Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 17 Dec 2024

How to care for your mango tree in winter

Colorful Mango fruit

Q: I bought a few mango trees from you this year, and they're doing great! So far, winter's been pretty mild here in Florida, but I know January and February can get chilly. Is there anything special I should do to keep my trees happy so I can enjoy fruit next year?

A: If you want to enjoy mangoes like ours (in the photo) next summer, protecting your tree in winter is a must! Give it the care it needs now, and you'll reap sweet rewards when the warm weather returns.

Keep it cozy and protected: Mango trees love warmth, so when winter comes, they need extra care to stay happy.

Temperature: Mango trees are sensitive to cold. If temperatures drop below 35F, cover the tree with frost cloth or burlap to protect it. For potted mango trees, move them indoors or to a greenhouse.

Watering: Reduce watering during winter. Mango trees don't like soggy roots in cold weather. Let the soil dry slightly between waterings.

Mulching: Add a thick layer of mulch around the base of the tree to insulate the roots and retain warmth. Keep the mulch a few inches away from the trunk.

No pruning: Avoid heavy pruning in winter, as it can stress the tree. Besides, pruning promotes young tender growth that may get cold damaged. Save major trimming for spring.

Feeding: Stop dry fertilizer in winter. The tree slows its growth, so too much dry fertilizer can do more harm than good. You can continue using Sunshine Boosters Mango Tango year-round because it is water-soluble and natural, and the amount of food needed will adjust with reduced watering.

Shop Mango Trees

Mango tree with colorful fruit

Date: 14 Jul 2019

Dwarf and Condo mangoes - easy mangoes

Q: We leave in zone 6a, could you tell us what is the list of different types of mango plants that could be planted indoor and that they can bear fruits?

A:There is a large group of mangoes called "Condo Mango" - they literally can be grown in your apartment! Those are dwarf varieties that can remain compact in containers with minimal pruning and successfully bear fruit providing bright light and proper care, including plant food.

The best dwarf and semi-dwarf varieties are: Carrie, Cogshall, Cushman, Fairchild, Graham, Ice Cream, Julie, Mallika, Nam Doc Mai, Pickering, Irwin, Jahangir, Juliette, Lancetilla, Little Gem, Manilita, Sia Tong, Torbert, Pim Seng Mun, Super Julie.

They produce juicy, fiberless sweet fruit. Julie is also a very popular dwarf variety, however, it is very cold sensitive and not the easiest to grow. If you get a 3 gal size mango, step it up to 7 gal when the plant reaches 4 ft; you may use a bigger container as the root system grows, up to 15 gal or even 25 gal, space permitting. Trim the tree under 6-8 ft after production season is over (summer-fall).

See more information on growing condo mangoes

RECOMMENDED FERTILIZERS:

Mango-Food - Smart Release Fruit Tree Booster
Fruit Festival Plant Food - Super Crop Booster
For sweeter fruit, use SUNSHINE-Honey - sugar booster

Date: 10 Mar 2020

Meet PeopleCats of TopTropicals. Cat of the Day: King the Hobo

"Live, travel, adventure, bless, and don't be sorry." - Jack Kerouac

King, who has been famous with his ability to get in trouble, without a doubt is the Cat of the day, week, and month. His recent adventure went above and beyond our expectations. King decided to take a ride.
He jumped inside the truck of our supplier from Homestead, for very innocent reason: inspect the quality of plants delivered. No questions asked, he did his job.
Next thing we remember was the driver calling us on his way to Homestead: "Looks like I have your cat in my truck, and he is pretty happy with the ride!"
Luckily, the discovery of the Hobo happened pretty quickly, before the truck left Ft Myers area. So King did not get all the way to Homestead as he planned, his adventure was interrupted. He was dropped off at Edison Estate Botanical Garden. The director Eric happen to know TopTropicals well, just visiting us a few days before for the Leap Year Celebration event. He kept King in his office until Onika came to pick him up.
What an adventure!

Dear visitors of Top Tropical Garden Center! When leaving our Nursery, please check your vehicles for cats! Apparently, they like to travel!

Thank you everybody for supporting us in helping PeopleCats. Every dollar you spend on TopTropicals plants is split between plant growers and PeopleCats who help us become better people.

Check out the Video: and more Cat of the Day stories.

After his adventures, King is resting with his pet mouse. Mouse is alive, and no animals were hurt during the adventures.

Date: 15 Feb 2020

Meet People of TopTropicals. Raccoon of the Day: I came; I saw; I conquered

Everyone knows that our pets can have pets. Like King had his own Pet Mouse, or Marco had a Frog Pet in his water bowl... Visitor Possum Pete was a star too!

Today we are sharing with you pictures of another Pet of our Pets. Meet - Raccoon Charity who obviously won a Lucky Welfare Ticket for a free food... No food stamps required! No work ever done; no paycheck issued. I came; I saw; I conquered. Bless you, TopTropicals! The cats didn't mind sharing their earned benefits... or, were they afraid to say otherwise?

Check out Video: and more Cat of the Day stories.

Date: 8 Aug 2024

Mango Rainbow tasting table-2: whats the taste of that Mango variety?

Mango Rainbow tasting table

🌈 Mango Rainbow tasting table-2: what's the taste of that Mango variety?

🥭 We've had another mango tasting table and asked participants to describe the taste in a few words. And this is what we got:
  • 🟠 Haden - mild, melting, classic heavenly mango flavor,dark yellow flesh, almost fiberless.
  • 🟠 Ugly Betty - opposite to the name, the taste is excellent , juicy, melting, sweet.
  • 🟠 Cotton Candy - true candy, fiberless, sweet, melting.
  • 🟠 Madame Fransis - dark orange pulp, slightly fibrous, robust, meaty like a steak, good with cognac. A little pulpy but unique flavor.
  • 🟠 Diamond - bright yellow, fiberless, sugary, juicy, no pulp at all, classic mango taste, good with ice cream, "wow" taste!
  • 🟠 Pickering - zesty, waterfall: all the flavors come at once, eat with White wine and/or a cake. Oval fruit somewhat flat, very large for a dwarf tree!
  • 🟠 Baptiste - hint of citrus, melts in your mouth, dark orange flesh, crisp, eat with Red wine and cheese.
  • 🟠 Florigon - creamy, buttery, spicy. Eat with Ice cream!
  • 🟠 Tommy Atkins - has a bit zing to it, perfect consistency, perfect taste. Super colorful, crimson red to purple skin!
  • 🟠 Nam Doc Mai - gold standard! Perfect every day.
  • 🟠 Carry - tastes even better than all others, smooth buttery, lite!


❔ What Mango varieties have you tried this year?
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