Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 3 Mar 2022

Top Tropicals Team in Ukraine

Top Tropicals Research tem: Fedor Shablij

The tragedy hits quite close to home for Top Tropicals as we have a number of friends and associates who are currently in the Ukraine. These kind and hardworking people have contributed significantly to the success of Top Tropicals, most specifically our line of Sunshine Boosters fertilizers...
Top Tropicals has a research and development center in Ukraine. Where we develop SB plant fertilizer and number of new and exciting products, including Carefree Garden Complete Greenhouse/Grow Room Controller...

Our Ukrainian Team members are:

Fedor Shabliy - a brilliant chemist. Under his supervision the Sunshine Boosters series was developed, and then tested by local farmers in the Ukraine.
Oksana Shabliy (chemist)
Anton Tkachenko (mechanical and electronic engineer)
Roman Bidyuk (software developer)
Igor Kayun (software developer)
Igor Sushelnitsky (software and electronic engineer)
Olga Ozerova (project manager)
They have families, kids...

CONTINUE READING >>

Top Tropicals Ukraine Research tem

Top Tropicals: Learn more about this subject

Ukraine 2022: Protecting windows from shuttering

Cardboard window shutters to protect against broken glass...

Sunshine Boosters Special

With all this in mind, we are earmarking a percentage of all Sunshine Booster sales for this team of friends to aid in their living expenses and full recovery. In order to give back to our team in Ukraine, we are offering the following Sunshine Boosters Garden Series items at a discounted price:

Your purchase helps support Ukraine!

Sunshine C-Cibus 1 gallon
Sunshine Mango Tango 1 gallon
Sunshine Megaflor 1 gallon
Sunshine Robusta 1 gallon
Currently priced at 33% off reg price!

In addition, we will also donate $5.00 from each purchase to help Support Ukraine.

Spring is the time to fertilize and all of you will be getting some food for your plants. So get your plants Sunshine Boosters - the Fertilizer that Works, developed in Ukraine. Help us to support our Ukrainian Research Team! As always, we appreciate the support of our loyal community of Top Tropicals customers and enthusiasts.

Top Tropicals: Shop our online store

Date: 6 Feb 2026

💘Rooted love lasts longer than flowers

Smokey the tuxedo cat and Sunshine the ginger cat sit in a greenhouse beside a Sweetheart Hoya with heart-shaped leaves, a tag reading rooted love, and a cup of coffee with donuts on a wooden table.
Sunshine: Valentine Day soon. We need flowers.
Smokey: Nope. Heart-shaped hoya. Flowers fade. Plants stay.
Sunshine: Alright. One for my Valentine. One for me, with coffee.

💖 Sweetheart Hoya: a Valentine gift that lasts

Sweetheart Hoya (Hoya kerrii) has thick, heart-shaped leaves and a compact form that fits easily on a windowsill, desk, or shelf. It does not need constant attention, bright sun, or frequent watering. In fact, it prefers a lighter touch.

This is a plant that works well indoors, grows slowly, and forgives missed waterings. It is comfortable in normal home conditions and does not require special tools or experience. That makes it a good gift not only for plant lovers, but also for people who have never kept a houseplant before.

Unlike flowers, it does not come with an expiration date. It becomes part of daily life and stays there quietly, doing its job. Over time, it feels less like a purchase and more like something chosen with intention.

For Valentines Day, Sweetheart Hoya is a simple, lasting way to give something real.

Sweetheart Hoya care: quick how-to

  • Light: Bright window light is ideal. Avoid harsh, hot direct sun.
  • Water: Let the potting mix dry between waterings. When you water, water thoroughly, then let it drain.
  • Feeding: Light feeding during active growth helps. A balanced fertilizer like Sunshine™ Robusta keeps growth steady and leaves healthy.
  • Pace: Slow-growing and patient. Do not overwater or overpot.

❓Sweetheart Hoya: quick FAQ

  • Is it good for beginners? Yes. It is forgiving and does not need constant attention.
  • Can it live indoors year-round? Yes, in bright indoor light and normal home conditions.
  • Does it need flowers to be special? No. The heart-shaped leaves are the main feature.
  • Learn more: What is the best Valentines Day gift that actually lasts?

♥️ Shop Sweetheart Hoya

Valentine Sweetheart Hoya Plant

Date: 18 May 2024

What was discovered in the Pyramids: Pigeon Pea - an Ancient Superfood

Cajanus cajan - Pigeon Pea and Egyptian pyramids

Cajanus cajan - Pigeon Pea and Egyptian pyramids

Cajanus cajan - Pigeon Pea

Cajanus cajan - Pigeon Pea

Cajanus cajan - Pigeon Pea

Cajanus cajan - Pigeon Pea

Cajanus cajan - Pigeon Pea

Cajanus cajan - Pigeon Pea

What was discovered in the Pyramids: Pigeon Pea - an Ancient Superfood...

  • Cajanus cajan - Pigeon Pea - existed for more than 4800 year! It's been widely consumed in South Asia, South East Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Documented in India since 2,800 BC; reached Ancient Egypt around 2,200 BC.
  • Provides flavorful, nutritious, and healthy food, with potential to become widely popular like Japanese sushi 🍱
  • It is a showy perennial woody shrub or small tree, 4-8 ft tall, with soft leaves. Can be grown in container
  • Pretty flowers are yellow, with purple or red streaks, pods containing oval to round seeds.
  • Many culinary uses: the tasty and healthy beans used in rice dishes, soups, stews, tempeh, tofu. Unripe pods eaten in curries, leaves and young shoots cooked as a vegetable.
  • Rich source of fiber, protein, vitamins (B, C, E, K), and minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, zinc).
  • Medicinal value: various folk medicinal uses for sores, bladderstones, jaundice, skin irritations, bronchitis, coughs, pneumonia, toothache, dysentery, and more.
  • Everyone can grow it! The plant is super easy, tolerates poor soils, drought tolerant, improves soil quality like many other beans.


📚 Learn more about Pigeon Pea

🛒Grow your own Pigeon Pea Superfood

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Container_Garden #Fun_Facts

🏵 TopTropicals

Date: 18 May 2025

Discover the health benefits of Katuk: a Superfood for your mind and body

Katuk,Tropical Asparagus - Sauropus androgynus

🏆 Discover the health benefits of Katuk: a Superfood for your mind and body

  • 🌿 Katuk, or Tropical Asparagus (Sauropus androgynus), is a delicious leafy vegetable popular in South and Southeast Asia. Its young shoots, often referred to as tropical asparagus, are highly prized for their taste and high yields.
  • 🌿 In Vietnam, Katuk is commonly cooked in soups with crab meat, minced pork, or dried shrimp, while in Malaysia, it’s stir-fried with egg and dried anchovies.
  • 🌿 The plant is unique for being one of the few plants that contains vitamin K. It’s also rich in folate, vitamin K, and lutein - nutrients linked to improved memory and reduced cognitive aging.
  • 🌿 Katuk thrives in full sun or semi-shade, making it a versatile and healthy addition to your garden or kitchen.

Lean more:
📚 Tropical Asparagus, Katuk: Grow your own food
📱 How to cook with Katuk

🛒 Add Katuk Superfood to your edible garden today

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Discover

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 4 Nov 2025

The secret Brain Food growing in my backyard (and it tastes like green peas!)

Tropical Asparagus (Sauropus androgynus)

🏆 The secret Brain Food growing in my backyard (and it tastes like green peas!)

  • 🌿 Katuk, or Tropical Asparagus (Sauropus androgynus), is one of the most underrated edible plants you can grow. This leafy tropical shrub is a superfood in disguise. It grows fast, looks lush, and its tender young shoots taste just like green peas.
  • 🌿 Native to Southeast Asia, Katuk is a kitchen staple in places like Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand. The leaves and shoots are used in soups, stews, and stir-fries with egg or seafood. It’s not only delicious but also incredibly nutritious - rich in nutrients linked to improved memory and reduced cognitive aging: folate, lutein, and especially vitamin K, which is rare in plants.
  • 🌿 Katuk thrives in sun or partial shade, needs little care, and grows into a dense, bushy plant that gives you edible greens all year round. If you want something that feeds both your garden and your health, this one’s a winner!


🛒 Add Katuk Superfood to your Food Forest

Lean more:
🍴 Katuk egg stir-fry: Quick-n-Fun exotic recipes
✔️ Discover the health benefits of Katuk: a Superfood for your mind and body
📚 Tropical Asparagus, Katuk: Grow your own food
📱 How to cook with Katuk

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Discover

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals
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