Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 31 Dec 2023

Our New Year Wish to You:
Stay Young

Hugging  cats  with  plumeria  flowers

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that take our breath away."
- Maya Angelou -

"...Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever...
...Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side...
...Remember to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent...
...Remember to say"I love you"to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all - mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you...
...Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak, and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind...
...And always remember, life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

(A Life message from George Carlin after he lost his wife)

Spathodea  campanulata  -  African  Tulip  Tree

In the photo: Spathodea campanulata - African Tulip Tree

How to Stay Young

10 secrets of Eastern Wisdom

1. Throw out nonessential numbers, including age, weight and height. Let the doctor worry about them. That is why you pay them.
2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening. Never let the brain idle. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies. Your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health. If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, to the next county, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.
10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

Cat  on  keyboard  with  avocado 
 fruit

Date: 6 Feb 2023

How to make your Olive tree grow faster

Ed's  Olive  trees  in  the  garden

In past blog posts, Ed Jones shared his insights on cultivating olives in Central Florida using Sunshine Boosters. Despite olives having a reputation for slow growth and being uncommon in Florida gardens, Ed has successfully grown not only productive but also aesthetically pleasing trees in just two years. As seen in this winter photo, the trees are thriving!
Encouraged by Ed's success, we have decided to plant olive trees as well. They are low maintenance and tolerant to cold temperatures. Simply heed Ed's advice, and you too can have a beautiful tree that produces your own olives in the future.

Olive  branch  with  fruit

Date: 20 Dec 2025

☃️ Winter is choosing season

Smokey  the  tuxedo  cat  plans  spring  planting  on  a  laptop  plant 
 encyclopedia  while  Sunshine  the  ginger  cat  relaxes  by  a  fireplace  in  a  cozy 
 Christmas  living  room  with  tropical 
 plants.

Smokey: "December is for planning, not planting."
Sunshine: "Gift card now. Perfect plants later."
Smokey: "You surprise me sometimes. Must be the donuts."

This time of year always feels special to us. The days are shorter, the garden slows down, and we finally have a moment to pause, look at our wish lists, and dream a little about spring.

As gardeners, we know winter is not really planting season. It is choosing season.

It is when ideas take shape. When we think about what we want to grow next, what we want to add, and what we want to do differently when warm days return. That is why, in winter, the best plant gift is not a plant itself. It is the promise of one.

Cold weather and holiday shipping can make winter plant deliveries stressful, especially for tropical plants traveling north. A gift card lets plants wait for the right moment, and lets the gardener enjoy the fun part now: planning, choosing, and imagining.

It also solves something we all know too well. Every gardener is wonderfully different. Some dream of fruit trees, others of flowers, rare collectors, or easy growers. Some plant in containers, some in the ground. Guessing is hard. A gift card lets them choose exactly what fits their garden and their vision.

🎁 Holiday Gift Card Bonus

To make the season a little brighter, we are offering a holiday gift card bonus through 12/31/2025.

When you purchase a gift card, we add 15% extra value. Just add Christmas greeting in gift card message field. For example, a $100 gift card becomes $115 to spend.

The bonus value is not valid with other promotions or discounts. Gift cards cannot be used to purchase other gift cards. Bonus value is added at the time of purchase.

🎁 Get a gift card

Date: 5 Jan 2026

☘️ What plants are easy to ship in Winter?

Lush  tropical  garden  with  a  bright  green  leafy  Magnolia  champaka  surrounded  by  flowering  shrubs,  such  as  Brunfelsia  grandiflora,  at  Top  Tropicals  nursery

Ordering plants in winter is often easier than people expect - and for many plants, it is actually better. Lush foliage plants like philodendrons and medinilla, fine-leaved trees such as moringa, jacaranda, and poinciana, and even sensitive fruit trees like papaya, jackfruit or starfruit ship more safely in cool weather without overheating stress.

Winter is also ideal for subtropical and cold-tolerant plants, dormant or deciduous plants like plumeria and adenium, orchids - including ground orchids and vanilla orchids, and winter bloomers that flower their best right now. Winter care is simple: water less, use gentle liquid amino-acid fertilizers like Sunshine Boosters, and monitor insects.

In mild climates, many tropicals can be planted anytime, while extra-tender plants can stay potted until spring. Winter is a perfect time to bring tropical warmth indoors and enjoy greenery when you need it most.

🌿Learn more: easy plants for Winter shipping

Date: 4 Sep 2025

📅 Do not miss: September 6 - Fall Plant Market!

September  6,  2025  -  Fall  Plant  Market  at  Top  Tropicals

Saturday, September 6, 2025: 9 am - 4 pm

Fall is just around the corner, but Florida is still full of sunshine and growing energy! It’s one of the best times to plant - cooler days are coming, but there are still months of warmth ahead for your garden to thrive. Our nursery is bursting with big, healthy plants that grew all summer long - loaded with blooms, fruit, and lush foliage, ready to shine in your yard.
Come stroll the gardens with our PeopleCats, enjoy the most beautiful season for planting, and let us help you find the perfect picks for your space. Bring your friends and family for a weekend of fun, color, and fresh ideas - this is your moment to plant, grow, and enjoy!

Explore the Event

Event Highlights:

30% OFF online prices
FREE plant with any purchase (including Guava)
Gift bags for first 25 customers with $50+ order
Special deals on select plants
Exciting raffle prizes
Green Magic fertilizer FREE samples
The LAST PERFORMANCE of the Famous Hand Pan Lady! (She is moving from Florida)
See her previous performance at Top Tropicals - here and here.

Event discounts valid at both locations:

Ft Myers Garden Center: 13890 Orange River, Ft Myers, FL
Sebring B-Farm: 9100 McRoy Rd, Sebring, FL

to confirm attendance
RSVP on Facebook!