Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 23 Oct 2025

How we ship plants: quick guide

How to ship plants

How to ship plants

🚚 How we ship plants: quick guide

If you’re a first-time mail order plant buyer, or just want peace of mind before sending a live plant on its journey in a box, check out these videos. And if you have questions, feel free to ask - we’ll be happy to answer them all!
Rest assured, your plants are in good hands!

🛒 Shop plants online

📚 Learn more:

#How_to

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 22 Oct 2025

Tight spaces

Philemon the Cat

Philemon the Cat

😘 Tight spaces

"If I fits, I sits."

🐈📸 Philemon the Cat at TopTropicals PeopleCats.Garden.

#PeopleCats

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 22 Oct 2025

Which dry fertilizer to use - slow release or controlled release?

dry top dress fertilizer

dry top dress fertilizer

controlled release fertilizer Green Magic

controlled release fertilizer Green Magic

🌳 Which dry fertilizer to use - slow release or controlled release?

❓ Q: You offer two kinds of dry fertilizers - Slow Release Trop Dress and Controlled Release Green Magic. What is the difference, and which one should I use? I used your water-diluted Sunshine Boosters with every watering, but now that I’ll be away for a few months, I just want to give my garden a long-lasting fertilizer.
  • ✔️ A: Top Dress Slow Release Fertilizer is used for quick greening-up. Although it’s called “slow release,” the nutrients become available fairly fast. It contains soluble nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) that dissolve with rain or irrigation, acting within a week or a few weeks depending on temperature and rainfall. It’s great for giving your plants a quick boost of “fast food.”

    • We use Top Dress mainly for in-ground plants. It can be used in pots only during warm weather and active growth, but not in cooler months, as it may burn roots. Since we introduced Green Magic, we mostly use Top Dress only for garden beds and landscapes.
  • ✔️ Green Magic Controlled Release Fertilizer is a true long-term, controlled-release fertilizer. Thanks to its PolyOn Technology coating, it provides steady, consistent feeding for 5-6 months. Unlike regular dry fertilizers that dump all nutrients at once, Green Magic releases them gradually - no burn, no guesswork, just steady nutrition.

Green Magic ideal for potted fruit trees, ornamentals, and houseplants. One handful keeps your plants fed for half a year. We use it for all container plants when potting up or refreshing soil every six months. It can also be used for in-ground plants if you want the best, most consistent results. Green Magic: try it out! (Sample here)

🛒 Shop Plant Food & More

📚 Learn more:

#Fertilizers #How_to
🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 22 Oct 2025

Chaya stir-fry: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

Cnidoscolus aconitifolius - Maya Spinach Tree, Chaya

Cnidoscolus aconitifolius - Maya Spinach Tree, Chaya

Chaya stir-fry

Chaya stir-fry

🍴 Chaya stir-fry: quick-n-fun exotic recipes
  • 🟢Boil chaya leaves first (to remove toxins), then stir-fry with onions and eggs.
  • 🟢Nutritious and earthy with a spinach-like taste.

    Chaya Stir-Fry (Maya Spinach)

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups Chaya leaves, boiled first to remove toxins
    • 1 small onion, sliced
    • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
    • 1 tbsp cooking oil or butter
    • Salt to taste

    Instructions

    1. Boil Chaya leaves for 15-20 minutes before eating. This is essential to destroy natural toxins. Never eat raw Chaya leaves.
    2. Drain and chop the boiled leaves.
    3. Heat oil in a pan and saut onions until soft.
    4. Add the boiled Chaya leaves and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
    5. Push leaves to one side, pour in the eggs, and scramble.
    6. Mix everything together and season with salt. Serve warm.


🛒 Add nutritious Chaya to your garden and kitchen

📚 Learn more:

#Food_Forest #Recipes

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 22 Oct 2025

Detailed Cassia and Bauhinia Care Guide

Young Bauhinia monandra tree blooming with clusters of pink and white orchid-like flowers, growing at Top Tropicals nursery with fresh mulch and drip irrigation setup

Outdoor Cassia and Bauhinia Care

  • Light: Both Cassia and Bauhinia need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. Cassias handle intense heat; Bauhinias can take light afternoon shade.
  • Soil: Use loose, fast-draining soil. Mix equal parts garden soil, coarse sand, and compost.
  • Watering: Keep evenly moist but never soggy. Cassias tolerate dry spells once established; Bauhinias prefer steady moisture. Water when the top inch feels dry.
  • Feeding: For profuse flowering, feed with liquid Sunshine Boosters Megaflor that is safe to use with every watering, year around. You may also apply Green Magic controlled release fertilizer every 6 months. Bauhinias and Cassias respond quickly to feeding.
  • Pruning: After flowering, prune lightly to shape and remove dead tips. Cassias can be trimmed to shrub form; Bauhinias stay bushy with pinching.
  • Mulch: Add a 2-inch mulch layer around the base to conserve moisture and prevent weeds, but keep mulch off the trunk.
  • Cold protection: Most Cassias handle brief frost; some Bauhinias like B. acuminata and B. monandra must be sheltered below freezing. For cold nights, cover with frost cloth or move containers into shelter.
  • Dormancy: Outside of tropics, most Bauhinias drop leaves in winter for a short period of time, right before flowering and are called "semi-deciduous". Cassias stay evergreen.

Indoor or Porch Care (cool-climate growers)

  • Container: Choose a sturdy pot with several drainage holes, one size larger than the root ball. Unglazed clay or thick plastic pots work best for heat regulation. Use a light, well-drained mix such as professional soilless mix Abundance. Both Cassias and Bauhinias dislike soggy roots. Add a thin layer of coarse gravel at the bottom to improve drainage. Repot every 1–2 years in spring
  • Light: Brightest spot possible - south-facing window or heated sunroom. Supplement with a grow light if sunlight is weak.
  • Temperature: Keep potted trees in warm environment for best results. The optimum temperature for Cassias and Bauhinias is between 60–85 F, although many species can tolerate cooler temperatures. Avoid cold drafts and sudden drops.
  • Humidity: Average indoor humidity is fine; occasional misting keeps foliage glossy.
  • Watering: Water sparingly in winter when growth slows; allow the top inch to dry between waterings. Do not let roots sit in water.
  • Fertilizing: Feed with Sunshine Boosters Megaflor that is safe to use with every watering, year around, to maintain flowering indoors. You may also apply Green Magic controlled release fertilizer every 6 months.
  • Pest watch: Check undersides of leaves for aphids or whitefly. A light spray of neem oil or insecticidal soap clears them fast.

"Whether you crave golden summer fireworks or soft orchid blooms that last nearly all year, both Cassia and Bauhinia bring pure joy to the garden. 💖 Bring color that never quits."

Did you know: Fall is the best planting season — roots grow faster and you’ll have flowers by spring!

✔️ Fall Planting Guide

🛒 Shop Tropical Flowering trees

< Previous pageNext page >Most recent entryBlog table of contents