Garden Blog - Top Tropicals
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Heavenly Angel's Trumpet
By Onika Amell, tropical flower specialist
Q: Can you please tell me which zones are the best for growing Angel Trumpets? When do they bloom and is there a specific fertilizer to use on them? Do you sell any variegated varieties?
A: If you are lucky enough to live in an area that doesn't freeze or only has light frosts, you can grow Brugmansia (common name Angel Trumpet) outside all year long. They are only entirely hardy in USDA zones 9-12, but they remain very popular throughout the United States. They do really well in coastal settings in the Southwest. They are simply glorious in the coastal areas of South California. In the southwestern states, as well as in the tropics, they bloom spectacularly throughout the spring, summer, and autumn.
Angel Trumpets are very heavy feeders and they need huge amounts of nitrogen. You can use a standard balanced slow-release fertilizer on Brugmansia, but then you must apply it very generously. We've created a specialized fertilizer just for them. Angel Trumpet Delight is a perfect Brugmansia food for frequent monthly feed. It's a 30-day Smart-Release formula that works wonders for Angel Trumpets. A a well-balanced combination of macro- and micro- nutrients with a slow release action, it provides continuous feed, maintains vigor and disease resistance. It also contains coated nitrogen, early release nutrients and extra iron (water soluble and chelated) for quick green-up.
Angel Trumpets come in a dazzling array of colors: orange, yellow, green, white, pink, red, emerald and even purple (closely related Datura). One of our favorites is the beautiful Variegated Orange Angel Trumpet, a new hybrid with variegated leaves and a large single bloom that starts white and turns orange. Another amazing variety is "Sun Explosion" - with a variegated orange flower.
Most folks are usually in awe of the enormous trumpet flowers when they see it for the very first time. They most definitely need to be planted where they can be admired… near a deck, terrace, lanai or, entryway. The blossoms are short-lived, but numerous, continuous, and truly show-stopping! And they smell so good! This is a must have in any tropical garden. They can be grown either as a bush or a small tree. They are easy peasy to grow and root extremely easily, making them great as pass-along gifts for friends. They are sun-loving and super fast-growing plants. Plenty of water and fertilizers keep them happy and at their best. Did I mention they smell good too? ;)
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Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cat of the Day: Lucky Abu
"You will always be lucky if you know how to make friends with
strange cats".
Colonial American Proverb
- our last Cat of The Day Itembi started with this quote... and guess what, it proved right again!..
Right around the corner from TopTropicals, in the woods, Kristi noticed
a skinny poor cat... she looked so miserable, just bones and skin... she
could hardly walk and looked injured. And yet she had 2 kittens following her!
The Cat Family could use some meal and a warm home. Unfortunately they seemed
to be feral and wouldn't let Kristi pick them up.
Compassionate Kristi spend couple days brainstorming how to save these poor
PeopleCats in need. She ended up setting a trap and... bingo! The first
Little Purrson found its forever sweet home at TopTropicals!
...The cat groomer Lindsey came home from school. First bath time... the
kitty smelled like poop! Soon the bath time was over... Full of fleas, and it's
a boy!
She named him Abu. Just like the delicious exotic tropical fruit! Or, a mischievous Aladdin's Monkey companion ;)
We will send you updates on Abu and hope that his Mom will join him soon at TopTropicals Cat Paradise!
Remember that every dollar you spend on TopTropicals plants, is split between plant growers and PeopleCats who are our all-time companions and helpers in our daily hard work! We thank our customers for buying plants and thank our PeopleCats for keeping us cool, kind, and happy!
Check out the Video: ">Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals and more Cat of the Day stories.
Lucky Abu: from rags to riches!
Being trapped in a cage for a few hours is not so bad if you have your own petting staff!
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Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cat of the Day: Itembi - the Brave African Cat
by Onika Amell
"You will always be lucky if you know how to make friends with
strange cats".
Colonial American Proverb
This is a story of a Cat traveling across the World...
...I found Itembi, a tiny Calico kitten, in 2015 while I was hiking in the
Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve while visiting Cape Town in my mother
country South Africa. The little kitty appeared out of nowhere, sitting in the
middle of the dusty path I was walking. It took me by surprise to see a kitty
there, as I was in the middle of the boonies, with no sign of life for many
miles around. She was skin and bones. My heart broke for the kitty. She was
sad-eyed and so incredibly frail. I went down on my hands and knees and extended
my hand. To my surprise she came over to me immediately and nestled her head
into my palm, purring and purring. It was love at first sight. There was
nothing else to do but to scoop her up and carry her back to my jeep to take her
home with me...
Check out Video: ">Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals and more Cat of the Day stories.
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Thank you from Top Tropicals PeopleCats
"Hold a true friend with both hands"
- Nigerian proverb -
Cat friends, thank you for your support!
"...Dear Friends at Top Tropicals,
Thank you for your Photo of Saint Gertrude of Nivelles. I did not know about her. Now I can
meditate upon her to help all cats. Our pets, plants, and loved ones will help us
during this world crises. My bees and garden certainly help me.
Again, thank you for your plant advertisements, (they are an education in
themselves) and for your caring about I gatti! Saint Gertrude will help!
All best regards, auguri, di Frank La Rosa Mazza di Del Mar, California"
TopTropicals Cat Club
Thank you everybody for supporting us in helping PeopleCat Community! If you want to help, you may do so directly from our website. Check out the Video: ">Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals and more Cat of the Day stories.
Mr B is saying Hi and for those asking about his GPS on his collar: he uses Tractive for his personal cell service. Mr B makes 2-3 miles a day, staying active and healthy. Not bad for a 13 y.o. cat!
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Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cat of the Day: King the Hobo
"Live, travel, adventure, bless, and don't be sorry." - Jack Kerouac
King, who has been famous with his ability to get in trouble, without a
doubt is the Cat of the day, week, and month. His recent adventure went
above and beyond our expectations. King decided to take a ride.
He jumped inside the truck of our supplier from Homestead, for very
innocent reason: inspect the quality of plants delivered. No questions asked, he did
his job.
Next thing we remember was the driver calling us on his way to Homestead: "Looks like I have your cat in my truck, and he is pretty happy with the ride!"
Luckily, the discovery of the Hobo happened pretty quickly, before the
truck left Ft Myers area. So King did not get all the way to Homestead as he
planned, his adventure was interrupted. He was dropped off at Edison Estate Botanical Garden. The director Eric happen
to know TopTropicals well, just visiting us a few days before for the Leap Year Celebration
event. He kept King in his office until Onika came to pick him up.
What an adventure!
Dear visitors of Top Tropical Garden Center! When leaving our Nursery, please check your vehicles for cats! Apparently, they like to travel!
Thank you everybody for supporting us in helping PeopleCats. Every dollar you spend on TopTropicals plants is split between plant growers and PeopleCats who help us become better people.
Check out the Video: ">Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals and more Cat of the Day stories.
After his adventures, King is resting with his pet mouse. Mouse is alive, and no animals were hurt during the adventures.
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Magic mix for stubborn plants
Myco Mix - magic mix with Mycorrhiza
A word from the owner...
...When I first started growing tropical fruit trees, I noticed that
Lychee just can't be grown from seed, period. The seed germinates readily, a
little happy seedling grows like crazy... but only for the first couple weeks.
Then it stops. Then it shrinks. Then it dies.
My teacher, tropical fruit tree expert Murray Corman (Garden of Delights), made fun of me for growing Lychee
from seed, and explained his sarcasm with two words - "Need Mycorrhiza!" It
appears that in Nature, Lychee seedlings can only grow around its mother plant
which has this magic plant-friendly fungus around its roots! The only way to
succeed with some seedlings is using this amazing Nature symbiosis... Check
out Mycorrhiza - and try it, works 100% in all stubborn cases!
Myco Mix is an amazing underground secret to a better garden! This professional growing medium with Mycorrhiza is a must for establishing plants, recovering weak plants, and for transplanting applications, including seedlings and cuttings...Learn more...
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Libra Zodiac lucky plants
Libra - 9/23-10/22. Libra is an AIR sign, and is ruled by the planet Venus. Because Venus is the planet of beauty and love, Libra's plants often have light, lovely flowers and gorgeous scents.
Libra has been related to the endocrine system, the kidneys, and the bladder. Venus (which also rules Taurus) is responsible for the harmony between the various body systems, as well as the abdomen, kidneys and urinary tract, and thyroid. Libra's plants help to bring balance to these areas of the body. Libra's romantic nature appreciates a spice that cultivates love and sensuality. Cardamom is a spice known for its gently warming nature, so add a sprinkle when you want to heat things up slowly.
Libra Zodiac lucky plants: Jasmine, Gardenia, Euclinia, Pua Keni Keni, Randia, Beaumontia, Faradaya, Butterfly Ginger, Kopsia, Hydrangea, Montanoa, Aglaia, Dwarf Ylang-Ylang, Desmos, Clematis, Almond Bush, Brunfelsia, Four oclock plant, Juniper, Moonflower, Carissa, White Chocolate Jasmine, Night blooming jasmine, Fiddlewood, Honeysuckle, Orchid, Clerodendrums, Millingtonia, Parijat, Fried Egg Tree, Oxyceros, Phaleria, Tuberose, Cubanola, Portlandia, Rothmannia, Allamanda, Nasturtium, Rose, Camellia, Ephedra, Fuchsia, Ylang-Ylang, Magnolia, Stemmadenia, White Plumeria, Appleblossom, Needle Flower Tree, Tree Jasmine, Guaiacum, Epiphyllum, Amazon Lily, India Hawthorn, Stephanotis, Talauma, Pakalana vine, Wrightia, White flowers, Cypress, Lucky Bamboo, Dracaena, Bakul, Apple, Pear, Fig, Raspberry, Olive, Pomegranate, Apricot, Peach, Plum, Loquat, Grape, Blackberry, Mango, Cherries, Chrysobalanus icaco, Berries, Neem tree, Asparagus, Spices, Mint, Catnip, Bergamot, Thyme, Cardamom.
For other signs information, see full Plant Horoscope.
15% OFF ON ALL FRAGRANT PLANTS! 3 day sale.
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Nature's pharmacy: Star Anise or Tamiflu will beat the flu?
by Onika Amell, tropical plant expert
Star Anise - Illicium verum - gets its name from the star shaped fruit... with many culinary uses. So many international dishes get their unique flavor from this wonderful spice. Any lovers of wonderful Vietnamese noodle soup "Pho" out there? Did you know that beautiful, aromatic spiciness in the broth derives from this very plant? In fact, it is the signature flavor of Pho!
Not only does this spice shine in the kitchen, but it has amazing health benefits. It contains shikimic acid, which is a vital component of the influenza-fighting drug Tamiflu! It boasts with antioxidants and vitamin A and C, which help to fight free radicals responsible for premature aging and diabetes. The oil derived from this plant contains thymol, terpineol and anethole, which is used to treat cough and flu. In addition, drinking Star Anise tea will help digestive issues such as bloating, gas, indigestion, constipation and nausea. It is one of the main ingredients of Masala Chai...
CONTINUE READING >>
Date:
by Alex Butova
As the world's health experts race to find a cure for the novel
coronavirus, this drug have jumped to their attention - Chloroquine. It contains
alkaloid Quinine, extracted from the bark of the Cinchona, or Fever Tree.
We receive many questions from our customers if we carry this plant.
Although we do not offer it at the moment, we definitely can tell you more about
this interesting medicinal plant!
If you like gin and tonic, you will be familiar with the bitter taste of
the tonic which is provided by quinine. While it is now mainly used
to add a flavor to our favorite tipple, the Cinchona tree bark once held a
place as one of the most important drugs in history.
Cinchona was discovered in the 1630s as a treatment for malaria and, for
350 years, was the only effective cure known in Europe until synthetic
replacements were developed in the 1940s. Malaria remains today one of the deadliest
diseases known throughout the tropics, but up until the 20th century the
disease was prevalent throughout Europe, including Britain.
The Cinchona tree is native to the Eastern slopes of the Andes with a range across Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. Once the bark became an established medicine, particularly in the 18th and 19th centuries, demand started to outstrip supply. Threats of overharvesting and the desire to control the source of this precious bark drove various competing empires to source this plant for themselves. Understandably, the Spanish, who were in control of this area of South America, actively tried to prevent this, but failed to establish successful plantations themselves. A race to source and cultivate Cinchona ensued, and eventually both the Dutch, in Indonesia, and the British, in India, founded government controlled plantations for the mass production of quinine.
Chloroquine appears to have "broad-spectrum antiviral properties" and effects on immune response, and to be effective against severe acute respiratory syndrome... As the rest of the world, we are looking forward to the research results and hope the cure will be found soon!
In the meantime, let's just have more Gin-n-Tonic!
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PeopleCats ruling TopTropicals Kitchen. Healthy Treats for Humans
TREAT OF THE DAY: The Secret Health Booster: the Real Russian Borsh
While PeopleCats continue ruling our gardens, getting their daily treats and
helping us to survive, they suggested we share some special treats for
humans, besides exotic plants and plant boosters...
It is - our favorite Russian Borsh that we make for our TopTropicals
International team! It is the most delicious and healthy meal ever invented, for
both adults and kids. It boosts your energy, makes you feel warm, wealthy, and
happy!
This soup, along with Russian Vodka, is the secret of Russians' Survival Mode - how to stay healthy, strong, tough, and resistant to any virus.
The recipe of the Real Russian Borsh involves very simple, inexpensive,
and easy to find ingredients. However, making it right takes a little bit of
time (which we sure have now!), since Russians like to make things
complicated and from scratch... they use whole foods!
Take your time and enjoy the process - it is a part of this secret recipe.
At the end, you will be rewarded with a healthy, tasty meal for the whole
family for the whole week! And, it is only $2 per serving!
And remember, it is spelled Borsh (not Borscht!), according to the real Russians.
CONTINUE READING >>
Please tell us how you liked it! :)
TopTropicals PeopleCat Club
Thank you everybody for supporting us in helping PeopleCat Community! Donations accepted from our website. Thank you and God bless you and your pets!
