Happy Hobby: growing tropicals from seeds

Q: What is the best time to start tropical plants from seeds? Should I wait till spring?

A: If you want to feel happier, get into gardening. If you want to feel God, start plants from seeds and watch New Life grow from a tiny grain. Fall is a perfect time to start tropicals from seed.
Traditionally, people prefer sowing seeds in Spring, especially temperate species for a vegetable garden: tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers... My grandmother up North started them in early Spring in paper cups on a windowsill, then once the temperatures went just above freezing, she planted them out in the garden beds, and that early start always helped her to have the best early crop in the neighborhood.
When we deal with tropical plants, "just above freezing" is not warm enough. Which means you have to grow small babies indoors for quite a while, providing additional heating when needed. Heating pads always work best. If you keep your living space around 75F (ideal for many species), this is a perfect temperature to get your seeds started. Tropical plants are not like annual tomatoes that try to grow through the season as fast as possible. They take time. So the sooner you start, the more chances to get small seedlings just in time when Spring air outside is "warm enough" for those tropicals - at least in 70's.
A great advantage of starting tropical seeds indoors is controlled temperature and moisture. In the plant world, environment extremes are not good for the germination process. Mild conditions of your home or a greenhouse create better chances for successful growth. Seeds won't get overheated in the hot Summer sun, and won't rot because of a sudden heavy rain. Just keep in mind that some species require light for good germination.
For the best seed germination:
- Use only well-drained mix - we recommend special Seed Germination Mix #3, professional grade. Put seeds not too deep (1/2 inch deep or less) to allow air circulation
- Soak large seeds for a few hours with Sunshine-S solution
- Keep warm (75-85F) and in bright light
- Keep soil slightly moist but not soggy
- Apply micro-element booster SuperFood

Improving cold hardiness before winter: fertilizer and micro-elements

Q: I live in New Jersey and it is getting cool here, with temperatures in the upper 40s, but my tropical plant collection is in a heated sunroom (still around 70s). Should I continue fertilizing my plants? And if yes, my second question about deciduous Sugar Apple tree. Should I continue fertilizing it until it drops leaves?

A: First of all, even though you live outside tropical climate, your plants enjoy warm temperatures year round, and can be treated like if they were in a Southern garden.
Plant nutrients, both macro-elements (regular fertilizer) and micro-elements (such as iron, manganese, magnesium, copper, and other elements) play an important role not only in overall plant health but also in plant hardiness.
The rule of thumb is, even in warm climates we cut off any fertilizer by the end of October. You still have time for the last treatment this year (next will be in March, or when your plants start showing new growth). You may apply just a bit of slow-release granulated fertilizer, or water-soluble by foliar spray, diluted 1/2 of label strength, to all evergreen species in your collection.
The most important application before winter is micro-elements and other plant boosters that will help you plant collection survive winter months with a shorter daylight and cooler temperatures. Now it is a perfect time to make these simple steps:

1) Miscro-element applications, any one of: Superfood, Iron Supplement, Greenleaf.
2) Sunshine-T application: for improving cold hardiness, plus immune system resistance to insects and deceases.
3) Sunshine-Honey application for all fruit trees to encourage bigger and sweeter fruit next year.

Regarding your second question. Deciduous tropical plants like Annonas, Adeniums, Plumerias, etc - do not need regular fertilizer at this time, however, go ahead and apply microelements Superfood complex, as well as Sunshine-Honey, while leaves are still green. These two will give a kick-start to provide better flowering in spring, and production of sweeter fruit later.

Check out SUNSHINE boosters - all with free shipping!

Season Colors from Kristi, TopTropicals Flower Queen

Q: I live in New Jersey and I have a collection of potted tropical plants in my sun room. Our Fall season comes in bright colors, do you have something with colorful foliage for Fall?

A: For our northern customers it's almost time for the changing of the seasons. It is a very exciting and enjoyable time. The onset of fall means, less humidity, cooler nights and the Fall foliage. Here in Florida we do not get the chance to see the changing of the leaves, except maybe a few like Florida Maple Tree. So we use plants that mimic the season change, for all year round color! These are a few examples of the plants with colorful leaves that you may use for your Fall colors, plus remember - there is always a big list of Fall and Winter Flowering Tropicals!

Colorful tropical plants for Fall

Hibiscus tiliaceus - Variegated Mahoe
Acalypha wilkesiana - Chicago Brick Copper Leaf - see all acalyphas
Mussaenda philippica x flava - Calcutta Sunset Marmelade
Pseuderanthemum atropurpureum Purple Haze
Acer rubrum - Red Maple
Adenium Nil with red veined leaves
Cerbera x manghas hybrid - Enchanted Incense
Cordyline fruticosa Willies Gold - see all codyline
Graptophyllum pictum Chocolate Queen

See Fall and Winter Flowering Tropicals.

6 Things to Do on Labor Day Weekend

1. Plant a tree... or a shrub, even just a small perennial will do. This plant will make you feel good and accomplished for the whole year, until next Labor Day (or even longer!). You will always see this fruit of your work and remember your motivation, so things are not that bad with you!

2. Pull 66 weeds. Needless to say, you have plenty of those in your yard at the moment. Why 66? Just do it and see what happens. If you don't see any happy results, pull another 66.

3. Fertilize all plants in your garden or potted collection with slow release fertilizer and microelements. Remember, this is the last chance to give them food and strength to survive, before winter. Starting October, all leftover fertilizer goes to storage, even in tropical gardens.

4. Apply SUNSHINE booster to protect your plants from cool temperature, help to go into dormancy and rest without stress.
Remember, there are products for all your pre-winter needs: Sunshine-T for improving cold tolerance, Sunshine-BC for caudex and bonsai plants, Sunshine-H for houseplants, and general booster Sunshine-E to cover all occasions... 50 and 100 ml bottles available for large plant collections.
Sunshine-Honey

Fragrant garden

Q: I love fragrant plants and I want to make a fragrant garden. Your website offers amazing selection. A friend of mine told me I should be careful with planting fragrant plants next to each other, and that mix of fragrances may create a funny combination. Are there any flowers that don't go together?

A: Flower scents, unlike perfumes, are pure natural and not as intoxicating to create funny combinations. Although some of them can be strong and even overwhelming. Example - Night Blooming Jasmine, Cestrum nocturnum, which fragrance at night is super-sweet; however most people like it. Reality is, even Night Blooming Jasmine planted next to Gardenia won't create a bad mixture, although one scent may somewhat take over another. In any case, with wind blowing in your garden, you will never be disappointed with fragrant garden. Some plants, like Ylang Ylang - Cananga odorata, or Magnolia champaca, create very fine fragrance that can be smelled yards away, other flowers you will need to stick your nose into.

Check out plants for fragrant garden