Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 21 May 2025

How to produce my own vanilla?

💡 How to produce my own vanilla?



Secrets of Vanilla pollination finally revealed!
Vanilla is the World's most popular flavor and one of the most expensive spices and flavorings.
Every tropical gardener wants to have a vanilla plant and of course the most common question they ask - how to make my vanilla produce vanilla for me? In this video we will show you how:
📱

🛒 Shop Vanilla Bean Orchids

📚 Learn more:
#Container_Garden #Shade_Garden #Food_Forest #How_to

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 15 May 2025

Which epiphytic cactus puts out the biggest bloom show

Disocactus ackermanni - Red Orchid Cactus

❤️ Which epiphytic cactus puts out the biggest bloom show

  • 🌺 Disocactus ackermanni, also called the Red Orchid Cactus, puts on a jaw-dropping show with huge, blazing red flowers that can reach 6 inches wide! It's a cactus that acts nothing like one - and then bursts out in flowers the size of your hand!
  • 🌺 It blooms from Spring through Summer and steals the spotlight every time. The plant grows like a lush, green fern with flat stems that drape and cascade like a living chandelier.
  • 🌺 It may be a cactus, but it loves water and shade - more diva than desert. Native to the tropical forests of Mexico, this epiphyte thrives in a hanging basket and turns heads wherever it grows.
  • 🌺 Why collectors search for it? Because it's rare, eye-catching, and just plain fun to grow. No spines, no drama - just bold flowers and easy charm. This is one of those plants that visitors always ask about. If you're a collector, it's not a want – it's a need.


🛒 Get the Red Orchid Cactus everyone talks about

📚 More about exotic epiphytic cacti:


Epiphyllum oxypetalum - Queen of the Night
Pseudorhipsalis (Wittia) amazonica - Blue Flame
Epiphyllum guatemalense Monstrosa - Orchid Cactus, Curly Locks

#Container_Garden #Shade_Garden #Nature_Wonders

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 22 Sep 2024

Why the Purple Tango of Jacaranda is so hypnotizing

Jacaranda Tree flowers

Jacaranda Tree flowers

Jacaranda Tree flowers

Jacaranda Tree flowers

Jacaranda Tree

Jacaranda Tree

💃 Why the Purple Tango of Jacaranda is so hypnotizing

  • 💜 The Jacaranda Tree enchants with its stunning purple-blue trumpet-shaped blooms that create a mesmerizing, lilac carpet when they fall.
  • 💜 A true spectacle of spring, its fern-like leaves and fast-growing nature make it perfect for landscaping. It’s often compared to dancing in the streets of Buenos Aires or Pretoria, where Jacarandas paint the cities in a dazzling purple.
  • 💜 This tree is not just eye candy but a symbol of wisdom, rebirth, and good fortune, rooted in legend and tradition.


📚 Learn more:



🛒 Plant your own Purple Jacaranda tree

#Trees

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 23 May 2025

Redder than red: when orange wasnt enough, nature made this hottest flower

Senecio confusus variety Sao Paulo, Pseudogynoxis chenopodiode, Bright red Mexican flame vine

💥 Redder than red: when orange wasn't enough, nature made this hottest flower

  • 🔻This vine didn't get the memo about "'just orange"! Senecio confusus variety Sao Paulo (Pseudogynoxis chenopodiodes), or Bright red Mexican flame vine - is our favorite variety of the classic Mexican flame vine here at Top Tropicals. Sao Paulo isn't just orange, it's fire-engine red!
  • 🔻Spectacular bright red blooms year-round and thick evergreen leaves that are larger and darker than regular Orange variety; they provide a lush, tropical look. Red variety is also more vigorous than regular Orange Senecio.
  • 🔻Fast-growing and easy to train over fences, arbors, or trellises.
  • 🔻Drought-tolerant once established and thrives on neglect.
  • 🔻Attracts bees, butterflies, and birds
  • 🔻A must-have for beginners and collectors alike, this vine delivers a nonstop show of blazing color all winter and beyond.


🛒Bring home the brightest flame vine on the market!

📚 Learn more:


#Butterfly_Plants #Hedges_with_benefits

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 23 May 2025

How to grow cold-hardy avocados and how cold-hardy are they?

Cat is growing cold-hardy avocados

Cat is growing cold-hardy avocados

How to grow cold-hardy avocados and how cold-hardy are they?



Growing avocados in colder regions is possible with the right variety and care. By selecting Cold Hardy varieties, ensuring proper care, and taking protective steps during cold spells, you can successfully grow avocados outside of tropical climates.

The more established your tree, the better it will tolerate colder weather.

🌡 What is Avocado cold hardiness?



Avocados are sensitive to freezing temperatures but some Mexican varieties are cold-hardy, surviving temperatures as low as 15F once established. With proper care, some can endure brief cold snaps down to 10F.
  • 👉 Cold hardiness depends on several factors, including:


  • 🟢 Duration of cold: How long the tree is exposed to freezing temperatures.
  • 🟢 Sun exposure: Trees with more sunlight tend to handle cold better.
  • 🟢 Wind protection: Wind can make cold weather more damaging.
  • 🟢 Tree health: Proper care, including fertilization, can improve cold tolerance.


❄️ How to protect avocados from cold



If you're growing avocados in a cooler climate, it's essential to protect them from harsh cold. Here are some tips:
  • 🟢 Bigger is Better: Larger, more established trees are generally more cold-tolerant than young ones.
  • 🟢 Wind Protection: Cold winds can be more damaging than the temperature itself. Plant your avocado in a sheltered spot, such as on the south or southeast side of a building, where it’s protected from strong winds.
  • 🟢 Good Fertilization: A healthy tree is more likely to withstand cold. Make sure your avocado receives regular fertilization throughout the growing season to keep it strong.
  • 🟢 Watering: Avocados need regular watering, but during winter, they require much less water. Avoid overwatering, as this can lead to root rot in cold conditions.


✍️ Specific protection for young plants

  • 🟢 Covering and mulching: When a freeze is expected, mound mulch around the trunk to insulate the roots and cover the tree with a blanket for warmth. For extra protection, use Christmas lights or a small heater under the cover, following safety precautions.
  • 🟢 Microclimates matter: Plant your tree closer to a building for better cold protection. Placing it in the warmest part of your landscape will help it get more heat during winter.
  • 🟢 With proper care and protection, you can enjoy fresh avocados even in cooler climates!


🛒  Shop Cold Hardy Avocados

📚 Learn more:


#Food_Forest #Avocado #How_to

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals