Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 3 Jun 2023

Top Tropicals TikTok Reels:
Starfish Flower - Stapelia gigantea

Calling all Exotic Gardeners!

Discover a botanical amusement on our TikTok channel! Unearth rare plants, bizarre and strange flowers, and hidden treasures from around the globe. Join our passionate community and let's explore the extraordinary together. Follow us at tiktok.com/@toptropicals and unlock a world of captivating green wonders!

Our first reel is introducing Stapelia gigantea - Starfish Flower, Giant Toad Flower, Carrion Flower... This is one of the largest flowers in the plant world!...

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

Date: 1 Feb 2023

10 secrets of growing a perfect Mango tree

Grow Your Own Food

How to grow a healthy and productive mango tree?

1. Right variety. Select a vigorous grower for in-ground planting, or a condo mango cultivar for growing in container. More info on varieties.
2. Soil must be well-drained. If planted in the ground, plant on a little elevation (see How to plant a tree)
3. Full sun is a must. The more sun, the more flower and fruit.
4. Water. Keep mango tree on a dry side, water young trees regularly but let top of the soil dry before next watering. Mango trees don't like wet feet.
5. Air circulation is important for mango tree to eliminate diseases. Allow enough space from other trees and buildings.
6. Fungicide. Mango leaves are very susceptible do fungal issues, especially in humid climates likÑƒ Florida. Spray fungicide (Copper or similar) according to the label, once a month.
7. Fertilize year around with every watering with liquid fertilizer Sunshine Boosters Mango Tango. Apply Micro-elements once a month and use other good supplements.
8. Shape. Check out Video: - to shape the most vigorous and productive tree.
9. Protect from hard freeze. Mango tree doesn't take freezing temperatures well. In subtropical areas Mango can be protected. Alternatively, it can successfully produce in container, if moved indoors during cold weather.
10. Fruit. Mango tree produces thousands of little flowers, many of them can set fruit. Do not let a small, young tree to keep more than 1-2 fruit, remove extra, to avoid exhaustion. Allow 2-3 years for the tree to establish until it produces a full crop. Apply Sunshine Honey supplement to your tree for sweeter fruit.

Shop Mango Trees

Watch the video:
Tipping a Mango Tree

Date: 22 Jan 2023

1-22-2023: New Lunar Year

Customer message: Happy new year! My family is Chinese and we celebrate the lunar new year this weekendâ€¦ the year of the rabbit. Wasn't sure if this email was sent in error (maybe your founder is Vietnamese? I think they celebrate the year of the cat...

Answer: You are right, it is a Year of the Rabbit in Chinese calendar, and it is also a Year of the Cat in Vietnamese, both starting from January 22nd, 2023. While in Chinese culture it is called a Year of the Rabbit, the Cat was seen as more relevant to the daily lives of Vietnamese farmers, who valued the cat's ability to protect their crops from rats, squirrels... Here at Top Tropicals we have a multi-national team, and although we don't have a Vietnamese person yet, but we have lots of cats - all kinds!

Happy New Year of the two furry friends:
RABBIT and CAT!

Flowers in the photo above: Clerodendrum philippinum - Cashmere Bouquet, Scent Malli. Very fragrant off-white flowers, carnation-like, coming in big clusters. Shade tolerant shrub, great for shade gardens as well as indoor culture to enjoy tropical fragrance year around.

Shop Fragrant Plants

Date: 8 Jan 2023

2023 - a year of Hope,
a year of the Cat who protects your crop

According to the Vietnamese Lunar Calendar, Year 2023 is a year of the Water Cat, starting from January 22nd, 2023 - same as Chinese New Year.
While in Chinese culture it is called a Year of the Rabbit, the Cat was seen as more relevant to the daily lives of Vietnamese farmers, who valued the cat's ability to protect their crops from rats, squirrels... or even rabbits?
At the same time, the Vietnamese year of the Cat also symbolizes tenderness, gentleness, and kindness. The sign of Cat is a symbol of longevity, peace, and prosperity.

2023 is predicted to be a year of hope

Shop happy tropical plants

"Cats, rabbits, and gardens are what make a house a home."

Date: 13 Nov 2022

Vietnamese Mickey Mouse Plant...
Hoa Mai - for good luck!

Ochna integerrima (thomasiana)

What is the yellow flower that brings good luck on Vietnamese New Year (Tet) Celebration? Why is it called Mickey Mouse Plant?

The most celebrated flower in Vietnam, Ochna integerrima, called in Vietnam Hoa Mai or Mai Vang, blooms profusely on the occasion of Tet, the Vietnamese New Year. Commonly known as Yellow Mai Flower (Hoa Mai literally means "yellow blossoms"), this plant is considered the quintessential symbol of Spring. In Southern Vietnam, Hoa Mai are some of the first plants to flower.
This plant is a must for exotic plant collection. It is a rather slow growing, medium size shrub that can be trained into miniature tree. In winter the plant is covered with pretty bright yellow flowers, believed to bring good luck and prosperity. They are followed by cute shiny black berries on bright red sepals that resemble the face of Mickey Mouse.

The plant is easy to grow and relatively cold hardy to light freeze. Start fertilizing your Hoa Moa plant right now through the Winter to encourage early blooms. Luckily, we have a perfect bloom booster liquid fertilizer that is safe to use year around, including Winter months: Sunshine Boosters MegaFlor!

Lunar year 2023 will be a year of the Cat on the Vietnamese zodiac, from January 22nd, 2023 to February 9th, 2024. Cat is the fourth sign in Vietnamese Zodiac, taking place of the Rabbit in Chinese Zodiac.

Get Hoa Mai plant for good luck!

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