Florida winters and gardening

From Anna Banana, our Garden Center customer advisor.
Cool weather - no sweat. Here in Florida we are blessed to have warm winters. We just went to the beach for Christmas! Winter time is not only a good beach time, but also the best planting time here. Why? I always refer my customers to Murray Corman's article Tropical Planting Breaks the Rules. "...Wintertime does not just mean hard work for tropical gardeners. It is also a time to enjoy the fruits of our labor. Winter-blooming plants and the visitors they attract - birds, bats and butterflies - make the garden as enjoyable in winter as any other time of year. Tasks performed during the spring and summer up north have to be done during the fall and winter here. Why? The answer is elementary: It's too hot! Taking advantage of the coolest months of the subtropical year for heavy chores like planting trees has a twofold benefit: The gardener can make hay while the sun shines without getting heat stroke and the plants appreciate the moderate temperatures, enjoying a break from the stress of 93 degrees in the shade..."
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Winter flowering plants - are a blessing for a tropical gardener. See below what's blooming now! See our recommendations for winter flowering and fruiting plants (PDF).

New 2018 release: SUNSHINE SuperFood

"Two out of every five people on Earth today owe their lives to the higher crop outputs that fertilizer has made possible." (Bill Gates)

Micronutrient Supplement and Plant Health Booster
Misshapen, small fruit or no fruit?
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Pale or yellow leaves?
Die backs?
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Slow growth?
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Secrets of perfect mulch

Poor man's mulch... or natural solution? With warmer weather weeds started spreading around the garden... pulling, spraying, mulching them... that helps. Here are a few tips about natural mulch based on our own experience.

1) Do not rake dry leaves and pine needles, use them as natural mulch. A leaf is a part of a plant with the highest nitrogen content which is a major plant nutrient. After breaking down, leaves will work as a fertilizer. If you prefer to have a fancy mulch, put it on top of those leaves.

2) Do not dispose cut grass. Spread it around trees and shrubs. Hay is one of the best mulching materials. It has at least 2 exceptional benefits: a) after couple rains it becomes dense, creating perfect protection from sprouting weeds, and b) grass is actually also a leaf - so it had built up lots of nitrogen too, and works as a fertilizer.

3) Be careful with "bulk mulch" that sometimes offered by local tree service companies (usually for free). It often contains bugs, plant parts that are infested with bad insects, or simply fleas. Natural mulch from your own garden is always the best choice, proven organic and safe solution.

4) A few layers of newspaper (or even better - cardboard from your endless Amazon deliveries) placed underneath the mulch work as a great weed barrier and will make your mulching work results last 4-5 times longer. Water drains through them, and paper products are ecologically safe and biodegradable.

☕ Coffee, Straight from Your Windowsill

Coffee Crew at Work: Harvest, Grind, Brew

Let's be honest - coffee prices are climbing, supplies are tightening, and that morning cup isn't getting any cheaper. But right now, our Coffea arabica trees are covered in green berries, quietly ripening toward harvest time. Soon, they'll turn red - and that's when it's go time.

This isn't just a pretty plant. It's a compact, shade-loving fruit tree that thrives indoors and adds year-round tropical beauty to any space. Even your cat will approve 🐱🐾.

Watch Top Tropicals videos about coffee plants

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