Date: 24 Jun 2018
January 24 is Global Belly Laugh Day!
"Humor is laughing at what you haven't got when you ought to have it." (Langston Hughes)
January 24 is Global Belly Laugh Day! Celebrate the Great Gift of Laughter, smile, throw your arms in the air and laugh out loud. Laughs and smiles are sunshine that transform our moments 24 hours a day, on the 7 continents! Let's honor this week's high-spirited holiday by celebrating the chuckle.
To make you laugh and smile even more, here is a 15% off
your entire purchase!
use
this code: LAUGH2018
Offer expires end of Thursday, January 25. Min order $50
before S&H.
Laugh, get what you want and get it shipped to you for FREE
Date: 24 Jun 2018
Mysterious Night Blooming Cactus - Epiphyllum. How to grow it?
Q: My friend has a huge Queen of the Night Cactus, and the blooms are so gorgeeous! She gave me a cutting but I am not sure how do I plant it? How long will it take till it starts blooming? Is it true that it has only one flower once a year and only at night?
A:
Queen of the Night is a very popular and yet mysterious
plant. The flowers open once a year after sunset for one
night. However the flowering period can last a month or
two during the warm season. So each flower lasts only one
night, but there will be more flowers to come! In the
Nature, Epiphyllum oxypetalum - Queen of
the Night - grows on trees in the jungles of Central
and South America. It is actually very easy to grow as an
indoor plant in colder climates. Here is South Florida we
grow them outside in hanging baskets. This is how to start
Queen of the Night from a cutting:
1) Put the cutting in a dim, dry place for three days,
with no soil and its base exposed to the air, so it will
form a callus.
2) Fill a 4-6-inch pot with slightly damp potting soil or succulent mix. Insert the
cutting 1 or 2 inches into the soil and tamp the soil
around its base.
3) Place the pot where the cutting will get bright light,
but no direct sun. Spritz it occasionally with a spray
bottle of water to keep the soil only slightly moist. It
should root in couple weeks.
4) Keep the plant on an east- or west-facing windowsill
where it will receive direct sunlight only in early
morning or late afternoon. Water the cactus until water
runs out of the pot's drainage holes. Dump the excess out
of the pot's saucer immediately, and wait until the
surface of the soil is dry to the touch before watering
your cactus again.
5) Fertilize once a month from March through October with
a balanced plant food, and
apply micro-elements once a month
for a healthy vigorous growth. Refrain from feeding the
plant in December and January.
6) Position the cactus in partial shade under a porch roof
or tree, if you decide to move it outdoors during the
summer. This plant likes summer humidity!
7) Repot the cactus only once every two years or so, to
keep it slightly root bound. Wait until after it flowers
in summer, and repot it after it blooms. Prune off any
damaged growth at that time as well.
8) Move the plant to a cooler room over the winter months,
one that remains dark during the evening hours with
temperatures above 45 degrees. Reduce the frequency of
watering, waiting until its soil is dry. Resume regular
watering in March.
If grown from cutting, it may take 2-3 years until the plant starts blooming, so if you don't want to wait that long - just get a blooming size plant from our store!
We only have a few plants... if sold out, add to wish list and we will have more soon!
Date: 19 Jan 2022
Avocado Q & A
Sensation: Avocado 2.5 y.o seedling just bloomed!
Ed's Avocado seedling blooming at age 2.5 years old... Go figure!
Q: Can I plant a seed from a store bought avocado and expect it to bear fruit?
A: Avocados grown from seed do not always come true, meaning being the same as the avocado that produced the seed being planted. Also, avocados grown from
seed will take upwards of 8 years to flower and bear fruit unless grown by Ed Jones and his witchcraft. Ed Jones, the Avocado Guy... Yes,
he is also the Mango Guy, and the Booster Guy... We don't know how he does it. He grows the most beautiful fruit trees, many of them from seed and they all
seem to flower within two years! (See his blogs about his Star Fruit, Olive trees, and video about Shaping Mango Trees). All we know for sure, he uses
Sunshine Boosters for all his plant experiments.
As far as Avocado
, we recommend a grafted variety, where a scion, or branch tip, of a known cultivar is grafted to good rootstock. These trees will usually flower right away and bear good amount of fruit within a couple
of years of being planted in the ground.
It's a good chance now to get a good grafted Avocado on our special Happy Value Sale
Date: 20 Oct 2025
11 tropical fruits to eat instead of taking a fiber supplement
Tropical fruits to eat instead of taking a fiber supplement
🍑 11 tropical fruits to eat instead of taking a fiber supplement
- When we think of tropical fruit, we picture sweetness, sunshine, and exotic flavors packed with vitamin C. But beneath all that juicy goodness lies another gift: dietary fiber - quietly working to support digestion, feed the gut microbiome, and help keep blood sugar steady.
- Avocado leads the pack among tropical fruits for fiber content. One creamy, ripe fruit can provide around 10 grams of fiber, roughly a third of an adult’s daily need. And there’s more to avocado than fiber - it’s also rich in healthy fats, micronutrients, and that silky texture everyone loves.
- Other tropical fruits bring their own kind of fiber strength. Guava delivers up to 9 grams per cup, plus a burst of vitamin C.
- Mango offers about 3 grams in half a fruit, especially when eaten with some of the skin.
- Pineapple, though not always seen as a fiber powerhouse, still contributes around 2 grams per cup, along with bromelain, the enzyme that helps digestion.
- Jackfruit’s fibrous pulp makes it another standout - it’s so meaty, it’s even used as a plant-based substitute in savory dishes.
- Sapote fruit (Mamey, Canistel) and Sapodilla add fiber with a smooth, custard-like texture.
- Adventurous tropical varieties like Annona (custard apple, soursop) may not top the charts in fiber numbers, but their soft, fibrous flesh still adds value: about 1.3 grams of fiber per 100 grams of fruit.
- Bananas contain both soluble and insoluble fiber; the soluble part (mainly pectin) helps control blood sugar and appetite, while the insoluble fiber aids regularity.
- Mulberries are rich in insoluble fiber, especially in their skin, supporting digestion and promoting healthy bowel movements.
- Dragon fruit offers a mix of soluble fiber in its juicy flesh and insoluble fiber from its tiny edible seeds, which help support gut health and feed good bacteria.
These fruits aren’t just delicious - they help you meet your daily fiber needs in ways that are far more enjoyable (and sustainable) than taking supplements. And when home gardeners, farmers, or tropical communities grow and share them, it’s a double win: nutrition and tradition hand in hand.
✔️ Tropical fiber power: tips for getting more fiber from tropical fruits
- ⏺Eat whole, not juiced. Most of the fiber is in the pulp, skin, and seeds. Juicing removes much of that goodness.
- ⏺Mix it up. Tropical fruits are great, but balance them with legumes, whole grains, nuts, and veggies for a full fiber range.
- ⏺Take it slow. If your diet is low in fiber, increase gradually to avoid bloating or discomfort.
- ⏺Drink plenty of water. Fiber works best when paired with hydration.
- ⏺Mind the ripeness. Unripe fruits can have more resistant starch, another form of fiber.
- ⏺Get creative. Toss tropical fruits into smoothies, salsas, breakfast bowls, or even desserts - a tasty stealth-fiber strategy.
🛒 Plant a fruit tree to harvest your fruit tomorrow
📚 Learn more:
Tropical fruit health benefits guide - what fruit and edibles can help with health issues and vitamin deficiencies, Part 1 and Part 2.
#Food_Forest #Remedies #Discover #How_to
🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals
Date: 5 Nov 2025
How to protect Avocado from cold and how hardy is it?
Avocado tree fruiting indoors
❄️ How to protect Avocado from cold and how hardy is it?
Growing Avocado trees in cooler regions is possible with the right variety and care. By choosing Cold Hardy types and protecting them during cold spells, you can successfully grow avocados outside tropical climates. The more mature your tree, the better it handles the cold.
❄️ What is Avocado cold hardiness?
Most Avocados are sensitive to frost, but some Mexican varieties can survive lows around 15°F once established, and brief dips near 10°F with good care.
👉 Cold tolerance depends on:
- ✦ Duration of cold: Short freezes are easier to survive.
- ✦ Sun exposure: More sun means better cold resistance.
- ✦ Wind protection: Wind can do more harm than temperature alone.
- ✦ Tree health: Regular fertilization, such as Sunshine Boosters, helps strengthen plants.
❄️ How to protect avocados from cold
- ✦ Bigger is better: Mature trees resist cold better than young ones.
- ✦ Wind protection: Plant on the south or southeast side of a building for warmth.
- ✦ Good fertilization: Healthy trees are stronger and more resilient.
- ✦ Watering: Water less in winter; overwatering in cold weather can cause root rot.
❄️ Protection for young plants
- ✦ Cover and mulch: Before a freeze, mound mulch around the base and cover with a blanket. Add Christmas lights or a small heater for extra warmth (use caution).
- ✦ Use microclimates: Plant near walls or buildings where it’s warmer and wind is reduced.
With a little planning and protection, you can enjoy fresh avocados even in cooler climates!
✔️ Check outAvocado Variety Guide interactive chart. Sort them by flower type A or B, tree habit, fruit shape and quality, cold hardiness, origin, season and more!
🛒 Shop Cold Hardy Avocados
📖 Our Book: Avocado Variety Guide, Snack or Guacamole?
- ·
📚 Learn more:
- · Can I Grow Avocado Outside the Tropics?
- · Avocado Variety Guide
- · How to grow cold-hardy avocados and how cold-hardy are they?
- · Avocado that laughs at frost: Mexicola Grande for cooler climates
- · Cold hardy Avocado Joey: you can eat with the skin
- · Posts about #Avocado
#Food_Forest #Avocado #How_to
🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals