Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 15 May 2024

What does a dragon taste like? Does Dragon Fruit come from a monster cactus? Learn why you need to grow your own

Hylocereus and Selenicereus Dragon Fruit or Pitaya

Hylocereus and Selenicereus Dragon Fruit or Pitaya

Hylocereus and Selenicereus Dragon Fruit or Pitaya trees on trellis

Hylocereus and Selenicereus Dragon Fruit or Pitaya trees on trellis

Hylocereus and Selenicereus Dragon Fruit or Pitaya on trellis

Hylocereus and Selenicereus Dragon Fruit or Pitaya on trellis

Hylocereus and Selenicereus Dragon Fruit or Pitaya red fruit

Hylocereus and Selenicereus Dragon Fruit or Pitaya red fruit

Hylocereus and Selenicereus Dragon Fruit or Pitaya purple fruit

Hylocereus and Selenicereus Dragon Fruit or Pitaya purple fruit

Hylocereus and Selenicereus Dragon Fruit or Pitaya Yellow Parlora

Hylocereus and Selenicereus Dragon Fruit or Pitaya Yellow Parlora

Hylocereus and Selenicereus Dragon Fruit or Pitaya flower

Hylocereus and Selenicereus Dragon Fruit or Pitaya flower

🐲 What does a dragon taste like? Does Dragon Fruit come from a monster cactus? Learn why you need to grow your own. 🌵

🔴 You may have tried a Dragon fruit from the store l, but do you know how it grows? On a cactus tree!

🔴 Names: varieties of Hylocereus and Selenicereus - these fruit bearing cactus plants are also called Dragon Fruit or Pitaya.

🔴 Commercially grown fruit sold in a grocery store may be tasteless. You need to grow your own good variety to have tasty, sweet, flavorful fruit!

🔴 Dragon fruit comes in many varieties. Colors of flesh differ: white, pink, dark red and even purple. The outside of the fruit can be red/pink or yellow.

🔴 In commercial groves, Pitayas grow like cactus trees, over a strong support - big "umbrella frames" ☂️

🔴 It is an easy plant, with low water needs, takes both sun and semi-shade.

🔴 Our favorite variety is Yellow Dragon Fruit Palora, (Selenicereus megalanthus). It is the sweetest and has the most flavor of all. We shared some recipes earlier.

🔴 Can be grown in container with a wooden trellis. And the flower is beautiful, too!

📚 Learn more about Dragon Fruit
🍹 Recipe: What to do with a Dragon fruit?

🛒Grow your own Tasty Dragon Fruits

#Food_Forest #Recipes #Nature_Wonders

🏵 TopTropicals

Date: 31 Dec 2023

Our New Year Wish to You:
Stay Young

Hugging  cats  with  plumeria  flowers

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that take our breath away."
- Maya Angelou -

"...Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever...
...Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side...
...Remember to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent...
...Remember to say"I love you"to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all - mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you...
...Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak, and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind...
...And always remember, life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

(A Life message from George Carlin after he lost his wife)

Spathodea  campanulata  -  African  Tulip  Tree

In the photo: Spathodea campanulata - African Tulip Tree

How to Stay Young

10 secrets of Eastern Wisdom

1. Throw out nonessential numbers, including age, weight and height. Let the doctor worry about them. That is why you pay them.
2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening. Never let the brain idle. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies. Your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health. If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, to the next county, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.
10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

Cat  on  keyboard  with  avocado 
 fruit

Date: 9 Nov 2019

Saving Fallen Papaya Tree

Q: Hope there is help for my beautiful amazing papaya tree! There where a loooooooot of fruits on it, but it broke! First of all, it was leaning and friends tried to straight my beautiful tree. What can I do? Will it get fruits again?

A: A couple months ago we also had a Papaya tree loaded with fruit that fell down (see photos). It was heart-breaking. We secured it and it continued growing for a couple of weeks but unfortunately, at the end the tree still died, leaving us a million fruit. The Papaya tree has a very sensitive root system and is hard to re-establish once the roots are damaged.
However, if it just has a broken top, it has a good chance to grow back from the side shoots.
Of course, remove all the fruit so they don't take energy from the recovering tree.
When a tree is loaded with fruit, it is important to provide support for heavy branches and for the trunk if needed. Always support the fruiting tree to prevent from possible falling BEFORE it starts leaning down and may become broken by even a light wind.
In the photo, you can see how we fixed boards around, but it was already after the tree fell. Unfortunately, it was too late since the roots got damaged. Always need to stake the tree up before the branches get too heavy!

RECOMMENDED FERTILIZERS:
Fruit Festival Plant Food - Super Crop Booster
Mango-Food - Smart Release Fruit Tree Booster
SUNSHINE-Honey - sugar booster

Maradol Papaya $10 Hot Sale

Only local pick up from our Garden Center
Hurry up, while supply lasts!

Date: 6 May 2020

The best Aquarium fish food ever - stikiStik

Everyone knows that Top Tropicals is good at unique, special novelties. And it is not a secret that most plant people also are pet people - cat people (with PeopleCats), dog people (with PeopleDogs) or at least fish people, right?
Today we are excited to introduce our new revolutionary Fish Food developed by our business partners at Floritin Aquarium Labs

Floritin stikiStikâ„¢ - Ultimate Aquarium fish food

StikiStik is a dry powder that you just mixed with water to create a sticky paste. The paste can be attached to any surface inside your aquarium.

Watch a cool video of fish having a stikiStik meal!

StikiStik is a patent pending fish food that does things which conventional fish food does not. It introduces picky eaters to a more natural feeding environment, does not pollute the fish tank, is easy to mix from its powder format and provides gradual feeding. It is easy to apply to any surface in the aquarium, such as interior glass wall, rocks or coral skeleton.

stikiStik advantages

- Easy to use. Just mix with a few drops of water and stik it in! Self adhesive paste can be applied to any surface. Stays intact for hours in aquarium. Does not pollute water
- Scientifically designed and proven for all types of aquarium fish, invertebrates, and corals
- Optimal and balanced nutrition. Contains vitamins and amino acids
- Natural. No hormones, no artificial colors
- Stimulates fish appetite and enhances fish color
- Promotes natural feeding habits. Helps training hard to feed fish. The perfect food to acclimate newly introduced fish, including Moorish Idol, finicky butterfly fish, such as Copperband Butterfly, Pearscale Butterfly, Mandarinfish, and many oithers
- Easy to store. Can be used immediately or frozen for future use
- Add any frozen fish food or medications to mix

See element contents / instructions and more information with videos on stikiStik website

"The stikiStik is the best Aquarium fish food ever - hands down!"
- Mr Booster -

Date: 17 Sep 2025

Mulberry Care and Growing Tips

Mulberry  fruit  on  a  plate

Mulberries are tough, low-maintenance fruit trees that adapt to many conditions.

  • Climate: Hardy from USDA zone 5 to 10.
  • Soil: Grow well in almost any soil; prefer good drainage.
  • Watering: Regular watering during dry spells; drought tolerant once etablished.
  • Growth: 3–5 feet per year, producing fruit early.
  • Pruning: Annual pruning controls size and improves branching.
  • Pot culture: Dwarf types thrive in containers, staying 6–7 feet tall. Use a large pot, water consistently, and prune lightly. Use Abundance potting mix for best results.
  • Fertilizer: For reliable production, fertilizer regularly. Apply Sunshine C-Cibus liquid booster with every watering, or GreenMagic controlled release fertilizer every 5-6 months.

❓ Mulberry FAQ


How soon will a mulberry fruit?

One to two years, sometimes the very first season.

What climates are suitable?

USDA zones 5–10, from -20F winters to hot summers.

How tall do they get?

Standard trees 20–30 ft; dwarfs 6–10 ft in pots.

Do I need more than one tree?

No, they are self-pollinating.

What do they taste like?

Sweet and juicy, like a blend of blackberry and raspberry.

How long is the harvest?

Everbearing types ripen gradually from summer into fall.

Do birds eat them?

Yes, but trees are so productive there’s plenty to share.

Are they messy?

Dark-fruited varieties can stain; white mulberries do not.

Can I grow them in containers?

Yes, dwarf types (Dwarf Everbearing, Issai) fruit well in pots.

How long do they live?

Many live for decades; Illinois Everbearing can endure for generations.

What are the health benefits?

Mulberries are low-glycemic, support healthy blood sugar, improve heart health, and are rich in antioxidants.

Shop Mulberries