Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 13 May 2023

NEW VIDEO:
ABC7 Fort Myers News:
Butterfly plants at Top Tropicals

Butterfly plants... what can be more romantic and sweet in your garden!
Watch the news segment by Rachel Anderson for ABC-7: Butterfly plants at Top Tropicals.

"...Spring has sprung, and if you're looking to spruce up your garden, Top Tropicals in Fort Myers has you covered! They have hundreds of exotic plants, fruit trees, fragrant flowers and plants that will attract butterflies to your garden!
If you're looking for a Mother's Day gift, plants are gifts that keep on giving!.."

WATCH THE VIDEO

In the photo: Butterfly plants display in Top Tropicals office. Come and see our large selection of butterfly attractors in the nursery!

Subscribe to our Channel:

Stay updated with TopTropicals Videos by subscribing to our channel at YouTube.com/TopTropicals and get our latest video news of what is fruiting and blooming!

In the photo: Lonicera japonica - Japanese Honeysuckle - a garden favorite, hardy, fast growing vine. Jasmine-sweet scented flowers attract butterflies, and hummingbirds, and berries attract birds!

Shop Butterfly Plants

Date: 26 Apr 2023

The Benefits of Companion Planting

Q: What is companion planting?

A: Companion planting is a gardening technique that involves planting different crops or types of plants together in a way that benefits all plants. This practice has been used for centuries, and it can be especially useful in tropical gardens where there is a diversity of plant life: trees, shrubs, vines and climbers, ground covers, fruit and edibles, and different flowering ornamentals. It is a great way to improve the health and yield of fruit tree crops while reducing the need for fertilizers and pesticides. By choosing the right companion plants and planning your garden layout carefully, you can create a vibrant and diverse ecosystem that will benefit both your plants and the environment.

Companion planting involves:

Planting different crops together to repel insects: adding such plants as Lemon grass, Patchouli leaf, or Moujean Tea near your vegetables can deter aphids and other pests.

Attracting pollinators - Butterfly plants. Many tropical crops, such as passion fruit, papaya, mango, and avocado, rely on pollinators to produce fruit. Companion planting can help to attract pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to your garden.

Providing nutrients to the soil, adding mulch and low growing plants (ground covers) to preserve moisture.

Planting a variety of different types of plants together in order to create a more resilient ecosystem that is less susceptible to pests and diseases.

To get started, plan your garden layout and choose companion plants with similar water and light requirements.
For example, plant in the same group lush foliage plants, gingers, and flowering brunfelsias in shady areas; plant jasmines and gardenias in full sun and very well-drained spots.
Rotate annual crops regularly and experiment with combinations to find what works best. By doing this, you can create a thriving ecosystem that benefits both your plants and the environment, reducing the need for harmful chemicals.

Chose your plants wisely

Date: 27 Feb 2022

New Exotic Adeniums

Saving on your favorite plants is Easy.
Easy like Sunday Morning...

It's time for our favorite day and another Easy stroll through Top Tropicals Garden with savings of

up to 50% and MORE!

The Flower of Prosperity and Good Fortune...

The Adenium obesum, Desert Rose, is a highly prized ornamental plant, perceived in some cultures as a sacred symbol of prosperity, abundance and good fortune. Since the Desert Rose is strong and adaptable to climatic conditions, it represents strength, persistence and resilience. We could all use a little more of these qualities in our lives...

Adeniums (Desert Roses) are the easiest plants in cultivation yet they bring you so much joy with their colorful flowers and showy caudex. There are hundreds, if not thousands of amazing colors and new hybrids are created every year. Many gardeners want to collect them all! And we can help you to grow your collection. We have many new varieties in stock and are offering two special Collection Deals!

Special Deals for Desert Rose Collectors

The plants are well developed, with large caudex, grown in 1 gal pots, normally $42.95 each,
with Collection savings of $30 and $65!

3 Adeniums Collection

Regularly $128.95,
Collection price $98.95 - savings of $30 per set!

Varieties included in this collection:
RED Adenium Red Wine
WHITE Adenium Jasmine
BLACK Adenium Black Widow

5 Adeniums Collection

Regularly $214.95,
Collection price $149.95 - savings of $65 per set!

Varieties included in this collection:
PURPLE Adenium Mee Stang
LIGHT YELLOW Adenium Yellow Gold (Vanilla Gold)
STRIPED PINK Adenium Bua Champoo
ORANGE Adenium Yellow Gift (Sai Thong)
RED-BLACK Adenium Red Dragon

Now wait... Save even more with Easy Sunday:

Combine both collections and save ANOTHER $15! Use this limited time offer coupon:

ADENIUM15

Remember, this Easy Sunday Deal expires on Tuesday 3-1-22!

Date: 2 May 2019

How to propagate plants from cuttings. Top (Tropicals) secrets.

Q: After pruning my jasmine, I have so many branches and I don't have a heart to through them away, can I use them to make more plants? Please tell me what size cuttings and do I need to remove leaves? Should I just stick them in the ground? Will they root? I don't know if you will be willing to share your secrets?

A: We are always happy to know that you grow more plants, and make our World better! These are some useful tips for the propagation of tropical plants using cuttings:

- Cuttings and leaves. Use cuttings 2-5"long. Strip leaves from the bottom. Cut larger leaves in half to reduce evaporation.
- Soak cuttings for 15-30 min in SUNSHINE solution.
- Mix. Use special well-drained mix with lots of soil conditioner: we have a special professional propagation mix for cuttings.
- Mist. Put community pots or trays with cuttings in mist, or if you don't have mist - cover the pot with a clear plastic bag to create a mini-greenhouse.
- Shade. Keep propagation pots in bright shade and never allow direct sun rays.
- Rooting hormone: yes, use it if you have it. Not only it promotes root formation but also prevents from fungus so the cuttings won't rot. We use Dip-N-Grow.
- Rooting and food. Check in 2-3 weeks for roots. Once you see the little roots, begin fertilizing with a special Baby-Plant Food and make sure never exceed recommended doze otherwise you may kill the cuttings.
- Establishing. Once roots start growing, plant in 4" pots in a well-drained potting mix and watch the beauty grow! Gradually move to the full sun only when little plants establish and start new growth.

If you are lucky to make more rare plants than you can use, contact us, we will buy them from you or trade for your dream plants! In fact, one of our customers from many years ago started selling us baby plants that he propagated from our plants, and now has a successful business (Karma Nursery); we buy a lot of plants from him every month!

For more ideas on tropical plant propagation, see also:
- Secrets of turtle tank propagation
- 5 secrets of propagation

Date: 27 Jun 2024

Celebrate America with
Independence Week Sale!

Celebrate the birthday of our great Country with Top Tropicals Independence Week Sale! Finally get all the plants you ever wanted for your garden - at amazing prices! Choose from over 100 varieties of rare tropical plants specially priced for this week:

BLUE TAG SALE $9.95 >> SHOP

RED TAG SALE $14.95 >> SHOP

Feel FREE to shop away! Take advantage of this unique opportunity to enhance your garden with tropical beauty. But remember, this sale lasts only ONE WEEK, so hurry to get your plants and plant them during the best time of the year - hot summer! This is the ideal time to establish your plants quickly and ensure they become strong before winter arrives.

Check out our BOGO DEALS and Shipping discounts and make it a steal!

While supply lasts
Deals expire July 4, 2024
No minimum order
Max order: 2 plants per variety per order (for shipped orders)
Local pick up - no limit!

Eranthemum pulchellum - Blue Sage, Lead Flower
See more $9.95 deals

$9.95 BLUE TAG SALE

Malvaviscus x penduliflorus Variegata - Summer Snow
See more $14.95 deals

$14.95 RED TAG SALE

Tithonia diversifolia - Sunflower tree - only $9.95!
See more $9.95 deals

Tabernaemontana Flore Pleno, Crape Jasmine - only $14.95!
See more $14.95 deals

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