🌸 Fragrance lovers, this plant changes everything!
🌸 Cerbera x manghas - Enchanted Incense - is one of the newest and most sought-after perfume plants, prized for its incredible fragrance that outshines even jasmine and gardenia. Its red-and-white flowers release an intense, sweet scent you won't forget.
🌸 This compact, plumeria-like tree has beautiful mauve-tinted leaves and grows slowly, making it perfect for containers.
🌸 Easy-care, evergreen in warm climates, and low on water needs - this is a rare gem for fragrance lovers.
Coffee trees (Coffea arabica) that you saw blooming at Top Tropicals in May with fragrant, gardenia-like flowers, now in August - they are loaded with fruit! We will update on them once they turn red and ripe...
How to
establish Tabernaemontana
and get more fragrant blooms
Q: I purchased Tabernaemontana australis from you back in June of this year and it
recovered just fine, but the new growth got some chlorosis. Older leaves still
look normal. The flowers also look normal but lack fragrance. Since I
live up north, I have it in a heated greenhouse for the winter, with a grow
light to compensate for the short days. I have it in a 10 inch clay pot in a
mix of equal parts standard indoor potting soil, peat moss, and perlite. It
gets fed with half strength 10-10-10 about once a month on average. Is there
some specific culture that you would recommend for this plant ? I really
love it and want it to thrive.
A: Tabernaemontana is a plant that may take some
time to establish itself, and leaf chlorosis often becomes a common issue
when the root system is not well-established. This symptom is indicative of Iron
deficiency, and possibly other micro-element deficiencies, such as Boron or
Molybdenum, which become more apparent when the plant receives excessive
water. This problem tends to intensify as temperatures drop, particularly when a
combination of cool and wet conditions prevails. It's worth noting that your
potting mix seems to be appropriate for this plant.
In light of these circumstances, we recommend the following steps:
1) Reduce watering during the cooler season, especially when
daylight hours are shorter. Allow the top layer of the soil to dry before
watering again.
2) Consider supplementing with microelements using a product
like
Sunshine Superfood. You can apply this as a foliar spray and mix it with
your watering can.
3) Maintain your regular fertilizing program throughout the
winter months, but ensure that you use only liquid amino-acid fertilizer, such
as
Sunshine Megaflor. Follow the instructions on the label for the correct
dosage and apply it with each watering, even during the winter. Since you will be
reducing amount of water, the amount of fertilizer also will be adjusted
accordingly. Important: do not use any dry fertilizers during winter months
(Nov-March).
Regarding the fragrance of the flowers, they typically emit a
mild, sweet scent, although it may not be as potent as that of gardenia or
jasmine. The strongest aroma usually becomes more prominent during warm (but not
excessively hot) and humid conditions, particularly in the morning hours. As
the plant grows larger and healthier, the fragrance should become more intense
because the flowers produce more essential oil when the plant is robust. You
may also apply Sunshine Honey supplement to improve flower quality and fragrance
strength.
Plant Horoscope. Taurus Zodiac lucky plants: Apricot and Verbena
Taurus - 4/20-5/20.
Taurus is an EARTH sign ruled by the planet Venus.
Venus is the planet
that represents desire and beauty, regarded as the female embodiment of sexual
love and human appetite, so Taurus plants often have gorgeous flowers and
enticing fragrances and, occasionally, red fruit. It rules the internal sexual
organs, the nose and sense of smell.
Because Taurus rules the throat and
ears, the best plants for the Bull are often soothing to the throat, or may
calm the digestive system after overindulging in the finest foods. Taurus is
related to those things we want and value. It harmonizes various body systems,
and influences the complexion and facial appearance. Also under Venus's
dominion are the abdomen, kidney, thymus, and breasts. Venus-governed herbs are
soothing and help to regulate the body's metabolism through the endocrine
system (see Libra). Taurus herbs are traditionally used to attract money and
resources. Earthy Taurus sign is all about building a stable and comfortable
foundation and can help you generate greater abundance and prosperity in your
life.
A:Companion planting is a gardening
technique that involves planting different crops or types of plants together in a
way that benefits all plants. This practice has been used for centuries, and
it can be especially useful in tropical gardens where there is a diversity of
plant life:
trees,
shrubs, vines and
climbers, ground
covers, fruit
and edibles, and
different flowering ornamentals. It is a great way to improve the health and
yield of fruit tree crops while reducing the need for fertilizers and
pesticides. By choosing the right companion plants and planning your garden layout
carefully, you can create a vibrant and diverse ecosystem that will benefit
both your plants and the environment.
Companion planting involves:
Planting different crops together to repel insects: adding such
plants as
Lemon grass, Patchouli leaf, or Moujean Tea near your vegetables can deter aphids and other pests.
Attracting pollinators - Butterfly plants. Many tropical crops, such as passion fruit, papaya,
mango, and
avocado, rely on pollinators to produce fruit. Companion planting can help to
attract pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to your
garden.
Providing nutrients to the soil, adding mulch and low growing plants (ground
covers) to preserve moisture.
Planting a variety of different types of plants together in order
to create a more resilient ecosystem that is less susceptible to pests and
diseases.
To get started, plan your garden layout and choose companion plants with
similar water and light requirements.
For example, plant in the same group lush foliage plants, gingers, and flowering brunfelsias in shady areas; plant jasmines and gardenias in full sun and very well-drained spots.
Rotate annual crops regularly and experiment with combinations to find what
works best. By doing this, you can create a thriving ecosystem that benefits
both your plants and the environment, reducing the need for harmful
chemicals.
