How to feed a Mango tree...
and to grow a Dwarf Mango

Q: My mango trees that I bought and planted last august now have fruit. I bought 2 types of fertilizer from you and never used it. Should I use your fertilizer now?

A: It is a perfect time now to fertilize your plants as they start active growth. For mango trees, we recommend liquid fertilizer Sunshine Booster - Mango Tango. It is formulated for Mango trees, especially for container grown. It improves quantity and quality of flowers and ability to set fruit, reduces bud-flower-fruit drop. Can be used as often as with every watering. For best results, use in combination with Sunshine Honey and Sunshine Superfood plant supplements. Its scientifically-balanced stable formula is organic Amino-acid based and has NO EDTA chelators to eliminate nutrients lockup; it does not affect crop taste.
Additionally, you may use slow-release granulated fertilizer Mango-Food once a month during hot season only. Dosage: 1 teaspoon per each gal of soil. Water-soluble fertilizers can be also used, however, those are usually EDTA-chelated which is not as efficient as Amono-acid based Sunshine Boosters and may create nutrients build up, especially if overdosed in containers.
For in-ground mango trees, you may use all the above, and slow-release granulated fertilizer can be applied in larger quantities: spread a handful around the drip line.

Remember that only liquid Sunshine Boosters can be applied year around. With other fertilizers, you need to be careful not to overdose, and apply only during hot weather (when night temperatures are steadily above 65F).

Q: I received the Ice cream mango tree in great condition (thank you for the ingenious packing job) on Wednesday and have planted it in a pot slightly bigger than the root ball. I plan to grow the tree on my front porch, so how big a container should I ultimately use when the tree outgrows this pot? How big a container does it need to fruit? I hope to keep it around 6-7 feet high, if possible. I live in Hawaii.

A: Ice Cream mango is a perfect variety for container culture, and it should be happy in Hawaii. You did everything right. Keep it in this small pot for now and wait until it starts vigorous growth in Summer. Once it starts growing (and you will notice roots growing too, sometimes they try to grow through the holes in the bottom of the pot), then it's time to step up into a bigger container (7-10 gal). Eventually you may use container size as large as 15 gal. Ice cream mango is slow growing and compact, and you will be able to maintain it under 7 ft with very minimal pruning if any.

Improve your intellect with Ashoka,
the tree of Happiness
(Saraca indica, the Sorrowless Tree)

Q: I have recently visited India and saw the most beautiful Ashoka trees at the entrance to a temple. The flowers were simply show stopping, growing directly on the trunk and branches. I would love to grow one. I have been told it has significant medicinal properties. I am delighted to see you have them in your inventory. And they are on sale too! Are they easy to grow?

A: Ashoka or Saraca indica is one of the most exotic flowering trees of the Indian subcontinent. Without a doubt it is one of the most stunning Indian flowering trees. Buddhists, Jains and Hindus all hold this tree in extremely high esteem and it is considered a sacred tree. Ashoka is extremely highly valued for nutritional value as well as its beautiful appearance. No surprise then that they are often found in royal palace grounds and gardens as well as around temples throughout India. Young leaves are a stunning deep pink color and emerge at the end of branches like hanging tassels. This tree will typically grow to around 20 feet and is a brilliant bloomer. It will wow you with large, round clusters of fragrant flowers throughout the year. Almost all parts of this tree are widely used for different medicinal purpose. It reportedly even helps to improve intellect! Simply amazing...

Discover Coral Trees - Erythrinas
the brightest flowers of the Tropics

Let's grow green again - together!
20% OFF post-hurricane discount

"We rise by lifting others." - Robert Ingersoll

Dear Valued Customers,

We're reaching out to let you know that Top Tropicals made it through Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and we are fully back up and running. While these storms caused some damages to our facilities and brought down trees, we were fortunate that our plants and inventory remained safe and beautiful. After a lot of cleanup and repairs, we are excited to resume shipping your orders as scheduled!

Thank you for your kind messages and continued support during this time. If you were unaffected by these hurricanes, we invite you to support us as we restore our nursery and raise fallen trees.

Every order, no matter the size, makes a difference in our recovery.

For those who lost plants and trees to the storms, we've included a 20% discount code below to help you start fresh. Let's grow green again - together!

Thank you for being part of our community! Use the code:

SUPPORT

This code saves 20% off all orders over $150 (excluding S/H).
Exp. 10-31-24

Additional deals:

In the photos: Koelreuteria paniculata - Golden Rain Tree, is a winter bloomer that is starting flowering now and throughout the winter. It one of the most spectacular trees of subtopics that is actually very cold hardy, drought resistant, wind-resistant and fast growing - nice solution for a shade tree. According to ancient Chinese manuscripts, the Golden Rain Tree is crucial for Dragons, as it is believed to be connected to their existence, guarding and complementing each other. Growing these plants is considered auspicious and is believed to safeguard the Dragon family. 2024 is a year of Dragon... Let's please the Dragon and plant this tree this year so it will protect us from hurricanes in the future!

Seven rules of cold protection for tropicals

Q: I was always wondering how you guys manage to grow true tropical trees in Florida? I live in Puerto Rico and we have Breadfruit trees growing here in a wild... but my sister lives not far away from you, in Orlando, which is much colder, and I wonder if I can get her a Breadfruit tree for Christmas?

A: Your sister can grow a Breadfruit tree in Orlando either in a pot (and bring it indoors during cold periods) or in the ground inside a structure (an elclosed conservatory with heating system). See our customer's Greenhouse in Virginia. Cold protection of tropical plants is a lengthy subject and we have many interesting publications about it in our managine Tropical Treasures and on the website. In a nutshell, when growing tropicals outside of tropical climate, you need to follow these 7 rules:
1. Cut watering to a minimum. Cold+wet kills tropical roots.
2. Water thirsty plants before a cold night. Jucy leaves have fewer chances to be cold-zapped.
3. Wind protection is more important than a temperature drop. Plant tropicals close to a house or surrounded by other trees.
4. Duration of a cold period is more critical than the cold itself. If expecting long cold hours, bring up all available protection resources. Christmas lights or propane heaters - as long as there is a heat source, everything helps!
5. Remove plastic covers during the daytime so plants don't get "cooked" in the sun. Fabric covers are better than plastic.
6. Grow ultra-tropicals in containers and bring them inside the garage or even indoors during the cold.
7. Use SUNSHINE plant boosters and feed your plants well during Summer to improve cold hardiness.

Related topics:
About Cold Protection
Cold protection - winter action for your plant collection
Improving cold hardiness before winter: fertilizer and micro-elements
Cold hardy tropical fruit trees