Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

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Go Bananas!
10 good reasons to plant bananas in your garden

Cat with bananas in refrigerator

Adding banana plants to your subtropical garden or plant collection can enhance the aesthetics of your outdoor and indoor space, provide fresh and nutritious fruits, and offer a fun gardening experience with relatively low maintenance requirements. It's a delightful way to connect with nature and enjoy the benefits of homegrown produce.

1. Tropical Ambiance: Banana plants bring a touch of the tropics to your subtropical garden. Their large, lush leaves create a lush and exotic atmosphere that can transform your garden into a tropical paradise.

2. Homegrown Flavor: Growing your own banana trees allows you to enjoy the freshest, most flavorful bananas right from your garden. Homegrown bananas often have a superior taste compared to store-bought varieties.

3. Nutritional Benefits: Bananas are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. By cultivating your own banana trees, you gain access to a nutritious and healthy snack option right in your backyard.

4. Quick Results: Banana plants are known for their fast growth. In subtropical climates, they can produce fruit in as little as one to two years. This means you don't have to wait long to savor the fruits of your labor!

5. Low Maintenance: Banana trees are relatively low-maintenance once established. They require regular watering, but their hardy nature makes them a relatively easy addition to your garden. They are not messy in a landscape.

6. Versatility: Bananas offer versatility in your garden. You can choose from dessert bananas for snacking, cooking bananas like plantains for culinary experiments, or even ornamental banana varieties to enhance your garden's aesthetics. There are so many varieties to enjoy! You can't find this big selection in a grocery store.

7. Sustainable Living: Growing your own bananas reduces your reliance on store-bought produce, contributing to a more sustainable lifestyle. It also minimizes the carbon footprint associated with transporting fruits to market.

8. Educational Value: Cultivating banana plants can be an educational experience for both adults and children. It offers insights into tropical horticulture and can foster an appreciation for gardening and botany.

9. Landscaping Appeal: Beyond their fruit-bearing potential, banana plants add visual interest to your garden. Their unique form and striking leaves make them an excellent choice for landscaping and providing shade in your outdoor space.

10. Resilience: While bananas thrive in tropical conditions, many banana varieties are hardy enough to withstand cooler climates, making them a durable addition to your garden.

Go Bananas!

bananas and banana trees

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When you are in the mood for something special - you need a Loquat Liquor. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

When you are in the mood for something special - you need a Loquat Liquor

When you are in the mood for something special - you need a Loquat Liquor
When you are in the mood for something special - you need a Loquat Liquor. This is what you do with so many loquat fruit.

🍑 Loquat tree is an excellent choice for any garden, as it is quite cold hardy, drought-, poor soil- and salt tolerant. The delicious fruit look and taste similar to apricots, but there is only one problem: there are too many of them! Make Loquat the perfect fruit for an easy home winery...

🍹 Loquat Liquor recipe

Wash loquat fruit and slit in 4-5 places. You may leave seeds in for Apricot-nutty flavor similar to Amaretto. Combine fruit with vodka and sugar in a wide mouth jar and cover. Stir fruit once a day until sugar is dissolved. Then stir once a week for 4 weeks. Drain liquid and strain through fine cheesecloth. Enjoy!

You can dispose the used fruit but we usually give it a second life: add water, bring to boil, let sit, chill, and it will make another (almost non-alcoholic) drink!

  • ✔️ 3 quarts of loquat fruit
  • ✔️ 1 quart vodka
  • ✔️ 3 cups sugar
  • ✔️ vanilla to taste (optional)


📚 From previous posts:
🎥 YouTube video about Loquat
📁 Overlooked fruit: tasty Loquat recipes (PDF)

🛒 Shop Loquat varieties

#Recipes #Food_Forest #Loquat

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

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Loquat salsa: quick-n-fun exotic recipes. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

Loquat salsa: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

Loquat salsa: quick-n-fun exotic recipes
🍴 Loquat salsa: quick-n-fun exotic recipes

  • 🔴Dice Loquat fruit with tomato, onion, and jalapeno.
  • 🔴Great spooned over grilled fish or eaten with chips.

Loquat Salsa Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh loquats, peeled, pitted, and diced
  • 2 medium tomatoes, diced
  • 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 jalapeno, finely diced
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Peel and pit the loquats, then dice them into small cubes.
  2. Dice tomatoes and onion, finely chop the jalapeno.
  3. In a bowl, combine loquats, tomato, onion, jalapeno, and cilantro.
  4. Add lime juice and salt to taste, stir gently to mix.
  5. Chill for 15 minutes before serving.

Serving Suggestions

  • Serve with tortilla chips.
  • Spoon over grilled fish, chicken, or shrimp.
  • Use as a topping for tacos or salads.

🛒Plant your Loquat tree

#Food_Forest #Recipes #Loquat

🟢 Join 👉 TopTropicals

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From seed to fruit. How to grow Loquat from seeds, step-by-step guide. Part 2: after germination. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

From seed to fruit. How to grow Loquat from seeds, step-by-step guide. Part 2: after germination

Loquat tree (Eriobotrya japonica) - fruit

Loquat tree (Eriobotrya japonica) - fruit

✍️ From seed to fruit. How to grow Loquat from seeds, step-by-step guide. Part 2: after germination

Continued from previous posts⤴️
  • 🍑 4. Transplanting Seedlings

  • ▫️When to Transplant: Once seedlings reach about 2-4” (5-10 cm) in height.
  • ▫️Transplanting and fertilizing: Move each seedling to its own pot and add controlled release fertilizer (Green Magic is the best), or use liquid balanced fertilizer Sunshine Boosters after 1-2 weeks once the seedlings establish.
  • ▫️Watering. Keep soil in a pot slightly moist but not soggy
  • ▫️Temperature. Keep seedling warm - above 70F (21C), and protect from extreme heat over 90F (35C) . For small plants, avoid freezing temperatures during winter. As the seedlings get bigger, they get higher drought-, heat- and cold tolerance. Established Loquat trees (2-3 years and older) may take light freezing temperatures.
  • ▫️Planting in the ground. You can plant the seedling in the ground when it reaches 2-3 ft tall (50-100 cm) in frost-free areas. During chill winter nights, young seedlings can be cold protected until established.

  • 🍑 5. Sunlight Requirements

  • ▫️Light Exposure: Loquat established seedlings thrive in full sun but can tolerate partial shade. Start seedlings in bright shade and protect from afternoon hot sun to avoid leaf burn. Once seedlings are established and new growth appears (2-4 weeks), gradually move them to full sun.
  • ▫️Why adequate sunlight (full sun) is important:

    • - promotes healthy growth
    - helps to avoid fungus and insect problems
    - is critical for future flowering and fruit production


🍑 6. Fruit production
  • ▫️Loquat seedlings start producing seed within 3-4 years from seed, providing adequate sunlight, warm temperatures and regular irrigation.
  • ▫️Grafted Loquats start producing right away or the next year
  • ▫️Fruit will develop over the winter and ripen from March through May depending on location


🛒 Shop Loquat Trees and enjoy fresh fruit benefits

📚 Learn more:
🎥 YouTube video about Loquat
📁 Overlooked fruit: tasty Loquat recipes (PDF)

#Food_Forest #Loquat

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

Grow your own food:
How hardy is a Loquat tree?

Loquat trees and fruit

Q: I am looking for a fruit tree for my backyard that is low maintenance, fast fruiting, and can take some cold (I live in Orlando FL and we do get occasional frost in winter). I like the taste of Loquat fruit, it reminds me of apricots. How cold hardy is this tree?

A: Loquat tree is a very good choice for Florida gardens. It can take both cold and heat and produces lots of tasty fruit right away. Last winter when we had a record freeze in our area with a couple of nights around 25F, the only trees that didn't get any damage at all were Loquats and Macadamias, and those were still young, newly planted 4 ft trees.
To learn more about Loquat trees, check out this ">video and article: Golden Loquat - the symbol of Prosperity.

Shop Loquat Trees

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Go Bananas - up to 20% OFF Banana Trees!

Now through 4/15 - Limited Time Only!

Banana varieties collage

Banana Health Benefits

Bananas are a powerhouse of nutrition - rich in potassium for heart health, and packed with vitamins B6 and C to boost energy and immunity. They come from fast-growing, easy-care trees that thrive in warm climates or containers. Whether eaten fresh, blended, or baked, bananas are a naturally sweet and tasty treat you can grow yourself!

Ready to turn your garden into a tropical paradise and grow your own delicious bananas? Now's your chance - use our offer below!

A Banana for Every Space and Taste

At Top Tropicals, we've got over a dozen top banana varieties - from exotic ornamental beauties like Blood Leaf and Siam Ruby to edible showstoppers. Edible varieties range from popular, heavy-producing types like Double Mahoi to rare collector favorites like Ice Cream (Blue Java) - the kind you'll never find at the grocery store. We also carry dwarf varieties that grow just 4 feet tall but still produce full-sized fruit - perfect for containers, patios, and small spaces. Collect them all - edible, ornamental, dwarf, rare - and enjoy the fun, flavor, and beauty of growing your own banana grove.

From Collectors to Beginners - We've Got Your Banana

"Growing bananas is like growing sunshine. They bring energy, beauty, and fruit to your doorstep." - said Dr. Richard Campbell, tropical fruit expert and co-creator of the condo mango concept.

Growing bananas is easy, low-maintenance, and budget-friendly. With Sunshine Boosters plant food, these tropical favorites grow fast and can start producing as soon as next season! Whether you live in the South or up North, in a house or an apartment - you can grow your own bananas in the garden, on a balcony, patio, or lanai and enjoy the taste of the tropics at home.

Special Offer

Get instant 10% off all bananas for 1 week only, plus extra 10% OFF sitewide with code below for qualified orders.

Additional 10% off your entire purchase (including any other plants), saving total of 20% on your Banana trees:

GOBANANAS

Min order $150, excluding S/H. Exp. 4-15-25

Hurry, offer ends April 15th!

Go Bananas!

Banana Truly Tiny

Learn More About Banana Varieties:

- Top Ornamental Banana Varieties - Which One Belongs in Your Garden?
- Best Edible Bananas to Grow - Sweet, Unique, and Delicious!
- How Many Banana Varieties Can You Grow? (More Than You Think!)

Sunshine Boosters fertilizers for Banana trees

In the photo above: Sunshine Boosters are the best fertilizers for ornamental (Sunshine Robusta) and edible bananas (Sunshine C-Cibus).

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This is how a young Loquat tree is fruiting. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

This is how a young Loquat tree is fruiting

A young Loquat tree fruiting

🙂 This is how a young Loquat tree is fruiting

For the previous posts⤴️

📚 Loquat in previous posts:
🎥 YouTube video about Loquat
📁 Overlooked fruit: tasty Loquat recipes (PDF)

🛍 Shop Loquat Trees and enjoy fresh fruit benefits

#Food_Forest #Loquat

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

How many varieties of Bananas can I grow? A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

How many varieties of Bananas can I grow?

Bananas (Musa sp.) in containers

🍌 How many varieties of Bananas can I grow?
  • 💛 At Top Tropicals, we have a few dozen varieties of Bananas (Musa sp.) - ranging from popular commercial and plantain types to spectacular ornamental bananas with colorful, tropical foliage.
  • 💛 Banana plants are a favorite in Southern gardens, indoor plant collections, and greenhouses in cooler climates. Fast and easy to grow, they transform any space into a tropical paradise in just one season and can produce fruit for you in as little as 8–18 months after planting.
  • 💛 Bananas are a powerhouse of nutrition, packed with potassium for heart health, fiber for digestion, and vitamins B6 and C for immunity. They’re a natural energy booster, great for snacks, smoothies, and even baking. Plus, their tryptophan content can improve your mood, and their low sodium helps regulate blood pressure.
  • 💛 With so many delicious and unique varieties, growing different types of bananas lets you enjoy a range of flavors, textures, and uses - whether fresh, blended, or cooked - making them a must-have in any tropical or indoor garden!


Discover the most popular edible and ornamental bananas in our next post 🔽

🎥 Banana selection today at TopTropicals farm. Come over to pick the best one!

📚 More about Banana from previous posts:

🛍 Shop Banana varieties

#Food_Forest #Bananas

🔴 Join 👉 TopTropicals

Date:

What tropical fruit tree is cold hardy and easy to grow? It's Golden Loquat the Symbol of Prosperity, and it tastes like. A Top Tropicals Garden Blog post.

What tropical fruit tree is cold hardy and easy to grow? Its Golden Loquat the Symbol of Prosperity, and it tastes like

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) fruit

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) fruit

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) trees in pots

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) trees in pots

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) tree

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) tree

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) compot

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) compot

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) fruit

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) fruit

What tropical fruit tree is cold hardy and easy to grow? It's Golden Loquat – the Symbol of Prosperity, and it tastes like apricots!
  • 🍑 Loquat tree (Eriobotrya japonica) is fast-growing, drought-tolerant, cold-tolerant, compact tropical fruit tree.
  • 🍑 Heavy producer. Fruits are juicy, aromatic, and resemble apricots. Ripen from early Spring to early Summer.
  • 🍑 Ideal for small gardens, beginner fruit tree growers.
  • 🍑 High in sugar, acids, vitamins B and C, minerals, and pectin.
  • 🍑 Eaten fresh, used in fruit salads, jams, jellies, chutneys, pies, tarts, and wine

    • Popular as a natural sweetener and for creating sauces.
  • 🍑 Grown in Japan for over 1,000 years. In China, represents gold and wealth, often included in auspicious displays or offerings for prosperity💰


📚 Learn more about Loquats
'>🎥 YouTube video about Loquat
📁 Overlooked fruit: tasty Loquat recipes (PDF)

🛒Start your fruit garden with Loquats

#Food_Forest #Recipes

🏵 TopTropicals

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Golden Loquat - the symbol of Prosperity

by Alex Butova, the Witch of Herbs and Cats

...The Loquat is a wonderful tree, ideally suited to small gardens thanks to its compact growth habit. The plant is very fast growing, drought tolarant, and cold-tolerant to mild frost. It is an ideal fruit tree for the beginner...
...The flavor is a mixture of peach, citrus and a mild mango...
...In China, the Loquat because of its golden color, represents gold and wealth. It is often one in a bowl or composite of fruits and vegetables to represent auspicious wishes or the "Five Prosperities" or wurui...

CONTINUE READING >>

Chinese believe that planting a Golden Loquat Tree will bring you prosperity and wealth. Growing a Loquat is like growing your own Money tree!

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