Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 15 Dec 2020

Healthy Plants: Q&A from Mr Booster

What is an ideal potting mix?

Q: A few years ago, I purchased a Barbie Loquat from you, and I'm pleased to say it's been growing very well. I now have several loquat seedlings. I have read that a well-draining medium should be used, and I have found that the various formulations provided on the web for such medium seem vaguely reminiscent of the recipe provided in your transplanting instructions. Therefore, I would like to retrieve your recipe, unless you could recommend an even better one?

A: The main requirements for a good potting mix are:
- perfect drainage, allowing air circulation that is so necessary for healthy roots; oxygen circulation helps to avoid root rot
- water retention: to keep nutrients in soil
- low pH (soil acidity) which is important for most tropical plants
- adequate amount of organic matter in the mix, in combination with proper fertilizer program

In our nursery we experimented with many different potting mixes for the past couple decades. We ended up with an ultimate mix for tropical container plants that we designed ourselves. This custom mix is called -

Abundance - TopTropicals professional soilless potting mix

It meets all the requirements above which makes it a perfect mix. All our plants are happy with it. Abundance is a professional quality (nursery-grade) potting mix with great drainage characteristics, ideal for any tropical plants. It is organically derived soil-less mix, free of any additives.
Ingredients are:
- fine Canadian peat moss
- coconut coir
- perlite
- aged pine bark (soil conditioner).
See more info on soil mixes.
We have this mix available for purchase in different packaging sizes - 2, 3, and 7 gal bags.

Besides proper potting mix, all container plants require regular fertilizing. We recommend the newest, scientifically balanced fertilizers Sunshine Boosters that are natural, eco-safe, great for all edibles and organic gardening. They are safe to use with every watering, provide all necessary elements for plant daily needs, and won't burn the roots.
For your loquat tree, consider Sunshine C-Cibus, it boosts both flowering and fruit production. Loquat is Winter-Spring bloomer, hopefully you will get some crop soon!

See more information about potting mix science

Date: 29 Oct 2020

Healthy Plants. Q&A from Mr Booster: How to get Ylang Ylang to flowering

Q: I am writing in reference to my Ylang ylang tree. I purchased this from top tropicals a few years ago and although the plant is doing well, I don't see any flowers yet. Can you tell me when it will flower? Do I need to do something special for it to flower?

A: Cananga odorata, Ylany Ylang tree, takes a few years until it starts flowering, hopefully it will bloom for you any time soon.
However, keep in mind that it may be a bit challenging for a potted plant. In natural conditions, this is a large tree that requires lots of room not only for the tree itself, but also for the root system. It is still possible to get Cananga odorata to bloom in container, considering the plant has all necessary nutrients for flowering. Here is the trick.

When grown in the ground, root system can reach out to all necessary elements in surrounding soil (considering soils are not too poor on necessary elements). In a pot, a supply of nutrients can be exhausted very quickly, so a quality fertilizer program is very important. Fertilizer must include all necessary nutrients in easy accessible (soluble) form, and a plant must have their constant supply for proper development.

SOLUTION:
prescribe Ylang Ylang tree the following combination of plant food:

- SUNSHINE Pikake - Fragrant Flower Booster
It will provide well-balanced amounts of high absorption Phosphorus (P) and Nitrogen (N), as well as Potassium (K) - to provide enough flowering energy to the tree, plus a combination of all necessary micro-elements. It is safe to apply this fertilizer as frequent as with every watering, including winter time.

- SUNSHINE-Honey - sugar booster This supplement has a high content of elements Mo and B - once the tree starts getting them on regular basis (a few times a year, according to the label), it will trigger flower production.

You may also consider getting dwarf varieties of Ylang Ylang that starts flowering in container right away:
Cananga fruticosa - Dwarf Ylang-Ylang Currently these high demand plants are sold out, but new plants are establishing and will be ready for sale within couple months. You may add your email to wishlist ("Notify me when available") to get notification as soon as we have it back in stock.
Ylang Ylang vines also start flowering within a year.

Date: 15 Mar 2019

Save Coffee from extinct!

The most popular kind of coffee for commercial production, Coffea arabica, is already on the endangered species list. According to research, Coffea arabica plant could become extinct in as little as 60 years.

Coffee requires a forest habitat for its survival. With so much deforestation going on around the world, wild coffee species are being impacted at an alarming rate. Coffee plants grow in very specific natural habitats, so rising temperatures and increased rainfall brought by climate change can make coffee impossible to grow in places the plants once thrived.

Read the whole article

See video: Top Tropicals Showcase: Coffee plant

To reserve a cup of coffee for yourself and your children, plant the Coffee tree now!

Date: 5 Apr 2016

Jungle on Windowsill 101

Q: I got a Jasmine Sambac and a Tahitian gardenia as presents, they are very cute plants with flowers and flower buds. I would like to be able to keep them alive and hopefully happy for a long time, but I don't know much about growing tropical plants, and I am not sure if my thumb is green enough to make everything right. What do they need? How much sun? How much water? What kind of soil? Sorry for all these (maybe silly) questions, but I want to keep them alive, please help! I live in Wisconsin and we had some snow again last week.

A: Growing tropicals is not a hard work, it is a lot of fun! These plants are actually a good starters for a beginner who wants to try growing tropical plants, no matter if you live in a mild frost-free climate, or up North where you can have these beauties as houseplants. Below are a few simple steps for you:

1. Read. Follow planting instructions included with your plants. Check plant names on the tags and learn more about them from our online catalog.

2. Soil. Plant in quality potting mix - it must be porous and well-drained, never use heavy soils (top soil or garden soil are no-no), in a pot exactly the size of the root system. You can step up your plants in the next size container once you notice vigorous new growth. Next size means: 4" pot can go into 6" pot, 6" pot into 10" pot, etc. Too big of a pot may create rotting environment, root system must fill the entire container to use all the moisture from the soil. Container must have good hole(s) for excess water to drain through. Put the pot in a saucer and get rid of excess water every time after watering.

3. Light. Most tropical plants require lots of light in order to produce flowers. If you ever visited Florida, remember the bright sun? - these are ideal light conditions for tropicals. Up North, provide as much light as possible: a bright spot on a windowsill of Southern or Western exposure would work the best. If the sun gets too hot in summer afternoon, you may shade the window a little bit with a sheet of white paper to avoid leaf burn.

4. Water. Keep soil slightly moist but not soggy. The best way is to wait until the top of the soil feels dry to touch - this is time to water again. Jasmines prefer to stay on a dry side; gardenias do not like soil to dry out - keep them slightly moist as long as soil is very porous and well-drained. The main reason of most problems with potted indoor plants is over watering. With experience, you will feel the right balance of moisture in the soil: the brighter the light, the more water is consumed by a plant; the less light, the less frequent you should water.

5. Trimming. In low light conditions, plants tend to become leggy. Trim branches as they become too long: the more you trim, the busier the plant gets. New growth promotes more profuse blooming in many species.

6. Fertilizing. Fertilize indoor plants with slow-release granulated fertilizer from march to November.

7. Insects. Check for insects at least once a month, especially underneath the leaf. If notice any problems (deformed leaves, residue, holes, or tiny insects) - clean the leaves/stems with a solution of warm water (1 cup), vegetable oil (2 table spoons), and a few drops of a dish soap.

8. Fresh air and air humidity. As soon as air temperature gets above 65F, bring your tropicals outside in the sun and fresh air: porch, balcony, outside in the yard. Air circulation is essential for your plant health. Bright light and high air humidity will promote vigorous growth, and lots of flowers for you to enjoy!

For more information on growing Tropical Plants 101, see Problem solving with potted plants - how can we help them?.

Date: 20 Dec 2020

Mango ID and ripeness

Q: As the World's Leading Authority on Tropical Plants, I hope you can help us out. We obtained a mango tree from a City giveaway, and planted it a few years ago. This is the 1st year it has produced fruit. They are almost all green color, & range from 6-7 inches in length. Attached are a few photos of the tree & its fruit. Please help to identify the type, and how to determine when they would be ready to pick. Or should we just wait until they fall off of the tree?

A: If the tree is grafted, it normally starts flowering within a year after planting. If the tree is over 6 years old and just now started fruiting - chances are, this is a seedling (possible at giveaways) without specific variety. However the fruit looks pretty good size and shape, hopefully it tastes great. You will find out soon!
Based on the pictures, there maybe a few possible choices, including varieties (or their seedlings) Keitt, Rosigold, it can be even Lancetilla if fruit grows bigger than 7" long. The next step would be, wait until the fruit get some color, then it will be easier to narrow down the variety. Also see if there is a lot of fiber or no fiber.
You may wait until at least one fruit ripens on the tree and let it fall naturally - that will be the color (can be all green, but in your case it looks like it's turning yellow blush). After that, you may pick full size fruit before they fall and let them ripen on a kitchen table. Usually once the fruit starts showing color, it is close to ripening. For all-green varieties, just wait till fruit grows to maximum full size. You may also check if the fruit gets softer to touch, then it's ready.

◂ Previous page Next page ▸Most recent entry ▴Blog table of contents