plants from traditional "slow-release" fertilizer to the liquid one because it makes a huge difference in plant growth and flower/fruit quality and quantity. Sunshine Boosters are scientifically balanced fertilizers that supply all necessary elements for daily plant needs. They are natural and eco-safe, great for any edibles.

5. Micro-elements. These are essential for potted plants, because in containers roots can't reach out to elements that are usually present in soil when trees grown in the ground.

Apply micro-element remedies that are very effective for improving fruit production, especially when flower or fruit drop occurs:
SUNSHINE Honey - promotes more efficient blossoming and pollination, makes flowers bigger and reduces bud drop.
SUNSHINE SuperFood - improves plant vigor and quality and size of flowers
These are all natural, eco-friendly supplements that work great for fruit trees and other edibles.

Read more about Loquat trees: The best grafted Loquat varieties.

Date:

Plants for happiness and joy

Plants as homeopathic remedies and happiness boosters. Many people know about health benefits of vitamin C which improves and boosts our immune system similar to SUNSHINE plant booster stimulating growth of plants. But not everybody realizes that this vitamin is responsible for overall happiness of our body, it brings many systems in balance. A number of tropical plants used in salads, as well as fruit with high content of vitamin C can play dual role in your life. You can use them as food, as well as enjoy their beautiful tropical appearance. Such plants will help you feel interest and joy in life when you feel apathetic and resigned to the situation you are in. Just to name a few:

Lychee
Barbados Cherry
Eugenias
Hibiscus Karkade

Try them out. Stay healthy and happy!

Date:

New Top Tropicals Video


Top Tropicals Video - Pesticide 101 Safe and Easy. Top Tropicals Plant Clinic with Robert Riefer (Certified Crop Adviser, ISA Certified Arborist). Many people are afraid of using harsh chemicals. We will discuss some pests you may find in your garden and what you can do about them, including using easy and safe household remedies.

Check out this video: Pesticide 101 Safe and Easy.

Stay updated with TopTropicals Videos by subscribing to our channel at YouTube.com/TopTropicals and get our latest video news of what's fruiting and blooming!

Father's Day discount. A live plant is the most special gift for the Dad!
15% off coupon: FATHER2016 (plus usual 5% discount on top of this offer)
Enter discount code in shopping cart and click "recalculate"
Valid through end of the day of Sunday June 19, 2016. Minimum order $100 (excluding S&H). Not valid on previous purchases. You may also purchase a GIFT CERTIFICATE so he can select his favorite plant!

Date:

New Top Tropicals Video


Top Tropicals Video - Pesticide 101 Safe and Easy. Top Tropicals Plant Clinic with Robert Riefer (Certified Crop Adviser, ISA Certified Arborist). Many people are afraid of using harsh chemicals. We will discuss some pests you may find in your garden and what you can do about them, including using easy and safe household remedies.

Check out this video: Pesticide 101 Safe and Easy.

Stay updated with TopTropicals Videos by subscribing to our channel at YouTube.com/TopTropicals and get our latest video news of what's fruiting and blooming!

Father's Day discount. A live plant is the most special gift for the Dad!
15% off coupon: FATHER2016 (plus usual 5% discount on top of this offer)
Enter discount code in shopping cart and click "recalculate"
Valid through end of the day of Sunday June 19, 2016. Minimum order $100 (excluding S&H). Not valid on previous purchases. You may also purchase a GIFT CERTIFICATE so he can select his favorite plant!