Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 5 Nov 2025

How to protect Avocado from cold and how hardy is it?

Avocado tree fruiting indoors

Avocado tree fruiting indoors

❄️ How to protect Avocado from cold and how hardy is it?



Growing Avocado trees in cooler regions is possible with the right variety and care. By choosing Cold Hardy types and protecting them during cold spells, you can successfully grow avocados outside tropical climates. The more mature your tree, the better it handles the cold.
  • ❄️ What is Avocado cold hardiness?



    Most Avocados are sensitive to frost, but some Mexican varieties can survive lows around 15°F once established, and brief dips near 10°F with good care.


👉 Cold tolerance depends on:

  • Duration of cold: Short freezes are easier to survive.
  • Sun exposure: More sun means better cold resistance.
  • Wind protection: Wind can do more harm than temperature alone.
  • Tree health: Regular fertilization, such as Sunshine Boosters, helps strengthen plants.


❄️ How to protect avocados from cold

  • Bigger is better: Mature trees resist cold better than young ones.
  • Wind protection: Plant on the south or southeast side of a building for warmth.
  • Good fertilization: Healthy trees are stronger and more resilient.
  • Watering: Water less in winter; overwatering in cold weather can cause root rot.


❄️ Protection for young plants

  • Cover and mulch: Before a freeze, mound mulch around the base and cover with a blanket. Add Christmas lights or a small heater for extra warmth (use caution).
  • Use microclimates: Plant near walls or buildings where it’s warmer and wind is reduced.


With a little planning and protection, you can enjoy fresh avocados even in cooler climates!

✔️ Check outAvocado Variety Guide interactive chart. Sort them by flower type A or B, tree habit, fruit shape and quality, cold hardiness, origin, season and more!

🛒  Shop Cold Hardy Avocados

📖 Our Book: Avocado Variety Guide, Snack or Guacamole?

📚 Learn more:


#Food_Forest #Avocado #How_to

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Date: 4 Nov 2025

Updates from Mittens

Chiane and Mittens the cat

Chiane and Mittens the cat

Chiane and Mittens the cat

Chiane and Mittens the cat

🕺 Updates from Mittens
  • 🐾 Hi everyone, it’s me - Mittens! I’m all grown up now (well, almost). I still go to work with my Mom Chiane - every single day. I help pack your plants, inspect boxes, and sometimes take important naps on the shipping table. I haven’t missed a single day of work!
  • 🐾 Everyone says I’m part of the team now, not just a trainee. I think they’re right - after all, who else leaves magic paw prints on your boxes?
  • 🐾 If you stop by our Garden Center in Ft Myers, come say hi to me, King, Snitch, and my other friends. We’re the #PeopleCats, and we work hard to make sure your plants travel happy and safe to their new homes!


🐈📸 Chiane and Mittens getting ready for work at TopTropicals / PeopleCats.Garden

#PeopleCats

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Date: 6 Sep 2025

Avocado coconut popsicles: Quick-n-Fun exotic recipes

Avocado coconut popsicles

Avocado coconut popsicles

🍴 Avocado coconut popsicles: Quick-n-Fun exotic recipes

  • 🔵Puree avocado with coconut milk and sugar.
  • 🔵Pour into molds and freeze.
  • 🔵Enjoy the creamiest tropical ice pops ever!


🛒 For home-grown ingredients you will need:


Home grown Avocado
Home grown Coconut

Avocado Coconut Popsicles

Ingredients

  • 2 ripe avocados
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp sugar (or to taste)

Instructions

  1. Puree avocado with coconut milk and sugar.
  2. Pour into molds and freeze.
  3. Enjoy the creamiest tropical ice pops ever!

#Food_Forest #Recipes #Avocado

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Date: 20 Nov 2025

When the Goldfish blooms

Columnea Melissa - Flying Goldfish Plant

🐟 When the Goldfish blooms...

  • 🐡 If you’ve never seen a Columnea Melissa - Flying Goldfish Plant in full bloom, get ready for a surprise. Columnea Melissa is one of those houseplants that looks almost too whimsical to be real. Its bright orange flowers pop out along long, velvety stems, and every single one looks like a tiny goldfish with wings. When the plant starts cascading, it really does look like a whole school of flying fish drifting through the air.
  • 🐡 This plant comes from tropical cloud forests, so it loves humidity, gentle light, and steady moisture. An airy mix, a hanging basket, and a bright window are all it really asks for. Cooler winter temps are fine, just keep watering on the light side.
  • 🐡 Give it a kitchen or bathroom windowsill and it will reward you with nonstop color. It’s one of those plants that visitors always point at and say… okay, what is THAT?


🛒 Add showy Flying Goldfish Plant to your collection

📚 Learn more:


#Container_Garden

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Date: 27 Nov 2025

It opens overnight, wakes up just for Thanksgiving!

Gloxinia sylvatica - Bolivian Sunset

🔥 It opens overnight, wakes up just for Thanksgiving!

  • 🔥 Gloxinia sylvatica - Bolivian Sunset, is one of those plants that waits for the perfect cool morning and then explodes in red.
  • 🔥 The blooms really do show up overnight - bright fire-red, glowing even in deep shade. and blooms all through fall and winter. In Summer it sleeps, then flowers come back in Fall.
  • 🔥 It's an easy, water-loving, shade-loving plant that makes a showy holiday ground cover. It stays low, spreads from rhizomes. And if you like sharing plants, this one gives you plenty of starts to pass around during the holidays. Perfect timing, perfect color, perfect seasonal surprise!


🛒 Plant Bolivian Sunset - the Winter Wonder that turns on like a light switch!

📚 Learn more:


Low growing show stopper blooms like a winter fire

#Butterfly_Plants #Container_Garden #Shade_Garden

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