Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 31 Dec 2023

Our New Year Wish to You:
Stay Young

Hugging  cats  with  plumeria  flowers

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that take our breath away."
- Maya Angelou -

"...Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever...
...Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side...
...Remember to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent...
...Remember to say"I love you"to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all - mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you...
...Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak, and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind...
...And always remember, life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

(A Life message from George Carlin after he lost his wife)

Spathodea  campanulata  -  African  Tulip  Tree

In the photo: Spathodea campanulata - African Tulip Tree

How to Stay Young

10 secrets of Eastern Wisdom

1. Throw out nonessential numbers, including age, weight and height. Let the doctor worry about them. That is why you pay them.
2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening. Never let the brain idle. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies. Your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health. If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, to the next county, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.
10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

Cat  on  keyboard  with  avocado 
 fruit

Date: 9 Nov 2019

Saving Fallen Papaya Tree

Q: Hope there is help for my beautiful amazing papaya tree! There where a loooooooot of fruits on it, but it broke! First of all, it was leaning and friends tried to straight my beautiful tree. What can I do? Will it get fruits again?

A: A couple months ago we also had a Papaya tree loaded with fruit that fell down (see photos). It was heart-breaking. We secured it and it continued growing for a couple of weeks but unfortunately, at the end the tree still died, leaving us a million fruit. The Papaya tree has a very sensitive root system and is hard to re-establish once the roots are damaged.
However, if it just has a broken top, it has a good chance to grow back from the side shoots.
Of course, remove all the fruit so they don't take energy from the recovering tree.
When a tree is loaded with fruit, it is important to provide support for heavy branches and for the trunk if needed. Always support the fruiting tree to prevent from possible falling BEFORE it starts leaning down and may become broken by even a light wind.
In the photo, you can see how we fixed boards around, but it was already after the tree fell. Unfortunately, it was too late since the roots got damaged. Always need to stake the tree up before the branches get too heavy!

RECOMMENDED FERTILIZERS:
Fruit Festival Plant Food - Super Crop Booster
Mango-Food - Smart Release Fruit Tree Booster
SUNSHINE-Honey - sugar booster

Maradol Papaya $10 Hot Sale

Only local pick up from our Garden Center
Hurry up, while supply lasts!

Date: 6 May 2020

The best Aquarium fish food ever - stikiStik

Everyone knows that Top Tropicals is good at unique, special novelties. And it is not a secret that most plant people also are pet people - cat people (with PeopleCats), dog people (with PeopleDogs) or at least fish people, right?
Today we are excited to introduce our new revolutionary Fish Food developed by our business partners at Floritin Aquarium Labs

Floritin stikiStikâ„¢ - Ultimate Aquarium fish food

StikiStik is a dry powder that you just mixed with water to create a sticky paste. The paste can be attached to any surface inside your aquarium.

Watch a cool video of fish having a stikiStik meal!

StikiStik is a patent pending fish food that does things which conventional fish food does not. It introduces picky eaters to a more natural feeding environment, does not pollute the fish tank, is easy to mix from its powder format and provides gradual feeding. It is easy to apply to any surface in the aquarium, such as interior glass wall, rocks or coral skeleton.

stikiStik advantages

- Easy to use. Just mix with a few drops of water and stik it in! Self adhesive paste can be applied to any surface. Stays intact for hours in aquarium. Does not pollute water
- Scientifically designed and proven for all types of aquarium fish, invertebrates, and corals
- Optimal and balanced nutrition. Contains vitamins and amino acids
- Natural. No hormones, no artificial colors
- Stimulates fish appetite and enhances fish color
- Promotes natural feeding habits. Helps training hard to feed fish. The perfect food to acclimate newly introduced fish, including Moorish Idol, finicky butterfly fish, such as Copperband Butterfly, Pearscale Butterfly, Mandarinfish, and many oithers
- Easy to store. Can be used immediately or frozen for future use
- Add any frozen fish food or medications to mix

See element contents / instructions and more information with videos on stikiStik website

"The stikiStik is the best Aquarium fish food ever - hands down!"
- Mr Booster -

Date: 19 Apr 2026

Complete Adenium Care Guide: 9 tips how to keep it simple and thriving

Complete Adenium Care Guide: 9 tips how to keep it simple and thriving

🌸 Complete Adenium Care Guide: 9 tips how to keep it simple and thriving



Adeniums don’t need intense care - just the right balance.
Most problems come from too much water, not enough light, or the wrong soil.
  • 🌸 1. Soil is everything



    Why it matters
    Adeniums are succulents with thick roots and a caudex that stores water. They must never sit in wet, heavy soil.
    Most problems come from soil that stays wet too long - leading to root rot, soft caudex, weak growth, and poor flowering.
    Good soil builds strong roots, dries faster, supports a healthy caudex, and improves blooming.

    Ideal soil formula
    Use a very fast-draining, airy mix with perlite, bark, sand, coconut fiber. Avoid heavy peat-based mixes.
    A simple formula: TopTropicals Abundance potting mix + coarse sand (50/50). Use coarse sand (for construction), not fine beach sand. Sand improves drainage, structure, and aeration.
    You can also add lava rock and charcoal.

    Soil pH
    Adeniums prefer slightly alkaline soil. Too much peat (acidic) holds moisture and increases rot risk.
    Tip: add a few sea shells on top - watering slowly raises pH.

    Golden rule
    Better too fast-draining than too heavy.
    You can water more. You can’t fix rot.
  • 🌸 2. Containers



    Use shallow, unglazed clay pots. They dry faster, improve airflow, and stabilize the plant as the caudex gets heavy.
    Do not oversize - keep close to root ball.
    When repotting, raise the caudex slightly each time to develop that thick base.
  • 🌸 3. Light



    Give as much light as possible.
    Full sun is best, but in very hot climates, bright filtered light prevents leaf burn and helps flowers last longer.
    Too little light = weak growth and poor blooming.
  • 🌸 4. Watering



    Water deeply, then let soil dry out completely before watering again.
    Do not keep soil constantly wet. Adeniums prefer the dry side and hate sitting in moisture.
    In rainy climates, protect from excess water. Keep under cover - bright light, no constant soaking.
  • 🌸 5. Fertilizer



    Feed lightly and regularly during active growth.
    Use liquid fertilizer Sunshine Megafloк Bloom Booster on soil and lightly on leaves - avoid the caudex.
    Bloom boosters (high phosphorus) support flowers and caudex growth.
    Add controlled-release fertilizer (Green Magic) twice a year - spring and late summer. Do not fertilize during winter dormancy.
    Add microelements (iron, boron, molybdenum) - Sunshine Superfood supplement - for healthier leaves and longer blooms.
  • 🌸 6. Trimming (pruning)



    Trim after flowering, especially leggy branches.
    Pruning encourages branching - more branches = more flowers.
    Don’t be afraid to cut - it improves structure and blooming.
  • 🌸 7. Caudex development (secret trick)



    When repotting, raise the caudex slightly above soil level.
    Combined with regular feeding (bloom booster), this helps develop a thicker, more pronounced base.
  • 🌸 8. Seedlings vs grafted plants



    Seed-grown plants form a natural caudex but take 2-3 years to bloom and do not come true to type (often simple pink).
    Grafted plants combine a developed caudex with a known variety.
    Best choice for predictable, high-quality blooms.
  • 🌸 9. Troubleshooting



    If something goes wrong, check these first:

· Too much water
  • · Not enough light
  • · Soil too heavy
Fix these, and your plant will recover.

🛒 Explore Exotic Thai Adeniums

📚 Learn more:

Plant Facts

Adenium sp.
Adenium, Desert Rose, Impala Lily
USDA Zone: 9-11
Plant with caudexLarge shrub 5-10 ft tallSmall tree 10-20 ftFull sunDry conditionsModerate waterYellow, orange flowersRed, crimson, vinous flowersUnusual colorBlue, lavender, purple flowersWhite, off-white flowersPink flowersToxic or Poisonous

#Container_Garden #Adeniums #How_to #Discover

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 21 Apr 2026

13 tropical flowers to plant in spring to attract pollinators year around

13 tropical flowers to plant in spring to attract pollinators year around

13 tropical flowers to plant in spring to attract pollinators year around



Spring is when everything wakes up - and if you plant smart now, your garden can stay alive with butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds all year long. The key is mixing tropical bloomers that flower in waves, not all at once. These plants don’t just look good - they keep pollinators coming back season after season, turning your yard into a living, moving ecosystem.

  • 1. Abutilon Fireball (Abutilon darwinii x striatum)

Bell-shaped flowers in warm red and orange tones hang like little lanterns. Very cold hardy, blooms on and off through the year, especially in mild climates. A steady nectar source for hummingbirds. More 👉

  • 2. Almond Bush (Aloysia virgata)

Light, airy clusters of tiny white flowers with a strong almond scent. Bees absolutely cover this plant when it’s in bloom. Flowers repeatedly through warm months. More 👉

  • 3. Calico Flower (Aristolochia littoralis)

One of the most unusual flowers you can grow - patterned like fabric. More importantly, it’s a host plant for butterflies, giving them a place to lay eggs. More 👉

  • 4. Pride of De Kaap (Bauhinia galpinii)

Bright orange-red blooms cover this shrub for months. Tough, fast-growing, and constantly visited by butterflies and bees. More 👉

  • 5. Mexican Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia mexicana)

Sunny yellow flowers with a light fragrance. Handles heat, freeze, and poor soil easily. A reliable nectar plant for bees and butterflies. More 👉

  • 6. Red Tassel Flower (Calliandra tweedii With Love)

Very showy red-flowered powderpuff, fast-growing and spacey shrub. Cold tolerant to hard freeze, making it a strong choice for subtropical gardens. Forms a dense, many-stemmed plant with fine, feathery foliage that folds at night or by touch. Large scarlet tassel flowers bloom from spring to autumn and attract pollinators nonstop. More 👉

  • 7. Giant Milkweed (Calotropis gigantea)

A bold plant with thick leaves and waxy flowers. Important host plant for butterflies, especially monarchs. Handles heat and drought well. More 👉

  • 8. Blue Butterfly (Clerodendrum ugandense)

Flowers really do look like little blue butterflies. Blooms frequently and attracts actual butterflies along with bees. More 👉

  • 9. Tropical Hydrangea (Dombeya wallichii)

Large clusters of soft pink flowers appear in cooler months when little else is blooming. A major nectar source in winter. More 👉

  • 10. Fire Bush (Hamelia patens)

One of the best all-around pollinator plants and a tough bush - takes both cold and heat. Tubular orange-red flowers attract hummingbirds nonstop, plus butterflies and bees. More 👉

  • 11. Butterfly Orchid Vine (Mascagnia macroptera)

A climbing, cold hardy vine covered in bright yellow flowers and butterfly-like seeds. Great for fences or trellises, adding vertical color and feeding pollinators. More 👉

  • 12. Mexican Flame Vine (Senecio confusus)

Fast-growing, hardy vine with intense red blooms. Flowers heavily and brings in butterflies quickly. More 👉

13. Yellow Elder (Tecoma stans)


Bright yellow trumpet flowers that bloom over a long season. A dependable plant for both bees and hummingbirds. More 👉

✔️ Planting a mix of these gives you something in bloom almost every month.
That’s the real trick - not just planting for spring, but building a rotation of flowers that keeps pollinators fed all year long.

🛒 Transform your yard into a Butterfly Haven with exotic plants

📚 Learn more:


#Butterfly_Plants
Butterfly Haven or a Heaven on Earth?
Top 20 plants for a Butterfly Haven
Five best butterfly attractors for a Southern garden
Top Eight irresistible vines for a hummingbird haven: Part 1 - Part 2

#Hedges_with_benefits #Butterfly_Plants #How_to #Discover

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals