Date: 8 Jan 2023
2023 - a year of Hope,
a year of the Cat who protects your crop
According to the Vietnamese Lunar Calendar, Year 2023 is a year of the
Water Cat, starting from January 22nd, 2023 - same as Chinese New Year.
While in Chinese culture it is called a Year of the Rabbit, the Cat was seen as more relevant to the daily lives of
Vietnamese farmers, who valued the cat's ability to protect their crops from rats, squirrels... or even
rabbits?
At the same time, the Vietnamese year of the Cat also symbolizes tenderness, gentleness, and kindness. The sign of Cat is a symbol of longevity,
peace, and prosperity.
2023 is predicted to be a year of hope
Date: 4 Jan 2023
Ten steps to Happy Gardening in 2023
Beginning of the year checklist
To assist our customers in creating a happy and enjoyable gardening experience this year, we consulted with our horticulturist to compile a list of ten recommended items. Here are the results...
1. A favorite. Get yourself a favorite small flowering plant that is compact, manageable, and easy. Such as Ground
Orchid. Keep it in a pot or plant in the ground by the entryway where it can
be seen often and enjoyed.
2. A fruit of your labor. You need at least one (or one more) fruit tree for your
garden, or for container culture if you live in colder climate. Growing and
especially harvesting tropical fruit will make you happy. The Winner of the last
year was Cherry
Lolita - an easy, compact fruit tree that can produce almost year
around. Some fruit
trees will fruit right away!
3. Be exclusive. A rare plant is a must for every gardener. It can be a useful gem such as
Noni Tree
or an unusual-looking like a Bat Lily - Tacca. Show your friends and neighbors something different
they have never seen!
4. Make it cool. Finally plant that shade tree by your driveway. Yes it takes time to grow, but the sooner
you plant it, the sooner you get that shade! There are some fast growing species, some only take a couple of years to the mature
size.
5. Beauty. If you have an ugly fence or unwanted view in your yard,
cover it with a
flowering vine. Look at the beauty every day and make your life better.
Replace a boring standard hedge with colorful flowering shrubs that will make you smile.
6. Scent. Add some fragrant plants to your landscape and inhale their healing magic.
7. Tropical. For a shady corner, select a showy tropical with lush foliage such as Philodendron or Monstera, or
all time favorite
Banana. Get a feel of tropics.
8. Happiness of giving. Buy a gift plant for someone you care about but don't know how to thank them.
Live plant is the best expression of love and gratitude. If you are unsure
what plant to pick, ask our Team or simply buy a Gift Certificate that will never expire - let them chose the plant they
like.
9. Food for all. A set of quality liquid fertilizers is a must - try Sunshine Boosters that can be used year around. They will make your
plants healthy, strong, fast growing, cold hardy and disease-resistant. You can
choose formulas for different plant types from our selection, or simply buy online a Nutrition Kit of 8 bottles that will cover all your needs and save you
50% on fertilizer cost!
10. Share. Subscribe your friend to TopTropicals Newsletter so they can get a weekly Piece of Tropics in
their mailbox. Cool Cat Photos come as a bonus!
Make sure to always have on hand at least 2 main formulas of Sunshine Boosters - Robusta for vegetative growth, and C-Cibus
Date: 4 Jan 2023
Photo above: Stictocardia beraviensis - Hawaiian Sunset Bell - the most impressive
fast growing vine with stunning flowers colored as a dramatic Hawaiian sunset.
Order
Stictocardia online
Date: 30 Dec 2022
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: 28 Dec 2022
The food of the Gods:
A legend of the Guanabana
Grow Your Own Food
Guanabana, also known as Soursop, is a tropical fruit native to Central and South America. It is known for its sweet, juicy flesh and has a variety of medicinal properties.
According to legend, Guanabana was once a rare and coveted fruit that only grew in the highest reaches of the Andes Mountains. It was said to have mystical powers and was believed to be the food of the Gods. Those who ate the fruit were said to be blessed with good health and long life.
One day, a young shepherd boy came across a guanabana tree growing in a remote valley. He plucked a fruit from the tree and tasted it, finding it to be the most delicious thing he had ever eaten. The boy returned to his village and told everyone about the magical fruit he had discovered. Soon, word of the Guanabana spread far and wide, and people came from all over to try the fruit for themselves.
As the demand for Guanabana grew, the fruit began to be cultivated and grown in other parts of the world. Today, it is enjoyed by people all over the world and is known for its unique flavor and health benefits.
Download Article from Tropical Treasures Magazine: How to grow Guanabana indoors. Hand-pollinating and fruiting.
