Date: 29 Oct 2020
Healthy Plants. Q&A from Mr Booster: How to get Ylang Ylang to flowering
Q: I am writing in reference to my Ylang ylang tree. I purchased this from top tropicals a few years ago and although the plant is doing well, I don't see any flowers yet. Can you tell me when it will flower? Do I need to do something special for it to flower?
A: Cananga odorata, Ylany Ylang tree, takes a few years until it
starts flowering, hopefully it will bloom for you any time soon.
However, keep in mind that it may be a bit challenging for a potted plant.
In natural conditions, this is a large tree that requires lots of room not
only for the tree itself, but also for the root system. It is still possible to
get Cananga odorata to bloom in container, considering the plant has all
necessary nutrients for flowering. Here is the trick.
When grown in the ground, root system can reach out to all necessary elements in surrounding soil (considering soils are not too poor on necessary elements). In a pot, a supply of nutrients can be exhausted very quickly, so a quality fertilizer program is very important. Fertilizer must include all necessary nutrients in easy accessible (soluble) form, and a plant must have their constant supply for proper development.
SOLUTION:
prescribe Ylang Ylang tree the following combination of plant food:
- SUNSHINE Pikake - Fragrant Flower Booster
It will provide well-balanced amounts of high absorption Phosphorus (P) and
Nitrogen (N), as well as Potassium (K) - to provide enough flowering energy
to the tree, plus a combination of all necessary micro-elements. It is safe
to apply this fertilizer as frequent as with every watering, including winter
time.
- SUNSHINE-Honey - sugar booster This supplement has a high content of elements Mo and B - once the tree starts getting them on regular basis (a few times a year, according to the label), it will trigger flower production.
You may also consider getting dwarf varieties of Ylang Ylang that starts
flowering in container right away:
Cananga fruticosa - Dwarf Ylang-Ylang
Currently these high demand plants are sold out, but new plants are
establishing and will be ready for sale within couple months. You may add your email
to wishlist ("Notify me when available") to get notification as soon as we
have it back in stock.
Ylang Ylang vines also start flowering within a year.
Date: 29 Sep 2020
Healthy Plant Food: Q&A from Mr Booster
Why my Sapodilla is not fruiting?
Q: I bought a Sapodilla tree from you several years ago, Silas Woods. I live in Houston area. The tree grows and produces blossoms for fruits, but then they just dry up and fall off. To-date, I have not gotten any fruits off the tree. Is there a reason for this? I really want a fruiting tree because Sapodilla is one of my favorite fruits. I have attached pictures of the tree. Please help.
A: Silas Woods is a free-flowering variety and in favorable conditions it should produce fruit almost year round, considering warm temperatures. The fact that the tree is producing flowers indicates that it is strong, overall healthy and ready for production, but for some reason these flowers don't set fruit. There may be several reasons for such behavior.
1) Too high temperature and too low humidity
In Houston area, humidity should be good in summer. However, if
temperatures stay above 90F for a long time, this may cause flower dry-n-drop.
Solution: try to move the potted tree into filtered light, or in a
spot where it does not get direct burning sun during the hottest hours of the
day (morning sun is the best)
2) Root bound.
Solution: check if the tree needs stepping up into a larger
container.
3) Lack of certain nutrients that are responsible for proper fruit
formation.
In particular, elements B (Boron), Mo (Molybdenum), and a few other
micro-elements (Fe - iron, Cu - Copper, etc.). This is most likely the cause of a
flower drop. This is very common reason for undeveloped fruit or lack of fruit
in container-grown fruit trees. When grown in the ground, plants can reach
out to all necessary elements in surrounding soil (considering soils are not
too poor on necessary elements). In a pot, a supply of nutrients can be
exhausted very quickly, so a quality fertilizer program is very important.
Fertilizer must include all necessary nutrients in easy accessible form, and a plant
must have their constant supply for proper development.
Solution: prescribe to your Sapodilla tree the following combination
of plant food:
- SUNSHINE C-Cibus - Crop Nutrition Booster. It will provide
well-balanced amounts of high absorption Nitrogen, as well as other macro-elements - to
provide enough energy to the tree, plus a combination of all necessary
micro-elements. It is safe to apply this fertilizer as frequent as with every
watering, including winter time.
- SUNSHINE-Honey - sugar booster. This supplement has a high content of
elements Mo and B - once the tree starts getting them on regular basis (a few
times a year, according to the label), it will change its habit dropping
flowers and/or premature fruit drop. As extra bonus, Sunshine Honey makes fruit
sweeter by bringing sugars from all over the plant and concentrating them into
fruit.
4) Lack of pollinating insects.
Solution: For most effective pollination, we always recommend to put
some pieces of fruit under the tree, apple peels, or even banana peel. Those
attract tiny beetles that are responsible for small flower pollination.
With winter time approaching, fruiting season is about to end, however, do not get discouraged and start the fertilizing program right away: this will bring up the plant into a healthy stage within a few months, and by next season it should be covered with fruit you like so much! Remember, Sunshine liquid fertilizers can be used year round, including winter, without a risk to burn roots or overdose, as long as you follow label instructions.
SUNSHINE C-Cibus - Crop Nutrition Booster from Garden Series, or Combo Total Feed Collection - all nutrients in just one bottle, for fruit trees and edibles.
Date: 15 Mar 2019
Save Coffee from extinct!
The most popular kind of coffee for commercial production, Coffea arabica, is already on the endangered species list. According to research, Coffea arabica plant could become extinct in as little as 60 years.
Coffee requires a forest habitat for its survival. With so much deforestation going on around the world, wild coffee species are being impacted at an alarming rate. Coffee plants grow in very specific natural habitats, so rising temperatures and increased rainfall brought by climate change can make coffee impossible to grow in places the plants once thrived.
Read the whole article
See video: Top Tropicals Showcase: Coffee plant
To reserve a cup of coffee for yourself and your children, plant the Coffee tree now!
Date: 11 Jan 2021
Tropical gardener beginning-of-year checklist
Final pre-Spring check of whatever we had forgotten! For a gardener, the year ahead is a chance to do things you want, as a way to achieve the things you need to do. If your number one New Year's resolution is to garden more (a want-to item), you also will be exercising more (a need-to). Or if you plant a new edible garden (want, want, want), you will end up checking off "eat more leafy vegetables and fruits" from your to-do list!
12 steps to get ready for 2021 season:
1 - Spray fruit trees and houseplants with insecticide and micro-elements
2 - Continue spraying SUNSHINE-Epi to improve plant hardiness
3 - Protect tender plants during cold spells and especially from freeze
4 - Reduce watering during cooler months, keeping the root zone on a dry
side
5 - To give your plants a kick start, fertilize with liquid SUNSHINE Boosters fertilizers - they are safe to be used year round
6 - Plant fruit trees: winter planting is beneficial to avoid heat stress for roots
7 - Plant Butterfly and Hummingbird Attractants
8 - Plant bulbs, vegetables and herbs. Use eco-safe, natural SUNSHINE boosters for all your edibles.
9 - Plan your summer garden and order seeds early
10 - Start tropical plants from seeds (indoors for cooler climates)
11 - Start ordering tropical plants and beneficial soil mix to get them established after shipping in pots
12 - Clean and oil garden tools
Date: 11 Sep 2020
The best Loquat varieties with big, sweet fruit
Q: I'm interested in loquat and read through the varieties you offer but wanted your recommendation. I'm looking for a variety that is big, sweet (not tart) with 1 seed. Of the varieties you offer... Which variety would you recommend?
A: From our experience, the most popular Loquat variety is Christmas.
It is an early ripening type hence the name Christmas. Fruits are very large
for a loquat, they are bright yellow with a tangy apricot flavor.
Another good variety we recommend is Yehuda - it has a large fruit and very small seed
Also, variety Oliver for many years has been considered the best loquat for South
Florida. The fruiting season is March to May. It has medium to large fruit. The
fruit is very sweet with only one-two seeds.
Loquats are very cold hardy tropical fruit trees, easy to grow, drought
tolerant, fast growing. Fruit is great for eating fresh or making jam.
