Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 10 Nov 2022

Fertilizing indoor plants in Winter

What is the best fertilizer for indoor plants?
Can I fertilize house plants in Winter?

The best fertilizer for indoor plants is liquid fertilizer Sunshine Boosters (TM). It is amino-acid based, natural, and is safe to use with every watering and year around. Unlike dry fertilizers that are not recommended to use during Winter, Sunshine Boosters formula is mild and scientifically balanced. Your houseplants will consume exactly as much nutrients as they need even during cooler months of less active growth. Sunshine boosters will not burn roots and won't create nutrient lockup (excessive salts that often caused by dry fertilizers). Sunshine Boosters is a perfect food for all kinds of plants, and different boosters available for different plant types (flowering, fruiting, even for orchids). Check out Sunshine Boosters selection.

Shop Sunshine Boosters

Grow Purple! In the photo: Arundina graminifolia - Bamboo Orchid, Bird Ground Orchid - Winter flowering orchid that grows in regular soil. These plants are in bloom right now, picture taken this week!

Date: 29 Sep 2020

Healthy Plant Food: Q&A from Mr Booster

Why my Sapodilla is not fruiting?

Q: I bought a Sapodilla tree from you several years ago, Silas Woods. I live in Houston area. The tree grows and produces blossoms for fruits, but then they just dry up and fall off. To-date, I have not gotten any fruits off the tree. Is there a reason for this? I really want a fruiting tree because Sapodilla is one of my favorite fruits. I have attached pictures of the tree. Please help.

A: Silas Woods is a free-flowering variety and in favorable conditions it should produce fruit almost year round, considering warm temperatures. The fact that the tree is producing flowers indicates that it is strong, overall healthy and ready for production, but for some reason these flowers don't set fruit. There may be several reasons for such behavior.

1) Too high temperature and too low humidity
In Houston area, humidity should be good in summer. However, if temperatures stay above 90F for a long time, this may cause flower dry-n-drop.
Solution: try to move the potted tree into filtered light, or in a spot where it does not get direct burning sun during the hottest hours of the day (morning sun is the best)

2) Root bound.
Solution: check if the tree needs stepping up into a larger container.

3) Lack of certain nutrients that are responsible for proper fruit formation.
In particular, elements B (Boron), Mo (Molybdenum), and a few other micro-elements (Fe - iron, Cu - Copper, etc.). This is most likely the cause of a flower drop. This is very common reason for undeveloped fruit or lack of fruit in container-grown fruit trees. When grown in the ground, plants can reach out to all necessary elements in surrounding soil (considering soils are not too poor on necessary elements). In a pot, a supply of nutrients can be exhausted very quickly, so a quality fertilizer program is very important. Fertilizer must include all necessary nutrients in easy accessible form, and a plant must have their constant supply for proper development.
Solution: prescribe to your Sapodilla tree the following combination of plant food:
- SUNSHINE C-Cibus - Crop Nutrition Booster. It will provide well-balanced amounts of high absorption Nitrogen, as well as other macro-elements - to provide enough energy to the tree, plus a combination of all necessary micro-elements. It is safe to apply this fertilizer as frequent as with every watering, including winter time.
- SUNSHINE-Honey - sugar booster. This supplement has a high content of elements Mo and B - once the tree starts getting them on regular basis (a few times a year, according to the label), it will change its habit dropping flowers and/or premature fruit drop. As extra bonus, Sunshine Honey makes fruit sweeter by bringing sugars from all over the plant and concentrating them into fruit.

4) Lack of pollinating insects.
Solution: For most effective pollination, we always recommend to put some pieces of fruit under the tree, apple peels, or even banana peel. Those attract tiny beetles that are responsible for small flower pollination.

With winter time approaching, fruiting season is about to end, however, do not get discouraged and start the fertilizing program right away: this will bring up the plant into a healthy stage within a few months, and by next season it should be covered with fruit you like so much! Remember, Sunshine liquid fertilizers can be used year round, including winter, without a risk to burn roots or overdose, as long as you follow label instructions.

SUNSHINE C-Cibus - Crop Nutrition Booster from Garden Series, or Combo Total Feed Collection - all nutrients in just one bottle, for fruit trees and edibles.

Date: 8 Mar 2025

Why do you need Sunshine Boosters?

Why do you need Sunshine Boosters?

👍 Why do you need Sunshine Boosters?

👍Ever wanted to grow plants that reward you with lush foliage, cheerful flowers, or abundant fruit without the hassle?

Sunshine Boosters

👍 Sunshine Boosters are pet-safe and eco-friendly because they're made with organic amino acids - and you can use them year-round.
👍 Sunshine Boosters come in different formulas, or "flavors," to match your plant’s needs:

👍 Sunshine Boosters offer both essential plant food and supplements - micro-elements and growth stimulants - just like vitamins for people!

📱 Watch this video in high quality on YouTube:

🛍 Get Sunshine Boosters and make your plants happy

#Fertilizers #How_to

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

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: 26 Oct 2018

Improving cold hardiness before winter: fertilizer and micro-elements

Q: I live in New Jersey and it is getting cool here, with temperatures in the upper 40s, but my tropical plant collection is in a heated sunroom (still around 70s). Should I continue fertilizing my plants? And if yes, my second question about deciduous Sugar Apple tree. Should I continue fertilizing it until it drops leaves?

A: First of all, even though you live outside tropical climate, your plants enjoy warm temperatures year round, and can be treated like if they were in a Southern garden.
Plant nutrients, both macro-elements (regular fertilizer) and micro-elements (such as iron, manganese, magnesium, copper, and other elements) play an important role not only in overall plant health but also in plant hardiness.
The rule of thumb is, even in warm climates we cut off any fertilizer by the end of October. You still have time for the last treatment this year (next will be in March, or when your plants start showing new growth). You may apply just a bit of slow-release granulated fertilizer, or water-soluble by foliar spray, diluted 1/2 of label strength, to all evergreen species in your collection.
The most important application before winter is micro-elements and other plant boosters that will help you plant collection survive winter months with a shorter daylight and cooler temperatures. Now it is a perfect time to make these simple steps:

1) Miscro-element applications, any one of: Superfood, Iron Supplement, Greenleaf.
2) Sunshine-T application: for improving cold hardiness, plus immune system resistance to insects and deceases.
3) Sunshine-Honey application for all fruit trees to encourage bigger and sweeter fruit next year.

Regarding your second question. Deciduous tropical plants like Annonas, Adeniums, Plumerias, etc - do not need regular fertilizer at this time, however, go ahead and apply microelements Superfood complex, as well as Sunshine-Honey, while leaves are still green. These two will give a kick-start to provide better flowering in spring, and production of sweeter fruit later.

Check out SUNSHINE boosters - all with free shipping!

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