Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 27 Sep 2024

How to protect Mango Trees from Cold Weather

How to protect Mango Trees from Cold Weather



🌞 Mango trees love warm weather. They grow best in temperatures between 70F to 100F.

📍 Cold weather can be harmful to mango trees: when the temperature drops below freezing, trees can get damaged. Frost can hurt young leaves and flowers, reducing the amount of fruit.

💬 Ways to protect mango trees from cold


  • 🔹 Right location: Plant in sunny areas with protection from cold winds.

  • 🔹 Cover them up: Use blankets or frost cloth to protect young trees.

  • 🔹 Add mulch: Helps keep the roots warm during cold weather.

  • 🔹 Move potted trees: Bring them inside when it gets too cold.

  • 🔹 Use Sunshine Boosters to improve tree hardiness


Fertilized mango trees are stronger and more resilient.
  • They grow faster and have better root systems, making them more hardy against cold weather.
  • Sunshine Boosters provide the essential nutrients needed for strength and vigor, helping plants recover faster from cold damage.


🥭 Sunshine Boosters "Mango Tango" makes mango trees stronger and more resistant to cold. A well-fed tree can survive cold better and produce more fruit. With Sunshine Boosters, you ensure your mango trees stay healthy, even in chilly weather!

📚 Learn more from the articles:


Mango trees and how to deal with cold weather
How to fertilize your Mango trees

📸 See photo in the next post👇

🛒 Shop Sunshine Boosters

#Fertilizers #Mango

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 15 May 2020

Harvesting from a young mango tree

Q: About a year ago we bought a mango tree from you folks and planted it in our backyard in Estero. It has done well. It now has several mangoes and I am wondering if the tree is strong enough to support the fruit or if I should just cut off the fruit and wait until next year when the tree is a bit stronger. I am attaching some pictures. I am most concerned about the branch on the right which seems to be sagging. If you do not suggest that I cut off the fruit, can I wait until they ripen on the tree and eat them. They seem to be a bit on the small side for eating.

A: Your mango tree looks very healthy and happy, congratulation with a great job! For young mango trees, it is always recommended to minimize a number of fruit to 2-3 so the tree has enough energy for vegetative growth rather than fruiting. In your case, as we can see from the pictures, your tree is very well established, has a strong root system, nice symmetrical shape, and vigorous new growth. In our opinion, you can save all these fruit and let them ripen on the tree. To support the plant's energy, make sure to fertilize it during summer with slow-release Mango Food, and year around - with Mango Tango booster. Use Sunshine Honey supplement for sweeter fruit.
Secure the heavy fruit branch with a v-shape stake (a big branch may work), it can definitely use the support otherwise may break under strong Florida winds. You are all set to enjoy your first crop and be rewarded with fruit of your excellent work!

In the photo above: Mr B is harvesting Mango Pim Seng Mun after his successful Sunshine Boosters fertilizing program.

Date: 23 Jul 2025

NEW VIDEO: How to cut a mango without making a mess

Ever wonder how to cut a mango without getting juice everywhere? We've got a trick that's soooo simple! You'll wish you knew it sooner!

In our newest video, Chiane and Ashley from the Top Tropicals team aren't just slicing mangoes - they are diving into a full-on mango tasting adventure. You'll get a peek at some of the most mind-blowing mango varieties you probably didn't even know existed! From buttery-smooth to crisp and tangy.

Watch now to discover your new favorite mango - and maybe a new way to enjoy it, too 😻

Discover Mango varieties - we have hundreds of them!

WATCH the VIDEO

Mango  tasting  table

Shop mango varieties

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Date: 7 Feb 2026

How to grow an Avocado tree on your patio

Avocado tree fruiting

Avocado tree fruiting

Yes, you can grow an Avocado tree on your patio - here is how to do it right

  • If you would love to grow your own avocado but don’t have a big yard, good news - avocado trees can grow very well in containers. Compact or dwarf varieties, often called condo avocados, are especially suited for pots, patios, balconies, and even indoor growing near a sunny window.
Growing avocados in pots is also a smart choice in cooler climates, since you can move the tree indoors when temperatures drop. With the right variety and basic care, potted avocado trees are easy to manage.
  • Pick a compact avocado variety


    Choosing the right variety is the most important step. Standard avocado trees grow very large, but condo or compact varieties stay much smaller and adapt well to containers.
    Good choices for pots include:

· Wurtz (Little Cado) - a true dwarf, perfect for containers
  • · Fuerte - a semi-dwarf that stays manageable with pruning
  • · Joey - naturally compact and easy to keep smaller
Dwarf avocado trees usually grow 6 to 10 feet tall. Fruit size is normal, but yields are smaller than on large trees.
  • Choose the right pot


    Start with a pot about 12 inches wide (around 5 gallons). This size is easier to water correctly and helps prevent root rot. Avoid planting a small tree into a very large pot too soon.
    As the tree grows, move up gradually. A mature potted avocado will need an 18- to 24-inch container. Repot every couple of years when roots show through drainage holes.
    Always use a pot with excellent drainage.
  • Use well-draining soil


    Avocados love water but hate wet feet. Use a loose, fast-draining mix, such as Abundance Professional Soilless Mix. You can improve drainage by adding perlite or coarse sand. Avoid heavy garden soil.
    Water deeply, but not too often.
    Water thoroughly, then let the soil dry before watering again. Always check moisture first. In summer, watering may be needed once or twice a week; in cooler weather, much less.
    Overwatering is the fastest way to kill a potted avocado.
  • Give plenty of sun


    Avocado trees need at least 6 to 8 hours of full sun daily. Outdoors is best, but indoors place the tree near a bright south- or west-facing window. Grow lights can help if light is limited.
  • Fertilize and prune


    Feed during the growing season with a balanced fertilizer such as Green Magic (every 6 months) or liquid Sunshine Boosters (safe to use with every watering, year-around). Prune lightly to keep the tree compact and well-shaped.
  • Protect from cold


    Most Avocados are sensitive to hard freeze. When temperatures drop below 35F, move the pot indoors or into a protected space. Reduce watering in winter as growth slows.
    Cold hardy varieties can take cooler temperatures down to 18F once established. For example, Joey is both cold hardy and dwarf - perfect choice.
  • Final thoughts


    Growing an avocado tree in a pot is practical and rewarding. With good drainage, sun, careful watering, and the right variety, you can enjoy homegrown avocados even without a yard.
    Small space? No problem. Just think condo avocado. According to Southern Living, Lemons can be grown in pots - and so can Avocados!


✔️ Check out
Avocado Variety Guide interactive chart. Sort them by flower type A or B, tree habit, fruit shape and quality, cold hardiness, origin, season and more!

🛒 Explore Avocado varieties and Dwarf Avocado

📖 Our Book: Avocado Variety Guide, Snack or Guacamole?

📚 Learn more:

Plant Facts

Persea americana, Persea gratissima
Avocado, Alligator Pear, Aguacate, Abacate
USDA Zone: 9-11
Large tree taller than 20 ftSmall tree 10-20 ftFull sunRegular waterEdible plantSubtropical plant. Mature plant cold hardy at least to 30s F for a short time


🎥 What is a Dwarf Condo Avocado that fruits at 3 ft tall? 📱

#Food_Forest #Avocado

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 2 Apr 2026

Skip the Egg Hunt - Start a Plant Hunt 🐰

Smokey  the  black-and-white  cat  with  glasses  sits  on  a  patio  taking 
 notes  while  Sunshine,  a  fluffy  orange  cat  wearing  bunny  ears,  holds  a  small 
 potted  mango  tree  with  light  yellow 
 flowers.
Sunshine: I went egg hunting. Found something better. Let’s grow it on the balcony. Mango-filled donuts, here I come.

Smokey: Finally. You’re thinking.

Read more about Smokey & Sunshine

Groundhog said long winter… and it sure felt like it. But now it is finally over, and balconies and patios are waking up again.

Easter is here, and with it comes that fresh start feeling - time to open the doors, bring plants back out, and start growing.

We made it through the cold. For northern gardeners, that is every year; for borderline zones, it is a reminder that freezes happen. That is exactly why growing in pots makes sense - you stay flexible.

Container growing is not just about pots - it is about choosing the right plants. The best options stay manageable, produce well, and handle being moved.

Let's look at what works. Start with plants that naturally stay compact and adapt well to containers. These are the ones that won’t outgrow your space and will reward you quickly. These are proven performers in containers - compact, productive, and easy to manage:

Simple rule: if it stays compact and handles pruning, it works in a container.

Skip the egg hunt this year - go on a plant hunt instead. Start with one or two plants this Easter - not ten. Get them established, learn how they grow, and then expand.

Container basics (keep it simple):

  • Pot size: start with 3–7 gallon, upgrade as plant grows
  • Soil: fast-draining mix (never heavy garden soil)
  • Water: soak well, then let top inch dry
  • Feeding: consistent light feeding works better than heavy doses
  • Sun: most tropicals want full sun (6+ hours)

🐣 Browse our Easter Container Collection

Randia  formosa  (Blackberry  Jam  Fruit)  showing  yellow  ripe  fruits,  some 
 cut  open  to  reveal  glossy  dark  pulp 
 inside.

Randia formosa - Blackberry Jam Fruit

Bunchosia  argentea  (Peanut  Butter  Fruit)  showing  clusters  of  red  ripe 
 fruits  on  a  leafy 
 branch.

Bunchosia argentea - Peanut Butter Fruit

Myrciaria  cauliflora  (Jaboticaba)  tree  with  clusters  of  dark 
 purple-black  fruits  growing  directly  on  the 
 trunk.

Myrciaria cauliflora - Jaboticaba

Eugenia  brasiliensis  (Grumichama)  with  red  ripe  cherries  hanging  from  a
   branch  against  blue 
 sky.

Eugenia brazilensis - Grumichama and more Eugenia Cherries