How to get shade quickly... and stay away from oaks

Q: I just moved from Tennessee into a new house in Florida and there are no trees on the property, the yard is brutal hot. What can I plant so I have some shade real quick? I like Florida shady oaks, how long will they take to grow?

A: First of all, do not rush into oak solution. Oaks are beautiful shade trees, however they have at least 2 problems:
a) Oaks are slow growers and unless you are willing to wait some 20 years... you won't get that desirable shade that quickly.
b) We have hurricanes in Florida... sometimes. A hurricane can damage any tree, however with oaks it may be the worse case scenario - the branches of those giant trees are huge, hard and heavy and in unfortunate situation when you need to remove or trim a broken tree, it may cost you... a few thousand dollars.

These are solutions that are more economical and practical:

1) Selection. If you have room, get one of these most popular Florida shade trees: Royal Poinciana, Golden Shower, Hong Kong Orchid Tree, Red Kapok, Bottlebrush, and many others. See full list of fast growing shade trees. Or simply get a Mango Tree and have delicious fruit too! Many varieties of Mangos are very large and fast growing.

2) Do it right. Even if you are planting a smaller tree, 1-3 gal size, it may become a nice shade tree within 2-3 years and start providing your driveway with desirable shade. The keys for fast growth are -
a) Good soil. Dig as big hole as possible and fill it with good rich soil containing compost. See planting instructions PDF.
b) Water. Do not rely on sprinklers and rains. Water your tree daily for the first week, then at least twice a week for another month. After that, irrigation system will be enough.
c) Fertilizer. Put a few handfuls of fertilizer in a planting hole. Then fertilize once a month during warm season. Apply micro elements for even better results and faster growth.

3) Ask experts. Contact our office for advice. We will suggest the most suitable shade tree for your yard based on features of your property: location, soil, exposure, etc.

Check out fast growing shade trees

Shipping plants during hot weather. Any temperature limitations?

Q: I want to order a plant that you have only one left in stock; however the weather is extremely hot in my area right now. Do you have any temperature limitations when you ship your plants?

A: We ship plants year around and do our best to watch weather forecast at destination. However the forecast may change to worse within a day or two while a plant is in transit. To ensure your plants have a safe trip during extreme weather, follow these steps:
- notify us if you want to wait until weather permitting so we hold your shipment until further notice;
- make sure to track your package and be at home at time of delivery. The only time when a plant can get temperature damage, from our experience, is when the box is left on your doorstep while too hot (or too cold) outside.
- you may use your business as shipping address if no one is home during regular business hours of delivery.
- unpack the box immediately and follow planting instructions. Keep plant in shade until recovered; never plant directly from a box into the ground; never plant into hot, full sun: protect a new plant with a shade cloth for a few days until established, and water as needed.
- use SUNSHINE booster to help plants recover from shipping stress. It really works! For only $4.95 with FREE shipping!

On the photo: Adenium is the easiest plant for shipping!

Repotting plants - Fall or Spring?

Q: I re-potted a mango tree into a five gallon pot, it looks great and is starting to bloom. Should I re-pot again while it is blooming or wait until spring? I will be moving the tree into the greenhouse when the temps drop.

A: You shouldn't re-pot any tropical plants in fall. Root system is small comparing to a new, larger pot. And it won't grow during fall-winter period. Therefore, you will have large volume of soil without any root in it, which may provoke rotting. Extra water will most likely cause over-watering of the plant. Wait till Spring to replant it.

What you need for successful growing Adeniums

1) Adenium plants - from TopTropicals Endless selection of Adeniums. We have double flower, red, purple, yellow and even black flowers!
2) A small pot with excellent drainage is a must. Position the plant in a pot, size of root system.
3) Adenium soil mix. TopTropicals Adenium Soilless Mix. Use only well-drained soil.
4) Lots of light. Adeniums need lots of light for heavy flowering. However from our own experience, in super hot climates, they look healthier in filtered bright light. After initial planting, once the plant is established and starts growing new leaves (may take a few weeks), gradually move it into brighter light.
5) Little water. Adeniums like a neutral to hard water. Acidic water tends to sour the soil too fast and may cause root rot. Water plants preferably in the early morning, and allow them to drink up throughout the day. Watering can be done daily to every few days. Do not water again until soil dries on surface. Never allow your plants to sit in a saucer of water, but don't let them to dry out too often - this causes adeniums to go into early dormancy. Adeniums do not like both over-watering or drying-out.
6) Fertilizer. To make your plant develop a large swollen base/trunk, you'll need a good quality fertilizer. Use slow-release granulated fertilizer for overall plant health, and liquid water soluble fertilizer for swelling up trunks that is also used to increase flowering. It shouldn't be too high in nitrogen, the middle number should be the highest (similar to 10-50-10). Never apply fertilizer directly on roots and do not liquid feed when a plant is thirsty: always water first slightly to avoid root burn and leaf drop. Do not wet leaves.
7) SuperFood micro-elements. Besides macro-nutrients provided by fertilizer, Adenium needs micro-elements for balanced development of root system and especially caudex: Sunshine-SuperFood.
8) SUNSHINE-BC. Spray leaves with SUNSHINE-BC once a month to encourage young growth, profuse flowering and large caudex.
9) Growing caudex. There is a secret how to create a large swollen caudex: raise the plant a bit every time you re-pot it, so that the upper part of roots will be a little exposed. The plant will form more roots that will go down.

See full list of Adeniums - plants and seeds.

Elephant Foot, Turtle Shell - back in stock!

Dioscorea elephantipes.
Dioscorea is a curious plant with tuber above ground level covered with layers of corky bark, resembling a caudex. It is a slow growing, very unusual succulent. Tuber contains saponins, originally cooked and eaten as a famine food by the Hottentots. Caudex that grows up to 6' in nature, resembling an elephant's foot and looks as if it is segmented into geometric patterns (smaller plants look like tortoises) and looks dead but is actually a living tuber. A plant with 18"caudex can be almost 100 years old! The plant grows into a vine with attractive heart-shaped leaves and small yellow flowers. Culture is relatively easy. The vines may die back and regrow several times a year, depending on the particular plant and your region. The plant doesn't send down deep roots, so plant in a shallow pot about 1" larger than the diameter than the caudex. Potting soil should be very porous/loose so that there is easy drainage. Water well around the edges. Keep in a warm area and wait for the first shoots of the vine to appear. Water regularly from that point on. The plant should not be kept damp as with other tropical plants. Allow it to dry before watering again. Many books will say that they are winter growers, because they are native to the southern hemisphere. In fact, they grow in all seasons! Let the plant be your guide. You cannot force them to grow, and over watering will simply cause them to rot.
Elephant Foot is a collectors item, but remarkably easy to grow. It will be with you for years with no effort. It is a wonderful conversation piece! See more info about Dioscorea elephantipes.

We have limited stock, while supply lasts, hurry up!
*** 4-6"caudex *** 6-8" caudex *** 10-12"caudex *** Seeds. Don't forget special TopTropicals Adenium Soilless Mix that perfectly works for this plant!