Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 30 Apr 2023

Attracting butterflies

Cat  with  butterflies

Q: How to attract more butterflies to my garden?

A: Attracting butterflies to your garden can be a fun and rewarding experience. Here are some tips to help you create a butterfly-friendly environment.

1. Choose the right plants: Butterflies are attracted to nectar-producing flowers such as milkweeds, butterfly bushes. Plant lots of bright flowers, especially of yellow and pink colors like some cassias which seem to be the pleasant to butterfly's eye. Use a variety of flowers to attract different species of butterflies. This is a full list of butterfly-attracting plants.

2. Provide food for caterpillars: Butterflies lay their eggs on specific host plants that caterpillars will eat. For example, monarch butterflies lay their eggs on milkweed. Passion flower is also a great butterfly host, but be prepared to sacrifice some leaves!

3. Provide a water source: Butterflies need a source of water to drink from. A shallow dish or birdbath with rocks in it will provide a place for butterflies to rest and drink.

4. Avoid using pesticides: Pesticides can harm butterflies and other beneficial insects. Try using natural methods to control pests in your garden, such as companion planting and hand-picking.

5. Create a sunny spot: Butterflies love warm, sunny spots. Plant your butterfly garden in an area that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight each day.

6. Add a butterfly house: A butterfly house can provide shelter for butterflies during bad weather and at night.

Odontonema  callistachyum  -  Lavender  Butterfly  Bush

In the photo: Odontonema callistachyum - Lavender Butterfly Bush. Showy bright lavender flowers, butterfly attractor. Blooms in both sun or shade.

Tecomaria  capensis  Apricot  (Hammers 
 Rose)

In the photo: Tecomaria capensis Apricot - Hammers Rose, Apricot Tecoma, Cape Honeysuckle. Very fast growing, it has attractive, light green foliage and frequent displays of long, tubular flowers that may be apricot or orange at the ends of the stems. Great for a privacy hedge that attracts butterflies!

Date: 22 Feb 2023

Benefits of growing your own tropical fruit

"The fruit of the mango tree is no longer forbidden. Indeed, it has been recommended to me by the physicians as an antidote to the plague."
- Louis IX, King of France -

Fluffy  cat  with  a  tray  of  tropical  fruit

Q: Why do you want to grow your own tropical fruit tree?

A: Growing your own tropical fruit tree can have many benefits. Here are a few reasons why someone might choose to grow their own tropical fruit tree:

1. Fresh, flavorful fruit: When you grow your own tropical fruit tree, you have access to fresh, flavorful fruit that you may not be able to find at your local grocery store. Tropical fruit, like avocado, mangoes, papayas, and passionfruit, jackfruit, Dragon Fruit, Annona have a short shelf life, and the fruit you find at the store may have been harvested weeks ago. When you grow your own fruit tree, you can pick the fruit when it's fully ripe and enjoy it at its peak flavor. Besides, some rare fruit like Akee or Sapodilla simply never offered from the store.

2. Environmental benefits: Growing your own fruit trees can have environmental benefits. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen, which can help reduce your carbon footprint. Additionally, growing your own fruit trees reduces the need to transport fruit long distances, which can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

3. Cost savings: Depending on where you live and the availability of tropical fruit, growing your own fruit tree can be a cost-effective way to enjoy your favorite tropical fruits.

4. Gardening and outdoor hobby: Growing a fruit tree can be a fulfilling and rewarding outdoor hobby. It can also be a great way to teach children about where their food comes from and the importance of taking care of the environment.

Overall, growing your own tropical fruit tree can be a great way to enjoy fresh, flavorful fruit, reduce your carbon footprint, save money, and enjoy a fulfilling outdoor hobby.

Taking  a  picture  of  a  mango  tree  loaded  with  fruit

In the photo: Mango tree in Top Tropicals garden.

Date: 8 Feb 2023

Gift Plants

Jasmine  Sambac  Maid  of  Orleans

In the photo: fragrant Jasmine Sambac Maid of Orleans

How to make the best gift plant?

1. Consider her/his interests and environment: Think about the recipient's favorite colors, preferred growing conditions (e.g. sunlight, temperature), and any specific plants they already have and like.

2. Choose an easy plant, especially when giving it to inexperienced gardener. Desert roses, Plumerias, Indoor plants are great for both beginners and experts.

3. Something to enjoy right away: Select an established plant with developed roots and foliage. Grafted fruit trees will produce soon, and aroma of a spice tree can be appreciated without waiting for it to grow bigger. House plants such as Philodendrons with ornamental foliage will brighten the room.

4. Presentation matters: Wrap the plant in decorative paper or a gift bag, and consider adding a bow or tag for a personal touch.

5. Add a personal touch: Consider pairing the plant with a personalized message or a small item such as a watering can, plant food, or a pretty planter. Your thoughtfulness will make the gift even more special.

Some gift plant ideas: Jasmines - Desert Roses - Gingers - Mango - Avocado - Spice plants - Indoor plants - easy maintenance plants - Plants of Love: Aphrodisiacs.

Annona  Tree  Sugar  Apple  with  fruit  on  it

In the photo: Annonas are one of the most popular tropical fruit trees, fast fruiting, suitable for small gardens and container culture

Date: 1 Feb 2023

10 secrets of growing a perfect Mango tree

Grow Your Own Food

Mango  fruit  with  fertilizer  Mango  Tango  Sunshine  Boosters

How to grow a healthy and productive mango tree?

1. Right variety. Select a vigorous grower for in-ground planting, or a condo mango cultivar for growing in container. More info on varieties.
2. Soil must be well-drained. If planted in the ground, plant on a little elevation (see How to plant a tree)
3. Full sun is a must. The more sun, the more flower and fruit.
4. Water. Keep mango tree on a dry side, water young trees regularly but let top of the soil dry before next watering. Mango trees don't like wet feet.
5. Air circulation is important for mango tree to eliminate diseases. Allow enough space from other trees and buildings.
6. Fungicide. Mango leaves are very susceptible do fungal issues, especially in humid climates likу Florida. Spray fungicide (Copper or similar) according to the label, once a month.
7. Fertilize year around with every watering with liquid fertilizer Sunshine Boosters Mango Tango. Apply Micro-elements once a month and use other good supplements.
8. Shape. Check out Video: - to shape the most vigorous and productive tree.
9. Protect from hard freeze. Mango tree doesn't take freezing temperatures well. In subtropical areas Mango can be protected. Alternatively, it can successfully produce in container, if moved indoors during cold weather.
10. Fruit. Mango tree produces thousands of little flowers, many of them can set fruit. Do not let a small, young tree to keep more than 1-2 fruit, remove extra, to avoid exhaustion. Allow 2-3 years for the tree to establish until it produces a full crop. Apply Sunshine Honey supplement to your tree for sweeter fruit.

Perfectly  shaped  mango  tree

Tipping  mango  tree  video

Date: 27 Jan 2023

The Robuster: smart and simple
Automatic care-free plant feeder!

The  Robuster,  Smart  Fertilizer 
 Injector

Affordable Smart Fertilizer Injector and Doser

Tired of mixing fertilizer in watering cans?
Struggling to keep up with the growth of your garden?
Need to adjust fertilizer schedules for different plants and weather conditions?
Professional injectors are expensive and complicated?
Look no further! Affordable and user-friendly solution for any gardener -

The Robuster.
Set up... Sit back...
...enjoy your garden!

The Robuster is a unique smart device for irrigation systems and is designed to help make fertilizing your garden easier. Simple to install, The Robuster utilizes a computerized controller that injects liquid fertilizer into your irrigation system based on your preset dosage. The Robuster will work in your yard, garden or farm, small or large. Designed to be used with Sunshine Boosters amino acid based liquid fertilizers, it also works with any liquid plant food that requires a dosage from 5 - 25 ml per gallon of water.
Let The Robuster do the feeding so you have more time to enjoy your garden! Your first gallon of Sunshine Boosters is available to you at a 50% discount with the purchase of this unit! Sunshine Boosters are also available at deep discounts with our subscription program (coming soon). Contact us for more information.

Developed in Ukraine. Manufactured in the USA.
Introductory low price! Only 4 units available at this time.
Contact us for installation availability
Learn more:

Blog: About The Robuster with pictures
Amazing video:

The  Robuster  in  the  gardens

Starter gardens at TopTropicals as well as container plants, are fertilized with the Robuster with every watering

container  plants  fertilized  with  The  Robuster