Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

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PeopleCats Botanical Garden Grand Opening
Guided tour with Mark Hooten

PeopleCats Botanical Garden at TopTropicals

Top Tropicals Garden Center is pleased to invite you to visit our new PeopleCats Botanical Garden on the grounds of Top Tropicals in Ft Myers. It is named in honor of the relationship with our beloved Cats, who we treat like People. You'll see our Garden PeopleCats roaming the property. As a matter of fact, they rule the garden!
The Garden has many mature trees and plants so you can see what they look like before your purchase them in our Garden Center. And of course, our PeopleCats will be guiding you in the Gardens!

Peoplecats - cat Marco at Top Tropicals gate

More info about PeopleCats Garden

PeopleCats Garden - Top Tropicals Ghost light in the forest the spirit is always watching!

Photo above: blue light in the forest - TopTropicals Garden Ghost, the spirit is always watching!

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Blackberry Jam Fruit - the sweetest surprise

A tuxedo cat making jam from Blackberry Jam Fruit (Randia formosa) while an orange cat smiles in a chair, sipping tea beside a large flowering Randia plant in a cozy, sunlit room.

Tea and Jam with the PeopleCats – A Tropical Afternoon Beneath the Randia

Meet the cats behind the jam! The tuxedo cat is none other than Google-the-cat - our beloved elder and one of the original cat-fathers of Top Tropicals PeopleCats.garden. At 18 years old, he’s still sharp, curious, and very much in charge. The orange fluffball? He represents the universal image of cat joy - and we’ve got a few real-life orange sunshine residents just like him.

Why do you include cats in a plant newsletter?

Because they’re part of the garden. Our rescued PeopleCats live among the plants, nap under the mango trees, inspect new arrivals, and occasionally steal a sunspot meant for seedlings. They’re not mascots — they’re part of our team. Sharing their presence is like showing a part of the soul of our space.🐈

Are the cat images real or AI-generated?

All our cats are real! We take lots of pictures and videos. And a few images are AI-generated illustrations inspired by our real PeopleCats.garden residents. While not literal photographs, they are creative interpretations that capture the spirit of our tropical home and its furry citizens.🐾

Are the stories about the cats true?

Mostly! The jam-making, tea-drinking, and greenhouse meetings are creative interpretations - but inspired by real personalities. We use AI scenes to bring their spirit to life. Real cats. Real plants. Imagined adventures.🐱

Watch Top Tropicals videos about PeopleCats

Shop Blackberry Jam Plants

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Growing Barbados Cherry in container

Barbados Cherry fruit on the branch

Q: I am interested in buying some Barbados cherry plants. Could you please advise if these can be grown in containers indefinitely or it's still better for them to be planted in ground for nutrients etc?

A: The Barbados cherry, like other tropical cherry varieties, is exceptionally well-suited for cultivation in containers.

Barbados cherry grows into a dense bush, demands minimal pruning, and begins bearing fruit at a young age. Our plants, which are propagated from cuttings, initiate the flowering and fruiting process in the very same year. They produce fruit almost year around. This year we've had three big crops: April, July and October (still fruiting now!) besides sporadic fruiting throughout the warm season.

Barbados Cherry branches with fruit

You can cultivate Barbados cherry in a pot, commencing with a 1-3 gallon container and gradually increasing the size each year. Below is a photo of a fully developed tree in the ground, for reference. This tree is approaching its third year of growth. When grown in a container, it maintains a more compact size, with the largest container needed likely being between 7 to 15 gallons. Regular pruning can be employed to keep it smaller.

Barbados Cherry bush in the ground

Photo above: Barbados Cherry bush in the ground

Barbados cherry (Malpighia) possesses a distinct growth pattern that sets it apart from other tropical cherry varieties - Eugenias. Malpighia's branches can assume peculiar shapes, even at angles of up to 90 degrees. Therefore, pruning to achieve the desired shape is advantageous.

Additionally, you may want to explore the Dwarf Barbados cherry, a miniature cherry variety ideal for container cultivation, with cascading growth habit. Although its fruits are slightly smaller than those of the regular variety, they are notably sweeter.

Dwarf Barbados Cherry branches with fruit

Photo above: Dwarf Barbados Cherry fruit

When it comes to ensuring the health and vitality of your potted Barbados cherry plants, maintaining a consistent nutrient supply is crucial. Implementing a regular fertilization regimen is essential to promote robust growth, consistent flowering, and bountiful fruit production. For optimal results, we recommend using Sunshine Boosters, which are specially formulated to enhance the development of fruits and edibles. These boosters are derived from organic amino acids, making them environmentally friendly and safe for year-round use. By incorporating Sunshine Boosters C-Cibus into your plant care routine, you can ensure that your container-grown Barbados cherry plants receive the essential nutrients they need to thrive and flourish.

Barbados Cherry in the ground

Photo above: Dwarf Barbados Cherry in the ground

Shop Barbados cherries

Barbados Cherry in a pot

Date:

How to grow a Guava Tree: Practical Guide to Growing Guava. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

How to grow a Guava Tree: Practical Guide to Growing Guava

Guava (Psidium sp.)

🍉 How to grow a Guava Tree: Practical Guide to Growing Guava
  • 🍑 Guava Trees (Psidium sp.) are beloved for their flavorful fruit and easy-growing nature. These fast-growing trees are reliable producers and can thrive in a variety of climates, making them a favorite among home gardeners. Guavas are compact and can be grown in containers, making them suitable for small spaces and urban gardens.
  • 🍑 Light and Soil

    • Guava trees thrive in full sun, requiring at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily to produce the best fruit. They prefer well-draining soils rich in organic matter but are adaptable to a range of soil types, including sandy or loamy soils. Slightly acidic to neutral soil is ideal. While guavas tolerate poor soils, enriching the soil with compost or manure will improve growth and yield.
  • 🍑 Pruning tips

    • Pruning is essential for maintaining the shape, size, and productivity of guava trees.

· Frequency: Prune guavas annually, ideally after the fruiting season, to encourage new growth and improve airflow.
  • · Remove dead, diseased, or crossing branches to maintain tree health.
  • · Shape the tree to allow sunlight to penetrate the canopy, which enhances fruit production.
  • · For container-grown guavas, keep the tree compact by trimming back vigorous shoots regularly.

  • 🍑 Guava in containers

    • Guavas are well-suited to container growing. Compact varieties like the "Nana" guava are ideal for pots. Use a large container (at least 15-20 gallons) with good drainage. Fill it with a high-quality potting mix enriched with organic matter. Place the container in a sunny location and water consistently. Regular pruning helps maintain a manageable size and promotes fruiting in container-grown guavas.
  • 🍑 Watering

· Guava trees require consistent watering, especially during dry periods and the fruiting season. While they can tolerate short periods of flooding, ensure the soil is not waterlogged. Water deeply once or twice a week, depending on your climate.
  • · Fertilize guavas 3-4 times a year during the growing season with a balanced fertilizer rich in potassium and phosphorus to promote flowering and fruiting. Adding organic matter like compost or manure annually boosts soil fertility and improves yields.

  • 🍑 Harvesting

· Guava trees are quick to fruit, often producing their first harvest within a year of planting. For container-grown trees, fruiting can start in even smaller pots, such as 1-gallon containers.
  • · Signs of ripe guava fruit include:

    • - A change in color from green to yellow (depending on the variety).
    - A sweet, fruity aroma.
    - Slight softness when gently pressed.
  • · Harvest ripe guavas by hand or with pruning shears. Consume fresh or use them to make juices, jams, or desserts.

  • 🍑 Health Benefits of Guava

· Guava is a nutrient powerhouse, offering numerous health benefits:
  • · Vitamin C: Boosts the immune system and helps protect against colds and infections.
  • · Potassium: Supports healthy blood pressure levels.
  • · Antioxidants: Contribute to glowing skin and may reduce the risk of cancer.
  • · Fiber: Aids digestion and helps regulate blood sugar levels.

  • 🍑 Popular Varieties of Guava

· Tropical Guava (Psidium guajava): Sweet and aromatic, suitable for warmer climates.
  • · Cattley Guava (Psidium littorale): Cold-hardy with a slightly tart flavor.
  • · Cas Guava (Psidium friedrichsthalianum): Known for its sour taste, perfect for juices like Costa Rica’s traditional "Agua de Cas." Cold hardy, disease resistant and vigorous, productive variety.
  • · Pineapple Guava (Feijoa sellowiana): Fruity and floral, thriving in cooler climates.


🍑 Additional Tips
  • · Guava trees are relatively pest-resistant but may require monitoring in humid climates for mealybugs. Use neem oil if needed.
  • · Planting multiple guava varieties ensures a continuous supply of fruit.
  • · With their fast growth, compact size, and delicious fruit, guava trees are a fantastic addition to tropical garden, greenhouse or patio.


📚 More from previous posts about #Guava

🛒 Shop Guava Trees

#Food_Forest #Guava

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

TopTropicals

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.

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Why PeopleCats? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Why PeopleCats?

Why PeopleCats? Why PeopleCats? Why PeopleCats? Why PeopleCats?
⭕️ Why PeopleCats?

"One cat just leads to another..." - Ernest Hemingway

Most PlantPeople are also PetPeople, and many of them are CatPeople - people who have PeopleCats!

Here @TopTropicals, we find that combination both fun and incredibly productive in the garden! Currently, we have over 30 cats across our two locations - each one rescued, with many of them coming from uncertain beginnings, lucky to have found their sweet home with us.

At TopTropicals Garden Center, we're proud to be a cat-friendly plant facility. Our cats play an integral role in our daily routine, showering us with love and even making us better people. Our team takes great care of them, with cat care being part of their daily tasks.

And of course, our customers absolutely adore our PeopleCats, who guide them through the nursery and entertain them at our local plant events.

Come visit us in purr-son and make friends with our #PeopleCats!

📱 Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals

🐈 PeopleCats.Garden 
#PeopleCats

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Cat of the month: Persephone
The Queen of the Underworld

Cat Persephone

Well, well, well... it seems we have a new purrsonality around here! A few days ago, we discovered a mysterious little purrrson living under the TopTropicals office. Did a customer leave her behind? Or was she simply drawn to our PeopleCats paradise? Who can say! Either way, since she made her grand entrance from the underground, we decided to name her Persephone, after the Greek goddess and Queen of the Underworld.

Persephone has come a long way - she finally let us pet her, and now she's taken over the office desk! She even drools a little when she gets those precious head scratches. Persephone has officially joined our Nursery Team, adding her charm to Customer Service

Come and see our PeopleCats (including the Queen herself!) in purrrrson at our Garden Center in Ft Myers, Florida!

See more PeopleCats in our Garden

Cat Persephone

Cat Persephone

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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

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PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cats of the day: Biggy's Cat Hospital

Biggy checking on patient Abu when he couldn't walk

During these challenging times for the whole planet, we receive kind letters from our customers checking on how our PeopleCats are doing, especially those that previously were ill. And since we promised to follow up on everyone, including heart-breaking story of Raja and Abu, today's report is about everybody's progress!

As we mentioned in our previous newsletter, several cats in TopTropicals Cat Sanctuary had a coronavirus (we call it COVID-Cat-20), or simply a cat respiratory infection. Chiefy, Snitch, Marco and Biggy had it really bad, but some other PeopleCats surprisingly didn't get it! Just like with humans. Lucky King didn't have a single sneeze!
Finally, everybody has recovered by now, but it has been a very stressful couple of weeks for us, considering limited vet availability at this stay-home time. On top of that, Lil S had an abscess and was also contained in a home hospital, away from flu-quarantined PeopleCats. Our homes become real cat hospitals!
We are thankful to our customers support, especially Silvia who made several donations for our PeopleCats, and also recommended antiseptic pads - those worked great for Lil S!
Abu and Raja's adventures were not over... After 2 weeks of seeing a vet treating their infections and injuries, they got worse... Then after a couple of weeks in another hospital (and a couple thousand more in bills) we were suggested to put them down as hopeless since they would never walk again... But Kristi did not want to believe it, she did not give up! The kittens heard her. They won. Today, they are all better, walking, jumping and playing!

Thank you Kristi!
Never give up hope!

Stay safe and healthy with your PeoplePets!

TopTropicals PeopleCat Club

Thank you everybody for supporting us in helping PeopleCat Community!
Make your kind donation today and receive a surprise gift from us. Every little bit helps! Thank you and God bless you and your pets!

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