Garden Blog - Top Tropicals
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How to get shade quickly... and stay away from oaks
Q: I just moved from Tennessee into a new house in Florida and there are no trees on the property, the yard is brutal hot. What can I plant so I have some shade real quick? I like Florida shady oaks, how long will they take to grow?
A: First
of all, do not rush into oak solution. Oaks are beautiful shade trees, however
they have at least 2 problems:
a) Oaks are slow growers and unless you are willing to wait some 20
years... you won't get that desirable shade that quickly.
b) We have hurricanes in Florida... sometimes. A hurricane can damage
any tree, however with oaks it may be the worse case scenario - the branches
of those giant trees are huge, hard and heavy and in unfortunate situation
when you need to remove or trim a broken tree, it may cost you... a few thousand
dollars.
These are solutions that are more economical and practical:
1) Selection. If you have room, get one of these most popular Florida shade trees: Royal Poinciana, Golden Shower, Hong Kong Orchid Tree, Red Kapok, Bottlebrush, and many others. See full list of fast growing shade trees. Or simply get a Mango Tree and have delicious fruit too! Many varieties of Mangos are very large and fast growing.
2) Do it right. Even if you are planting a smaller tree, 1-3 gal
size, it may become a nice shade tree within 2-3 years and start providing
your driveway with desirable shade. The keys for fast growth are -
a) Good soil. Dig as big hole as possible and fill it with good
rich soil containing compost. See planting instructions PDF.
b) Water. Do not rely on sprinklers and rains. Water your tree
daily for the first week, then at least twice a week for another month. After
that, irrigation system will be enough.
c) Fertilizer. Put a few handfuls of fertilizer in a planting hole. Then fertilize once a month during warm
season. Apply micro elements for even better results and faster growth.
3) Ask experts. Contact our office for advice. We will suggest the most suitable shade tree for your yard based on features of your property: location, soil, exposure, etc.
Check out fast growing shade trees
Date:
Full Sun Garden vs Shade Garden
"Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago." (Warren Buffett)
Q: I live in California and I have a large area of my garden in full shade. Are there any plants that will be happy there? I am looking for something colorful. I also have a smaller area in front of the house that has full sun almost all day long, but I am afraid this can be too hot for flowering plants? Can you recommend something?
A:
Full sun gardens have a strong, bright look while shade
gardens have cooler, subdued appearance. Both types of
gardens are fun to design and maintain as long as you pick
the right plants.
Full Sun Garden is the easiest to grow. Depending
on exposure, it may require some plants that can tolerate
the hottest summer days and the dry conditions in your
area. The good news is, the majority of tropical and
subtropical plants prefer full sun, so you have a large
selection to pick from - fruit trees, flowering trees,
shrubs, vines, and small perennials. The more sun, the
more flowers and fruit you will get! However, keep in mind
that sun gardens require more water, but generous mulching
will help to minimize watering.
Shade Garden is much more restful in appearance,
but sometimes may be a little more difficult to work with.
As shade trees grow bigger and thicker, it may become too
dark; nothing will grow in total darkness. In this case
you need to prune back some branches to let more light in.
Filtered sunlight or dappled light coming through the
leaves of the trees is beneficial and considered light
shade, which would be the best light conditions for shade
loving plants to thrive. Although shady cooler spaces
attract more insects and will require more attention to
control them, they also have some advantages over sun
gardens. You can enjoy working in cooler conditions, and
your garden will require less water. Many foliage plants
look more deeply colored and healthier than in full sun;
white flowers shine instead of looking washed out!
Our favorite shade plants are fragrant brunfelsias , clerodendrums, and of course
colorful gingers and heliconias. You
may also consider ornamental foliage of Calatheas, lush Alocasias, Colocasias, and colorful Cordylines. Check out our shade loving plant list for
more colorful suggestions. These are also great for indoor
gardens!
On the photo: Calathea lancifolia Rattlesnake
Date:
Quick shade for your driveway
Q: Please help! We just moved into a new house in Florida and don't have any mature trees yet, but the sun is already brutal! Can you suggest any super-fast growing shade tree that can make shade over my driveway as soon as possible?
A: Check out Giant Potato Tree - it is very fast growing, has very large leaves plus very pretty purple flowers as a bonus year round! The pictured tree was planted from 3 gal only 6 months ago, and already covers with shade the whole car. It is small to a medium size tree, but one of the fastest growing. If you are looking for a larger tree and willing to be more patient, here is the full list of tropical and subtropical fast growing shade trees. Most of them may take a few years until they reach a mature size, however, in order to enjoy your shade tomorrow, you must plant the tree today!
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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: Poor Little Raja
In our last newsletter we told you about little Abu, a Baby-Purrrson that Kristi rescued from the woods where he had
been surviving along with other feral cats: his little sister and his Mom who
was badly injured in a car accident. We received messages from our customers
asking if we were able to rescue the other two cats...
For the past few days Kristi, Jamie and Onika have been trying to capture
them... The feral cats didn't want to come to humans, they were hiding away.
The ladies were able to trap Abu with a tuna can... then tried and tried again
with the other two with no luck... Even tried to call Animal control asking
for help catching the animals so we could give them medical help. We were
told that they don't trap cats! ("unless it's a cat-hating neighbor going
against a crazy cat lady" - Crazy Cat Lady's comment). The girls continued
their efforts again and again, with treats, traps and different capture
plans... day after day.
Unfortunately, the sick mother-cat did not survive and we found her
yesterday with her little baby crying over her cold body.
Kristi was able to grab the tiny kitten who was even smaller than her
brother Abu. She named her Raja - a friend of Abu. Raja said that her poor
mother's words were: "Go to that lady, my baby, she looks kind. It's my time to go
now, and you will be in good hands..."
The little Raja was in very poor shape herself, with eyes full of tears.
She was covered by fleas, and looked like passing out from anemia. Her paw was
injured and infected, and her little nose... first we just thought she was
pig-nosed! But her nose is also swollen. Kristi rushed her to the vet where
Raja got treatments and meds. She got much better the same day and finally
stopped crying. Raja finally recognized her brother Abu and cuddled with him.
Now Raja is on her way to recovery and will be sending her updates soon!
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.
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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.
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Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cat of the Day: Weasley the Immigrant
Weasley came from the neighborhood cat community (our neighbor takes
care of at least a dozen of cats). Whether TopTropicals dry food tastes better
than neighbor's, or simply he is such an enthusiast of tropical gardening, he
hangs out with us all the time.
When you see him in our Garden
Center drinking milk or chilling right on the walkway with other
PeopleCats, don't get him confused with other two ginger cats we have: Barcy and Snitch... as well as the Russian Blue cat with a similar name Wesley...
Although Weasley currently has a status of a legal immigrant, he feels
pretty confident around our greenhouses and will be happy to give you a tour. He
is still a volunteer here but has already applied for a permanent residence
and a full time position, so his food needs are being added to our cat
payroll.
When visiting TopTropicals nursery, feel free to add your donation to a Cat
Jar located in our office by customer's computer. We appreciate everybody's
help - every penny goes to PeopleCat's needs.
Check out Video: Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals and more Cat of the Day stories.
Date:
Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cat of the Day: Independent Paisley
Paisley is an independent cat that prefers to spend her time alone. She is Snitch's sister, both of them came to us two years ago from our co-worker Cindy (Purry's Mom). Even though Paisley is the smallest of Kristi's inside PeopleCats, she will make sure no food is wasted and finishes the other cats' food after they leave their bowls. She enjoys catching lizards when she gets outside time on the porch. Her excellent hunting skills would make her a great outdoor cat, but we are afraid she will become bird prey due to her small size.
Check out and more Cat of the Day stories.
Paisley likes hanging with the other cats if there's a rug involved!
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Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cat of the Day: Muggle the Snuggle
The sweet talking bathroom cat
Muggle* (or some call him Mawgli) is the little brother to Bagheera. We call him the sweet talker because he really does talk to you. As soon as he sees you he wants to have a conversation. He meows at you and if you meow back he will continue the talk. He is our bathroom cat because he loves to sit in the bathroom with you and purrrrrr. We think maybe he sees this time as his alone time with his humans, his one-on-one time when he doesn't have to share the attention with the other PeopleCats!
* His name is actually Muggle, Jamie named him after Harry Potter which she loves.
Check out and more Cat of the Day stories.
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Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Charlie, the Indoor Hunter
Carlie was a kitty drop off with LadyBug, Rickie, and Purry.
Charlie is Jamie's baby. She has an attitude of a teenager, one minute she
loves you and the next - wants nothing to do with you. Carlie stays with the
inside PeopleCats, she says it's too big in the outside world for her and she
gets scared. Carlie has a fun game (fun to her): she plays around 2:00 am in
the morning, she loves to drag random items down the hall (socks, toys,
shirts, even blankets) in her mouth MEOOOWWWING as loud as she can. She then sets
the items down on her human's bedroom rug and waits for her human to say
thank you. We're pretty sure her hunting instinct is off...
Check out and more Cat of the Day stories.
2019, from Top to Bottom: Moe, Charlie, Bagheera, and Snitch. 2016: Charlie
