Garden Blog - Top Tropicals

Date: 8 Feb 2024

2/10/2024: Chinese Year of the Dragon

2024 Year of the Dragon

Q: What is the lucky plant for Chinese New Year 2024?

A: 2024 is the year of the Green Wooden Dragon according to the Chinese calendar. It will be celebrated this year on Saturday, February 10.
Dragon symbol is considered the most powerful in Chinese astrology, representing energy, strength, and power.

The lucky plant of the year 2024, the Dragon fruit, steals the show with its striking red skin and juicy white flesh. Plates overflow with succulent slices of dragon fruit, its fiery red skin contrasting beautifully with the snowy white flesh speckled with tiny black seeds, symbolizing prosperity and abundance.

2024 the year of the Green Wooden Dragon with Dragon Fruit

Dragon fruit comes in many varieties that differ in flavor, sweetness, and texture.

Date: 3 Feb 2024

2024: Groundhog Predicted an Early Spring!

2024 Groundhog early Spring

Q: Did Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow this year?

A: Every Feb. 2, the Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil comes out of hibernation in Pennsylvania to let his shadow "do the talking." If his shadow appears, Americans are in for six more weeks of winter. If it doesn't, spring will come early. Last year, the groundhog predicted a longer winter.
This year, Phil did not see his shadow, predicting an early spring!

So, what are we waiting for?
Time to do some plant shopping!

2024 Early Spring is official - Cat

Capsicum annuum x chinense - Biquinho Pepper

Photo above: Capsicum annuum x chinense - Biquinho Pepper. The small, bright orange to red fruits are known for their intense habanero flavor, although they typically have little or no heat. In recent years, the Biquinho Pepper has become popular in South America, and is often pickled and served as a snack with caviar. It is also a great addition to salsas, guacamoles, and Bloody Marys.

Date: 27 Jan 2024

Valentine Sweetheart Hoya:
a must gift for your Valentine

Hoya kerrii - Sweetheart, Valentine Hoya

Q: What plant can you recommend for a Valentines Day present?

A: There is a perfect plant specifically for Valentine's Day! When it comes to finding the ideal plant for an occasion, it doesn't get better than this one. The Sweetheart Hoya, also known as Valentine Hoya or Hoya kerrii, is not only easy to grow but also easy-ship, making it the most user-friendly of all houseplants. Its popularity has soared in recent years, thanks to its unique and quirky "heart" shaped leaves that appeal to everyone and bring smiles to faces. In addition to these charming leaves, the Sweetheart Hoya produces fragrant, beautiful flowers resembling tiny red stars. These flowers are not only stunning but also waxy, durable, and long-lasting.

Caring for the Sweetheart Hoya is a breeze, requiring only minimal attention. It can likely thrive with just one good watering a month - that's how hardy it is. While this plant prefers a reasonably well-lit room for optimal growth, it can still fare well in shadier spots, making it a versatile addition to any home or office. Don't wait till the last moment, get your Valentine's present now - the best one ever!

We have large developed plants, ready to bloom!
Buy one (for her/him) - get one free, for yourself!

Hoya kerrii - Sweetheart, Valentine Hoya

Don't forget some plant food for it!

SUNSHINE Bombino - Young Plant Vigor Booster

SUNSHINE Bombino - Young Plant Vigor Booster

Date: 20 Jan 2024

Cat of the Month:
Winter Adventure of Lisa the Cat

Norwegian Forest Cat - Skogkatt Lisa on the table

After publishing the story about Skogkatts - Norwegian Forest Cats, we received inquiries about Lisa, if she is available for adoption? Luckily, Lisa now has her wonderful sweet home in Sweden, so unfortunately for those who fell in love with her, she is not adoptable. But Lisa's life story wasn't all that sweet and simple! Rather thrilling and adventurous. So we decided to share her story with you...

By Alex Butova, the Witch of Herbs and Cats

"...Lisa, who illustrated our story about Skogkatt Cat Breed, lives with my daughter Vanda, along with her family: husband Vitaly and two children - Max and Maria. They live in Sweden. Lisa is 13 years old now. About 10 years ago, Lisa had a heartbreaking adventure almost ended with a tragedy... But luckily, she made it through. However, since then, she can't jump high and sometimes walks funny, sways and limps... And here's what happened..."

Norwegian Forest Cat - Skogkatt Lisa with girl Maria

Date: 20 Jan 2024

Sunshine Boosters PRO - for Professionals

Vegetables and greens

Q: Winter marks the vegetable season in Florida, and my half-acre vegetable garden in Highlands County thrives during this time. I cultivate a variety of produce, including tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, beets, various lettuces, radishes, and beans. Despite the sandy and poor soils, I manage a bountiful harvest that not only sustains my extended family but also provides for friends throughout the winter. To combat our sandy soil challenges, I heavily rely on fertilizers.

Recently, I came across your Sunshine Boosters products, and the results on my tomatoes were astonishing. They grew twice as fast compared to those on a "manure" bed. What I appreciate most about your product is its natural composition, allowing me to use it on edibles. The convenience of easily integrating liquid fertilizer into our irrigation system is a game-changer.

I'm curious if you offer budget-friendly deals on your boosters for larger gardens?

SUNSHINE PRO - Complete Nutrition Booster Kit Pro, fertilizer

ON SALE TODAY

A: Absolutely! We have just the solution you're looking for - our Professional Series of Sunshine Boosters is tailored for avid growers like you. Having catered to the needs of various crops, including tomato and hemp farms, our natural, amino acid-based professional formulas are the most economical choice for any scale of production.

Our professional series covers everything, from small backyard gardens to extensive greenhouses. The feeding process involves just three solutions mixed with water in your fertilizer tank: NPK (Advantage or BloomBoom, depending on the growth stage), Ca-Support (Calcium supplement), and Microelements (Constanta-Pro). This comprehensive nutrient package meets all your garden's needs. (See advanced info about Sunshine PRO products.)

Explore our professional solutions at the Top Tropicals Online Store. For larger quantities, you can directly order from the SunshineBooster.com professional selection or just contact us for a customized quote.

If you haven't implemented an injector system yet, consider the Robuster - an easy-to-install, care-free automatic system that takes care of all the work for you.

Cat with cherry tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes