Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 15 May 2026

Smokey and Sunshine HIRING NOW: Customer service / sales in garden center

👨‍� Smokey and Sunshine HIRING NOW: Customer service / sales in garden center

Sunshine: Smokey, we need plant people.
Smokey: Does your girlfriend know plants?
Sunshine: Of course. She fertilized my donuts so they would grow larger.
Smokey: Did it work?
Sunshine: Kind of. I gained three pounds.


TopTropicals.com is looking for a part-time customer service and sales team member for our Ft Myers Garden Center.

If you genuinely love plants, enjoy helping people, and don't mind getting your hands dirty in a tropical nursery environment – then working with rare tropical plants, fruit trees, and fellow plant lovers can be fun and rewarding!

💼 Responsibilities



· Help walk-in customers select plants and check out
· Answer customer questions by phone, email, social media, and message board
· Open and close office, operate cash register
· General customer service and sales support

📚 Requirements



· Genuine love for plants and willingness to learn. We will train
· Friendly, patient, and polite with customers
· Strong work ethic and reliability; punctuality is essential
· Ability to follow instructions and work efficiently
· Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs and comfortable working outdoors in Florida heat and weather
· Drug-free - background check and drug test upon employment
· Valid Florida driver's license and reliable transportation
· Must love cats - our famous "PeopleCats" helpers patrol the gardens daily

‍� Preferred qualifications



· Basic computer skills (email, office, internet). We will train
· Previous plant knowledge or nursery experience
· Sales or customer service experience

💰 Pay



· Starting pay: $18/hour depending on experience and performance
· Opportunity for growth based on performance

📅 Schedule



· Part-time to start, potential for full-time later
· Friday and Saturday, 9 am - 4 pm

📍 Location:



Top Tropicals Garden Center
13890 Orange River Blvd
Ft Myers, FL 33905

✍️ How to apply:



Please email a brief resume and a short paragraph explaining why you'd like this job.

Resume guidelines:
· Keep it brief; include job history and education
· Please avoid long descriptions of unrelated experience
· Tell us why working with plants and people interests you

🚶‍➡️ To apply in person:



You are welcome to visit our Garden Center during business hours:
Monday-Saturday, 9 am - 4 pm
To apply in person, ask for Kristi - our manager.
No phone calls please.

Thanks for applying - we hope to see you working alongside our plants, #PeopleCats, and fellow plant lovers soon.


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Date: 18 Apr 2026

Surinam cherry skillet glaze: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

Surinam cherry skillet glaze

Surinam cherry skillet glaze

Surinam cherry, Pinanga - Eugenia uniflora

Surinam cherry, Pinanga - Eugenia uniflora

🍴 Surinam cherry skillet glaze: quick-n-fun exotic recipes



🔴Halve ripe Surinam cherries, take the seed out
🔴Cook in a pan with honey and a squeeze of orange. Simmer until syrupy.
🔴Pour over grilled chicken or roasted vegetables.

🌿 About the plant:


Surinam cherry produces bright ribbed fruit that range from sweet to tangy depending on variety and ripeness.

🏡 In the garden:


A tough, adaptable shrub that can be trimmed as a hedge. Fruits multiple times a year in warm climates.

🛒 Plant Surinam Cherry in your garden

Surinam Cherry Plant Facts

Botanical name: Eugenia uniflora, Eugenia michelii
Also known as: Surinam Cherry, Pitanga, Brazilian Cherry
USDA Zone: 9 - 11
Highligths Plant used for bonsaiLarge shrub 5-10 ft tallSmall tree 10-20 ftSemi-shadeFull sunWatering: Moderate. Water when top soil feels dryWatering: Regular. Let topsoil dry slightlyWhite, off-white flowersEdible plantFragrant plantSubtropical plant. Mature plant cold hardy at least to 30s F for a short time
Get personalized tips for your region


📚 Learn more:


💋Surinam cherry, Pinanga - Eugenia uniflora - in Plant Encyclopedia
💋Surinam cherry salsa: quick-n-fun exotic recipes
💋Why you should grow a Pitanga tree. Health benefits of Surinam Cherry
💋What makes Lolita different from regular Surinam Cherry?
💋Top 10 fruit you'll ever need for your health benefits: #8 Lolita Cherry
💋 Who is that Sweet Black Lolita from Surinam?
💋Top 10 fast-fruiting trees: #3. Eugenias - Tropical Cherries
💋How to make a jam with Surinam Cherry

#Food_Forest #Recipes

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Date: 24 Mar 2026

Rose apple stir fry: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

Rose apple stir fry

Rose apple stir fry

Syzygium jambos, Rose Apple

Syzygium jambos, Rose Apple

🍴 Rose apple stir fry: quick-n-fun exotic recipes



🔴Cut in half and remove seeds from Rose Apples
🔴Sauté briefly with ginger and a pinch of salt.
🔴Keep slightly crisp.

🌿 About the plant:


Rose apple produces crisp, watery fruit with a mild floral scent.

🏡 In the garden:


Tropical tree that prefers warmth and humidity. Can grow fairly large but responds to pruning.

🛒 Plant your own Rose Apple Tree

📚 Learn more:

Rose apple Plant Facts

Botanical name: Syzygium jambos, Eugenia jambos, Jambosa jambos
Also known as: Rose apple, Malabar Plum, Pomme rosa
USDA Zone: 9 - 11
Highligths Large shrub 5-10 ft tallSmall tree 10-20 ftFull sunWatering: Regular. Let topsoil dry slightlyWhite, off-white flowersPink flowersEdible plantPlant attracts butterflies, hummingbirdsSubtropical plant. Mature plant cold hardy at least to 30s F for a short timeSeaside, salt tolerant plant
Get personalized tips for your region

Syzygium jambos, Rose Apple in Plant Encyclopedia
Rose apple salad: quick-n-fun exotic recipes
Fruit that smells like roses

#Food_Forest #Recipes

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Date: 19 Mar 2026

Guava chili glaze: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

Guava chili glazed grilled chicken

Guava chili glazed grilled chicken

Guava fruit

Guava fruit

🍴 Guava chili glaze: quick-n-fun exotic recipes



🔴Simmer guava puree with chili flakes and a squeeze of lime.
🔴Brush onto grilled chicken

🌿 About the plant:


Guava is a tropical tree with fragrant fruit rich in vitamin C and aromatic pulp.

🏡 In the garden:


Thrives in warm climates, tolerates some drought. Responds well to pruning and can be grown in containers.

🛒 Grow your own guava tree

📚 Learn more:

Tropical Guava Plant Facts

Botanical name: Psidium guajava
Also known as: Tropical Guava, Guajava
USDA Zone: 9 - 11
Highligths Large shrub 5-10 ft tallSmall tree 10-20 ftSemi-shadeFull sunWatering: Regular. Let topsoil dry slightlyWhite, off-white flowersEdible plantSubtropical plant. Mature plant cold hardy at least to 30s F for a short timeFlood tolerant plant
Get personalized tips for your region

Guava trees in Plant Encyclopedia
Guava fudge: quick-n-fun exotic recipes
Six guava varieties that will keep you picking year-round
How to grow a Guava Tree: Practical Guide to Growing Guava
More about #Guava

#Food_Forest #Recipes

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Date: 1 Apr 2026

Happy Passover!

Cats Smokey and Sunshine celebrating Passover

Cats Smokey and Sunshine celebrating Passover

Happy Passover!

Sunshine: I fixed the donut problem. And I brought mango.
Smokey: Non-traditional. Compliant. Happy Passover.

🥭 Some traditions stay exactly as they are. Others - adapt. On our patio this Passover, Smokey kept things properly grounded (wine in hand), watching closely as the table filled with familiar symbols. Sunshine, meanwhile, solved a practical problem the only way he knows how: creatively. No leavened donuts allowed? Fine. Matzah donuts it is. And since no celebration should be short on sweetness, a plate of fresh mango quietly found its place at the table.

Mango Plant Facts

Botanical name: Mangifera indica
Also known as: Mango
USDA Zone: 9 - 11
Highligths Large tree taller than 20 ftSmall tree 10-20 ftFull sunWatering: Moderate. Water when top soil feels dryYellow, orange flowersPink flowersEdible plantSeaside, salt tolerant plant
Get personalized tips for your region


🥭 That is gardening in a nutshell. You respect the rules, but you work with what grows, what thrives, and what brings joy. A tropical garden teaches the same lesson every day: conditions change, but abundance is always possible if you choose the right plants.

🥭 This season, whether you are planting something new or enjoying the fruits already within reach, take a note from Smokey and Sunshine. Stay within the rules - but do not be afraid to make them work for you.

🛒 Explore Mango varieties · Shop fruit trees

#Mango #Food_Forest

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