Garden Blog - Top Tropicals
Date:
What tree will fruit indoors?
Q: I love your tropical fruit selection and I wish I lived in a warmer climate. Is there any fruit tree that can be happy indoors during winter and have fruit? I am not expecting a big crop but it would be fun to have a small piece of tropics at home. I don't have much gardening experience, can you suggest something easy for a start?
A: Several tropical fruit trees can be grown indoors, in pots,
providing bright light that is necessary for flowering and setting fruit. Among
them are many varieties of Bananas,
Guavas,
Annonas and tropical Cherries - these can be easily maintained in containers. Even dwarf
varieties of
Avocado and Mango
are good candidates for indoor culture. You can bring containers indoors for
winter and take outside into full sun during warm months so your plants can
store lots of energy in Summer.
The easiest fruit tree for indoor culture that doesn't require bright light
and can be grown indoors year around is a Coffee tree. Start with it, it is on sale today! Once you gain some experience, you can upgrade to
a Chocolate tree!
Remember, all container grown plants need balanced nutrition program. It
can be easily provided with Sunshine Boosters your around. For fruit trees, just add some Sunshine C-Cibus Crop Booster to your cart.
Date:
URBAN TROPICAL GARDENING:
10 secrets of successful Container Mango growing on a
balcony.
Q: I live in Miami in apartment on a second floor, and I have a balcony with SE exposure. I wonder if I can grow a mango tree in a pot? Will it fruit for me? I recently moved to South Florida and I don't know much about tropical plants; but I tasted real fiberless mangos from someone's garden - it was so delicious and different from those in the grocery store. I wonder if I can have a fruiting tree on my balcony? And if yes, how do I plant and take care of it?
A:
Yes, you can! Here is what you need to do:
1) Temperature. You are lucky to live in Tropics,
keep it on a balcony year round.
2) Light. Position the pot in a spot with the most
sun exposure. Mango trees can take filtered light too, but
the less sun, the less fruit you will get.
3) Soil and Container. Use only
well drained potting mix. Step up the purchased
plant into next size container (3 gal into 7 gal, 7 gal
into 15 gal). When transplanting, make sure to keep growth
point (where roots meet the trunk) just at the top of the
soil. Covering base of the trunk with soil may kill the
plant.
4) Water. Water daily during hot season, but only
if top of soil gets dry. If it still moist, skip that day.
Mangoes (unlike
Avocados!) prefer to stay on a dry side.
5) Fertilizer. Use
balanced fertilizer once a month, 1 tsp per 1 gal of
soil. Do not fertilize during fruiting - this may cause
fruit cracks.
6) Microelements. Apply
SUNSHINE-Superfood once a month. This will help your
mango healthy, vigorous, and resistant to diseases. Use SUNSHINE-Honey to make your
fruit sweeter.
7) Insect control. Watch for scales and mealybugs,
clean with solution of soapy water + vegetable oil (may
need to repeat 2-3 times with 10 days interval), or with
systemic insecticide like imidacloprid only as needed (if
non-harsh treatment didn't help). Most Flea shampoo for
dogs contain that chemical, you may try that shampoo
solution.
8) Trimming. Once potted, do not remove leaves
that are discolored or have spots until new growth
appears. Dark dots on mango leaves, especially in humid
climate like Florida, may be signs of fungus. Treat with
fungicide according to label, and remove only badly
damaged leaves. Trim crown as needed after flowering and
fruiting (by Fall). Train into a small tree, and you may
remove some lower branches eventually.
9) Flower and fruit. Mangoes are winter bloomers
with bunches of tiny flowers coming in thousands. Many of
them set fruit (if pollinating insects present). Keep in
mind that young trees can only bare a few fruit. Normally
a tree will drop excessive fruit and keep only a few that
it can manage. To save the young tree some energy, remove
fruit if too many and leave only 2-3 for the first year.
It will pay you next year with more abundant crop.
10) Variety. Last but not least: Choose the right
variety for container culture! Pick from "condo" dwarf
varieties such as Icecream, Nam Doc Mai, Carrie, Cogshall, Julie, Fairchild, Pickering, Graham, Mallika, and a few others -
check out Mango Chart pdf
and full list of our Mango varieties.
Date:
How to feed a Mango tree...
and to grow a Dwarf Mango
How to fertilize a Mango tree
Q: My mango trees that I bought and planted last august now have fruit. I bought 2 types of fertilizer from you and never used it. Should I use your fertilizer now?
A: It is a perfect time now to fertilize your plants as they
start active growth.
For mango trees, we recommend liquid fertilizer Sunshine Booster - Mango Tango. It is formulated for Mango trees,
especially for container grown. It improves quantity and quality of flowers and
ability to set fruit, reduces bud-flower-fruit drop. Can be used as often as
with every watering. For best results, use in combination with Sunshine Honey and Sunshine Superfood plant supplements. Its scientifically-balanced
stable formula is organic Amino-acid based and has NO EDTA chelators to eliminate
nutrients lockup; it does not affect crop taste.
Additionally, you may use slow-release granulated fertilizer Mango-Food once a month during hot season only. Dosage: 1 teaspoon per
each gal of soil.
Water-soluble fertilizers can be also used, however, those are usually
EDTA-chelated which is not as efficient as Amono-acid based Sunshine Boosters and
may create nutrients build up, especially if overdosed in containers.
For in-ground mango trees, you may use all the above, and slow-release
granulated fertilizer can be applied in larger quantities: spread a handful
around the drip line.
Remember that only liquid Sunshine Boosters can be applied year around. With other fertilizers, you need to be careful not to overdose, and apply only during hot weather (when night temperatures are steadily above 65F).
How to grow a Dwarf Mango tree
Q: I received the Ice cream mango tree in great condition (thank you for the ingenious packing job) on Wednesday and have planted it in a pot slightly bigger than the root ball. I plan to grow the tree on my front porch, so how big a container should I ultimately use when the tree outgrows this pot? How big a container does it need to fruit? I hope to keep it around 6-7 feet high, if possible. I live in Hawaii.
A: Ice Cream mango is a perfect variety for container culture, and it should be happy in Hawaii. You did everything right. Keep it in this small pot for now and wait until it starts vigorous growth in Summer. Once it starts growing (and you will notice roots growing too, sometimes they try to grow through the holes in the bottom of the pot), then it's time to step up into a bigger container (7-10 gal). Eventually you may use container size as large as 15 gal. Ice cream mango is slow growing and compact, and you will be able to maintain it under 7 ft with very minimal pruning if any.
Date:
Container mango - Condo varieties
Q: What are the good varieties of mango trees available for container grow? Can you please share the details?
A: There are some great varieties of Mango selected specifically
for container culture, they even have a nick-name - "condo mangoes". They
have compact growth habit and respond well to pruning to keep them in small
size. Here are a few of our favorites that we currently have in stock:
Glenn
Ice
Cream
Cotton
Candy
Mallika
Manilita
Pram
Kai Mai
Mun
Kun Si
Maha
Chinook
You can see more condo mangoes on this page.
Related articles:
How to grow a Dwarf Mango tree
Choosing the right Mango for your garden
10 secrets of successful Container Mango growing on a balcony.
Condo Mango
Date:
Cold hardy tropical fruit trees for Zone 9
Q: Can you suggest tropical fruit that can be grown (cold hardy) in Zone 9?
A: There are quite a few tropical/subtropical trees that will
grow well in zone 9. Our favorites are:
Figs - very cold hardy and drought tolerant.
Loquats - grafted trees that start fruiting right away, reliable
producers.
Tropical Mulberry - very fast growing trees that can take freeze, heavy
producers.
Macadamia - these trees are of a compact nature, very easy to grow and
start producing nuts right away.
Many different varieties of Eugenias - tropical cherries - all-time favorites. Another tropical cherry - Malpighia, or Barbados cherry - starts fruiting in small size under one food tall! Great for containers.
Tropical (Low Chill) Peaches, Nectarines, and Plums. See full list of low-chill, relatively cold hardy fruit
trees.
And of course -
Bananas!
Don't forget to fertilize your fruit trees to improve their cold hardiness!
Date:
How to get gingers to bloom
Q: I have several gingers in my yard, including Red Torch, Lobster Claw, and Red Bamboo Ginger, they grow beautifully but only produce large dark green leaves and no flowers. Is there anything I can do to make them bloom? Do they need any special fertilizer?
A: Gingers are easy to grow tropical plants with so many benefits, giving us unique spice, and showy flowers (including long-lasting cut flowers!) - where other plants fail, especially in deep shade. They are not fussy about soils and even water once established. To keep your gingers happy, follow these simple steps:
1. Bright light is essential for flowering, but planting gingers in
semi-shade or filtered light will keep them stress-free from burning summer rays.
2. Water gingers regularly until they established and start producing
new leaves and stems. Once they start clumping, you may reduce watering to a
minimum 9once a week or so), or rely on your sprinkler system.
3. Once the plant is established, start using fertilizer to induce
flowering and healthy growth.
- We recommend granulated "smart release" fertilizer for all tropical
plants. For gingers, the best formula is Tropical Allure. It provides all macro- and microelements essential for
the healthy growth of the plant.
- Apply balanced water-soluble plant food for Gingers, Heliconias and
Bananas -
Broad Leaf Plus - once a month.
- Additionally, you may also add to the menu flower booster Pink N Good Daly Plant Food - this fertilizer is used in very low
concentration and can be used with every watering.
4. Remove old dry and yellowing leaves with sharp cutters to avoid pest
problems and keep good air circulation around these clumping plants.
5. Keep soil covered with 1" mulch to protect from weeds and maintain
the optimal amount of moisture for the rhizomes.
Check out our specialized fertilizers for different plants - for all your gardening needs!
Date:
Tahitian Gardenia
Q: I am interested in your Tahitian Gardenia and I would love to try and grow this plant in a large container/fabric pot. The soil here where I live is terrible as it's hard rock, clay, and sand! So I'm not sure if amending the soil would help to plant in the ground? Can you tell me if this will do okay in a container or best in ground? I live here in Las Vegas, NV (zone 9a). Any information would be great to help me make a this decision, I love the selection of cool tropical plants you offer! Also my daughter does Tahitian/Polynesian dance and this would be a cool "topping on the cake" if she could have a live Tiare flower in her performances.
A: Tahitian Gardenia will be doing best if grown in container in your
area. In its natural habitat, it grows full sun but also it enjoys mild weather
conditions and high air humidity. All gardenias prefer acidic soils. In your
area, if planted in the ground, it may be exposed to some harsh conditions:
too high temperatures, too hot sun, dry air, and as you mentioned - heavy clay
and sandy soil. You can enjoy this plant grown in container, which can be
moved as needed away from too much sun during summer months. Use well-drained potting mix. Use plastic pot, do not use fabric or clay
pots - soil will dry out too quickly.
Also remember to fertilize this plant on regular basis with a liquid
fertilizer SUNSHINE Pikake - Fragrant Flower Booster.
Grow gardenia in full sun or semi-shade during the hottest months. You may
spray it with pure water if the air too dry and hot. Enjoy your Tropical
Beauty and good luck!
Date:
Guava, the easiest container fruit tree
Grow Your Own Food
Guava is one of the most popular and well-known tropical fruit because
it is so tasty, sweet, juicy and flavorful! Many people are familiar with it
because of the large number of products made from this aromatic fruit. But
very few people know that Guava tree culture is very easy and this plant can
fruit in a pot right away. Guava tree start blooming and producing fruit as
small as 1 gal pot size. It can be kept in compact shape, responds well to pruning, stays bushy and grows very fast. It
is a perfect container fruit tree or a specimen for a tropical garden of any
size.
Upon ripening, the fruit becomes soft and juicy. It may be eaten fresh,
made into a juice or nectar contain fruit pulp, or made into preserves, jam,
jelly, or paste. A distinctive, savory-fresh aroma of fruit is thermo-stable,
thus survives processing. The guava is an excellent source of vitamins C and
A.
The plant is relatively cold hardy. Our young trees, 3 months after being
planted in the ground were exposed to a short period of freeze last winter
(mid-20's) but they grew back without significant damage. Try to keep Guava
cold-protected for the first winter, then it will be much hardier once
established.
Guavas are fast growers and heavy feeders, and benefit from regular
applications of fertilizer. Make sure to get some Sunshine Boosters fertilizer: Sunshine
C-Cibus - Crop Booster, and feed them your round.
Date:
Growing sapodilla in container and indoors
Q: I live in northwestern Washington state. I was wondering if I can grow a Sapodilla tree indoors in a container? Are they self-fertile, and which variety do you think would do best in a large container?
A: A: All Sapodillas are self-fertile. They can be successfully
grown in pots due to their slow growth rate and compact nature. The most
important requirement for successful growing and fruiting is a bright light, other
than that it is a very undemanding plant and is not fussy about watering.
The best variety for potting culture is Silas Woods which is a dwarf kind. This variety is the most profuse
producer, flowering and fruiting nearly year round providing bright light and
warmth. Although the fruit are smaller than other varieties and average 3-4"
size.
Sapodillas require regular fertilizer applications for good production.
We recommend Fruit Festival slow release fertilizer for the best results.
Date:
Jungle on Windowsill 101
Q: I got a Jasmine Sambac and a Tahitian gardenia as presents, they are very cute plants with flowers and flower buds. I would like to be able to keep them alive and hopefully happy for a long time, but I don't know much about growing tropical plants, and I am not sure if my thumb is green enough to make everything right. What do they need? How much sun? How much water? What kind of soil? Sorry for all these (maybe silly) questions, but I want to keep them alive, please help! I live in Wisconsin and we had some snow again last week.
A: Growing tropicals is not a hard work, it is a lot of fun! These plants are actually a good starters for a beginner who wants to try growing tropical plants, no matter if you live in a mild frost-free climate, or up North where you can have these beauties as houseplants. Below are a few simple steps for you:
1. Read. Follow planting instructions included with your plants. Check plant names on the tags and learn more about them from our online catalog.
2. Soil. Plant in quality potting mix - it must be porous and well-drained, never use heavy soils (top soil or garden soil are no-no), in a pot exactly the size of the root system. You can step up your plants in the next size container once you notice vigorous new growth. Next size means: 4" pot can go into 6" pot, 6" pot into 10" pot, etc. Too big of a pot may create rotting environment, root system must fill the entire container to use all the moisture from the soil. Container must have good hole(s) for excess water to drain through. Put the pot in a saucer and get rid of excess water every time after watering.
3. Light. Most tropical plants require lots of light in order to produce flowers. If you ever visited Florida, remember the bright sun? - these are ideal light conditions for tropicals. Up North, provide as much light as possible: a bright spot on a windowsill of Southern or Western exposure would work the best. If the sun gets too hot in summer afternoon, you may shade the window a little bit with a sheet of white paper to avoid leaf burn.
4. Water. Keep soil slightly moist but not soggy. The best way is to wait until the top of the soil feels dry to touch - this is time to water again. Jasmines prefer to stay on a dry side; gardenias do not like soil to dry out - keep them slightly moist as long as soil is very porous and well-drained.
The main reason of most problems with potted indoor plants is over watering. With experience, you will feel the right balance of moisture in the soil: the brighter the light, the more water is consumed by a plant; the less light, the less frequent you should water.
5. Trimming. In low light conditions, plants tend to become leggy. Trim branches as they become too long: the more you trim, the busier the plant gets. New growth promotes more profuse blooming in many species.
6. Fertilizing. Fertilize indoor plants with slow-release granulated fertilizer from march to November.
7. Insects. Check for insects at least once a month, especially underneath the leaf. If notice any problems (deformed leaves, residue, holes, or tiny insects) - clean the leaves/stems with a solution of warm water (1 cup), vegetable oil (2 table spoons), and a few drops of a dish soap.
8. Fresh air and air humidity. As soon as air temperature gets above 65F, bring your tropicals outside in the sun and fresh air: porch, balcony, outside in the yard. Air circulation is essential for your plant health. Bright light and high air humidity will promote vigorous growth, and lots of flowers for you to enjoy!
For more information on growing Tropical Plants 101, see Problem solving with potted plants - how can we help them?.