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, offer expires 1/8/19.
- Rake and save fallen leaves for winter mulch for your garden beds.
- Save seeds from flowers to plant next year.
- Give plants as gifts all year long.

Happy gardening in 2019!

Improving cold hardiness before winter: fertilizer and micro-elements

Q: I live in New Jersey and it is getting cool here, with temperatures in the upper 40s, but my tropical plant collection is in a heated sunroom (still around 70s). Should I continue fertilizing my plants? And if yes, my second question about deciduous Sugar Apple tree. Should I continue fertilizing it until it drops leaves?

A: First of all, even though you live outside tropical climate, your plants enjoy warm temperatures year round, and can be treated like if they were in a Southern garden.
Plant nutrients, both macro-elements (regular fertilizer) and micro-elements (such as iron, manganese, magnesium, copper, and other elements) play an important role not only in overall plant health but also in plant hardiness.
The rule of thumb is, even in warm climates we cut off any fertilizer by the end of October. You still have time for the last treatment this year (next will be in March, or when your plants start showing new growth). You may apply just a bit of slow-release granulated fertilizer, or water-soluble by foliar spray, diluted 1/2 of label strength, to all evergreen species in your collection.
The most important application before winter is micro-elements and other plant boosters that will help you plant collection survive winter months with a shorter daylight and cooler temperatures. Now it is a perfect time to make these simple steps:

1) Miscro-element applications, any one of: Superfood, Iron Supplement, Greenleaf.
2) Sunshine-T application: for improving cold hardiness, plus immune system resistance to insects and deceases.
3) Sunshine-Honey application for all fruit trees to encourage bigger and sweeter fruit next year.

Regarding your second question. Deciduous tropical plants like Annonas, Adeniums, Plumerias, etc - do not need regular fertilizer at this time, however, go ahead and apply microelements Superfood complex, as well as Sunshine-Honey, while leaves are still green. These two will give a kick-start to provide better flowering in spring, and production of sweeter fruit later.

Check out SUNSHINE boosters - all with free shipping!

Choosing the right Mango for your garden

Q: Do the mango trees you sell already have fruit? Or how long does it take to get fruit? Are they tricky to keep up? I live locally and have been interested in getting a few!

A: Some of our mangos in both 3 gal and 7 gal pots have fruit on them. All our mango trees are grafted which means they are ready to produce fruit. So if not the same year, you should get fruit the next year.
Mangoes in general are easy to grow plants. They are not picky about soil and water, however they need full sun for fruiting. When you are lucky to live in tropical or subtropical climate, your mango will thrive in a ground, and within 2-3 years you will have a mature tree, and a crop every year (those who have cold winters, still can grow a mango tree in a pot, and move it indoors for colder period). Visit our garden center for a tour of our Mango Gardenthat is only 3 years old and is full of fruit! Tasting table available :) We offer over 100 varieties, and our experts can help you to make the right choice for your garden. To start your own mango tree collection, depending on space available, you may begin with the following varieties:
Nam Doc Mai - one of the most popular and delicious Asian mango
Carrie - very compact grower, reliable producer with great taste
Cogshall and Ice Cream - dwarf varieties for small yards, excellent taste
Alphonso - considered one of the best tasting

See full list of our mango varieties, all fiberless and great sweet flavors.

Full Sun Garden vs Shade Garden

"Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago." (Warren Buffett)

Q: I live in California and I have a large area of my garden in full shade. Are there any plants that will be happy there? I am looking for something colorful. I also have a smaller area in front of the house that has full sun almost all day long, but I am afraid this can be too hot for flowering plants? Can you recommend something?

A: Full sun gardens have a strong, bright look while shade gardens have cooler, subdued appearance. Both types of gardens are fun to design and maintain as long as you pick the right plants.
Full Sun Garden is the easiest to grow. Depending on exposure, it may require some plants that can tolerate the hottest summer days and the dry conditions in your area. The good news is, the majority of tropical and subtropical plants prefer full sun, so you have a large selection to pick from - fruit trees, flowering trees, shrubs, vines, and small perennials. The more sun, the more flowers and fruit you will get! However, keep in mind that sun gardens require more water, but generous mulching will help to minimize watering.
Shade Garden is much more restful in appearance, but sometimes may be a little more difficult to work with. As shade trees grow bigger and thicker, it may become too dark; nothing will grow in total darkness. In this case you need to prune back some branches to let more light in. Filtered sunlight or dappled light coming through the leaves of the trees is beneficial and considered light shade, which would be the best light conditions for shade loving plants to thrive. Although shady cooler spaces attract more insects and will require more attention to control them, they also have some advantages over sun gardens. You can enjoy working in cooler conditions, and your garden will require less water. Many foliage plants look more deeply colored and healthier than in full sun; white flowers shine instead of looking washed out!
Our favorite shade plants are fragrant brunfelsias , clerodendrums, and of course colorful gingers and heliconias. You may also consider ornamental foliage of Calatheas, lush Alocasias, Colocasias, and colorful Cordylines. Check out our shade loving plant list for more colorful suggestions. These are also great for indoor gardens!

On the photo: Calathea lancifolia Rattlesnake

SUNSHINE boosters for recovering plants after shipping

Q: I live in Garden City, NJ and have a sun room with a tropical plant collection that I keep at about 40-45 degrees in winter. I used Sunshine booster during winter for my plant collection and results were amazing! I haven't lost a single plant. Now I see you have more products and I am planning to purchase more plants, how should I use Sunshine boosters to help plants recover after shipping?

A: Spray SUNSHINE-E solution right after receiving a plant from shipping. It will boost up the plant and make it 50-60% stronger and easier to recover after shipping stress. After that, apply SUNSHINE-SuperFood microelement booster to provide everything necessary for the plant to grow vigorously and happily. SUNSHINE-E is indeed a wonderful plant stimulant and stress reliever, although it is not a "magic-cure-all" medicine where one can't find its active ingredient. The hormone (epibrassinolide) is well-known and used in different countries along with other hormones for promote growth, fruiting, blooming, rooting, etc. One of the most amazing properties of SUNSHINE is that it works in extremely low dozes. Only a few drops will be enough to make a solution in distilled water, to treat a large size plant. If you want to try it out, one 5 ml bottle will last for several applications. Large bottles of SUNSHINE 50 ml and 100 ml - great for small and big gardens. It is a good idea to start bi-weekly applications to improve your plants tolerance to Summer heat, drought and improve disease resistance. The formula works through plant metabolism within 2-4 days, repeat application not sooner than in one week. After application of SUNSHINE-E, don't forget to boost your plants with SUNSHINE-SuperFood .

Check out SUNSHINE boosters... We offer FREE shipping on them, so you can make your plants happy!