Garden Blog - Top Tropicals
Date:
What
Fertilizer to Use Now and How?
Five important keys to healthy plants
Q: It's early Spring this year. Should I start fertilizing my plants sooner than usual?
A: Most fertilizer instructions recommend fertilizing tropical plants from March to November. This is because plants don't need as much food during the cooler months when many go dormant, and excess nutrients can burn the roots if not absorbed. However, for the most effective fertilizer program and healthy plants, consider these points:
1. Sunshine Boosters Year-Round
Liquid amino-acid-based fertilizers like Sunshine Boosters are safe to use year-round. Since watering is reduced in cooler weather, the intake of water-soluble fertilizer is also lower, providing plants with just the essential nutrients for their minimal needs.
2. Dry Fertilizer Schedule
Be cautious with dry fertilizers. Apply them only during active growth in the hot season.
3. Temperature Is Key
If March is still cold, delay dry fertilizer use. However, if nighttime temperatures in February stay above 65F, you can start a dry fertilizer program using slow-release, granulated plant food.
4. What Fertilizers to Use and How
Check out our Sunshine Boosters selection for different types of plants and choose the right type for your needs. These can be applied as often as with every watering:
For Rapid Growth
Sunshine Robusta - Rapid Growth Booster: general fertilizer for both foliage
plants and small starters that need an extra boost.
For Flowers
Sunshine Megaflor - Bloom Booster: boosts flowers on established plants; and Sunshine Pikake - Fragrant Plant Booster: best for fragrant flowers.
For Fruit Trees
Sunshine C-Cibus - Crop Booster: contains all necessary elements for fruit trees and their production. Sunshine Mango Tango - specifically formulated for Mango and Avocado
trees, and Sunshine Citron - ideal for citrus trees.
For Tender Perennials
Sunshine Orchidasm - Orchid Total Feed and Sunshine Ananas - Pineapple and Bromeliad Booster: mild formulas for these tender perennials.
5. Microelement Supplements Are a Must
Besides macronutrients, plants need additional microelements, just like humans need vitamins. Be sure to apply these supplements along with your regular plant food:
For Green Leaves and Health
Sunshine SuperFood - Complex Microelement Supplement: a
must for healthy plants. Apply once a month.
For Stress Relief
Sunshine-Epi - Brassinosteroid Plant
Hormone: essential for plants recovering from stress (shipping, transplanting,
drought, insect damage, cold stress, etc.). Apply as needed.
For Sweeter, Bigger Fruit
Sunshine Honey - Fruit Sugar Booster: application on fruit trees will make
fruit bigger and sweeter by directing sugars to the fruit from other plant parts, and helps to prevent bud
drop. Apply 4 times a year: at bud setting, flowering, fruit setting, and
after harvesting.
For Better Resistance
Sunshine Power Si - Silicon Protector - enhances resistance to insects, diseases, drought, and frost, while boosting growth. Apply once a
month, along with Sunshine SuperFood.
Need Help? Our Plant Experts Are Ready to Assist!
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Using SUNSHINE Complete Nutrition System
For hydroponics and potted plants
Q: I recently bought both the 5ml of the sunshine epi and the 100 ml advanced nutrition kit. I read on the paper for the Epi not to use any other strong fertilizers along with this but I was wondering if it'd be alright to use both this foliar spray and nutrition watering together?
A: All solutions in SUNSHINE Booster Nutrition System (NPK-macro and micro-boosters) are
compatible.
The only exception is Sunshine-Epi - brassinosteroid bio-stimulant. Epi
should be mixed with distilled water separately from other boosters. The
reason is, it is very bio-active, and if mixed with other compounds, oxidizes
quickly which may affect its performance.
Sunshine-Epi solution must be prepared using distilled water and applied as foliar spray only (it only works on contact with leaves and not through the root system). Epi shows extremely impressive results when you apply it before the application of other nutrients because it increases plant metabolism; so all boosters become even more effective if you spray Epi the day before.
When using Micro- and Macro-boosters, you may mix all components in one watering can/tank (except for Epi), using regular tap water. Besides watering root ball, the macro-micro solution can be also used for foliar spray. It is optional, as in some circumstances growers prefer to keep leaves dry at all times: to stay away from mold, fungus and other issues caused by the wet environment.
Here is an example of Sunshine Boosters Nutrition System application:
1. Daily watering in one can: NPK 25 ml/gal (one of 5, depending on growth stage) + Constanta 5 ml/gal + Ca-Support 5 ml/gal, mixed in tap water
2. Every 2 weeks: spray Sunshine-Epi 2.5 ml/gal - to boost the immune system and growth rate,
mixed in distilled water
3. From daily to every 2 weeks: Sunshine-Power-Si 25 ml/gal to protect from diseases and keep pH at
5.5-6.5. Can be used as often as daily and mixed with a daily watering solution
(1)
4. As needed: Sunshine SuperFood and GreenLeaf - for correcting deficiencies. Can be also mixed with the
daily solution (1)
Make sure to prepare a solution right before use and do not store solution for more than 1 day. Keep concentrates and solutions protected from bright sunlight.
Here is also advanced information on Sunshine Boosters compatibility.
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Prepare your plants for Winter with Sunshine Boosters
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.
What Fertilizer to Use Now and How?
Sunshine Megaflor - Bloom Booster
Sunshine C-Cibus - Crop Booster
Sunshine Pikake - Fragrant Plant Booster
Sunshine Mango Tango for Mango and Avocado trees
Sunshine Robusta - Rapid Growth Booster
Part 2. Macro elements, or everyday plant food
Sunshine Booster for different types of plants can be applied as often as with every watering.
- ✔️ For Rapid Growth
- ✔️ For Flowers
- ✔️ For Fruit Trees
- ✔️ For Tender Perennials
- ✔️ Microelement Supplements Are a Must
Sunshine Robusta - Rapid Growth Booster: general fertilizer for both foliage plants and small starters that need an extra boost.
Sunshine Megaflor - Bloom Booster: boosts flowers on established plants; and Sunshine Pikake - Fragrant Plant Booster: best for fragrant flowers.
Sunshine C-Cibus - Crop Booster: contains all necessary elements for fruit trees and their production.
Sunshine Mango Tango - specifically formulated for Mango and Avocado trees, and Sunshine Citron - ideal for citrus trees.
Sunshine Orchidasm - Orchid Total Feed and Sunshine Ananas - Pineapple and Bromeliad Booster: mild formulas for these tender perennials.
Besides macronutrients, plants need additional microelements, just like humans need vitamins. We will explain in details about micro-elements in our next post 🔽
🛍 Shop Sunshine Boosters
#Fertilizers #How_to
🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals
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:
Healthy Plants: Q&A from Mr Booster
New Boosters for the New Year!
Sunshine Total Feed: Orchidasm and Citron
How to grow everblooming orchids?
Q: I ended up with a large collection of orchids that I was given as presents... They grow well but unfortunately after the showy blooms were gone, I don't see any more flowers, just green leaves. What do I need to do to make them bloom again? Should I fertilize them with Azalea bloom booster?
A: Orchids culture is different from garden ornamental plants. First big difference, they are epiphytes, growing in a loose bark medium rather than soil, and
benefit from daily mist. Second difference is a type of fertilizer. You can not use a regular garden fertilizer on orchids,
because they are very sensitive to salts. Orchids need special, acidic type of fertilizer, very mild in action.
Luckily, Sunshine Boosters formulas are exactly what orchids need! They are amino-acid based, have very mild formulas, and do not create nutrient lock up (building up salts is one of the biggest
enemies of tender orchids).
A new Sunshine Boosters Orchidasm TotalFeed is scientifically balanced orchid food that contains all
necessary nutrients, including micro-elements, for healthy, happy, vigorous orchids. It can be used as often as daily with every foliage spray. From our testing experience, after using Orchidasm Booster, orchids not only got happy and thriving -
they also bloom more often - up to several times a year, shooting new flower spikes one after another! (while normal blooming cycle for most
orchids is once a year). It gets even better - the flower display lasts twice longer!
To enjoy these beautiful flowers year around - treat them with Love, give them some
Orchidasm!
See more information with pictures in Sunshine Boosters Orchid Blog
Secrets of a healthy Citrus tree
Q: We planted several citrus trees in our yard - Meyer Lemon, Grapefruit and Blood Orange. The trees came from the store full of flowers and even had a few fruit, but a year after planting - no more flowers! The old leaves are green, but new growth doesn't look healthy, leaves are yellowish and have spots, maybe eaten by bugs (?), and how do we get them to fruit?
A: Citrus plants are not the easiest trees to grow; they are susceptible to various diseases, pests, and deficiencies, especially in areas with high humidity/rainfall like Florida.
Fungi, viruses, leaf minors, chlorosis - this is not a complete list of citrus common problems. In commercial groves, these conditions are kept under
control by using harsh chemicals on solid schedule.
For home gardeners, growing citrus trees may become a challenge. Many people don't want to use harsh
chemicals on their edibles; and those who do, may not always have time to apply treatments on a professional schedule. So as much as we all love a fresh juicy orange,
growing your own may become quite a pain!
Sunshine
Citron TotalFeed is your simple, eco-safe solution to a healthy looking, productive citrus tree with organic fruit! Amino-acid based formula provides all
necessary elements to strengthen the tree and make it resistant to possible problems.
Did you know that treatment of leaf chlorosis (yellow leaves with dark
green veins), commonly treated with iron supplements, in fact requires a complex combination of nutrients - both balanced NPK and micro-elements?
Use Sunshine Citron in combination with Sunshine GreenLeaf and
Sunshine SuperFood and never see yellow chlorotic leaves again!
Apply Sunshine Epi on regular basis (every 2 weeks) and help your tree boost its immune system and stay virus-free.
Add Sunshine Honey, and you will have large, juicy fruit that
are much sweeter and more flavorful than those from the store! All these boosters are compatible with each other, and perfectly natural. Eat your fruit safely and enjoy...
Read more about treating citrus tree defficiencies in Sunshine Boosters Citrus Blog.
Date:
Sunshine supplement kit for cold hardiness
Video by Scott Riddle
Discover the cool story of Scott Riddle, a well-known plant enthusiast with a
popular YouTube channel dedicated to his tropical plant collection. In this video, Scott shares his firsthand experience with our Sunshine micro-element kit, designed to enhance the cold hardiness of
plants.
Living in the unpredictable climate of the California mountains, where he
cultivates tropical plants in a zone higher than recommended, Scott faced the challenge of unexpected freezes. The boosters hopefully will
be a game-changer for him, reinforcing his plants for the winter season. This insightful and
detailed video is a valuable resource for anyone engaged in zone-pushing, aiming
to fortify their tropical plants against the rigors of challenging weather conditions.
Here at Top Tropicals, we have already applied two pre-winter treatments of Sunshine Power-Si formula, in combination with the bio-stimulant Sunshine Epi and micro-elements. One in November, the second one in the beginning of December. So far, after a couple of cold nights, the plants still look happy. Stay warm and get prepared!"
Date:
When plants are ready for a meal?
Q: We have an early Spring here in Florida. All plants in my garden flushing out new leaves and buds opening. Can I start fertilizing? I have Mango, Avocado, Peach trees, many medicinal herbs and flowering shrubs: Angel trumpets, plumerias, bromeliads. I prefer mild organic fertilizers; can you suggest something that is safe for edibles and butterflies?
Q: As a rule of thumb, tropical gardeners start regular fertilizing when the minimum temperatures (at night) go above 65F. Keep in mind that Sunshine Boosters fertilizers can be applied year around because they have mild formulas and used with every watering; during cooler period, you water less frequently, so feeding is reduced accordingly. Another advantage of Sunshine Boosters - they are natural (derived from organic amino acids which is the basics of Life). They are safe for edibles as well as pollinating insects.
Here is the feeding plan for your plants:
1. The most universal solution for all plants (both potted and
in-ground): get a complete set of Sunshine Boosters Pro system: Advantage-Pro for vegetative growth, BloomBoom Pro for flowering stage, and Ca-Support-Pro + Constanta-Pro as necessary daily supplements. You will need all these 4
components for your garden.
2. Start adding these liquid boosters with every watering according
to dozing directions and you will notice amazing growth boost within a
week.
3. Apply Sunshine Epi plant hormone every 2 weeks as a foliar spray to boost
immune system and metabolism of plants and protect them from diseases. Epi
makes plants (especially young plants and those "waking up" from dormancy)
grow twice faster! It also enhances effect of fertilizers by increasing plant
metabolism.
4. After cool winter temperatures, some plants may develop element
deficiencies like chlorosis (yellowing leaves). Additional microelement boost
can be provided with Sunshine Greenleaf (iron supplement) and Sunshine Superfood (micro-elements).
5. For additional boosting of flowering and setting fruit, use the
following individual boosters:
Sunshine Robusta - for foliage plants and when you need rapid vegetative
growth
Sunshine TotalFeed - for Plumerias and other fragrant plants
Sunshine Megaflor - for Brugmansias and other flowering heavy feeders
Sunshine C-Cibus - for improving fruit production and quality
Sunshine Honey - for sweeter fruit (must be applied 4-5 times a year)
6. For young/small plants (seedlings, rooted cuttings) as well as
tender tropicals like bromeliads, and orchids - Sunshine Bombino is a perfect choice due to its mild formula.
7. To save money, order complete sets rather than individual
boosters; you will be able to safe up to 40%! Sunshine Complete Nutrition System
Kits: Combo
Kit, and Pro Kit.
If you are a fan of organic gardening, do not use dry fertilizers. While water-soluble and granulated (smart-realease) fertilizers are popular choice in plant nurseries due to their convenience, they are not as safe as liquid boosters because they create salt build-up in soil and have a high risk of overdosing/burning plant roots, especially potted plants, plants at breaking dormancy, at establishing, and at early stages of plant development. Besides, dry fertilizers may affect the taste of your fruit and herbs. See advantages of liquid boosters over dry fertilizers.
Learn more about Sunshine Nutrition System - a Natural solution for your garden.
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:
Helping plants to survive winter:
SUNSHINE BOOSTERS - FROM SUNSHINE STATE
A magic plant hormone so wanted by gardeners, is finally here! When people purchase plants and trees either on-line, or from their local nursery, expectation and anticipation for their new find is high. Many times, however, disappointment is encountered due to a variety of reasons. These reasons include changes in light, temperature, water, soil conditions and transportation; just to name a few. So how can the stress on newly transported and transplanted plants be mitigated? Easy! There are plant stimulators able to reduce the shock encountered.
One such plant stimulator, produced at TT Laboratories is SUNSHINE, a revolutionary, broad spectrum, plant stress reliever. Extracted initially from plant pollen, SUNSHINE can bring back and keep the vigor to stressed plants in both the home and garden. Sunshine is indeed a plant stimulator on the cutting edge of plant care technology. Reasonably priced, and easy to use, SUNSHINE will be your plants' best friend, next to yourself, of course.
SUNSHINE will help your plants:
- recover from stress
- dramatically increase growth rate
- get profuse flowering and fruiting
- improve disease resistance, cold hardiness, and heat resistance
- promote seed germination and root cuttings easily
Great for indoor plants and improving cold tolerance!
Line of products:
SUNSHINE-E - general plant booster, growth stimulator and immune booster
SUNSHINE-BC - Bonsai and Caudex developer
SUNSHINE-S - seeds and cuttings pre-treatment
SUNSHINE-T - Thermo-protection for overwintering tropical plants
SUNSHINE-Micro - ultimate micro-element mix from TT Laboratories
On the photo: Tomato seedlings, with and without Sunshine-E treatment; 1 week after treatment, 09-01-2016. Continue reading...
