Everybody wants this plant! Acalypha pendula, Dwarf Chenille Plant gets
its common name from the fuzzy plumes of tiny, foxtail-shaped bright red
flowers that trail above a thick mound of small, serrated leaves. Given enough
light, this plant blooms nearly year-round! The blossoms that begin as wispy
buttons and elongate into fuzzy cones. At maturity, they become 3-4"long
streamers.
A spectacular plant for a hanging basket, container or ground cover, it
is heat tolerant, great for both hot Southern landscapes or as an easy
houseplant, providing bright light.
Place this unusual house plant on a pedestal stand or pot it in a hanging
basket to show off those eye-catching fuzzy blooms.
This is a dwarf plant that stays small and doesn't need pruning. It's
naturally bushy, so you don't have to pinch its growing tips to get it to
branch out.
A favorite with children, and cats too!
📍 This fruit is prized for its deliciously sweet and tangy fruit, reminiscent of a blend between pineapple and strawberry. It tastes similar to regular Soursop (or Guanabana), with slightly milder flavor. The pulp is highly scented.
📍 The fruit, up to a pound, has the most unusual looks! Just look at these curious Hedgehog spines!
📍 The tree is medium sized, with beautiful, large, leathery dark green leaves that emit a strong aroma when crushed.
📍 Mountain Soursop is much more cold hardy than the Soursop, established trees can take some frost, down to 24F when full grown.
📍 Trees produce within just 2-3 years from seed, like many Annonas, and can happily grow and produce in a large container.
👨�👧 We guarantee that everyone who sees this fruit in your garden will ask for seeds even before they taste the fruit! And you will have lots of seeds to share because Mountain Soursop is very reliable producer with many seeds in each fruit.
Winter can be tough on plants, especially on tropical varieties. But with a little preparation, you can protect your garden and keep your plants safe from the cold. Here's how:
Winter Care Tips for Tropical Plants
Cut watering: Reduce watering to prevent root rot. Cold + wet = dead roots.
Water before frost: Thirsty plants are more vulnerable. Water them before a cold night to prevent damage.
Wind protection: Wind is more harmful than temperature drops. Plant near structures like houses or trees for shelter.
Prepare for long cold periods: If cold weather lasts for hours, use all available protection, including Christmas lights and propane heaters.
Don't use dry fertilizer in winter: Heavy fertilizing encourages tender growth, which is more susceptible to cold damage. Sunshine Boosters liquid fertilizers are safe to use year around as their intake is controlled by reduced watering. Use fabric covers, not plastic: Plastic can cook plants in the sun, while fabric allows better ventilation.
Photo above: we cover our plants in the nursery with a thin synthetic fabric (sintepon) called "frost cloth" or "strawberry cloth". It is light, breathable and allows light and water to go through unlike plastic that creates heavy water pockets.
Prepare for Cold Nights
Wrap plants: On cold nights, cover individual plants or trees with sheets or blankets to shield them from wind chill.
Use Christmas lights: A simple string of lights can add extra warmth, protecting your plants during frosty nights.
Use propane heaters: For added warmth in a larger area, place a propane heater near your plants. Make sure to follow safety guidelines and keep the heater at a safe distance from flammable materials. This can help maintain a few extra degrees of warmth, especially in more open garden spaces or temporary greenhouses. Always ensure proper ventilation to avoid harmful gas buildup.
Photo above: we use both propane and kerosene heaters at the nursery
Large Collections? Build a Temporary Greenhouse
Affordable winter greenhouse: For large plant collections, you don't need an expensive greenhouse. A mobile carport with plastic or fabric covering, costing around $200, can house up to 100 plants!
Photo above: Temporary wrapping around plant collection with a plastic or frost cloth protects from a windchill. It may also win you a few degrees even without a heater. In this particular case, according to our temp sensors, with 30F outside, it was 41F inside this "dome", no heaters used.
Southern Exposure and Garage Storage
Southern windowsills: Compact tropicals can thrive on southern-facing windowsills, getting plenty of sunlight during the day.
Move plants inside: If you have larger collections, move them into a well-lit garage for the colder nights or longer periods.
Photo above: using Christmas lights around plants while wrapping with frost cloth.
Key Factors for Survival
Cold duration: Tropical plants can survive brief cold spells but long durations, even above freezing, can be deadly.
Wind-chill: Wind chill can be harsher than the temperature itself.
Exposure: Southern-facing slopes hold heat longer, making them ideal for your plants.
Humidity: Proximity to lakes or oceans can create a milder micro-climate.
Gradual temperature Drops are safer. Plants adjust better to slow temperature changes than sudden cold blasts. Gradual cooling allows plants to prepare, reducing the risk of damage.
Strengthen Plant Hardiness
Health and maturity: Well-established, healthy plants are more cold-hardy. Boost plant immunity: Use products like SUNSHINE-Epi to improve cold resistance. Apply it before and during cold snaps to protect your plants. Healthy plant is hardy. Make sure to fertilize your plants on regular basis - healthier and stronger plants are more cold hardy.
With these steps, you can protect your plants and help them survive the winter months. Stay
warm and keep your garden thriving!
Podcast with Horticulturist Mark Hooten:
How to Protect Tropical Plants in Winter
Why is it called Pineapple Guava? It tastes just like strawberries! Feijoa Superfood
Pineapple Guava, Guavasteen, Feijoa sellowiana
Pineapple Guava, Guavasteen, Feijoa sellowiana
🍓 Why is it called Pineapple Guava? It tastes just like strawberries! Feijoa Superfood.
Feijoa is certainly one of the easiest fruit trees to grow as it does not require much care.
Feijoa is an attractive, evergreen large shrub that produces lovely edible flowers and fruit.
The fruit is eaten fresh, added to smoothies, fruit salads, used to make delicious jam (that tastes like Strawberry Jam on steroids!), and wicked chutneys.
🐲 Grow Your Own Exotic Dragon Fruit Garden - Part 3
Continued from previous post ⤴️
🛍 Limited-Time Offer:
This week only, enjoy an instant 5% discount on all dragon fruit plants, no code needed! Hurry - some varieties are in limited supply and highly sought after!
🎮 Explore Our Unique Varieties:
💋David Bowie - Red-skinned with white flesh, offering a sweet, tangy, lemon-like flavor. Self-pollinating and best enjoyed fresh.
💋 Delight - Pink-skinned with light pink flesh, this variety is exceptionally fertile and produces large, flavorful fruits.
💋 Eureka Red - Large, red-skinned fruit with red flesh, known for its sweet and tangy flavor. Self-pollinating and originally from Nicaragua.
💋 Halleys Comet - A hybrid with pink skin and purple flesh, producing impressively large fruits up to 2 pounds. The flesh is sweet, and the plant features large, striking flowers.
💋 Lake Atitlan - Named after the Guatemalan lake, this variety has pinkish-red skin with white flesh, offering a sweet and tangy taste. Fruits typically weigh between 0.75 to 1.5 pounds.
💋 Palora (Ecuador, Columbian) - Yellow-skinned with white flesh, Palora is renowned for being the sweetest dragon fruit variety. It originates from Ecuador and is self-fertile.
💋 Seoul Kitchen - This variety produces medium to large red-skinned fruits with white flesh. The pulp is smooth and sweet, excellent when chilled and eaten fresh. Self-pollinating.
💋 Thai Gold - A rare yellow-skinned variety with white flesh, known for its sweet flavor with a hint of tartness.
💋 Vietnamese Jaina - Pink-skinned with white flesh, this variety is among the most common and is known for its mild, sweet flavor with a hint of Strawberry.
