Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 11 Jul 2024 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

How to have fresh Papaya fruit year around

Papaya fruit: Waimanalo, Sunrise, Maradol

Papaya tree

🍊 How to have fresh Papaya fruit year around

🟠 Many people include Papaya fruit in their daily diet because of its healing properties for digestive system. You can eat Papaya fresh as a tasty dessert, add to salads ripe or green, use fruit and leaf wraps in cooking - possibilities are endless.
🟠 Buying papaya fruit from the store every day can become costly. So you can plant your own tree - Papayas are heavy producers. But like with many fruit trees, the question may arise:

❓ What to do with so many fruit at once, and where to get the fruit when it's out of season?

🟠 The answer is: plant several varieties. Different Papaya cultivars, similar to Mango and Avocado, have different crop seasons.
🟠 If you want to enjoy fresh delicious Papaya fruit year around, plant several Papaya varieties in your garden that have different ripening times.

Waimanalo

Sunrise

Maradol

🟠 Papaya tree doesn't take any room in your garden: similar to a palm tree, all its leaves/crown is up high, so you can plant as many trees as you want in a very limited space and still use the room under Papaya tree for other plants.

🛒 Limited time offer: Papaya collection - 3 trees for half price!

Shop Papaya varieties

📚 Learn more from previous posts:
The secret facts of Papaya's private life
Top 3 most wanted Papaya varieties

#Food_Forest

🏵 TopTropicals

Date: 15 Jun 2024 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

The truth about Papaya:

Papaya fruit

Papaya tree with fruit

Papaya fruit

Papaya trees

🍊 The truth about Papaya:
1) it is grass, and
2) it can go transgender!
The secret facts of Papaya's private life.

📌 Did you know that Papaya technically is not a tree? It is a large herbaceous plant, usually with a single, straight trunk that can reach 30 feet!
📌 Many dwarf varieties available in selection, reaching only 6-8 ft tall, but producing large crops of full size fruit - they are easy to harvest.
📌 Papaya trees have very complex gender mechanism, but the bottom line is - the tree can chance its sex based on conditions! Many varieties are self-fertile, but it always recommended to plant a few trees for cross-pollination and better yield.
📌 The sweetest Papaya is from so called "Solo" cultivars: the fruit is usually round or oval, on a smaller side, but super sweet.
📌 Fruit from Solo cultivars are not susceptible to fruit flies.
📌 Being officially a tropical plant, Papaya is pretty cold resistant and can withstand light freeze without significant damage.
📌 Surprisingly, Papayas are also hurricane-resistant plants and can take strong winds without damage. They still stand when other trees are down!
📌 Papaya is one of the Super-Foods thanks to papain - a natural enzyme containing in this fruit. Papaya fruit offers the best digestive aid! Eat some papaya after each meal to maintain healthy digestion.
📌 Try papaya leaf wraps for cooking meats - you won't need a meat tenderizer!
📌 Easy to grow trees, Papayas don't take any space in the garden, but bring so much goodness into your life!

🛒 Shop Papaya Trees

#Food_Forest

🏵 TopTropicals

Date: 26 Aug 2024 Top Tropicals Newsletter

Top ten fast-fruiting trees

Q: I would like to plant several fruit trees... I am 85 years old and hope to see them fruiting soon. What fruit trees can you recommend that will fruit quickly?

A: Most grafted fruit trees, such as Mango, Avocado, and Peaches, will fruit quickly - often within the same year or the next. There are also many wonderful tropical fruits that will produce for you within a year or two, even without the need for grafting. Below are the top 10 of most popular, most rewarding and easy to grow fast fruiting tropical trees:

1. Annona - Sugar Apple, Custard Apple.

Annonas are the fastest fruiting trees: 2-3-4 years from seed to fruit, depending on species. They are the best tropical fruit trees suited for container growing, due to their small height and can be maintained within 6-8 ft tall.

Shop Annonas

2. Guava (Psidium sp.): Cattley and Tropical guava

Guava is a reliable producer, starts fruiting in a pot at small size. Some varieties, especially Cattley guavas - Psidium littorale - are relatively cold hardy and can take some frost without damage. Guavas are fast growing small trees or large bushes.

Shop Guavas

3. Eugenia - Tropical Cherries

Eugenias are favorites of Southern gardens. They are relatively cold hardy and start producing right away. Black Surinam Cherry Lolita and Grumichama are our favorites!

Shop Eugenia Cherries

4. Barbados Cherry (Malpighia glabra)

Another exceptional tropical cherry is Barbados Cherry. It is super popular as a heavy producer. The plant can start fruiting when it's only a few inches tall! If you are looking for a compact, but fast growing tree with colorful fruit that starts fruiting right away - plant Barbados Cherry. It will also happily fruit in containers.

Shop Barbados Cherry

5. Eriobotrya (Eriobotrya japonica)

Loquat tree is fast-growing, drought-tolerant, cold-tolerant, compact tropical fruit tree. It is a heavy producer. Fruits are juicy, aromatic, and resemble apricots. Ripen from early Spring to early Summer. Ideal for small gardens, beginner fruit tree growers.

Shop Loquat Varieties

6. Papaya (Carica papaya)

Papaya is probably the fastest fruiting tree that can start production the same year from planting a seed. Many dwarf varieties available in selection, reaching only 6-8 ft tall, but producing large crops of full size fruit - they are easy to harvest. Plant 2-3 Papaya trees of different cultivars that fruit at different times of the year and enjoy heavy crops of healthy fruit year around! Another benefit - this tree doesn't take much space in the garden, you can plant as many as you want.

Shop Papaya Varieties

7. Mulberry (Morus hybrids)

Mulberry is very cold hardy and can grow in wide range of climate zones, from USDA 5 to 10. Everyone knows this sweet, tasty, juicy fruit. The tree will produce right away, you will see fruit the next season after planting, and the tree grows fast.

Shop Mulberry Trees

8. Carambola - Starfruit (Averrhoa carambola)

Growing Carambola tree is a fun and rewarding way to enjoy this unique star-shaped delicious fruit right at home. It fruits on the 3d year from seed. The tree is easy to grow and reliable producer, providing wind protection.

Shop Carambola Trees

9. Blackberry Jam Fruit (Randia formosa)

Blackberry Jam Fruit, Jasmin de Rosa is a curious small evergreen tree or bush that combines features of a fragrant flower and delicious dessert fruit which tastes like fresh Blackberry jam. Fragrant white flowers are similar to Gardenia.

Shop Blackberry Jam Fruit

10. Peanut Butter Tree (Bunchosia argentea)

Peanut Butter Tree, earns its name from its fleshy fruits that boast a delightful peanut butter flavor. Compact in size, small tree reaching only 10-15 ft or kept as a bush, it's a perfect choice for limited spaces. Can thrive indoors, starting to fruit within just 2-3 years from seed.

Shop Peanut Butter Tree

Shop All Fast-fruiting Trees

Date: 5 Aug 2024 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

How to make a zippy Papaya-Citrus Marinade

🍲 How to make a zippy Papaya-Citrus Marinade

🍗 🍖 The Papaya enzyme papain makes this fruit especially suitable for tenderizing meat in marinades. Use this zippy marinade for beef or poultry.

✔️ 1 cup papaya puree
✔️ 1 tbsp lime zest
✔️ 1/3 cup grapefruit juice
✔️ 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
✔️ 1 tbsp honey
✔️ 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
✔️ 1 tbsp coarse black pepper
✔️ 1/2 tsp basil leaves
✔️ 2 tbsp olive oil

🍊 Combine and mix all ingredients except olive oil, then gradually mix in olive oil. Marinade meat for 2-8 hrs and cook over grill.

📚 From previous posts:

🛒 Get your own Papaya tree

#Recipes #Food_Forest

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Date: 9 Nov 2019 Top Tropicals Newsletter

Saving Fallen Papaya Tree

Q: Hope there is help for my beautiful amazing papaya tree! There where a loooooooot of fruits on it, but it broke! First of all, it was leaning and friends tried to straight my beautiful tree. What can I do? Will it get fruits again?

A: A couple months ago we also had a Papaya tree loaded with fruit that fell down (see photos). It was heart-breaking. We secured it and it continued growing for a couple of weeks but unfortunately, at the end the tree still died, leaving us a million fruit. The Papaya tree has a very sensitive root system and is hard to re-establish once the roots are damaged.
However, if it just has a broken top, it has a good chance to grow back from the side shoots.
Of course, remove all the fruit so they don't take energy from the recovering tree.
When a tree is loaded with fruit, it is important to provide support for heavy branches and for the trunk if needed. Always support the fruiting tree to prevent from possible falling BEFORE it starts leaning down and may become broken by even a light wind.
In the photo, you can see how we fixed boards around, but it was already after the tree fell. Unfortunately, it was too late since the roots got damaged. Always need to stake the tree up before the branches get too heavy!

Only local pick up from our Garden Center
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Date: 19 Jun 2024 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

Top 3 most wanted Papaya varieties

Papaya Maradol

Papaya Solo Sunset, Semi-Dwarf from Hawaii.

Papaya Solo Waimanalo, Dwarf

🍊 Top 3 most wanted Papaya varieties

Papaya fruit is one of the superfoods as we mentioned earlier. Below are the top 3 most interesting varieties: a full size tree, a semi-dwarf and a dwarf.

Maradol. Vigorous full size plant with high yield. Commercially grown throughout Central Mexico, these papayas are 3 to 5 pounds in weight and the shape of an elongated melon. Soft and juicy, they have salmon pink or red flesh that is very sweet with a slightly perfumed, fruity flavor. Cut them in half lengthwise. Delicious and irresistible with a sprinkle of fresh lemon or lime juice.
Solo Sunset, Semi-Dwarf from Hawaii. Commercially grown primarily on Kauai, it has dark pink to reddish-orange flesh. The fruit is medium to small size, shape is somewhat round. This is the sweetest Papya variety we ever tasted!
Solo Waimanalo, Dwarf - oval, large size yellow fruit with dark yellow flesh. Low bearing tree makes harvesting easy. Grows wonderfully in Central Florida in both a container or in the ground. Will go from seed to fruit in just one year. Waimanalo has yellow-orange flesh.

Do you eat Papaya fresh or you also cook with it? Share in comments

Shop Papaya Trees

#Food_Forest

🏵 TopTropicals

Date: 2 May 2024 Top Tropicals Telegram channel & chat

Fun Fact: Papayas contain an enzyme called papain, which is commonly used as a meat tenderizer, now you know what the secret is!

Papaya (Carica papaya)

📖 Fun Fact: Papayas contain an enzyme called papain, which is commonly used as a meat tenderizer, now you know what the secret is!

Papaya (Carica papaya) is a delicious fruit that is good for you as a dessert or as a digestive aid. We eat it after every meal!

🛒 Shop Papaya trees

#Food_Forest #Fun_Facts

🏵 TopTropicals

Date: 17 Nov 2023 Top Tropicals Newsletter

Privacy Hedges with Benefits

What's the numero uno question we get bombarded with at Top Tropicals Nursery? Well, it's a real head-scratcher:

Q: "...Can you recommend me a flowering privacy hedge to spice up my yard's life? My current hedge is just a green wall and I'm tired of the monthly trim routine. I need something lively, fast-growing, and unusual if possible. No plain old ixora, please!.."

A: After over two decades of being the go-to advice-givers, we thought, "Why not spill the floral beans and share our tropical wisdom?" But where to begin? The jungle of flowering ornamentals is vast, and picking the perfect shrub is like finding the missing piece of a gardening puzzle. So, in our new column "Hedges with Benefits" we're dishing on those not-so-average shrubs that'll not only prettify your patch but also bring some serious practicality. Today's lineup is -

Top Ten Winners:
Fast growing flowering shrubs

Below is the top selection of spectacular flowering shrubs that can create a nice hedge or a natural screen within just a couple of seasons.

Tithonia diversifolia - Sunflower tree.
Grows super fast to a very tall dense hedge, and starts flowering right away. Full sun, very easy, not fussy about soil or water. Winter bloomer.

See it in the store

Calliandra surinamensis - Powderpuff.
Pretty pink powderpuffs almost year around! Easy to prune.

See it in the store

Dombeya x wallichii - Tropical Hydrangea.
You can see this beautiful bush right at Top Tropicals gate. Winter bloomer, large lush leaves and huge, pink hydrangea-like blooms. Very large and fast growing, likes water, tolerates shade.

See it in the store

Acalypha hispida - Cat tail, Chenille plant.
All time favorite, everblooming with red cat tails! Full sun. Easy to control.

See it in the store

Hibiscus variegated Snow Queen.
Popular landscape bush with unusual look, red flowers over snow white variegation, very showy! Responds well to pruning. Full sun.

See it in the store

Leonotis leonurus - Lions Ears.
Winter bloomer, great for low hedges. Covered with bright orange curious flowers, medium sized, easy to control at 3-4 ft. Full sun.

See it in the store

Plumbago auriculata Imperial Blue
One of the most popular Southern hedge plants, everblooming with bright blue flowers, tolerant to drought, heat, and poor soils. Can be maintained short or tall (2-6 ft).

See it in the store

Eranthemum pulchellum - Blue Sage, Lead Flower.
Great for shady spots, winter bloomer with dark green leaves and unusual sky-blue flowers. Can be trimmed if needed. Nice and dense.

See it in the store

Clerodendrum paniculatum - Pagoda Flower. Happy in the sun or shade, easy plant. Loves water.

See it in the store

Tibouchina lepidota - Ecuador Princess, Jules Dwarf.
Sun or shade, blooms on and off throughout the year. Beautiful Purple Princess!

See it in the store

Date: 12 Dec 2023 Top Tropicals Newsletter

Easy compact bush for sandy soil

Caesalpinia pulcherrima - Red Dwarf Poinciana, Bird of Paradise.

Q: Can you recommend a flowering bush that will be in full sun and in sandy soil. I do not want it to exceed 10 feet.

A: For a garden specimen bush that is medium size and tolerates poor soils, we can recommend to choose from the plants below. These are all easy to grow, not fussy about soil and water, and stay compact and require minimal or no trimming at all.

Calliandra surinamensis - Powderpuff - 6-8 ft
Hibiscus mutabilis Cotton Candy - Mallow Hibiscus - 5-6 ft
Dombeya seminole - Tropical Rose Hydrangea 4-6 ft
Allamanda schottii - Dwarf Allamanda Bush 3-4 ft
Brunfelsia pauciflora Compacta - Dwarf Yesterday-Today-Tomorrow - 4-5 ft
Calliandra schultzii - Dwarf calliandra - 4-5 ft
Plumbago auriculata Imperial Blue
Caesalpinia pulcherrima - Red Dwarf Poinciana, Bird of Paradise - 2-4 ft
Hibiscus schizopetalus - Coral Hibiscus - 5-6 ft
Jatropha integerrima compacta - 4-5 ft
Clerodendrum bungei - Glory Bower - tolerates shade, 4-5 ft
Eranthemum pulchellum - Blue Sage, Lead Flower (prefers shade) - 4-5 ft
Magnolia figo - Banana Magnolia - small tree, 6-8 ft
Megaskepasma erythrochlamys - Brazilian plume (tolerates shade) - 5-6 ft
Tibouchina lepidota - Ecuador Princess, Jules Dwarf - 3-4 ft
Leonotis leonurus - Lions Ears - 3-4 ft

Also, for your further reference, check out the reference chart Hedges with Benefits Chart to see different flowering bushes that are great for hedges as well as garden specimens, depending on your specific needs.

See all Hedges with Benefits