Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 5 Jul 2025

Bug off! Simple and safe ways to clean your plants

Simple and safe way to clean plants

🕷 Bug off! Simple and safe way to clean your plants

  • 🕷 Got pests? Try this quick, organic fix:


1 cup warm water
  • 1 tsp cooking oil
  • A few drops of dish soap
Mix it up and wipe leaves with a soft cloth or paper towel. Works great for aphids, mealybugs, spider mites, and whiteflies.
  • 🕷For sucking insects like scale, you may need a stronger solution, like a systemic insecticide from local garden center. Try products containing Imidacloprid (also safe and found in flea shampoos).
  • 🕷Got sooty mold on leaves? Wipe with household hydrogen peroxide, then rinse.
  • 🕷 SUNSHINE NoBug - Natural Plant Protector works for all kinds of bugs! Fast. Easy. No bugs!


🛒 Stay bug-free with SUNSHINE NoBug - Natural Plant Protector

📚 Learn more:


How to get rid of pests on Hibiscus?

#How_to

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date: 4 Sep 2025

🎉 Celebrate Fall Plant Market with 20% Off Online!

A  split  image  shows  two  scenes:  on  the  left,  a  fluffy  orange  cat  at 
 home  using  a  laptop  with  an  'Online  Coupon'  banner,  surrounded  by  tropical 
 plants;  on  the  right,  three  smiling  cats  at  the  Top  Tropicals  Garden  Event, 
 with  a  gray  staff  cat  handing  out  flyers  and  two  customer  cats  holding 
 potted  plants  under  a  festive  banner.

Visitors to our Fall Plant Market can enjoy a special walk-in discounts and deals at the nursery. But we want our online friends to celebrate too! Shop from home and take 20% off everything when you spend $125 or more (excluding S/H, can't be combined with any other offer. Valid for online purchase only). Just use code at checkout. Hurry — offer ends Sunday, 09-07-2025.

FALL2025

Start shopping

Date: 18 Feb 2021

Healthy Plants - Q&A from Mr Booster: Feeding Avocado Tree

Q:We bought one of your avocado grafts and it's doing great, lots of buds for fruit. It's still in a pot and fertilizing with the Sunshine Boosters. Should we continue with this product? We'll plant it in the ground in March. Thought you'd enjoy pictures of our wonderful tree. No freezing temperatures in Riverview, but when it got down into the 30s, the plant came in. One good thing about growing in the pot. I'll be buying some more Sunshine Boosters. This stuff is working great on all our plants.

A: Congratulations with a good job on growing avocado over winter. Avocado trees are not easy, we are happy to hear that your plant is ready for production, this is amazing! We've noticed that Sunshine Boosters perform miracles. Here are some suggestions for you:
1) Continue fertilizing with Sunshine Boosters according to the feeding chart
2) When ready to plant, dig a large hole and fill it with good soil full of organic matter (compost mixed with existing sandy soil will be good). Make sure to plant the tree on 3-4"high elevation, like on a little hill. Avocados need perfect drainage and can't tolerate wet feet. See more info on planting and planting instructions (pdf).
3) Water daily with a hose, do not rely on sprinklers. Avocados like water (considering perfect drainage)
4) Continue applications of Sunshine Boosters at least until the tree is established and starts growing new branches with lots of leaves. After that, you can switch to slow-release fertilizers once a month if it makes it easier, but if you can, continue Sunshine Boosters at least on weekly basis - they really boost plant growth!

Date: 5 Dec 2023

Cat Horoscope:
Sagittarius Zodiac Cats 11/22-12/21

By Alex Butova, the Witch of Herbs and Cats

Sagittarius  Zodiac  cat  sitting  on  a  post

How to know the astrological sign of your cat?
The astrological sign of a cat can be determined by either their date of birth or adoption, as adoption is often considered a second birth for cats...
More >>

Sagittarius  Zodiac  cat  on  a  deck

Cats that help regain faith in one's future...

Sagittarius cats are natural explorers, keen on investigating every nook and cranny of their abode and surroundings... Consequently, they may find themselves in situations requiring rescue, such as descending from a lofty tree pursued by curiosity or rescue from large birds of prey to whom your favorite decided to indicate who exactly is the sheriff of this district...

Restlessness characterizes Sagittarius cats, as they possess boundless energy and an insatiable curiosity for new experiences...

Sagittarius cats are exceptional healers for their human companions, alleviating physical and mental distress. Their mere presence, coupled with a soothing aura, helps individuals overcome serious illnesses and regain faith in their future...

Sagittarius cats are drawn to plants with large, striking, elongated, leathery leaves. Fruits, nuts, and chestnuts are particular favorites, satisfying their gourmet inclinations. Alocasias and Colocasias with their heart-shaped leaves and arrow-like (named also sagittate!) shouts, resonate well with both Sagittarius humans and Sagittarius cats, offering the vibrations necessary for achieving their goals. Opting for fragrant herbs, fruits, nuts, and aesthetically pleasing and fragrant flowering plants ensures the satisfaction of these feline aesthetes and gourmets.

Sagittarius  Zodiac  white  cat  with  black  bird

Note: The bird was fine and flew away! Sushi the Cat was very gentle.

Date: 13 Aug 2023

Cat Horoscope
Two Cat Zodiacs: Cancer and Leo

By Alex Butova, the Witch of Herbs and Cats

Cancer  Zodiac  cat

Photo above: James Coconuts

How to know the astrological sign of your cat?
The astrological sign of a cat can be determined by either their date of birth or adoption, as adoption is often considered a second birth for cats. With this information, one can discover the astrological traits that describe the cat, such as their independence, diva-like tendencies, sense of humor, intelligence, and more. Additionally, it's also important to consider the astrological relationship between cats and plants...
More >>

Our Summer cats

Cancer Zodiac sign is represented by James Coconuts (his second day of birth is 7/15/2017 when he was rescued) and his best friend Riki. They live at our Bfarm in Sebring, are very affectionate and have intuitive sense of when we need someone close... they will readily snuggle up!

Leo Zodiac classic representative is Snitch, the Cat with Charisma - he runs and rules our Garden Center in Ft Myers. Come and meet this Purrson in person!

Cancer  Zodiac  cat

Photo above: Riki

Orange  cat  with  charisma  -  Leo  Zodiac  Cat

Photo above: Snitch