Date: 27 Feb 2025
What
Fertilizer to Use Now and How?
Five important keys to healthy plants
Q: It's early Spring this year. Should I start fertilizing my plants sooner than usual?
A: Most fertilizer instructions recommend fertilizing tropical plants from March to November. This is because plants don't need as much food during the cooler months when many go dormant, and excess nutrients can burn the roots if not absorbed. However, for the most effective fertilizer program and healthy plants, consider these points:
1. Sunshine Boosters Year-Round
Liquid amino-acid-based fertilizers like Sunshine Boosters are safe to use year-round. Since watering is reduced in cooler weather, the intake of water-soluble fertilizer is also lower, providing plants with just the essential nutrients for their minimal needs.
2. Dry Fertilizer Schedule
Be cautious with dry fertilizers. Apply them only during active growth in the hot season.
3. Temperature Is Key
If March is still cold, delay dry fertilizer use. However, if nighttime temperatures in February stay above 65F, you can start a dry fertilizer program using slow-release, granulated plant food.
4. What Fertilizers to Use and How
Check out our Sunshine Boosters selection for different types of plants and choose the right type for your needs. These can be applied as often as with every watering:
For Rapid Growth
Sunshine Robusta - Rapid Growth Booster: general fertilizer for both foliage
plants and small starters that need an extra boost.
For Flowers
Sunshine Megaflor - Bloom Booster: boosts flowers on established plants; and Sunshine Pikake - Fragrant Plant Booster: best for fragrant flowers.
For Fruit Trees
Sunshine C-Cibus - Crop Booster: contains all necessary elements for fruit trees and their production. Sunshine Mango Tango - specifically formulated for Mango and Avocado
trees, and Sunshine Citron - ideal for citrus trees.
For Tender Perennials
Sunshine Orchidasm - Orchid Total Feed and Sunshine Ananas - Pineapple and Bromeliad Booster: mild formulas for these tender perennials.
5. Microelement Supplements Are a Must
Besides macronutrients, plants need additional microelements, just like humans need vitamins. Be sure to apply these supplements along with your regular plant food:
For Green Leaves and Health
Sunshine SuperFood - Complex Microelement Supplement: a
must for healthy plants. Apply once a month.
For Stress Relief
Sunshine-Epi - Brassinosteroid Plant
Hormone: essential for plants recovering from stress (shipping, transplanting,
drought, insect damage, cold stress, etc.). Apply as needed.
For Sweeter, Bigger Fruit
Sunshine Honey - Fruit Sugar Booster: application on fruit trees will make
fruit bigger and sweeter by directing sugars to the fruit from other plant parts, and helps to prevent bud
drop. Apply 4 times a year: at bud setting, flowering, fruit setting, and
after harvesting.
For Better Resistance
Sunshine Power Si - Silicon Protector - enhances resistance to insects, diseases, drought, and frost, while boosting growth. Apply once a
month, along with Sunshine SuperFood.
Need Help? Our Plant Experts Are Ready to Assist!
Date: 11 Nov 2025
Fruits with the most vitamin E, according to dietitians
Fruits with the most vitamin E
🥭 Fruits with the most vitamin E, according to dietitians
- 🔛 Vitamin E works as an antioxidant that helps fight inflammation throughout the body. While nuts and seeds top the charts, some fruits quietly add their share to your daily needs - especially when eaten with a bit of healthy fat. According to New York City Nutrition, vitamin E anti-inflammatory action supports heart, brain, and skin health.
- 🔛 Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that acts as an antioxidant, meaning it fights inflammation in the body. Because of this anti-inflammatory role, vitamin E is beneficial for immune health, heart health, eye health, brain health, and skin health.
- 🔛 Adults need about 15 milligrams a day, according to the National Institutes of Health. Deficiency is rare, but it’s smart to get vitamin E from a variety of foods. Fruits alone don’t provide large amounts, but they can complement vitamin-E-rich foods like almonds or sunflower seeds.
- 🔛 Since vitamin E needs fat for absorption, pair fruit with something creamy or crunchy - like yogurt, olive oil, nuts, or seeds - for best results.
- 🔛 Here are some fruits that naturally offer vitamin E:
- 🍊 Sapote 1 cup = 3.7 mg vitamin E. A tropical favorite with rich orange flesh and a flavor somewhere between pumpkin pie and sweet potato, with hints of honey and almond, Sapote is great fresh, blended in shakes, or scooped over ice cream. It also packs calcium, iron, potassium, and vitamins A and C.
- Blackberries 1 cup = 1.7 mg vitamin E. Deep color, bold flavor, and plenty of antioxidants, Blackberries are high in fiber and low in calories. Dietitian Keri Glassman calls them her top fruit for fighting inflammation.
- 🥭 Mango 1 cup = 1.5 mg vitamin E. The “king of fruits” brings more than tropical sweetness, Mango supports digestion, helps you feel full longer, and delivers both vitamin A and E in one juicy package.
- 🍉 Guava 1 cup = 1.2 mg vitamin E. This fragrant fruit has a flavor that lands between strawberry and pear, Guava is also one of the highest-fiber fruits and surprisingly rich in protein for a fruit.
- 🍑 Persimmon 1 fruit = 1.2 mg vitamin E. An autumn favorite that looks like an orange tomato but tastes sweet and mellow, Persimmons are rich in vitamins A and C and make a colorful, fiber-filled snack or dessert.
- Avocado 1 fruit = 0.9 mg vitamin E. Creamy, mild, and versatile, Avocado’s healthy fats help your body absorb vitamin E while protecting heart health. Try it on toast, in salads, or as a smooth butter substitute in baking.
🛒 Plant more remedies in your food forest
📚 Learn more:
- Plant a fruit tree - and breathe easier: fruit might be the surprising key to healthier lungs
- 11 tropical fruits to eat instead of taking a fiber supplement
- Tropical fruit health benefits guide - what fruit and edibles can help with health issues and vitamin deficiencies, Part 1 and Part 2.
- Five best fruit trees to plant in Summer
- 10 best fruit trees to grow in Florida and Southern landscapes
- Top 10 fruiting plants you'll ever need for your health benefits
#Food_Forest #Remedies #Discover
🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals
Date: 10 Aug 2025
🌺 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.
Date: 24 Feb 2017
TopTropicals news, sales and updates
Extended sale 15% off on all fruit trees! Take advantage of our "Spring is coming!" fruit tree sale extension 15% off on all fruit trees and spices, including mango new exclusive varieties. No minimum order required. Hurry up, sale extension ends on Saturday, Feb 25.
Radio Top Tropicals Live Webcast upcoming event: Saturday February 25, at 11 am EST.
Topic: GROW YOUR OWN! DUDE!
1) Herbs, both annual and perennial.
2) Fruit trees.
3) Foods once thought to be only ornamental.
Our Host Robert Riefer - Internationally Certified Crop Adviser - answering all your questions.
Listen to Radio Top Tropicals, every Saturday, at 11 am EST! You may use our website radio player DURING AIR TIME and see the pictures of plants we are talking about. To ask questions using live chat, you need to log in at Mixlr.com or simply call our office 239-887-3323 during air time!
If you missed a live webcast, you may listen to recording by following Showreel item link.
Check out our upcoming radio shows and get your gardening questions ready!
Pisces Zodiac lucky plants
Pisces- 2/19 - 3/20. As a WATER sign ruled by both Jupiter and Moon (and Neptune, that was not discovered until 1846, after the plant correspondences were established; Neptune is considered a "higher octave" of the Moon), Pisces plants are often large but hard to find, and may grow near the ocean. The most healing plants for Pisces are those that strengthen the immune system or have an antibacterial effect. Pisces plants may also catalyze expanded states of awareness and be helpful in dream work.
Herbs connected to Pisces are ruled by its former ruler, the Moon (Neptune, the current ruler, was not discovered until 1846, after the plant correspondences were established; Neptune is considered a “higher octave†of the Moon). Diseases of Pisces have traditionally included psychotic disorders, various forms of substance addiction, lung diseases such as tuberculosis, and ailments of the foot; contemporary herbalists also add immune system diseases. Pisces is strengthened by rosemary's ability to promote an aura of centered grounding. This protective herb helps strengthen boundaries and cultivate a closer connection to the physical realm.
Pisces Zodiac lucky plants: Water lily, Lotus, Clematis, Wisteria, Lisianthus, Brunfelsia, Echinacea, English Lavender, Rosemary, Coconut palm, Cranberry, Clove, Coccoloba, Sea Oats, Mangroves, Ochrosia, Aquatic plants, Colocasia, Alocasia, Aralia, Ficus trees, Banyan, Peepal, Banana, Mango, Mimosa, Olive, Anise, Vilca and Yopo, Kava-kava, Nutmeg, Anthuriums, Eucalyptus, Bauhinia, Clusia, Caesalpinia, Callistemon, Bucida, Cassia fistula, Cordia, Calabash, Lipstick palm , Delonix, Elaeocarpus, Erythrina, Fatsia, Guaiacum, Mahoe, Koelreuteria, Kopsia, Macaranga, Pandanus, Peltophorum, Psychotria,Banesteriopsis, Tabebuia.
For links to these plants and other signs information, see full Plant Horoscope
Date: 6 Jan 2017
6 easiest fruit trees and 5 spices to grow in containers indoors
Q: This is why I want to move so that I can grow absolutely anything I want from your catalogue. Prefered Puerto Rico. Right now I live in New York and there is absolutely nothing I can grow there.
A: Of course living in Puerto Rico brings more opportunities to grow tropical species. However, you can create your unique tropical paradise even living in New York. We have many customers from up North who successfully grow tropical species (and get them to flower and fruit) in greenhouses, and even indoors.
Here are a few suggestions of tropical fruit trees that adapt well for container/indoor culture - for both beginners and advanced gardeners.
Top 6 fruit trees great for indoors / container culture / beginners
1. Mango (Mangifera indica). Select from one of smaller mango varieties
2. Sugar Apple (Annona squamosa)
3. Guanabana, Soursop (Annona muricata)
4. Miracle Fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum)
5. June Plum (Spondias cytherea)
6. Guava (Psidium guajava)
5 top spice plants (the spice will be with you right away, you don't have to wait for it to grow)
1. Allspice (Pimenta dioica)
2. Cinnamomon or Campor tree
3. Bay Leaf (Laurus nobilis)
4. Mint Tree (Satureja vimenea)
5. Vanilla orchid (Vanilla planifolia)
See a brief article of growing tropicals outside of tropics.
Don't forget to get some SUNSHINE boosters for your plant collection - for both successful indoor culture and cold protection!
See also our magazine Tropical Treasures