Date: 5 Mar 2023
How to move plants from indoors to outdoors
Q: When moving my tropical plant collection outside in the garden, what do I need to know to get them adjusted to this change?
A: As a tropical plant gardener, it's important
to assess the temperatures outside before moving your plants outdoors. Most
tropical plants thrive in sustained temperatures above 60F.
Moving your plants outside during the summer creates optimal growing
conditions for sun-loving plants, providing them with more light and warmth than
they can ever get inside. This active time of growth, along with the outdoor
conditions of humidity, heat, sunlight, and natural day length, gives the plant
a chance to experience growth in an outdoor environment, making for a much
stronger plant.
However, be aware of sun burn. Direct sunlight can burn patches of
white or brown on the surface of the tender leaves, so it's best to move your
plants outside by hardening them off first. Gradually increase the amount of
direct sunlight they receive over several days before moving them into full
sun.
It's also a good time to prune your plants and repot them if needed,
providing better aeration to the root system. But avoid root pruning as it
can make your plant susceptible to disease and shock.
Overall, moving your tropical plants outside encourages their natural bloom
cycle and provides extra vigor for the upcoming indoor season. However, be
aware that you may have to deal with insects when you bring your plants
back inside in the fall, so use preventive sprays like Sunshine NoBug before bringing them back inside. Leaf drop is
also common when plants come back inside, so make sure to provide a well-lit
location.
When moving plants outside, it's important to provide them with proper
nutrients through fertilization. Outdoor conditions can deplete the soil
of essential nutrients, so giving your plants a boost of fertilizer before
moving them outside can help them acclimate to their new environment. Apply Sunshine Boosters
with every watering, include micro-elements and bio stimulants to boost their immune system.
Date: 19 Jan 2021
Tropical Planting Breaks the Rules. WInter planting in Florida
In the photo: Senecio confusus - Mexican flame vine, one of the most spectacular winter-bloomers.
by Murray Corman (Garden of Delights)
Waiting for Arbor Day or the first day of spring to plant a tree is
something of a missed opportunity for those of us who live in the virtually
evergreen world of the tropics and subtropics. 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.
What a welcome relief: January daytime temperatures in the 70s, dropping to
the 60s at night. This is why I came to live in the subtropics of southern
Florida. The balmy climate of South Florida represents one of the few places
on the mainland United States where tropical plants thrive unprotected
outdoors...
CONTINUE READING >>
Date: 11 Jan 2021
Tropical gardener beginning-of-year checklist
Final pre-Spring check of whatever we had forgotten! For a gardener, the year ahead is a chance to do things you want, as a way to achieve the things you need to do. If your number one New Year's resolution is to garden more (a want-to item), you also will be exercising more (a need-to). Or if you plant a new edible garden (want, want, want), you will end up checking off "eat more leafy vegetables and fruits" from your to-do list!
12 steps to get ready for 2021 season:
1 - Spray fruit trees and houseplants with insecticide and micro-elements
2 - Continue spraying SUNSHINE-Epi to improve plant hardiness
3 - Protect tender plants during cold spells and especially from freeze
4 - Reduce watering during cooler months, keeping the root zone on a dry
side
5 - To give your plants a kick start, fertilize with liquid SUNSHINE Boosters fertilizers - they are safe to be used year round
6 - Plant fruit trees: winter planting is beneficial to avoid heat stress for roots
7 - Plant Butterfly and Hummingbird Attractants
8 - Plant bulbs, vegetables and herbs. Use eco-safe, natural SUNSHINE boosters for all your edibles.
9 - Plan your summer garden and order seeds early
10 - Start tropical plants from seeds (indoors for cooler climates)
11 - Start ordering tropical plants and beneficial soil mix to get them established after shipping in pots
12 - Clean and oil garden tools
Date: 15 Dec 2020
Plant of the Month:
Fragrant Dombeya Tree
Every tropical gardener wants to have a Dombeya (a.k.a. Tropical Hydrangea) in their collection - an easy to
grow, fast growing winter bloomer. These plants don't require any special care,
thrive in neglect in both sun or shade, and flower profusely during
Fall-Winter months - what an awesome treat! Dombeyas are also wanted for their
vigorous growth habit - they can cover unwanted view in no time, fill and empty
corner in your yard, create a colorful tropical display, and attract lots of
butterflies and bees. They are not afraid of water logging, in fact the more you
water them, the faster they grow. The large tropical leaves are beautiful -
soft, fuzzy, with shallow, maple-like lobes. This plant is tolerant to both
light frost and periods of drought.
Most Dombeyas grow into round, dense bushes, but this one variety of is
very special. Dombeya burgessiae from South Africa actually grows into a small (10-15
ft), pretty, upright tree that is covered with beautiful blossoms during
winter. The flowers are creme color with raspberry centers, attracting lots of
pollinators, and what is the most special - they are sweetly fragrant! What a
beauty!
Surround yourself with aromatic cloud of Dombeya winter blooms!
Date: 4 Sep 2020
Tropical Paintings by Olena Light
Talent Introduction
Exotic flowers, amazing tropical birds, cats and even portraits... all look alive by Olena Light
Check out Olena's page and her private collection of exclusive art that TopTropicals is honored to have especially for you, Tropical Garden connoisseurs, at introductory price. Hurry up, Olena is getting famous!..