Date: 24 Jun 2018
Full Sun Garden vs Shade Garden
"Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago." (Warren Buffett)
Q: I live in California and I have a large area of my garden in full shade. Are there any plants that will be happy there? I am looking for something colorful. I also have a smaller area in front of the house that has full sun almost all day long, but I am afraid this can be too hot for flowering plants? Can you recommend something?
A:
Full sun gardens have a strong, bright look while shade
gardens have cooler, subdued appearance. Both types of
gardens are fun to design and maintain as long as you pick
the right plants.
Full Sun Garden is the easiest to grow. Depending
on exposure, it may require some plants that can tolerate
the hottest summer days and the dry conditions in your
area. The good news is, the majority of tropical and
subtropical plants prefer full sun, so you have a large
selection to pick from - fruit trees, flowering trees,
shrubs, vines, and small perennials. The more sun, the
more flowers and fruit you will get! However, keep in mind
that sun gardens require more water, but generous mulching
will help to minimize watering.
Shade Garden is much more restful in appearance,
but sometimes may be a little more difficult to work with.
As shade trees grow bigger and thicker, it may become too
dark; nothing will grow in total darkness. In this case
you need to prune back some branches to let more light in.
Filtered sunlight or dappled light coming through the
leaves of the trees is beneficial and considered light
shade, which would be the best light conditions for shade
loving plants to thrive. Although shady cooler spaces
attract more insects and will require more attention to
control them, they also have some advantages over sun
gardens. You can enjoy working in cooler conditions, and
your garden will require less water. Many foliage plants
look more deeply colored and healthier than in full sun;
white flowers shine instead of looking washed out!
Our favorite shade plants are fragrant brunfelsias , clerodendrums, and of course
colorful gingers and heliconias. You
may also consider ornamental foliage of Calatheas, lush Alocasias, Colocasias, and colorful Cordylines. Check out our shade loving plant list for
more colorful suggestions. These are also great for indoor
gardens!
On the photo: Calathea lancifolia Rattlesnake
Date: 24 Jun 2018
SUNSHINE boosters for recovering plants after shipping
Q: I live in Garden City, NJ and have a sun room with a tropical plant collection that I keep at about 40-45 degrees in winter. I used Sunshine booster during winter for my plant collection and results were amazing! I haven't lost a single plant. Now I see you have more products and I am planning to purchase more plants, how should I use Sunshine boosters to help plants recover after shipping?
A: Spray SUNSHINE-E solution right after receiving a plant from shipping. It will boost up the plant and make it 50-60% stronger and easier to recover after shipping stress. After that, apply SUNSHINE-SuperFood microelement booster to provide everything necessary for the plant to grow vigorously and happily. SUNSHINE-E is indeed a wonderful plant stimulant and stress reliever, although it is not a "magic-cure-all" medicine where one can't find its active ingredient. The hormone (epibrassinolide) is well-known and used in different countries along with other hormones for promote growth, fruiting, blooming, rooting, etc. One of the most amazing properties of SUNSHINE is that it works in extremely low dozes. Only a few drops will be enough to make a solution in distilled water, to treat a large size plant. If you want to try it out, one 5 ml bottle will last for several applications. Large bottles of SUNSHINE 50 ml and 100 ml - great for small and big gardens. It is a good idea to start bi-weekly applications to improve your plants tolerance to Summer heat, drought and improve disease resistance. The formula works through plant metabolism within 2-4 days, repeat application not sooner than in one week. After application of SUNSHINE-E, don't forget to boost your plants with SUNSHINE-SuperFood .
Check out SUNSHINE boosters... We offer FREE shipping on them, so you can make your plants happy!
Date: 3 Jun 2024
What is your favorite Mango variety? - the most Frequently Asked Question about fruit trees
Mango and cat
Mango Alphonso
Mango Maha Chinook
Mango Fralan
Mango Fruit Cocktail
Mango Nam Doc Mai
🥭 What is your favorite Mango variety? - the most Frequently Asked Question about fruit trees.
❤️ Top 5 Favorite Mango we just love:
- 🥭 1. Alphonso - the best Indian cultivar in terms of sweetness and flavor. One of the rarest varieties and sought after - sweet large juice fruit. Coconut-like flavor. Shop➡️
- 🥭 2. Maha Chinook - Many consider it the best mango had ever tasted. Very rare mango variety from Singapore. This variety is semi-dwarf and great for pot culture. Nam Doc Mai close relative.
- 🥭 3. Fralan - Super reliable producer and hardy tree. Green fruit, sweet and juicy. Fralan means "Thunder" - as the fruit cracks when peeled.
- 🥭 4. Fruit Cocktail - Flavor is an amazing palette of different fruit, with citrus, pineapple, and guava notes.
- 🥭 5. Nam Doc Mai - It's not just us, everyone loves this Mango! The most popular variety: semi-dwarf and great for pot culture. Eaten green or ripe, a Thailand favorite. It is hands down the most sought after of the Asian mangoes and for good reason.
❓ What is your favorite Mango variety?
Share yours in comments! 👇
🛒 Shop Mango Trees
#Food_Forest
🏵 TopTropicals
Date: 29 May 2024
What can be better than a Cherry? Cherry juice!
Barbados Cherry (Malpighia glabra)
Barbados Cherry juice
🍒Barbados Cherry Juice:
1. Collect berries and rinse them with cold water
2. In a bowl, press the fruit with a potato musher, spoon or cup, and drain the fresh juice into a cup - put the juice aside.
3. Add a few spoons of sugar to the mush (optional), push-mush some more to extract more juice.
4. Add to the remaining mushed pulp some hot boiled water, stir, and let sit for a couple of hours.
5. Drain the liquid through a colander (you may add a little extra water in the process of extracting more tasty pulp out) and add to the fresh juice you made earlier. 6. Refrigerate for an hour, then serve in a clear glass to enjoy the color.
🎀 The Barbados Cherry juice made this way tastes very similar to Guava juice. It is very aromatic and tasty, and has a beautiful Baby-pink color!
❤️ Enjoy and stay healthy!
🍊 Remember Barbados Cherry fruit contains 65 times more of vitamin C than an orange!
📚 Learn more about Barbados Cherry
🛒 Order Barbados Cherry Tree
#Food_Forest #Recipes
🏵 TopTropicals
Date: 20 Aug 2024
How to make an exotic treat: Barbados Cherry Jelly
Barbados Cherry is a vigorous grower that starts producing right away, and by the second year you have so much fruit that you don't know what to do with it - you can eat only so much fruit out of hand! Earlier we shared a recipe of delicious Barbados Cherry Juice drink. The juice tastes very similar to Guava juice: it is very aromatic and tasty, and has a beautiful Baby-pink color. The Jelly recipe is even more exotic teat!
🎀 Barbados Cherry Jelly
✔️ 4 cups cherry juice- ✔️ 5 cups sugar
- ✔️ 1 package dry pectin
- ✔️ 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 🍷To fully ripen cherries, place them in plastic container, cover and leave overnight. Cherries will be dark, rich red color the next day.
🍷To make juice: Place cherries in a pan, cover with water, bring to boil. Crush cherries and simmer for a few minutes. Strain.
🍷Add pectin and bring to a boil again. Add sugar and lemon juice and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and skim off foam. Pour into sterilized glass and seal.
📚 From previous posts:
- •Cherry juice recipe
- •65 times more of vitamin C than an orange - in Barbados Cherry
- •Barbados Cherry Mini Version
- • Learn more about Barbados Cherry
🛒 Order Barbados Cherry Tree
#Recipes #Food_Forest
🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals