Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 14 May 2025

Mark your calendars:
June 14, 2025 - Father's Day Plant Market

June  14,  2025  -  Father's  Day  Plant  Market  at  Top  Tropicals

June 14, 2025: 9 am - 4 pm

Celebrate Father's Day at Top Tropicals - June 14!
Summer is blooming - it's the perfect time to plant something meaningful.
- Kids, bring your dads and surprise them with the gift of a tree! Let them pick any tree they like and plant it together.
- Fathers, bring your kids and teach them how to connect with nature - show them how to plant a tree and grow something lasting!
Stroll through our lush gardens, meet the friendly PeopleCats, and enjoy a fun day for the whole family. Our team will help you choose the perfect plants for your space and guide you every step of the way.

Event Highlights:

30% OFF online prices (*excludes rare/15gal plants)
Free plant with any purchase
Gift bags for first 25 customers with $50+ order
Special deals on select plants
Exciting raffle prizes
Live music by the Famous Hand Pan Lady!

Don't just mow - grow!

Start your food forest, beat rising prices, and plant a future your family will thank you for.

Event discounts valid at both locations:

Ft Myers Garden Center: 13890 Orange River, Ft Myers, FL
Sebring B-Farm: 9100 McRoy Rd, Sebring, FL

Facebook event page - Download invitation

Date: 25 Oct 2025

Straight from the Amazon: the most beautiful ginger everyone asks about at our farm

Variegated Spiral Ginger - Costus arabicus (amazonicus)

⭐️ Straight from the Amazon: the most beautiful ginger everyone asks about at our farm



🌀 Variegated Spiral Ginger - Costus arabicus (amazonicus) is not your average ginger. Unlike the common gingers with plain green leaves and short flower spikes, this one is a real standout. Its tall spiral stems are striped with bold white variegation, creating a dramatic swirl of green and cream even before it blooms.

🌀 And when it does bloom - the flowers are pure white with soft yellow centers, like porcelain sculptures nestled among the leaves. It's a tropical showpiece that turns heads wherever it grows.

🌀 Originally from South America and now loved in Hawaii and Florida, this ginger thrives in moist, rich soil and loves plenty of water. It handles both sun and shade, but really shines in a bright, filtered light spot.

🌀 We have one growing right by our farm office, and everyone who walks by stops, stares, and says the same thing: "I want that plant!"
Now you can have it too - straight from the Amazon forest to your garden!

🛒 Get your own Amazon Ginger

📚 Learn more:
💋The most spectacular variegated ginger
💋Ginger makes a natural shampoo
💋How Raspberry ginger became spiral
💋5 most spectacular Gingers
💋Spice Up Your Garden with Variegated Ginger

#Container_Garden #Shade_Garden

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 31 Jan 2017

Plants of Love. TopTropicals Webinars

Plants of Love - Valentines Day Sale. For Valentines day, look beyond roses for a plant that will last a lifetime! It is not a surprise that the most popular plants that has been ordered from TopTropicals for Valentines day for the past 3 years, are: Vanilla, Chocolate, Grape, Strawberry tree, Rose apple - all things you get for your Valentines!

This year we are celebrating Valentines day with our special local event - "Aphrodisiacs, or Plants of Love".

When: Saturday, February 11, 2017, from 10 am to 2 pm
Where: Toptropicals Garden Center, 13890 Orange River Blvd, Ft Myers, FL 33905
Agenda:
10:00 am - Explore the grounds: Customers can come in to look through the nursery and guided tours through gardens.
12:00 pm - Aphrodisiac plants. Class on plants used for aphrodisiacs throughout history.
1:00 pm - Plant giveaway. Must be present to win one of the aphrodisiac plants in lecture.
2:00 pm - sale ends.
Special Love Discounts for local visitors! Snacks and drinks.

Just a few examples of the most famous plants of love that we will be talking about -
Coffea arabica - in East Africa and Arabia it was a sacred beverage to African sufis. For aphrodisiac results mix in cardamom and honey.
Banisteriopsis caapi, Ayahuasca - giant liana from tropical Amazon forests psychedelic, ritual inebriant that promotes potency. Drink is made from the bark and is taken in love rituals to revive the mythical past of the tribe.
Areca catechu, Betel Nut - seeds have stimulating effect on the entire body and eros. It's a traditional aphrodosiac in Ayurvedic medicine and is counted among the eight types of pleasure in the Brahmanic tradition. It has magical and religious properties and used as an offering to the Gods.
Theobroma cacao, Chocolate - mild stimulant, beans contain aphrodisiac. Antient Indian "recipe of chocolati" will be shared at the event! Cocoa was considered the "food of gods".
Cinnamon - in Southern Asia used as stimulant, in food or massage oil for erotic stimulation.
Cola nitida, Cola nut - used in love magic, was used as currency in W Africa.
Cananga odorata, Ylang-Ylang - increases eroticism with oil inhaled. Prescribed to treat impotency and frigidity.
Butea monosperma, Flame of The Forest - is traditionally used to manage male sexual disorders.
Mimosa pudica, Sensitive Plant - significantly increases the libido and hormonal levels of testosterone.
Satureja Viminea, Kama Sutra Mint Tree - used for love gel...
- and much more!

TopTropicals Webinars. Welcome to Top Tropicals Webinar! Discover the world of Rare Plants and surround yourself with a Tropical Paradise! Our plant experts will be answering your garden questions. Our next LIVE air time is just before Valentines Day - Saturday February 11, at 2 pm ET, with a topic of... of course, Aphrodisiac Plants! Get your questions ready!

Date: 16 Mar 2026

Can your cat snore this loud? Sound up

Cat Niki

Can your cat snore this loud? Sound up 📣 🎤

Why listening to a cat snoring is good for your health 💤

😴 Scientists have studied many natural relaxation sounds - ocean waves, rain on the roof, forest wind. But one of the most overlooked therapeutic sounds may be much closer to home: a cat snoring next to you.

😴 When a cat snores, it produces slow, rhythmic vibrations that naturally encourage the human brain to relax. Similar to white noise, this gentle rumble can help calm racing thoughts and lower stress levels. The brain interprets the steady sound as a signal that everything around you is safe and peaceful - after all, if the cat is sleeping that deeply, the world can't be that dangerous.

😴 Studies on human-animal interaction show that simply being near a relaxed pet can reduce cortisol levels, lower blood pressure, and even improve mood.

😴 And unlike meditation apps or sleep machines, a snoring cat comes with additional health benefits: warmth, occasional purring, and the strong reminder that sometimes the best thing you can do for your health is exactly what the cat is doing - lie down, relax, and take a nap.

😴 Side effects include: Zero productivity and a sudden urge to cancel all your plans. 😴

🐈📸 Cat Niki is fast asleep and snoring at TopTropicals PeopleCats.Garden.

#PeopleCats #Discover

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 28 Sep 2025

Guava Tree Plant Care

Tips from Top Tropicals Plant Expert - Tatiana Anderson

Guava  trees  for  sale  in  3-gallon  nursery  pots,  healthy  young  plants 
 with  green 
 foliage.

Where to Plant Outdoors

Guavas love full sun — aim for 6–8 hours of direct light. They’re adaptable to many soils but do best in well-drained, organic-enriched mixes. Plant them in a spot where you can water easily; guavas are thirsty trees during fruiting.

Container & Indoor Growing

Don’t have space or live in a cooler climate? Guavas thrive in large pots. Use well-drained potting mix. LINK TO OUR SOIL Keep them on a sunny patio during warm months and bring them indoors when nights dip below freezing. Compact varieties like Dwarf Hawaiian Rainbow or Tikal are especially good for pots.

Winter Care

Mature guavas can handle a light frost (down into the high 20s F), but young plants need protection. If planted outdoors, cover them with frost cloth on cold nights. Container guavas can be wheeled into a garage, greenhouse, or bright indoor window until the weather warms.

Watering and Fertilizing

Water deeply once or twice a week, more often in hot weather or when fruit is developing. They don’t like soggy soil, but they won’t complain about short floods either. Fertilize 3–4 times a year during the growing season with a balanced fruit tree fertilizer. Guavas especially love potassium and phosphorus for strong flowering and heavy crops. We recommend liquid crop booster Sunshine C-Cibus and balanced controlled release fertilizer Green Magic.

Pruning

Prune after fruiting to keep them compact and open up airflow. Remove crossing or dead branches. In containers, trim back vigorous shoots regularly to manage size and encourage more fruiting wood.

Pests and Problems

Guavas are generally tough and pest-resistant. The main thing to watch for in humid or rainy climates is mealybugs - those cottony white clusters on leaves or stems. They're easy to manage with neem oil or a quick spray of horticultural soap.

Fruit time

Guavas fruit young - often within a year or two.

Pollination

Guavas are self-pollinating, so you'll get fruit even with a single tree. Planting more than one tree, however, often boosts harvests and gives you a longer fruiting season.

If you've ever wanted instant gratification from a fruit tree, guava is it.

Ruby  Supreme  Guava  tree  with  a  large  ripe  yellow  fruit,  variety  known 
 for  sweet  pink  flesh  and  reliable 
 harvests.

🍴 Guava Recipes

With all that fruit, the next question is always: "What do I do with it?" Here are our favorites:

  • Cas Guava: Make Agua de Cas

    Boil halved Cas Guava fruits with sugar, simmer, strain, and bottle. Dilute with water when serving. The concentrate keeps for months in the fridge.
    Check out the recipe.

  • Hawaiian Gold: Make Drinks

    Perfect for Mojitos or Margaritas. Sweet, tangy juice pairs beautifully with lime and mint. Learn more

  • Araca Pera: Guava Wine

    Famous in Brazil, where the fruit is turned into a vibrant rosу wine. Locals say it’s the taste of summer in a glass — and yes, you can make it at home too. Learn more...

  • Quick snack: Guava Grilled Cheese

    Spread guava paste or fresh mashed fruit with cheese, grill until golden. Sweet and savory heaven. Learn more...

  • Simple Guava Juice

    Blend ripe guavas with water, ice, and a little sugar if you like. Instant refreshment.

✅Ready to Grow? Whether you want fresh juice, sweet fruit, or even your own guava wine, we’ve got the best varieties in stock right now. Your future self, sipping guava juice on a hot summer afternoon, will thank you.

👉 Order your guava tree today

Tabby  cat  sitting  between  a  glass  of  yellow  guava  juice  with  white 
 guavas  and  a  glass  of  pink  guava  juice  with  green  guavas  and  cut  pink  guava 
 fruit.