Date: 12 Apr 2020
People of TopTropicals. Chic of the Day: Easter Present from Klaksa
In our last newsletter Cat of the Day was Klaksa with her hunting habits and her love for birds...
While we are still sticking to the statement that "no birds were hurt in the process so far", she brought us an Easter Present! Yes, the Present is very much alive and super hungry. Klaksa did not tell us where she got it and how can we bring it back... So we are stuck with another duck! The previous version -
Duck Dobi, has been raised by Kristi from a little chic-duckling, and
after 2 years of ruling the Cat Community in our Garden center, Dobi finally left with her
boyfriend - without saying thank you or even good-bye!
The Duck Version 2.1 has been eating and pooping happily all day. Luckily
we found a person with a duck farm, and hopefully will get this baby a good
home soon!
TopTropicals PeopleCat Club
Thank you everybody for supporting us in helping PeopleCat Community!
Make
your kind donation today and receive a surprise gift from us. Thank you
and God bless you and your pets!
Date: 25 Jun 2019
True love of Night Blooming Jasmine
By Onika Amell, tropical plant specialist
Q: I live in New Cumberland, West Virginia. I love the smell of Night-Blooming jasmine. Is it possible to grow it in the northern panhandle of West Virginia? Do I have to plant it every year or do I keep it in a pot and take it inside during the winter months?
A: Technically, Night Blooming Jasmine is not a true jasmine
(those plants belong to Oleaceae, or Olive family). Night Blooming Jasmine
belongs to the Solanaceae family, also known as the Nightshade or "Potato" family
of plants. Yes, this sweet fragrant flower called Jasmine for its perfume is
related to potatoes and tomatoes!
Night Blooming Jasmine - Cestrum nocturnum - is loved by many gardeners for its beautiful
fragrance at night. It is one of the most fragrant tropical evergreen shrubs
available. Cascading clusters of tiny, tubular pale yellow to white flowers open at
night and release a heavenly fragrance throughout the garden, especially on
warm summer evenings. The fragrance is much lighter during the day.
Night Blooming Jasmine is grown year-round in zones 9-11. It is at its
happiest in a sunny to a partially sunny spot in your garden in well-drained soil
but can be grown in cooler climates as a container or greenhouse plant.
You would absolutely be able to enjoy this plant during the warm months
in West Virginia, but it will most certainly not survive outside during the
winter. You will have to bring it inside. Take it outside again only once you
are confident there is no more possibility of frost. When grown indoors, be
sure to give it the sunniest, South facing window in your home. When grown in
a container, you will need to re-pot it every two to three years so it
doesn't become root-bound.
For those who are lucky to live in frost-free areas, in ideal growing
conditions outside, it can easily reach 8 feet with a spread of 5 feet. It has
a lovely informal look that can soften a more manicured garden. Add organic
matter to the planting hole when you plant to enrich the soil around the root
ball. Water well in the summer, but allow them to dry out a bit between
watering in the winter. Plant this Jasmine near pools, porches, doors, windows,
and walkways where its lovely fragrance can be enjoyed. The shrub is also an
excellent plant for privacy hedges and screens. When grown as a hedge, plant 3
feet apart.
Trim lightly after a bloom cycle to shape and then do a hard pruning in
fall or spring to control the size of this plant. Fertilize 3 times a year -
in spring, summer, and autumn - with a good quality granular fertilizer.
Recommended fertilizers:
Pink N Good Daily Plant Food - Flower Booster
Tropical Allure - Smart-Release Booster
Interesting facts:
Night-blooming jasmine is an excellent mosquito repellent. The powerful
scent of the flowers attracts moths and bats that feed on mosquitoes and
other small insects.
The flowers of the Night Blooming jasmine are widely used in India and
other countries of South Asia for perfumery, medicinal applications and in
religious ceremonies.
Limited time special offer:
Instant $5 off Night Blooming Jasmine
Date: 21 Jun 2019
The Flower of Gold
By Onika Amell, tropical plant specialist
Q: I am concentrating on adding more fragrance to my garden. I've had great success growing gardenias and I have many different varieties, but their flowers are all white, and I would like to add some colors to my garden too. Are there any gardenias available in different colors? I live in Waipio Acres, Hawaii.
A: Meet the very rare and highly fragrant, tropical Gardenia tubifera Kula or Golden gardenia. Kula flowers change color as
they mature, which is a unique feature! Kula flowers start out as cream,
then change to yellow and finally to a beautiful gold. In addition to the
spectacular flowers, this gardenia also has beautiful, leathery, deep green
foliage.
This is a slow-growing and compact plant. Like all the other members in
the Gardenia family, the Golden gardenia will do best in an acidic,
well-drained, and fertile soil. It will appreciate a good deal of direct sunlight but
will be very happy if provided with midday and afternoon shade. As with with
gardenias, the more sunlight the more flowers.
It will eventually grow into a rounded shrub if left unpruned, but also
can be trained into a small tree, maintainable to a height of under 7-8
feet. Blooms will appear from spring onward. Prune after flowering, this will
encourage more flowers in a few months.
Gardeners living in colder areas, do not fret. Gardenias make perfect
container plants and can be grown indoors in colder climates. Just be sure to
provide high light when bringing them indoors.
The fragrance and changing colors of a Gardenia Kula is unforgettable.
They are most fragrant near sunset and during early evening hours. Plant them
near walks and patios where their lovely fragrance can be enjoyed.
This
rare tropical Gardenia is sure to be a conversation piece in any garden.
Great collector's plant!
Recommended fertilizers:
Pink N Good Daily Plant Food - Flower Booster
Tropical Allure - Smart-Release Booster
Limited time special offer:
Instant $5 OFF Golden Gardenia!
Date: 8 Jun 2019
Chosing a good avocado tree
Q: I'm in coastal Broward County. I'm putting together an order on your web site, and one thing that I would like is an avocado tree. I'd like to have something as close to true "Hass" as possible. Which cultivar does well here in SE Florida, and is most like Hass in texture, creaminess, and flavor? I'm not a big fan of the yellow watery Florida avocados.
A: Mexican type of Avocado have dark skin and buttery texture,
while Florida green fruit types (West Indian type, with smooth skin), have lots
of delicious melting pulp, so it is a matter of preference.
In coastal Broward county you can grow a wide range of varieties since
your climate is very mild, so you don't have select cold-hardy varieties like
Winter Mexican, Brazos Belle or Joey, etc. Yet there are many interesting varieties that rare and much
more exclusive than Hass, with the same, or even better, quality buttery
fruit.
One of the most popular varieties - Brogdon, with red-purple colored pear-shaped fruit, very thin skin, and yellow buttery flesh. It is also very cold hardy.
Very interesting exotic avocado is Kampong - Sushi Avocado - see photo above. The flavor of this fruit very nice, oily, creamy, nutty, reminds of almonds. At the same time, it has solid consistency and if you cut a square it remains a shape of the square. It is the best Sushi Avocado! It tastes great as an appetizer when cut in squares with some shrimp cocktail sauce.
Three collectible varieties:
Anise - leaves that smell like Anise, very rare, the fruit is of excellent
quality, creamy and buttery.
Bacon - a large Mexican variety with dark-skinned medium-sized fruits, and
a rich creamy flavor. It has exceptional fruit that ripen in late fall and
into spring, they are easy to peel and have a light, subtle flavor. Another
outstanding feature of the Bacon avocado tree is its angelic sweeping branches
which helps keep the tree shorter and easier to pick its fruit.
Nishikawa is a very hot seller! Oval fruit somewhat resembles Hass, but
larger, and has very high oil content.
See all Avocado trees from our store
Recommended fertilizers:
Fruit Festival Plant Food - Super Crop Booster
Mango-Food - Smart Release Fruit Tree Booster
Date: 14 May 2019
How to get gingers to bloom
Q: I have several gingers in my yard, including Red Torch, Lobster Claw, and Red Bamboo Ginger, they grow beautifully but only produce large dark green leaves and no flowers. Is there anything I can do to make them bloom? Do they need any special fertilizer?
A: Gingers are easy to grow tropical plants with so many benefits, giving us unique spice, and showy flowers (including long-lasting cut flowers!) - where other plants fail, especially in deep shade. They are not fussy about soils and even water once established. To keep your gingers happy, follow these simple steps:
1. Bright light is essential for flowering, but planting gingers in
semi-shade or filtered light will keep them stress-free from burning summer rays.
2. Water gingers regularly until they established and start producing
new leaves and stems. Once they start clumping, you may reduce watering to a
minimum 9once a week or so), or rely on your sprinkler system.
3. Once the plant is established, start using fertilizer to induce
flowering and healthy growth.
- We recommend granulated "smart release" fertilizer for all tropical
plants. For gingers, the best formula is Tropical Allure. It provides all macro- and microelements essential for
the healthy growth of the plant.
- Apply balanced water-soluble plant food for Gingers, Heliconias and
Bananas -
Broad Leaf Plus - once a month.
- Additionally, you may also add to the menu flower booster Pink N Good Daly Plant Food - this fertilizer is used in very low
concentration and can be used with every watering.
4. Remove old dry and yellowing leaves with sharp cutters to avoid pest
problems and keep good air circulation around these clumping plants.
5. Keep soil covered with 1"mulch to protect from weeds and maintain
the optimal amount of moisture for the rhizomes.
Check out our specialized fertilizers for different plants - for all your gardening needs!
