Date: 16 Nov 2019
When to apply super boost?
Sunshine Boosters: a breakthrough in Winter fertilizing
In the photo: plants are tough survivors. Life can't be stopped even by a brick road!
Q: Just wanted to know best time of day to apply super boost as spray and watering? Only listed to make sure night temp doesn't drop below 65F...
A: As a rule of thumb, plant's needs in fertilizers are very low
in the cold season because they consume less nutrients during dormancy. For
tropical plants, when minimum temperatures drop below 65F - we stop
applications of dry (granulated) fertilizers until spring, to avoid root burn.
Liquid Sunshine Boosters are exceptions from this rule to a certain extent,
for 2 reasons:
- they are amino-acid based which means, salts do not build up in the soil,
and thus will not burn the roots even with slower plant metabolism.
- concentrations/formulas are mild and designed for as frequent as daily
watering
Tips for winter fertilizing:
1) When a plant goes into full dormancy (drops leaves and does not show any new growth), you may stop fertilizing with any Macro NPK products (both dry and liquid)
2) If a plant is evergreen and continues growing during the cooler
period, and especially if it is a winter bloomer, mild liquid fertilizers can be
applied, depending on the stage of plant development.
Robusta and TotalFeed are used for vegetative growth and pre-flower.
Megaflor and C-Cibus are used for winter flowering/ fruiting plants during the bloom
stage.
See full list of liquid boosters
3) Micro-elements can be used all year round for all plants that are not dormant (do not drop leaves)
4) Always use Sunshine-Epi as a foliar spray to activate immune system and unlock protective mechanisms, BEFORE applying other boosters. It is especially important during Fall-Winter for improving cold tolerance and disease resistance.
5) Always apply foliar spray and/or drench the soil with solutions in morning hours so the plant has time to process the nutrients during daylight when metabolism is the most active.
6) Avoid any dry fertilizers during winter
Date: 23 Oct 2019
Best tasting white guava
Q: What's your best tasting white guava?
A: Our favorite white Guava is Viet Nam variety that is also very rare and hard to find. The fruit is
very large, up to 6"in diameter, the pulp is very sweet and somewhat
crunchy.
The seeds are small which makes it more pleasurable to eat out of hand.
Another great feature of this variety, it stays compact and branches do not
get leggy, unlike most guavas. It can be easily grown in a container,
trimmed to the desired size and it will produce fruit under proper care.
Another cool variety is Indonesian, it also has a large round fruit and very few seeds to compare with others.
And last but not least, if you prefer soft fruit to crunchy, the Peruvian variety is a great choice. The fruit is pear-shaped.
Remember to provide plant food for good production, especially if grown in a container.
Fruit Festival Plant Food - Super Crop Booster
Mango-Food - Smart Release Fruit Tree Booster
SUNSHINE C-Cibus - Crop Nutrition Booster
Date: 11 Oct 2019
Fun of growing your own Pepper
By Onika Amell, tropical plant specialist
Q: Can you grow your own black pepper plants in the USA?
A: Who does not love the smell of freshly ground pepper, especially that lovely combination of white, green, black and red peppercorns, which are so much more interesting than just plain black corns. Yes, you can absolutely grow your own pepper! Peppercorns come from the plant Piper nigrum.
Growing Pepper Plant
Black pepper plants are actually vigorous vines, although they are
pretty slow growing and can be kept in a pot as a compact plant. But they will
need a strong support to climb over. Indoors, you can provide this support by
installing a trellis in a large pot. Some gardeners prefer to grow them as a
hanging plant instead. In warm climates, you can plant them directly outdoors
in a protected location with partial shade. These plants need rich, moist,
well-draining soil and warm, humid conditions. Peppers do not like temperatures
below sixty degrees, although they can survive some cold spells. It is very
important to bring these plants indoors or wrap them in a blanket if colder
weather arrives.
If you live in colder parts of the country, you can certainly grow
peppercorns in large pots. Grow them outdoors during the summer and move them
indoors during the winter, or grow them year-round in your greenhouse.
Houseplants will need bright light and consistent moisture. Spray the leaves regularly
with a bottle of water to increase humidity. Do not allow room temperatures
to fall below sixty degrees.
Besides the benefit of being able to grow your own gourmet pepper
corns, the foliage, as well as the flowers on this plant, are beautiful in its own
right. Off-white flowers appear from spring through summer, followed by slow
fruit production. The berries will appear on spikes, with 50 to 60 berries
per spike.
Fertilize this vine in the spring before new vigorous growth emerges. We
recommend:
Tropical Greenhouse Plus - Plant Booster
Tropical Allure - Smart-Release Booster
You may be surprised to learn that black, white, green and red peppercorns are all the same seed on the same plant in the various stages of development and processing.
Black peppercorns are the most familiar and come from the corns that have reached their full size but are still green and not quite ripe. They are picked and allowed to dry in the sun. Enzymes in the berries cause the skin to turn black during the drying process. They are the strongest in flavor.
White peppercorns are the mature berries that ripen to a red color before being picked. After harvesting, they are soaked and rubbed free of the outer skin down to the smooth white underlayer, then dried and bleached by the sun. They are slightly milder than black pepper.
Green peppercorns are the unripe peppercorns picked at the same stage of ripeness as black peppercorns, but not allowed to dry. They can be pickled in vinegar or brine. They are the least pungent.
Red peppercorns are the mature, but unshelled version of the peppercorn. One can usually find them in some gourmet and health food stores. They can be quite expensive.
Ground pepper will only stay fresh for about three months, but
peppercorns will last indefinitely. To make the most of your pepper harvest, store the
peppercorns in an airtight container in a cool, dark location. Grind them
immediately before use for the best flavor.
There is nothing like freshly ground black pepper simply combined with
a good quality olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar. This makes a
wonderful dipping sauce for fresh bread. Simple, yet elegant. All the better if
the pepper was grown in your very own garden!
Date: 3 Aug 2019
Grafted or seedling?
Photo: Mr Barcy meditating before planting Nutmeg seeds
Q: I planted an avocado seed and it sprouted quickly, it has been only a couple months and I already have a small plant. How soon will it produce fruit? Can I grow other tropical fruit from seed?
A: Unfortunately, some fruit trees, including varieties of
avocado, mango, lychee, as well as apples and peaches - must be either grafted or
air-layered in order to produce, for 2 main reasons:
- seedlings may take a very long time until fruiting, up to 10-15 years
- seedling gives no guarantee on the quality of the fruit or variety
These fruit trees should be propagated as "clones" - both grafted
material or cuttings are actually copies of the mother plant and will keep the
same fruit qualities. Grafted trees usually start producing immediately.
However there is a number of fruit trees that come true from seed, and
take a very short time to start flowering. Jackfruit, Annonas (Sugar Apple, Guanabana, etc), Papaya, Icecream Bean, Eugenias start producing at a young age (3-4 years from seed).
Recommended fertilizers for fruit trees:
Fruit Festival Plant Food - Super Crop Booster
Mango-Food - Smart Release Fruit Tree Booster
SUNSHINE-Honey - for sweeter fruit
SUNSHINE SuperFood - microelement supplement
Date: 1 Jan 2019
Top Tropicals New Year Resolutions
We take this opportunity to extend our grateful thanks to all visitors and friends of our garden and website. The entire Top Tropicals team wishing you a Happy New Year with Happy New Plants!
In 2019, Top Tropicals plans include (but are not limited to):
- improved design of the website, online store and shopping cart
- many new introductions of rare flowering plants including Red Jade
Vine, lots of new Adeniums
- rare fruit trees, including Mangosteen, Nutmeg, Clove and more
- extended selection of rare tropical seeds
- many new videos of rare tropical plants
- free and discounted shipping
Stay informed with our Newsletter updates!
New Year Resolutions for Gardeners in 2019
January is the month to plan and dream about your yard and garden. Grow
your garden a few steps at a time each year: pick a few resolutions for 2019
and plan accordingly. Next year, a few more, and so on until you build the
garden of your dreams.
This winter, resolve to:
- Hang a bird feeder.
- Order seeds of some rare plants so you can have an early start.
- Prune a tree into an espalier - it's a perfect time before Spring.
- Ask your grandparents what they grew in their gardens.
- Build a raised bed for succulents.
- If you live in a warm climate, plant a fruit tree or two.
- Start a compost pile.
- Plant a palm tree.
- Try some plant boosters to improve your plants hardiness.
- Chose Flowering trees, shrubs and vines suitable for areas in your garden that still have room...
- Install a rain barrel.
- Eat outside as often as possible.
- Show a child how to plant a tree.
- Provide a water source for bees and butterflies. They are not only
cool, but also pollinators that will help to set fruit and seeds!
- Call TopTropicals for garden advise - what to plant, where to plant,
and how not to kill it!
- Plant a berry-bearing tree or shrubs to feed the birds. Mulberry, Blackberry, Tropicals Cherries - are always good choices. They are 15% OFF now