Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 3 Dec 2019

Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cat of the Day: Bagheera

Bagheera and Mowgli are Kristi's PeopleCats, originally they came together and they stick together. As little kittens, they were raised by Moe, the Mama-cat. Although she is not technically their Mom, but... she is a Mom for everyone!

Bagheera was born with his brother at a gator farm. He was too little to leave his mom, but he needed out. Bagheera is one of the sweetest boys we know. When he was a baby he could not sleep without laying on Kristi's face, both paws stretching across her mouth. Now he's a big brave boy. He rules the inside PeopleCats, stealing food from his human's plates and asking forgiveness at night when he lays above your head with his hands on your face. He's a reminder that we are all still little kittens on the inside...

Bagheera's new nicknames are Mr Biggs, Biggie and Biggy Biggy Biggy!

Check out and more Cat of the Day stories.

Date: 3 Dec 2019

Ghost Cold Protection

Q: Has anyone ever tried using heat packs under frost blankets to protect tropical plants from frost?

A: The reality is, the heat packs used for shipping do not have enough heat capacity to create efficient warming effect. From our own experience, the best way is to use small 25W incandescent bulbs which produce lots of heat (considering observing all safety precautions and fire safety). Some gardeners use Christmas lights. See picture of our plants in the ground during a cold night. We called them Ghost Cold Protection! ;)

See more columns on cold protection:
Seven rules of cold protection for tropicals
About Cold Protection
Cold protection - winter action for your plant collection
Tropical Treasures articles

Date: 27 Nov 2019

Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cindy's Purry - Jackson's Nanny

Purry came in the same litter with LadyBug, Ricki, and Charlie.
She now lives in Cindy's house as an indoor cat. She is the most lovable and purring purrrrson.

Purry (or Pursey) has a little ward she faithfully looks after... Her soft purrs put Baby Jackson Michael every time to sleep!

Check out and more Cat of the Day stories.

Purry - 2016

Date: 27 Nov 2019

The Florida Native Banyan

by Mark Hooten, the Garden Doc

...The most impressive plant-life for me was a single native tree growing near a parking area along the Bay. It was the largest, oldest, "Shortleaf fig" I have ever seen. It was growing on a mass of bare exposed karst limestone and bore a small plaque describing it as being the largest Ficus citrifolia in the National Park. As it was dropping some of its little fruits at the time, I ended up taking a couple home for cultivation...

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Date: 25 Nov 2019

Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Anna Banana's Kiki and Bandit

Everyone knows and loves our Anna Banana - the Heart of Top Tropicals Customer Service. Today she found herself another exciting project... to build a Cat Play Room! She sacrificed her whole living room and the whole paycheck for that.
The girl kitty with a black face is Kiki Tails. She is a bobtail. Bandit is a black and white boy with a white tip on a black tail. Anna Banana got them when they were just 7 weeks old. Kiki and Bandit were born on August 26, 2019, in Buckingham, just down the street from Top Tropicals Nursery!

Call Anna Banana's direct line 239-771-8081 to say hi to Kiki and Bandit! We will follow up on these babies and soon will update you with their new stories. Stay with us!

Attention, Contest: Cats in the Garden

Now, here is Anna Banana's million-dollar question to her favorite customers: how do Cats and Plants go together in your garden or indoor plant collection? Tell us how your cats help you to grow plants, with pictures! The Winner will receive a FREE plant of $50 value! Participating stories and photos will be featured on Top Tropicals Facebook page.

Please use our contact form to submit your stories with pictures, with a subject "Cats in the Garden Contest"

Check out and more Cat of the Day stories.