Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 25 Mar 2026

Forget the Tropics: These 5 Condo Mango Varieties Thrive in Your Living Room

Mngo tree in a pot

Mngo tree in a pot

Forget the Tropics: These 5 "Condo Mango" Varieties Thrive in Your Living Room 🥭

A tropical orchard in your living room? It’s more possible than you think. While wild mango trees can tower at 60 feet, "condo mango" varieties allow you to harvest juicy, sun-ripened fruit right next to your sofa.
If you have a sunny window and a bit of patience, here is exactly how to grow a potted mango tree indoors.

    • 🌳 Why "Condo Mangoes" are the Secret to Success



    Most people fail because they plant a seed from a grocery store mango. Don't do that. Seeds take up to a decade to fruit and grow far too large.

    Instead, look for grafted, dwarf varieties. These are bred to:

•  Stay compact (6–10 feet).
  • •  Fruit within 1–3 years.
  • •  Thrive in the limited root space of a container.


🌳 The 5 Best Mango Varieties for Indoor Pots



Choosing the right cultivar is 90% of the battle. These five are the gold standard for indoor growers:
  • •  Pickering: The #1 choice for pots; naturally tiny. Rich, fiberless, and coconut-heavy.
  • •  Cogshall: Slow-growing and easy to prune. Classic, ultra-sweet tropical taste.
  • •  Ice Cream: Extremely compact; thrives in small spaces. Creamy texture, like mango sorbet.
  • •  Carrie: High disease resistance; very productive. intense, spicy-sweet aroma.
  • •  Mallika: A semi-dwarf Indian favorite. Exceptional, honey-like sweetness.



🌳 4 Essentials for Indoor Mango Care



1. Light: The "Make or Break" Factor

Mangoes are sun-worshippers. They need at least 8 hours of direct light daily.

The Pro Move: Place your tree in a south-facing window. If you live in a cloudy climate, a high-quality LED grow light isn't optional - it’s a necessity to prevent leaf drop and encourage flowering.

2. Strategic Watering

Mango trees hate "wet feet." Use a fast-draining potting mix and a pot with large drainage holes.

The Rule: Let the top 2 inches of soil dry completely before watering deeply.

3. Temperature & Humidity

Keep your room between 65F and 90F. If you are comfortable, the tree is likely comfortable. Avoid placing it near drafty AC vents or heaters that sap humidity.

4. The "Bee" Factor (Pollination)

Indoors, you lack wind and insects. When your tree flowers, gently shake the branches or use a small paintbrush to move pollen between blooms to ensure fruit sets.

    • 👉 Quick Tips for a Better Harvest


  • •  Pot Size: Start with a 15-inch wide container and "up-pot" every two years.
  • •  Pruning: Don't be afraid to snip! Pruning the tips encourages branching, and more branches mean more fruit.
  • •  Fertilizer: Use a balanced organic fertilizer with micronutrients (like magnesium and iron). We recommend Sunshine Mango Tango specifically formulated for mango trees, and a micro element supplement - Sunshine Superfood - these are safe to use with every watering.


🛒 Dicover Condo Mango

📚 Learn more:
#Food_Forest #How_to #Discover #Mango

Plant Facts

Mangifera indica
Mango
USDA Zone: 9-11
Large tree taller than 20 ftSmall tree 10-20 ftFull sunModerate waterYellow, orange flowersPink flowersEdible plantSeaside, salt tolerant plant
🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 25 Jan 2021

Healthy Plants: Q&A from Mr Booster

How to get Canistel tree to produce
without dropping flowers and fruit

Q: My Canistel tree is 3 1/2 years old and is growing very well, see the picture below. It gets hundreds of pea sized "berries" but then they fall off. No canistel fruit. What's wrong?

A: You have such a nice looking tree, it is a shame you can't get any fruit to ripen.
In our experience, Pouteria trees dropping fruit prematurely is a very common problem. There may be one of the following reasons, or a combination of them:
- Cold winters may affect production, and while Canistel is generally pretty hardy tropical plant that can easily withstand short periods of chill, the fruit may never form properly if it had a cold winter.
- Lack of water. Canistel tree is pretty drought tolerant, but for the proper production cycle it needs regular irrigation. Especially during hot summer.
- The tree may be not strong enough; young trees drop fruit very often when they don't have enough "fruiting energy" built up in their system.
Your tree looks well established and vigorous, however, flower/fruit drop is often a sign of insufficient nutrients of particular kind, usually Boron (B) and/or Molybdenum (Mo): either when a tree is too young and not strong enough, or because of poor soils and lack of necessary elements.

Here is what can be done, considering you live in a warm, frost-free climate.

1. Provide regular fertilizing program. We recommend liquid fertilizers Sunshine Boosters that are safe to use with every watering and year around. It is beneficial to switch plants from traditional "slow-release" fertilizer to the liquid one because it makes a huge difference in plant growth and flower/fruit quality and quantity. See also:
- Why liquid fertilizers are better than dry
- Article about benefits of liquid fertilizers.

Use this plant food for your Canistel tree:
SUNSHINE C-Cibus - Crop Nutrition Booster

2. Apply micro-element remedies that are very effective for improving fruit production, especially when flower or fruit drop occurs:

SUNSHINE Honey - promotes more efficient blossoming and pollination, makes flowers bigger and reduces bud drop.
SUNSHINE SuperFood - improves plant vigor and quality and size of flowers These are all natural, eco-friendly supplements that work great for fruit trees and other edibles.

Date: 31 Oct 2025

Black Bat Lily and White Bat Lily plants blooming together in the Top Tropicals greenhouse, showing contrast between dark maroon and ivory bracts with long trailing whiskers.

Black and White Bat Lilies (Tacca chantrieri and Tacca nivea) side by side in bloom

How to Care for Bat Lilies

by Top Tropicals Plant Expert Tatiana Anderson

🌞 Light

  • Bright, filtered light. Morning sun or dappled shade is perfect.
  • Avoid direct midday sun outdoors — it can scorch the leaves.
  • Indoors, place near a bright window with sheer curtains or use a grow light.

🌡️ Temperature

  • Warm and stable, ideally 70-85 F during the day.
  • Protect from cold drafts or sudden chills.
  • Ideally, do not let temperature drop below 45 F, although Taccas can tolerate short period of upper 30's.

💧 Watering

  • Keep soil evenly moist but not soggy.
  • Water when the top inch feels barely dry.
  • Use lukewarm water.
  • Avoid letting the pot sit in water.

💨 Humidity

  • High humidity (60-80%) is key.
  • Mist leaves often, use a humidity tray, or keep near a humidifier.
  • In greenhouses or bathrooms with a skylight, it thrives naturally.

🌱 Soil

  • Use rich, loose, well-draining mix
  • Combine bark, peat, and perlite for ideal airflow around the roots.
  • Best mix for growing tropical Tacca in pots - soilless potting mix Abundance . It provides perfect drainage and has a texture similar to a jungle rainforest media.

🍽️ Feeding

  • During growth season (Spring through Fall), feed with Green Magic controlled release fertilizer every 6 months. For even better results, you may apply liquid fertilizer Sunshine Boosters Rubusta.
  • Stop feeding dry fertilizer in cooler months when growth slows. Liquid Sunshine Boosters are safe to use with every watering, year around.

🏡 Indoor Growing

  • Great for bright bathrooms, sunrooms, or any warm, humid corner.
  • Rotate pot occasionally for even growth.
  • Keep away from heating vents and AC drafts.

🌴 Outdoor Growing (in warm climates)

  • Partial shade or filtered light under trees.
  • Excellent in large containers that can be brought inside for winter.
  • Shelter from heavy rain and wind.

Sunshine: "So… it’s a diva?"
Smokey: "Exactly. But take care of it - and it rewards you with wings!"
Smokey and Sunshine: "Happy Halloween!"

🎥 Watch Short Videos:

🛒 Grow your own gothic masterpiece:
Shop Bat Head Lily Tacca

Date: 28 Sep 2025

Guava: The Healthiest Fruit You Can Grow

Collage of guava varieties: pink, white, Cas, red Cattley, and golden Cattley guavas, shown as whole fruits, cut sections, and clusters on the tree.

Guava varieties: Pink flesh (upper left quarter), White flesh and Cas (upper right quarter), Red Cattley Guava (bottom left quarter) and Golden Cattley (bottom right quarter).

Let’s talk Guava. Few fruits check as many boxes: flavor, productivity, health, and adaptability. We’ve grown guava trees at Top Tropicals for years here in Florida, and it never fails to surprise people with how easy it is — and how quickly it rewards you.

🌿 Health Benefits

We know the first question:"Why guava in addition to all the other fruit trees I could plant?"Because guava is one of the healthiest tropical fruits you can eat and grow — and it produces faster than almost anything else.

  • Vitamin C powerhouse — guava has four times more vitamin C than oranges. One fruit covers your daily needs and then some.
  • Potassium and fiber — good for balancing blood pressure and keeping your heart strong.
  • Antioxidants like lycopene and vitamin C — these keep your skin glowing and help protect your cells from damage.
  • Dietary fiber — aids digestion and helps keep blood sugar steady.
  • Guava is a true"food as medicine"tree you can plant right in your backyard or in pot.

♥️ Our Favorite Varieties are Available Now

We currently have a DOZEN excellent guava varieties in stock selected by our plant expert Tatiana Anderson — something special for every garden. Our top picks are:

Pink Guavas

  • Barbie Pink – Yellow pear-shaped fruit with thick pink flesh, sweet and juicy. Cold hardy for a tropical fruit. The best seller.
  • Hong Kong – Large, round, smooth pink fruit. Sweet flavor, very few seeds, and very productive.
  • Tikal – Our top pick. Fast-growing, disease-resistant, and produces the sweetest pink guavas with very few seeds.

White Guavas

  • Indonesian White – Aromatic, classic white-fleshed guava with an excellent tropical flavor.
  • Kilo White – Giant fruit up to 2 lbs (1 kilo) each! Few seeds, creamy white flesh, and fruits even in containers.

Compact/Dwarf

Dwarf Guava Hawaiian Rainbow tree with dense green foliage, inset showing pink-fleshed guava fruit with seeds.

Dwarf Guava Hawaiian Rainbow

Specialty Varieties

Cas Guava fruits on tree, with ripe yellow and unripe green fruit, one cut open to show pale flesh. Traditional Costa Rican Agua de Cas fruit.

Cas Guava with zero sugar for Costa Rican Agua de Cas drink

  • Cas Guava – Bold, tangy, almost zero sugar. The traditional Costa Rican Agua de Cas drink comes from this fruit. Cold hardy.
  • Hawaiian Gold, Yellow Strawberry Guava – The sweetest Strawberry Guava, golden fruit, great for fresh eating and drinks.
  • Brazilian Araca Pera – Rare hybrid used for Guava Wine in Brazil. Tart, concentrated juice makes excellent wine, sorbet, or jelly. Learn more...
  • Pineapple Guava, Guavasteen – Feijoa sellowiana. Strongly perfumed fruit, best enjoyed when the pulp is mixed with sugar – like forest strawberries. Cold-hardy, tolerates freeze, and doubles as a great windbreak. Learn more...

Pineapple Guava (Feijoa sellowiana) fruit and flowers. Green oval fruit with soft aromatic flesh, and white-red blossoms with long stamens

Pineapple Guava, Guavasteen – Feijoa sellowiana

Every one of these thrives here in Florida or in warm climate. Some are better in pots, some as landscape trees, but all produce generously.

🎥 Watch short videos about Guava:

💲 Special Offer – 20% off Guava Fruit Plants!

Get 20% OFF already discounted Guava plants with code

GUAVA2025

Min order $100. Excluding S/H, valid online only, cannot be combined with other offers.

Hurry, offer expires October 02, 2025!

Explore Guava Fruit Plants

Date: 24 Sep 2025

The SECRET growers never tell you: simple trick how to bring plants back to life and keep green

Green Magic Fetilizer makes plants green

🌳 The SECRET growers never tell you: simple trick how to bring plants back to life and keep green

  • 💚 Green Magic is plant food that really works. It keeps your plants green, strong, and growing steady.
  • 💚 We call it Magic - because it even brought back plants we thought were gone! So thу Green Magic can bring dead to live!
  • 💚 The secret is slow release. Most dry fertilizers dump everything at once, burn the roots, then disappear. Green Magic feeds little by little for six months straight. No burn, no guesswork, just steady food that plants love.
  • 💚 It's perfect for potted fruit trees, ornamentals, and houseplants. One handful is all it takes, and your plants stay fed for half a year.


✔️ How to use:


Mix in 1 teaspoon per gallon of soil when potting, or sprinkle on top once every six months. That's it!

✔️ Why it works:

  • Feeds slowly and evenly for six months
  • Keeps leaves green and plants healthy
  • Strong growth, even for weak or struggling plants
  • Works in any climate, indoors or out
  • Great for containers, trees, and ornamentals
  • This isn’t a flower booster. It’s a growth booster. The kind of steady food that builds strong plants for life.

  • 👉 Watch your plants come back to life and thrive with this professional-grade, controlled-release fertilizer - Green Magic. Even struggling plants can turn lush and green again.
Give it a try - your plants will thank you!

🛒 Buy once, feed for 6 months!

📚 Learn more


#Fertilizers #How_to
🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals
◂ Previous pageNext page ▸Most recent entry ▴Blog table of contents