Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 10 Aug 2025

Tuxedo  cat  planting  tropical  tree  with  Sunshine  Boosters  bag,  orange  cat  waving  to  kitten  with  backpack  by  school  bus  in  sunny  garden 
 


scene.

🌺 Back to School and Back to Planting – Cats in the Garden

Back to School, Back to Planting – Why August Works for Tropicals

Planting Season Isn't Over Yet

August is still a good month for planting tropicals in warm climates. The soil stays warm enough to push root growth, and late-summer weather gives plants time to settle in before winter. In drier areas, regular watering will keep them moving along just fine.

Tropicals in warm climates aren't usually harmed by cooler Winter weather, but as days get shorter, growth may slow down. This is why planting in late Summer-Fall lets roots grow during this last warm stretch, so the plant enters winter already established.

By spring, those roots are ready to drive new shoots, flowers, and fruit. There's no lost time to transplant shock - plants can get straight to blooming and fruiting earlier in the season.

August Planting FAQ

How can heat be prevented from harming new tropicals?

Water in the morning so plants start the day hydrated. Warm soil is good for root growth, but don't let it dry out.

How should new plants be protected from strong sun?

For the first couple of weeks, use a shade cloth or even a white bed sheet to soften midday sun and prevent leaf scorch.

What fertilizer works best for planting in summer heat?

Controlled-release types are best. We use professional grade Green Magic. You may pair it with Sunshine Boosters for steady, gentle feeding through the warm months.

Which tropicals grow best when planted in August?

Most tropical plants do well when planted in warm end-of-summer conditions, including Mango, Avocado, Guava, Jackfruit, Annona, Bananas, Orchid Trees, Jasmines, Allamanda and most of flowering trees, shrubs and vines.

Can tropical trees planted in August produce fruit next year?

Many can, especially fast growers, since they have established roots by the time spring growth begins.

How can tropicals be kept healthy when planting in August?

Mulch around the base to help prevent soil from drying out too quickly. Water deeply in the morning to help plants handle the heat.

Shop Flowering trees

Shop Fruit trees and edibles

Date: 12 Dec 2025

🎄 Holiday Plant Market:
Saturday, Dec 13, 2025, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM 🎉

Smokey  the  tuxedo  cat  and  Sunshine  the  ginger  cat  sitting  at  a  table, 
 


studying  a  Holiday  Plant  Market  flyer  with  a  notepad,  coffee  cup,  and 
 


donut.

Smokey: We invited people, so we need to be prepared for the crowd.
Sunshine: I am prepared. I saw yummy donuts on the flyer.
Smokey: Of course you did, genius. You are responsible for donuts and coffee.

It is almost here. Our big end-of-season Plant Day. All year we grow the rare and unusual plants that will be featured at this event, and Saturday is the day they finally meet their new homes. The garden turns into a small holiday escape: fresh air, bright colors, music, snacks, and the PeopleCats greeting everyone like they have known you for years.

Meet PeopleCats crew in charge

TopTropicals  CatPeople:  cat  King
King
TopTropicals  CatPeople:  cat  King
Sushi
TopTropicals  CatPeople:  cat  Snitch
Snitch
TopTropicals  CatPeople:  cat  Paisley
Paisley
TopTropicals  CatPeople:  cat  Persephone
Persephone
TopTropicals  CatPeople:  cat  Loki
Loki

Why you should come

It is December in Florida - warm breeze, sunshine, and perfect planting weather. While the rest of the country is scraping frost off windshields, you're choosing which banana tree to take home. Come enjoy a colorful Saturday surrounded by plants, music, snacks, and friendly PeopleCats. This is your holiday escape, your plant-hunting adventure, and your chance to bring home something amazing before the season ends.

Not Local?

Not everyone is lucky enough to live close by. For our online customers, here is 20% for online orders:

EVENT2025

Valid for online orders only. Minimum order $120 (excluding shipping and handling). Cannot be combined with any other discounts, coupon codes, automatic promotions, or special offers. Not valid on previous purchases. One use per customer. Code must be entered at checkout. Offer valid through the end of Sunday, 12/14/2025

Learn more about the event

🛒 Go Shopping

Date: 15 Jan 2026

Smokey  and  Sunshine  the  cats  in  a  cozy  greenhouse  admiring  a  blooming 
 


Black  Bat  Lily  with  dark  whiskered  flowers  on  a  winter 
 


day
Smokey: I finally got these Taccas. I wanted them for a long time. I think I got a little attached already. They look like something from a Tim Burton movie. And look at that flower. It even has whiskers like me.
Sunshine: I understand. I get emotionally attached very fast too. Mostly to coffee.

Date: 14 Feb 2026

🍧Vanilla does not come from a bottle

Tuxedo  cat  training  a  vanilla  vine  on  a  wooden  trellis  while  orange  cat
 
 
  drinks  coffee  beside  jar  labeled  Sunshine  Vanilla  Creamer.
Sunshine: What are you doing?
Smokey: Growing vanilla for your creamer. It needs support to climb.
Sunshine: I can provide moral support and donuts. Count on me, my friend.

🍨 The orchid behind the worlds favorite flavor

Vanilla does not come from a bottle. It comes from a climbing orchid. Vanilla planifolia is the plant that produces real vanilla beans - and yes, you can grow it at home. It starts simply. A potted orchid with glossy leaves. Then it begins to reach. Vanilla is a climber. It wants something solid to attach to. This is where most people go wrong. They keep it in a pot and wait. Vanilla needs support - a log, a trellis, a wooden board. Once its aerial roots attach firmly and the plant matures, flowering becomes possible.

It is not instant. You need patience. The pods form green and only develop their aroma after curing. That slow process is part of what makes vanilla so valuable. For gardeners who enjoy growing something meaningful - something edible and beautiful - vanilla is worth it. Vanilla is not a novelty plant. It is a long conversation with your garden.

🎁 Shop Vanilla Orchids

Close-up  of  Vanilla  planifolia  flower  with  yellow  throat  and  green 
 


vanilla  bean  pods  developing  on  climbing  vine

Vanilla planifolia Flower and Developing Vanilla Pods

Date: 8 Aug 2019

Tabernaemontana africana - a bush or a tree?

Q: I received a Tabernaemontana africana, but it is not the compact cultivar, from the photo, this is definitely the tree version, not the compact version?

A: The plant in your picture is Tabernaemontana africana and it is a shrub version, not a tree. The plants we have in stock are smaller size but very vigorous so they can be trained into standards.
We have this plant in our garden in the ground (3 years old) and by now it bushed out and remains under 4 ft without any pruning. Just keep in mind this plant requires regular applications of micro-elements, because the species is very susceptible to iron deficiency. The supplement we use, in case you notice any leaf yellowing, is Sunshine-Superfood.