Date: 19 Aug 2019
When is the time to repot?
Q: According to your instructions, I understand that plants need to be placed in bigger pots. But my question is, say I plant each plant in 18in x 18 in x 18 inch square pots, how many weeks, months or years can the soil be good for these plants? When will it be time to change soil? Any specific soil recommendations?
A: Repotting is required usually once a year. It depends on the plant and growth rate of course. The best way to check if a plant needs stepping up is to check its root system. Carefully turn the pot upside down and pull the pot off the roots (make sure to support the plant from the bottom). If a root system is very dense, it is time to repot. It is an easy check with smaller plants; if a plant is large and hard to turn "upside-down", check drainage holes: if roots start growing through the holes, it is definitely time to step up. Make sure to use pot size only a few inches bigger in diameter than the existing one: just enough for the root system plus 2-3 inches extra space; do not use oversized pots to avoid root rot. Use only new quality potting soil and make sure it has perfect drainage characteristics. We recommend Professional Soilless Mix
Date: 29 Jul 2019
When to fertilize and prune tropical fruit trees?
Q: Can tropical fruit trees (Soursop, Mango, Star fruit, etc) be given plant food any time of year? Also can they be trimmed this time of year/summer?
A: True tropical plants (including fruit trees) need plant food most of the year in real Tropics, where temperatures have very little fluctuations, and active growth season is close to 12 months a year. In subtropical areas when temperatures in winter drop below 65F, plant metabolism slows down, so it is recommended to fertilize only during the warmest period (March through November). So yes, Summer is the perfect time for fertilizing your trees; their metabolism is at the highest point and they can use more food!
Trim your fruit trees right after harvesting. Obviously, you don't want to prune branches before or during flowering or fruiting. The specific time of the year for pruning depends on the plant - every tree has its own flowering/fruiting season. However, avoid pruning right before winter: young shoots promoted by pruning are tender and can be cold damaged.
Recommended fertilizers for fruit trees:
Fruit Festival Plant Food - Super Crop Booster
Mango-Food - Smart Release Fruit Tree Booster
SUNSHINE-Honey - for sweeter fruit
SUNSHINE SuperFood - microelement supplement
Date: 18 Mar 2019
Date: 12 Mar 2019
Fertilizing Ylang Ylang
Q: What fertilizer should we be using for ylang ylang?
A: Ylang Ylang is a free-flowering tropical plant that requires regular
feeding during active growth period (March through November in Florida). We use balanced granulated fertilizer that contains micro-elements. Apply once a month 1 tsp per 1 gal of
soil. For in-ground plants, 1/2 cup once a month.
We also apply additional micro-element treat SuperFood as foliar spray which dramatically increases
growth rate and promotes flowering.
Check out our fertilizers, plant boosters, and garden supplies:
Date: 8 Mar 2019
Champaca tree during Spring
Q: The Joy Tree that I purchased from you is going fine but the leaves have brown tips that shriveled up. How can I avoid this?
A: All Magnolias prefer rich and moist soils. These are some
useful tips for growing Magnolia champaca:
- when planting in the ground, dig a big hole and replace sandy old
soil with a rich organic mix containing compost and lots of peat moss to retain
moisture.
- water daily for the first few months until the tree is
well-established and root system is large and strong.
- use a large amount of mulch around planting
- remember that during springtime (especially March through May)
champacas go through the semi-deciduous stage and lose a lot of leaves. Sometimes
the tree may start looking drying out - all the sudden, overnight. Give it a
few weeks and you will notice new light green re-leafing that will dress up
your tree when the time comes.
Check out Champaca trees:
