Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 16 Nov 2019

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

From left to right: Purry, LadyBug, Charlie, and Ricki - 2016

Date: 29 Nov 2020

Cold protection of tropical container plants

Q: I am long time customer of yours, I live in San Diego California and while the summer and Fall temperatures are warm to mild, the winter temperatures dip to a point where some tropicals die off. We are experimenting with different variations of way to heat and insulate the pots we have the tropicals planted in as a way to keep them alive during the colder winter months. I was wondering if you knew of the ideal soil temperature for these tropical in order to look their best year round. All of the heaters we have installed have thermostats and temperature adjustments so we can now keep the soil anywhere between a range of between 65-75 degrees. Any advise you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

A: This is a very interesting concept you are working with. Indeed, keeping pots/roots warm, may help a lot! We've been experimenting with cold protection for a long time - for the above-ground plant parts. For sure keeping roots protected (even with a thick layer of mulch) will benefit tropical plants during winter. In case with container plants, this may help dramatically.
The guideline is, tropical plants slow down or stop their metabolism at 65F. As long as you can keep soil above that temperature - this should work great. Of course, the higher the better.
Optimum temperature for growing tropical plants in general - 70-85F. Above 90F, metabolism stops too, unless it's a heat tolerant, desert plant.

More information on winter cold protection of tropical plants and zone pushing:

Greenhouse in Virginia
Plumeria cold protection
Ghost Cold Protection
Seven rules of cold protection for tropicals
About Cold Protection
Cold protection - winter action for your plant collection
Tropical Treasures articles on zone pushing.

Date: 2 Jul 2024

What is the most useful tree in the world?

Moringa oleifera - Bridal veil, Horseradish tree, Drumstick Tree, Ben Oil Tree

Moringa oleifera - Bridal veil, Horseradish tree, Drumstick Tree, Ben Oil Tree

Moringa oleifera - Bridal veil, Horseradish tree, Drumstick Tree, Ben Oil Tree

Moringa oleifera - Bridal veil, Horseradish tree, Drumstick Tree, Ben Oil Tree

Moringa oleifera - Bridal veil, Horseradish tree, Drumstick Tree, Ben Oil Tree

Moringa oleifera - Bridal veil, Horseradish tree, Drumstick Tree, Ben Oil Tree

🌐 What is the most useful tree in the world?

  • 💚 One of the most versatile and valuable trees known to humanity is Moringa oleifera, also called: Horseradish tree, Bridal veil, Horseradish tree, Drumstick Tree, Ben Oil Tree. It is indeed considered one of the most useful trees in the world. This reputation stems from its wide range of nutritional, medicinal, and practical applications.
  • 💚 Moringa is a beautiful flowering tree with fragrant white flowers. It produces long green pods (looking like drumsticks!) and the seeds have been compared to a cross between peanuts and asparagus.
  • 💚 Moringa leaves are rich in vitamins (A, B, C, E), minerals (calcium, potassium, iron), and amino acids, and have strong antioxidant properties. they are used in traditional medicine to treat inflammation. Moringa can help lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
  • 💚 Almost every part of the tree is edible, including the leaves, pods, seeds, and flowers. Each part has its unique nutritional profile and culinary uses. Used in teas and cooking.
  • 💚 The roots are used as a substitute for horseradish and the edible leaves make a highly nutritious vegetable. The roots have also been used in many folk remedies.
  • 💚 Many Moringa products produced commercially: leaves, powder, oil. Moringa oil, extracted from the seeds, is used in cosmetics, skincare products. Seeds can be used to purify water, making it safer to drink.
  • 💚 The plant can be used as a natural fertilizer and pesticide. Leaves are used as a nutritious feed for livestock.


📚 Learn more: How to grow a happy Moringa Tree

🛒 Plant your own Moringa Tree and save the Planet

#Food_Forest #Remedies

🏵 TopTropicals

Date: 12 Aug 2024

How to grow drumsticks on a tree

Moringa oleifera - Horseradish tree

🍗 How to grow drumsticks on a tree



Our Moringa Tree is full of drumsticks!
Learn more about this useful plant - Moringa oleifera - Horseradish tree - from our previous posts:

📚 Earlier posts:
#Food_Forest #Remedies

🛒 Plant your own Moringa Tree

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 28 Aug 2025

Moringa vs spinach: which one wins for nutrition?

Moringa oleifera, Horseradish tree

🌳 Moringa vs spinach: which one wins for nutrition?

  • ✔️Moringa is sometimes called the Tree of Life, and for good reason. Almost every part is edible - leaves, pods, seeds, even the flowers. It isn't just a tree, it's like a whole pantry and medicine cabinet rolled into one.
  • ✔️ The leaves pack vitamins, minerals, and protein.
  • ✔️ The pods look like drumsticks and end up in curries.
  • ✔️ Even the seeds are handy - pressed for oil or used to clean water.
  • ✔️ And here's the bonus: it grows fast, covers itself in fragrant white flowers, and looks beautiful right in your garden.
  • ✔️ A tree that feeds you, heals you, and makes the yard smell good.


🛒 Want more energy? Grow Tree of Life - Moringa - at home

📚 Learn more:


#Food_Forest #Remedies #Discover #Trees

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals
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