Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

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A plant wearing a sweater. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

A plant wearing a sweater

Tradescantia sillamontana - White Velvet, Cobweb Spiderwort

👚 A plant wearing a sweater
  • 👕 Tradescantia sillamontana - White Velvet, Cobweb Spiderwort - is one of those plants that stops people in their tracks and makes them ask, "What is that fuzzy thing?" Here's why it's so cool:
  • 👕 It looks like it's wearing a sweater! Its silvery-green leaves are covered in a soft, white fuzz that looks like cobwebbing - hence the nickname Cobweb Spiderwort. It's as if the plant dressed itself for a chilly morning
  • 👕 It grows low and spreads nicely, forming a neat, dense mound about 10-12 inches tall and 18 inches wide, making it perfect for edging, containers, or spilling over walls.
  • 👕 In summer and fall, it surprises you with vivid magenta-purple flowers tucked among the fuzzy foliage.
  • 👕 Despite its delicate appearance, this plant is hardy to light freezes (zone 8) and thrives on neglect. Dry spells? No problem. It pairs beautifully with succulents. Sun or shade!
  • 👕 Whether in a rock garden, pot, or tucked into a sunny nook, White Velvet brings texture, contrast, and plenty of personality. This little spiderwort is weird, wonderful, and surprisingly easy to grow.


🛒 Get your own Fuzzy White Velvet Tradescantia

#Container_Garden #Shade_Garden #Nature_Wonders

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Beware of the Wigglebutts! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Beware of the Wigglebutts!

Sunshine, Draco and Lila the dogs

🐶 Beware of the Wigglebutts!

Another year passed, and here is another Lab Family reunion!
Exactly a year ago: 8 cute puppies update: wet dog fragrance. Mango's puppies turned into big monsters.

🐈📸 Sunshine, Draco and Lila visiting their Mom Mango at Top Tropicals Bfarm and PeopleCats.Garden. 

#PeopleCats

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☀️ When tropical plant takes a Summer break

Tropical landscape

Why your plants might stop growing in mid-Summer
and what to do about it

Q: Why some tropical plants stop growing when it gets too hot? Aren't they supposed to like the heat? Should I use more fertilizer during hot Summer?

You've been watching your tropical tree thrive all spring. New leaves, steady growth, maybe even a flower or two. Then July hits, and… nothing. The heat cranks up, and your once-busy plant just sits there. No new shoots, no blooms, not even a twitch. If it feels like your plant ghosted you - but don't worry! It's not dying. It's just hot!

Q: What happens to tropical plants when it gets extremely hot?

When the heat hits, plants hit pause. In the peak of summer, especially with temperatures above 90F, many tropical and subtropical plants go into heat survival mode. Growth above ground may slow down or stop entirely. It's not because you forgot to water or skipped a fertilizer dose - it's just too hot. The plant's energy shifts underground, where roots may still be growing. Think of it like a tropical version of a siesta - less margarita, more mulch. This stage might last a few weeks or longer, depending on how intense the heat gets. But the important thing is: it's normal.

Q: What NOT to do?

  • Don't drown it in extra water. That leads to root rot.
  • Don't dump dry fertilizer on it. That can burn the roots or just get flushed away. Use controlled release or liquid fertilizer dozed proportionaly to the plant's water usage.
  • Don't prune aggressively, hoping to jolt it awake.

None of that helps - in fact, it can make things worse.

Q: What you CAN do?

  • Water deeply in the early morning, and let the soil dry a bit between waterings.
  • Add mulch to help keep the root zone cool and reduce evaporation.
  • Provide temporary shade for potted plants or young trees.
  • Hold off on pruning or heavy feeding until you see new growth.

Just like you wouldn't run a marathon in a heatwave, your plant needs a break too.

Q: Why you shouldn't fertilize stressed plants with dry fertilizer?

Fertilizing seems like the obvious solution when a plant stalls, but in the heat of summer, it can backfire. When temperatures soar, roots slow down, and absorption becomes inefficient. You might pour in nutrients, but your plant can't use them - and what's worse, any tender new growth that does emerge can get scorched or sunburned before it has a chance to harden.

Feeding a plant with strong fertilizers during a heatwave is like telling someone to sprint in a sauna. It's not just unhelpful - it's risky. That's why you need a fertilizer that’s engineered for hot weather - not just any slow-release formula.

Liquid Sunshine Boosters mild formulas are safe to use year around. Controlled release fertilizer like Green Magic are safe as well, just make sure to follow directions and dosage.


Q: Why Green Magic fertilizer works in heat better that Osmocote?

Green Magic controlled release fertilizer

Not all slow-release fertilizers are built for hot summer. Some popular brands might seem like a good choice - but they’re optimized for soil temperatures around 70-75F. That's a mild Spring day in the South, but in real-world Florida or Arizona heat? Not even close.

Here's the problem: Osmocote releases nutrients based on moisture, not temperature. When it's hot and humid - or worse, when you water heavily - it can dump too many nutrients at once. That nutrient surge can:

  • Burn your plant's roots
  • Force tender new growth that gets fried in the heat
  • Leach straight out of the pot, wasting both fertilizer and money

It's unpredictable, especially in containers that heat up faster than ground soil. What you think is "slow-release" can behave more like a fertilizer bomb.

Green-Magic, by contrast, uses a temperature-sensitive polyurethane coating that responds gradually and consistently as the soil warms. That means:

  • No sudden nutrient spikes
  • No wasted runoff
  • And no risk of heat-triggered burn

It's designed to feed steadily and predictably - even when temps hit 90F and stay there. For potted tropical plants, that kind of control is the difference between stressed and thriving.

Q: How does Sunshine Boosters help with daily plant recovery in summer?

Once your plant begins to show signs of life again - maybe a new bud, or evening perkiness - it's safe to resume feeding. But skip the salts, and reach for something gentler: Sunshine Boosters.

These amino-acid based liquid fertilizers are designed for daily use, even in containers during the hottest days. They enhance nutrient uptake, even when roots are stressed or sluggish. Unlike synthetic chelators like EDTA, Sunshine Boosters won't bind nutrients or burn root system. They stay gentle, available, and effective. Learn more from this short video.

Use SUNSHINE Robusta for foliage support, or Ca-Support PRO for strong structure and recovery. It's like hydration and nutrition in one - perfect for tropical plants fighting through summer heat.

Q: How can I help my plants during extreme heat?

Don't fight the heat - work with it. If your tree looks stalled this summer, don't panic. It's following a rhythm older than all of us. Support it with smart watering, the right fertilizer combo, and a little patience. Before long, you'll see buds again - and know your plant made it through the heat.


Shop fertilizers and garden supplies


Read more plant care tips in Garden Blog

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🔥 Too hot to function?
20% off QUALITY fertilizers

Macaron the tuxedo cat lying lazily on his side in a sunny windowsill, one paw raised mid-stretch as he naps through the summer heat.

When it gets this hot, even Macaron the cat gives up on pretending to care. He flops sideways, paw in the air like he's surrendering to the sun, and doesn't move for hours. Your plants? They’re doing the same.

That's not neglect. It's survival.

If your tropical plant suddenly stopped growing, it's not mad at you - it's on summer strike. And the worst thing you can do is try to push it with a shovel of cheap dry fertilizer.

In our next column we will tell you how to save plants from heat stress, root burn, or just plain summer sulking. Macaron's Paw of Approval 🐾.

While you're at it - give your plants the gentle support they actually need - and save!

Use code FERTI20 to save 20% on fertilizers and garden supplies!

No minimum order. Offer Ends July 24, 2025.

Shop fertilizers and garden supplies Orange cat with garden supplies and fertilizers

Date:

Mango Tebow. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Mango Tebow

Tebow Mango

Tebow Mango - smooth, sweet, and melting.
Mango Rainbow🌈
  • 🟡 Mango Tebow is Kent x Edward hybrid, an excellent late season variety. It is a Florida-born favorite named after Tim Tebow.
  • 🟡 Fiber-free, smooth orange flesh with a sweet, tropical pineapple-coconut twist. It's juicy, fragrant, and just melts in your mouth.
  • 🟡 A compact, heavy-bearing tree - perfect for home growers.


🛒 Shop Mango varieties

📚 Previous posts: #Mango_Rainbow - varieties you should try

#Food_Forest #Mango #Mango_Rainbow

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National treasure of Thailand: Golden Shower Tree. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

National treasure of Thailand: Golden Shower Tree

Cassia fistula - Golden Shower Tree

🌞 National treasure of Thailand: Golden Shower Tree
  • ☀️ Cassia fistula - Golden Shower Tree is known as the national flower of Thailand. It is one of the most spectacular flowering trees for tropical and subtropical gardens.
  • ☀️ From late spring through summer, it puts on a breathtaking display of golden-yellow flower clusters that hang in long, pendulous chains, often over a foot long. When in full bloom, the entire tree appears drenched in gold.
  • ☀️ This deciduous tree drops its leaves in the dry season, allowing the brilliant flowers to take center stage. The leaves re-emerge after flowering, followed by long, dark brown seed pods that can reach up to two feet.
  • ☀️ Cassia fistula is fast-growing, typically reaching 20-30 feet tall, and thrives in full sun with well-drained soil. It prefers a dry season to initiate heavy blooming and is tolerant of drought once established.
  • ☀️ Aside from its beauty, the tree has cultural and medicinal significance in Asia in Ayurvedic medicine.
  • ☀️ Fun facts:

▫️In Thailand, it’s called Ratchaphruek and symbolizes royal identity.
  • ▫️Its golden flowers are often used in local festivals and ceremonies.
  • ▫️It attracts bees and butterflies and provides seasonal shade.


🛒 Shop showy Cassia trees

📚 Learn more:
▫️Compact and showy flowering trees: Rainbow Cassias.

#Butterfly_Plants #Trees

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Royal Cats Daily Schedule. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Royal Cats Daily Schedule

Royal Cats Daily Schedule

Royal Cats Daily Schedule

✨ Royal Cat’s Daily Schedule

5:00 am - 5:15 am - Wake the servants. With authority. Use claws if ignored.
6:00 am - 6:15 am - Morning grooming. A monarch must sparkle.
6:15 am - 7:30 am - Vigorous athletic training: zoomies, ambush drills, and hallway races.
7:30 am - Light royal snack. Not what was offered - something better.
7:30 am - 1:00 pm - Refreshing slumber in a sunbeam. Royal snoring allowed.
1:00 pm - 1:15 pm - Afternoon snack. Preferably something the servants just opened for themselves.
1:15 pm - 1:16 pm - Optional stretch. One paw is enough.
1:16 pm - 5:30 pm - Do not wake. The royal being is not to be trifled with.
5:30 pm - Servants return from wherever they’ve been. Deliver loud complaints. Make it personal.
5:35 pm - 6:00 pm - Festive banquet. Fit for feline royalty.
6:00 pm - 6:05 pm - Digestive pause. Stare into the void.
6:05 pm - 6:30 pm - Additional nap. Important things can wait.
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm - Allow audience with the servants. Bonus points if they offer tummy rubs. Caution: traps may be set.
8:00 pm - 11:00 pm - Evening nap to prepare for major operations.
11:00 pm - 2:00 am - Advanced night training: furniture parkour, the Wild Mustang routine, and expert-level feng shui via object relocation.
2:00 am - 5:00 am - Cuddle enforcement: close contact with a sleeping servant, accompanied by motivational purring.
5:00 am - What do you mean you're still sleeping?!

📚 See also:
PeopleCats.Garden Official Cat Feeding Policy

🐈 PeopleCats.Garden  #PeopleCats

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Van Dyke: the mango that glows and flows. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Van Dyke: the mango that glows and flows

Van Dyke Mango

Van Dyke: the mango that glows and flows.
Mango Rainbow🌈
  • 🟠 Van Dyke is a Florida classic mango that’s loved all over the world - and once you try it, you’ll know why!
  • 🟠 The trees are strong, spreading, and loaded with beautiful fruit.
  • 🟠 Walking through the grove, this one really pops - bright yellow skin with a red blush, like it’s lit from within.
  • 🟠 I pick it, slice it open... and wow! No fiber, just rich, juicy flesh with a sweet, spicy twist. It’s dense, meaty, and bursting with tropical flavor. This mango isn’t just pretty - it's pure magic!


🛒 Shop Mango varieties

📚 Previous posts: #Mango_Rainbow - varieties you should try

#Food_Forest #Mango #Mango_Rainbow

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Fragrance lovers, this plant changes everything! A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Fragrance lovers, this plant changes everything!

Cerbera x manghas - Enchanted Incense

🌸 Fragrance lovers, this plant changes everything!
  • 🌸 Cerbera x manghas - Enchanted Incense - is one of the newest and most sought-after perfume plants, prized for its incredible fragrance that outshines even jasmine and gardenia. Its red-and-white flowers release an intense, sweet scent you won't forget.
  • 🌸 This compact, plumeria-like tree has beautiful mauve-tinted leaves and grows slowly, making it perfect for containers.
  • 🌸 Easy-care, evergreen in warm climates, and low on water needs - this is a rare gem for fragrance lovers.


🛒 Add rare perfume power to your patio

📚 Learn more:
▫️ What flower is sweeter than any Jasmine

#Perfume_Plants #Container_Garden

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All you need is cat. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

All you need is cat

Percephone the cat

Percephone the cat

🎤 All you need is cat
  • 🎵

    • All you need is cat...
    All you need is cat...
    All you need is cat, cat...
    Cat is all you need.

    No need for Mars or progress plans,
    Just paws that march across your hands.
    A garden patch, a sunbeam spot -
    The world makes sense when cat is what you've got.

    All you need is cat...
    All you need is cat...
    All you need is cat, cat...
    Cat is all you need.
  • 🎵


🐈📸 Percephone, one of our rescued cats, has quickly become a star of our Blog and PeopleCats.Garden 

#PeopleCats #Quotes

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