Date: 19 May 2016
Care of mail-order plants during hot summer
Q: I live in California and about a month ago ordered several plants from you, including fruit trees (Carambola, Mango, Avocado) and flowering trees (Xanthostemon, Adeniums, Champaca, Ylang Ylang). They were all doing well until I tried to move them into full sun, when they got leaf burn immediately. Ylang Ylang was doing great in a shade, but I repotted it from 1 gal into 3 gal and it is drooping leaves now. It has been very hot (over 100F) and dry (humidity is less than 25%). Any suggestions?
A: Hot summer can be pretty challenging time for establishing new plants. These are some guidelines to make your summer gardening more successful and rewarding.
1. You can order plants at any time, but keep your eye on your local weather forecast and try to chose cooler periods to schedule your plant shipments. Here at TopTropcals we monitor weather at destinations, and we can also delay shipment per your request until more favorable conditions.
2. During hot Summer months, many plants are still OK to ship, and to be planted, many species are heat tolerant. It's usually safe to ship most succulents, including Desert roses and Euphorbias. Some fruit trees are pretty easy too, like Loquats, Mango, Eugenias. Many flowering trees can take heat: Acacias, Clusias, Jatropha, Sausage Tree, Plumerias and many others. Check our full list of plants suitable for hot and dry conditions. Most jasmines, including Jasmine Sambac and Trachelospermum make also a safe choice for hot weather planting.
3. Use shade cloth or simply white sheets to protect young plants and new plantings from hot sun.
4. When establishing mail ordered plants during hot weather, keep them in shade for longer period of time than average recommended 1-2 weeks. Give them a chance to establish really well. In areas with low air humidity, try to create a simple mist system
Date: 24 Jun 2018
Our honest advise on Holiday Gift Plants
Q: Any suggestions on gift plants? With Holidays around the corner, I've been thinking of getting a present for my grandma, she lives in FL and is an experienced gardener. I also have a friend that lives in CA, also warm climate, but she doesn't have a green thumb. Any "easy" plants I can try for her?
A:
Live plant is a perfect gift, as we all know. However when
ordering a plant online as a present, for a happy
experience, you should have three things to consider:
1) Gardener's experience. Planting instructions are
included with every order, and usually success is there if
you follow them. But all plants go through shipping stress
(some more, others less) and need time, patience and love
to recover. Also, a plant will need a new home after
shipping: a pot and a good soil mix. It would be wise if
you add potting mix with a gift
order; the plant should be planted in a permanent pot as
soon as possible, but normally can wait a day in a packing
bag until its new owner gets a pot, if it is not ready
yet.
2) How easy the plant is? If buying a plant for a
beginner, chose something easy, as well as showy. Adeniums - Desert Roses, Jasmines, Clerodendrums, Cordylines are always a good
choice. Calatheas, Gingers and
Heliconias are always showy, even when not in bloom.
Spice trees and herbs are
fun, easy to grow and one can enjoy their aroma right away
without waiting on them growing bigger. Miracle Fruit is an awesome
present, it comes with detailed instructions how to grow
the Miracle!
3) How easy the plant ships? Some plants can be
easy in cultivation, but they don't take shipping well.
After being in a dark box for a few days, most plants
usually recover well in experienced hands. When making a
present, you want something showy, not just a stick to
arrive. Besides Adeniums and Jasmines, many fruit trees
usually take shipping without a problem - such as Mango or Sapote trees. You may not
want to start with Avocado, Papaya, Carambola, or Cacao - unless they go to
an experienced grower - these may take some time and skill
to etanblish. Fig trees are super easy in
shipping, but figs may drop leaves in Winter - for this
same reason, you may think twice about deciduous plants
like Sugar Apples, Grapes, Mulberries or Persimmons to be sent as
gifts. On the other hand, if you are sending a deciduous
tree to a gardener who can appreciate the variety, this
may be a good choice - dormant plants take shipping with
less stress!
Holiday special: On the picture: Adenium Xmas Santa. A Holiday Special Desert Rose with Christmas-colored flowers - deep-red and white.
Still not sure which plant to choose? You may buy a Top Tropicals Gift Certificate
Date: 24 May 2025
A flavor bomb of sugar and citrus, syrupy when ripe - Mango Sweet Tart
Mango Sweet Tart - tree with fruit on it
🥭 Sweet Tart is a Florida-grown mango prized for its rich, sweet-tart flavor and silky, fiberless flesh. Created by breeder Gary Zill, it's known for its dense orange pulp, excellent sugar-acid balance, and juicy texture. The fruit is oval, heavy for its size, and sometimes develops harmless speckles on the skin. Great fresh, underripe or ripe. Tangy when underripe, syrupy when ripe and perfect for containers thanks to its upright growth and high productivity. A standout variety that lives up to its name!
🛒 Shop Mango varieties
📚 Previous posts: #Mango_Rainbow - varieties you should try
#Food_Forest #Mango #Mango_Rainbow
🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals
Date: 17 Jun 2025
What is a good late-season Mango? Gold Nugget, a late-season fiberless gem
Mango Gold Nugget
🥭 Gold Nugget, developed in Florida in the 1990s and patented in 1990, likely originated from Kent seedling parentage . The fruit is large, oval, about a pound, with yellow‑orange skin and occasional pink blush. Inside, it offers firm, fiberless yellow flesh with a mild, classic mango flavor. The vigorous tree is spreading and prolific, ripening fruit from late July through August in Florida, and exhibits strong resistance to bacterial black spot. An excellent choice for late-season harvest and home dooryard planting.
🛒 Shop Mango varieties
📚 Previous posts: #Mango_Rainbow - varieties you should try
#Food_Forest #Mango #Mango_Rainbow
🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals
Date: 16 Jul 2025
Who is stealing my fruit?! How to protect mango fruit from critters
How to protect mango fruit from critters
- 🥭 It's Mango season! But somehow, the mangoes are disappearing. Looks familiar? Squirrels, bunnies, birds, rats, raccoons… They all love the fruit. But sharing? Not so much. You’re lucky to get their leftovers!
- 🥭 Here’s what we do to protect our mangoes and avocados - and it works! We use fruit protection bags. They are made of a strong mesh netting with easy drawstrings - keep out bugs, birds, and every other freeloading critter! Just slip it over the fruit and tighten both ends. They’re inexpensive, about 15 cents each, worth every penny! 💰
🐁🐿 Save your fruit - and maybe even have some left to share!
🛒 Don't own a mango tree yet? Plant one now to enjoy fruit tomorrow!
📚 Learn more:
How to protect fruit in your garden from greedy competitors
Penelope, the Squirrel Cat
#How_to #Food_Forest #Mango_Rainbow #Mango
🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals