Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 5 Jan 2021

Growing Loquat in container

Q: I purchased a Sherry Loquat tree from you in April of 2020. It got off to a slow start initially, but now is five feet tall with healthy leaf growth! It is in a 15-gallon pot and was brought into the house by October 15th. I live in Zone 6 and kept the plant outside from end of May to October 15th. I have given the tree artificial lights in addition to slow release fertilizer. Can you please advise me on what steps I need to take to get the Sherry Loquat tree to fruit? E.g., lighting requirements, soil pH, soil type, etc.

A: Loquat is normally winter flowering and spring fruiting tree, here in Florida it is usually heavily covered with fruit by April. With a proper care, you may see flowers throughout the winter and they may set some fruit for you. Considering that during this time you have to keep the plant indoors, here are some recommendations:

1. Soil. Well-drained, porous potting mix. Do not use any heavy garden soils. For our plants we use the following mix which is excellent for containers: Abundance

2. Light. The brighter the better. Sunroom would be great, or at least put the tree next to a large window. Extra lighting with grow lights is beneficial. Any type of light will work, you can even use a simple clip-on light, the brighter the better. 8-10 hours a day.

3. Water. Loquat is drought tolerant but for fruiting it will need regular watering; just don't keep soil soggy, let is slightly dry before waterings.

4. Fertilizer program. Use liquid fertilizer. We recommend Sunshine Boosters that are safe to use with every watering and year around - SUNSHINE C-Cibus - Crop Nutrition Booster.
We recommend to switch plants from traditional "slow-release" fertilizer to the liquid one because it makes a huge difference in plant growth and flower/fruit quality and quantity. Sunshine Boosters are scientifically balanced fertilizers that supply all necessary elements for daily plant needs. They are natural and eco-safe, great for any edibles.

5. Micro-elements. These are essential for potted plants, because in containers roots can't reach out to elements that are usually present in soil when trees grown in the ground.

Apply micro-element remedies that are very effective for improving fruit production, especially when flower or fruit drop occurs:
SUNSHINE Honey - promotes more efficient blossoming and pollination, makes flowers bigger and reduces bud drop.
SUNSHINE SuperFood - improves plant vigor and quality and size of flowers
These are all natural, eco-friendly supplements that work great for fruit trees and other edibles.

Read more about Loquat trees: The best grafted Loquat varieties.

Date: 23 Nov 2018

Featured Plant. Dillenia philippinensis - Katmon, Philippines Elephant Apple

Dillenia philippinensis - Katmon, Philippines Elephant Apple

Philippines Elephant Apple has spectacular blooms and amazing large leaves that are toothed and unusually shaped. This super-tropical looking beauty is a favorite tree among Filipino garden enthusiasts. It is endemic to the Philippines. The tree is buttress-forming, evergreen, and shade tolerant, it is a great container and house plant. The leaves are large, 1-2 ft long, leathery, shining, and coarsely toothed at the margins. Its flowers are white, large, showy, and also very large, up to 1 ft wide, with showy reddish pistils and stamens. The edible fruits are rounded, 2-3" in diameter, with medicinal value. Flowers last only one day, but the plant stays in bloom all summer through fall, with multiple flowers and buds that keep opening every day. The plant is perfect for container and indoor culture, with showy tropical leaves, beautiful flowers, shade tolerance, and compact growth.

Check out this plant...

Date: 27 Nov 2025

🎃 Thanksgiving Weekend Deal

Photo above: A long-blooming holiday classic, Schlumbergera New Deal, an heirloom Thanksgiving-to-Christmas cactus with cascades of oversized pink flowers. Blooms from Thanksgiving through Easter!

As our way of saying thank you for growing with us all year long, here is your exclusive holiday code. Use it for 15% off any order over $100 (excluding shipping and handling):

THANKS2025

Ends November 30th, 2025 (Sunday) at midnight.
Min order $100 (exculuding S/H).
One use per customer.
Cannot be combined with other discounts.
Cannot be applied to previous orders.

Check out our specials below - hand-picked by our horticulturist for size, beauty, and vigor! These are the biggest, fullest plants you'll see all year! Take advantage of this Holiday discount code and get them now at their best and fullest point!

🛒 Shop Tropical plants

Gloxinia sylvatica - Bolivian Sunset. A perfect fall-winter standout: it bursts with glowing blooms and makes a great holiday gift as a flowering start.

Gardenia nitida, Shooting Star: a rare African gardenia with sweet fragrance and star-shaped blooms that appear several times a year. Soft diamond-shaped leaves. This true collectors gem blooms in dramatic waves, filling the air with a strong, sweet scent.

Date: 15 Dec 2025

9 tropical vegetables to grow indoors, or how to have garden-fresh produce all year

9 tropical vegetables to grow indoors

9 tropical vegetables to grow indoors

🌱 9 tropical vegetables to grow indoors, or how to have garden-fresh produce all year

Cold weather does not have to mean the end of homegrown food. According to Southern Living, vegetables like lettuce, carrots, and radishes can be grown indoors during winter. The downside is that most of these are annuals - you harvest once, then start over.

Tropical vegetables work differently. Many are perennial, long-living plants that grow well in containers and keep producing for years. Grow them indoors year-round, move them outside in summer for extra sun and growth, then bring them back indoors before cold weather. With enough light and regular care, these plants can provide fresh harvests in every season.

✅ Tips for growing tropical vegetables indoors

📍Place plants near a bright window or supplement with grow lights for steady growth
📍Use containers with good drainage and quality potting mix
📍Keep plants away from cold drafts and heating vents
📍Rotate pots and prune regularly to encourage fresh, tender growth
📍Feed regularly with natural Sunshine Boosters - they are formulated for edibles

✅ Tropical vegetables to grow indoors

🌿 Gynura procubens - Longevity Spinach, Cholesterol spinach - a fast-growing leafy green often called a superfood. The tender leaves are used fresh or lightly cooked and can be harvested repeatedly. This plant stays compact, handles containers easily, and regrows quickly after cutting.
🌿 Sauropus androgynus - Katuk, Tropical Asparagus. One of Southeast Asia’s most popular leafy vegetables. Katuk produces edible shoots and leaves that are cooked in soups and stews. It grows well indoors and rewards regular harvesting with constant new growth.
🌿 Cymbopogon citratus - Lemon grass: a tough, productive plant that adapts well to container growing. The stalks and leaves are used for teas, soups, and flavoring. Indoors, it grows more slowly but stays productive, especially when moved outdoors in summer.
🌿 Lippia dulcis - Aztec Sweet Herb, Sweetleaf: a low-growing herb with naturally sweet leaves. The foliage can be eaten fresh or used as a sugar substitute in teas and desserts. It stays compact, tolerates pruning, and performs well in pots indoors.
🌿 Piper sarmentosum - Vietnamese Pepper, Lalot: grown for its aromatic, edible leaves rather than peppercorns. The leaves are eaten fresh, cooked, or used as food wraps. This plant stays manageable indoors with light pruning.
🌿 Piper nigrum - Black Pepper: the true black pepper vine. Grows well indoors as a container vine with support. It prefers warm temperatures, steady moisture, and bright filtered light.
🌿 Piper auritum - Root Beer Plant, False Kava-Kava: close relative of Piper methysticum (Kava-Kava) known for its large, fragrant leaves with a spicy, root beer-like aroma. The leaves are used for wrapping foods and flavoring dishes. Best grown indoors with room for its bold foliage.
🌿 Piper betle - Betel leaf: a traditional edible and medicinal leaf used widely in Asia. The glossy leaves are harvested continuously and used fresh or as wraps. This vine grows well indoors with warmth, humidity, and a small trellis.
🌿 Piper longum - Indian Long Pepper, Pippali, Bengal Pepper: A tropical pepper relative grown for its elongated spice fruits and edible leaves. Slower to fruit indoors but easy to maintain as a leafy spice plant in containers with bright light and regular feeding.

Tropical vegetables make indoor gardening more rewarding because they do not stop after one harvest. With containers, light, and basic care, these plants can become long-term food producers that move seamlessly between indoors and outdoors - keeping fresh flavors within reach all year.

🛒 Explore tropical edibles, herbs and spices

📚 Learn more:

🎥 Karkade Tea
Longevity Spinach

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Container_Garden #How_to #Discover

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 15 Dec 2020

Healthy Plants: Q&A from Mr Booster

What is an ideal potting mix?

Q: A few years ago, I purchased a Barbie Loquat from you, and I'm pleased to say it's been growing very well. I now have several loquat seedlings. I have read that a well-draining medium should be used, and I have found that the various formulations provided on the web for such medium seem vaguely reminiscent of the recipe provided in your transplanting instructions. Therefore, I would like to retrieve your recipe, unless you could recommend an even better one?

A: The main requirements for a good potting mix are:
- perfect drainage, allowing air circulation that is so necessary for healthy roots; oxygen circulation helps to avoid root rot
- water retention: to keep nutrients in soil
- low pH (soil acidity) which is important for most tropical plants
- adequate amount of organic matter in the mix, in combination with proper fertilizer program

In our nursery we experimented with many different potting mixes for the past couple decades. We ended up with an ultimate mix for tropical container plants that we designed ourselves. This custom mix is called -

Abundance - TopTropicals professional soilless potting mix

It meets all the requirements above which makes it a perfect mix. All our plants are happy with it. Abundance is a professional quality (nursery-grade) potting mix with great drainage characteristics, ideal for any tropical plants. It is organically derived soil-less mix, free of any additives.
Ingredients are:
- fine Canadian peat moss
- coconut coir
- perlite
- aged pine bark (soil conditioner).
See more info on soil mixes.
We have this mix available for purchase in different packaging sizes - 2, 3, and 7 gal bags.

Besides proper potting mix, all container plants require regular fertilizing. We recommend the newest, scientifically balanced fertilizers Sunshine Boosters that are natural, eco-safe, great for all edibles and organic gardening. They are safe to use with every watering, provide all necessary elements for plant daily needs, and won't burn the roots.
For your loquat tree, consider Sunshine C-Cibus, it boosts both flowering and fruit production. Loquat is Winter-Spring bloomer, hopefully you will get some crop soon!

See more information about potting mix science

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