🌿 Bring the Jungle Inside: Winter Survival Guide Part 2.Temperature. ❄️

Smokey: Too cold. We need more heaters so the plants feel comfortable.
Sunshine: I feel comfortable.
Smokey: You are not part of my plant collection, but I am glad you are comfortable.

🌡️ TEMPERATURE: THE TROPICAL DORMANCY LINE

In Part 1 (Winter Survival Guide: Temperature) we covered the foundation: light, placement, and acclimation. That is the survival layer.

Most tropicals stop growing below 70 to 75 F. They stay green, but their engine shuts down.

Below 70F:

• Water intake drops.
• Roots slow down.
• Fertilizing becomes risky.
• Root root becomes easy.

If you WANT your plants to grow in winter, you must take care of everything: Warmth, light, humidity, water. It all works together.

• Aim for 75 F with bright light. Water lightly. No fertilizer.
• Watch out for drafts. Cold windows. Door blasts. Garage entryways. Even one gust can trigger leaf drop.
• Vents are the opposite problem: hot, dry, dusty air. That gives you crispy edges and mites.
Root zone temperature matters just as much as room air. Your thermostat may say 72 F, but your pot on a tile floor may be sitting at 55 F. Fix this by elevating pots on boards or stands. Use Styrofoam. Never keep pots directly on cold tile o windowsill
• Extra winter heat: Space heaters are fine if used smartly. Do not blow hot air directly on plants. Keep heaters away from cords, trays, and water. Oil filled radiators are the safest option for plant rooms.
• Use a humidifier if you want growth or want to prevent spider mites. But do not blow mist directly onto leaves. Always place the unit lower than the plant canopy.
• Grouping helps. Put tropical plants close together to share humidity. Do not mix succulents with humidity lovers.
• Cats and dogs love to knock over lights and stands. Secure your fixtures. Trust us.
• Airflow: Light airflow is healthy. Direct fan blast is not. Still, dry corners invite mites.
• A mild night drop is OK. A big one below 55 F will stop growth completely.

A mandevilla thriving indoors with bright pink blooms and glossy green leaves.

☂️ PLACEMENT: MICROCLIMATES RULE EVERYTHING

Indoors is one big tradeoff: light but cold near windows, warm but dim away from them. The winning combo is a warm room with supplemental light.

Best zones to keep plants in winter:

• South or east windows with additional light
• Warm living spaces
• Bright bathrooms for natural humidity

Worst zones to keep plants in winter:

• Behind curtains
• Directly on windowsills
• Near heaters or vents
• Against cold exterior walls
• Dark corners without supplemental lighting

A vigorous indoor philodendron stretching across the window.

💨 ACCLIMATION

Moving a plant from outdoors to indoors is a shock. Light drops. Humidity drops. Airflow stops. Soil cools. Even healthy plants may drop some leaves for a few weeks. That is normal.

Before you bring them inside:

• Rinse foliage to remove dust and pests. We recommend Sunshine NoBug - and organic, safe solution.
• Check for ants.
• Trim weak branches.
• Treat soil if fungus gnats are present.

Try to bring plants inside before the first cold front, not after. If you are reading this too late, do the prep now and expect a little leaf drop.

If you nail light and temperature, winter becomes simple. In the next mail-list we will cover watering, fertilizer timing, humidity, and other indoor tricks that keep tropicals happy till spring. Stay tuned.

Cat Bob is inspecting his indoor garden around the tub with a bright skylight

✔️ WINTER INDOOR FAQ: TEMPERATURE AND PLACEMENT

Q: Why are leaves dropping only on the window side?
A: Cold glass. The room may be warm, but the glass surface can be much colder.

Q: Is a cold room OK for tropicals?
A: They may survive, but they will not grow below about 65F to 75F. When nights stay below 65F for a week, many plants enter dormancy.

Q: My room feels warm. Why is my plant still not growing?
A: Check the soil temperature. Pots on cold tile can be 10 to 20F colder than the air.

Q: Can plants sit directly on the floor?
A: Not on cold tile. Always elevate them on boards, stands, or trays.

Q: Is it OK to keep plants near a heater or vent?
A: No. Vents and heaters blast hot, dry air and cause crispy leaves and mites.

Q: My plant is dropping leaves after coming indoors. Why?
A: Normal acclimation to reduced light and humidity right after the move.

Q: Can I keep plants in a bright bathroom?
A: Yes. Bathrooms can have good humidity. Just keep pots off cold tile.

Q: Do I need a humidifier?
A: Not for survival. Yes if you want better growth and fewer pests like spider mites.

Q: Do I need a grow tent?
A: No. A bright LED plus a warm room is enough for winter holding.

Q: Should I fertilize in winter?
A: Not now. Winter fertilizer rules will be covered in the next mail-list.

Q: Should I water the same as in summer?
A: No. Indoor plants need much less water in winter. Watering rules also coming soon.

🛒 Shop Indoor Garden

📚 Learn more:

• Bring the Jungle Inside: Winter Survival Guide Part 1: Lighting
• SUNSHINE NoBug - Natural Plant Protector
• How to overwinter tropical plants indoors
• Feeding indoor plants
• Overwintering Adeniums outside of tropics

🌿 Bring the Jungle Inside: Winter Survival Guide Part 1: Lighting ❄️

Smokey: "Winter lighting must be precise. I need this light exactly at 14 inches."
Sunshine: "Sure. I am holding this… little number thing."
Smokey: "It reads humidity. Your main job is to look cute."

🌞 LIGHT, TEMPERATURE, PLACEMENT

Winter indoors is a different kind of battlefield. Dark rooms. Dry air. Cold windows. Random drafts. Weak light. Sad plants. We've been talking about keeping your tropicals alive outdoors previously. But some of you have no choice this time of year. You have to bring the jungle inside.

If that is you, then this is your plant survival guide.

☀️ LIGHT: THE WINTER LIFELINE

Light advice here comes straight from our in-house expert, Michael Dubinovsky, a high-tech lighting engineer with over 30 years of hands-on experience. If he says brightness beats hours, trust him.

Here is the truth: Indoor light in winter is 10 to 50 times weaker than outdoors. Short days. Low-angle sun. Windows filtering half the useful light. It all adds up.

Tropicals need 10 to 12 hours of real brightness. Winter sun cannot do that on its own. Not even in a big window. So we help them.

Use bright LED shop lights or utility lights. 5000K to 6500K CCT. High lumen output. Skip decorative bulbs. Skip purple grow fancy toy lights. If you want a single plant light, even a clamp lamp is fine if you screw in a bright daylight LED bulb.

Panels work best for plant clusters. Bars for shelves. Bulbs for single plants. And grouping plants under one bright panel always beats spreading them out.

Distance matters: keep LEDs about 12 to 18 inches above the leaves. Too close: leaf burn. Too far: stretching, weak stems.

Leaves reaching up? Light is too high or too weak. Leaves curling down? Light is too close.

If you want a reality check, download any smartphone lux meter app. Most indoor corners are 50 to 200 lux without supplemental light. Tropicals want much more

And a quick tip about windows: winter sun comes in sideways. A spot that looks bright at noon can go dull by 2 PM. Don't count of window light

Bright light or long hours

People try to fix weak light by running it for 16 or 18 hours. That does not work. Plants care more about light intensity. A few hours of strong light beats all-day dim light. If the light is weak, adding more hours will not change anything except your electric bill.

Simple rule: Short duration but bright is always better than long duration but weak. - by Michael, Top Tropicals lighting expert

No need for fancy horticultural panels

You do not need purple grow lights. You do not need special horticultural fixtures. You do not need expensive panels unless you want real winter growth.

For winter plant holding till spring, the inexpensive solution works great:

• Bright LED daylight bulbs (5000K to 6500K) from hardware store
• High lumen output
• Inexpensive clamp lamps
• Aim directly at the plant from 12 to 18 inches

This setup keeps tropicals happy until spring without buying anything fancy. Save the money for soil, pots, or your next plant.

Indoor plant lighting safety note:

• Use timers. Keep cords dry. Do not overload outlets.
• Do not hang lights over humidifiers.
• And do not put fixtures on piles of books to raise them. People do this.

✔️ WINTER INDOOR FAQ: TEMPERATURE AND PLACEMENT

Q: I am in Home Depot. Which light do I buy?
A: LED shop light, daylight color (5000K to 6500K), high lumens. Skip fancy plant bulbs.

Q: Can I use clamp lamps or floor lamps for plants?
A: Yes. Clamp lamps with a bright daylight LED bulb work great for winter holding.

Q: Do I need special horticultural grow lights?
A: No. A bright LED daylight bulb works fine for winter. Save the fancy lights for real growth projects.

Q: How far should the light be from the plant?
A: About 12 to 18 inches above the leaves. Too close burns. Too far stretches.

Q: Can I run weak lights for 18 hours to compensate?
A: No. Weak light plus long hours still equals a weak plant. Brightness matters more than hours.

Q: How do I know if a spot is bright enough?
A: Use a free phone lux app. Most indoor corners are much too dim for tropicals.

Q: I have a huge window. Why do I still need LEDs?
A: Indoor winter light is weak, short, and filtered by glass. Plants want intensity, not just a big window.

Q: My window faces north. Now what?
A: North windows are decorative only. Use supplemental lighting or move the plant.

📚 Learn more:

• How to overwinter tropical plants indoors
• Overwintering Adeniums outside of tropics

❄️Cold Night Survival Guide

Smokey and Sunshine Prepare Plants for the Cold Night.

Smokey: Come on, Sunshine, help me move these plants inside before it gets dark!
Sunshine: I am helping... see? I’m supervising the mango tree.
Smokey: You call that supervising? The frost cloth’s upside down!

When the forecast drops into the 30s, panic is not a plan. This is your simple, clear checklist to protect every tropical in your garden. Think of it as the quick emergency manual that goes hand in hand with the previous cold-weather newsletter.

"We all love our tropical flowers, mangoes, bananas, and rare fruit trees. A single cold night does not have to be a disaster. The key is knowing what to do, when to do it, and what mistakes to avoid." - Tatiana Anderson, Top Tropicals Plant Expert

🌡️ FROST AND FREEZE

A frost and a freeze are not the same. A frost is when you see ice crystals on leaves or grass, while a freeze is when the air temperature drops below 32 F. The tricky part is that you can get frost even when the air is above freezing, and you can have a freeze with no frost at all. It all depends on humidity and the dew point. If the dew point is below freezing, the ground can cool faster than the air, letting frost form even when your thermometer reads 35 or 36 F. And once the air itself drops below 32 F, even for an hour, tender tropicals can be damaged. For plants, a freeze is far more dangerous, because freezing air pulls heat out of stems, branches, and roots. Frost usually burns leaves, but a true freeze can injure wood, kill buds, and damage the entire plant.

Frost on the grass and leaves on Winter morning in Central Florida

WHAT TO DO AND NOT TO DO BEFORE A COLD SNAP

✔️ 5 THINGS TO DO:

1. Water well. Hydrated plants tolerate cold better than dry, stressed ones.
2. Add mulch. A thick layer around the base keeps roots warm.
3. Block the wind. Move pots to a sheltered corner or patio.
4. Cover at night, uncover in the morning. Let plants breathe and get light.
5. Add gentle heat if needed. Non-LED Christmas lights or a small old style 15-20W light can raise temps a few degrees.

❌ 5 THINGS NOT TO DO:

1. Do not prune or trim. Fresh cuts freeze first.
2. Do not overwater. Wet, cold soil invites root rot.
3. Do not let plants dry out either. Wilted plants freeze more easily.
4. Do not use dry fertilizer. Gentle liquid feeds like Sunshine Boosters are safe to use with every watering: its intake naturally slows down as watering decreases.
5. Do not look only at the thermometer. A long, windy night can be worse than a short freeze.

TEMPERATURE ACTION GUIDE (40 to 25 F)

• 40 to 38 F: Move potted plants to shelter, water soil, and cover tender tropicals.
• 37 to 33 F: Use frost cloth and anchor it down so the wind does not lift it.
• 32 to 30 F: Add a heat source like non-LED lights.
• 29 to 25 F: Double-cover sensitive plants, wrap trunks, and protect roots heavily.

COLD TOLERANCE BY PLANT TYPE

Before a cold night, it really helps to know your plant’s exact cold limits. Every species is different, and young plants are always more sensitive than mature ones. Take a few minutes to look up your varieties in our Tropical Plants Encyclopedia — it will tell you the safe temperature range, how much protection each plant needs, and which ones must be covered or moved before the next cold snap hits.

• Bananas: leaf burn below 37 F
• Mango, Annona: hurt around 32 F
• Cold hardy avocados: Mature tree can take about 25 F. Young trees must be protected
• Olives, Citrus, Guava, Jaboticaba: usually OK outside with mulch

QUICK-ACTION TABLE

Before the cold arrives, make yourself a quick list of every plant and what action each one needs. It saves time when temperatures start dropping and keeps you from scrambling in the dark. Check that you have enough frost cloth, blankets, and supplies on hand so you can cover everything without rushing. Planning ahead makes cold nights much less stressful.

• Bring Indoors: Cacao, Bilimbi, Coffee. They need warm, bright light.
• Cover Outdoors: Mango, Jackfruit, Banana, Annona. Use frost cloth, not plastic on leaves.
• Leave Outside: Eugenias, Peaches, Persimmons, Longan, Lychee, Papaya, Citrus, Loquat, Hardy Avocado. Add mulch and monitor overnight lows.

🛒 Check out cold tolerant tropicals

Covering large mango and avocado trees in pots at TopTropicals during cold nights

GADGETS AND TOOLS THAT HELP

• Indoor helpers: LED lights, small heaters, bottom-heat mats, timers.
• Outdoor helpers: frost cloth rolls, mini greenhouses, non-LED Christmas lights or small incandescent lights, smart thermometers.

Always keep electrical safety in mind, especially if you are using extension cords outdoors. Use only weather-rated cords, keep all connections off the ground, and protect plugs from moisture. Make sure heaters and lights are stable, secured, and never touching fabric covers. A few minutes of safety check can prevent a dangerous situation on a cold, wet night.

And if you want to keep plants strong through winter, add Sunshine Boosters to your watering routine. It is gentle, safe in cold weather, and gives plants an extra edge.

AFTER THE COLD PASSES

In the morning, uncover plants. Leaving covers on during the day can trap heat and cook the tender new growth, especially under the sun. The only exception is true frost cloth designed for all-day use, which allows air, light, and moisture to pass through. Regular blankets, sheets, and plastic must come off as soon as the sun rises.

Do not cut anything yet. A plant can look completely dead after a freeze, but many branches are still alive under the bark. Cutting too soon removes wood that would recover on its own. Wait until new growth begins in spring. That is when you can see exactly which branches are truly dead.

Use the scratch test. Gently scratch the bark with your nail or a small knife. If the layer underneath is green, the branch is alive. If it is brown and dry, it is likely dead. But even then, wait until warm weather to be sure, because sometimes only the tips die back while the lower part of the branch survives.

Once the weather stabilizes, resume light feeding. Plants coming out of cold stress need gentle support, not heavy fertilizer. A mild liquid feed like Sunshine Boosters helps them rebuild roots and push new growth without burning tender tissue.

Dwarf Ceiba Pink Princess (Grafted) - a unique compact cultivar covered with pink flowers in Winter. Watch short video: How this breath-taking flowering tree stays so compact.

WHAT NOT TO DO

• Do not prune right after a freeze.
• Do not overwater cold soil.
• Do not fertilize heavily until spring.
• Do not leave covers on in full sun.

CLOSING THOUGHT

Your tropical garden can survive any cold night if you prepare right. Cold snaps always feel stressful in the moment, but once you know your plants, have the right supplies, and follow a simple plan, it becomes routine. A few minutes of preparation before dark can save months of growth and keep your collection healthy all winter.

Frost cloth is the true workhorse of cold protection: it keeps heat in, keeps frost off, and will not suffocate plants the way plastic or blankets can. Having a few rolls ready means you never have to scramble at the last minute. Sunshine Boosters give your plants gentle support during the colder months so they stay strong enough to bounce back quickly when warm weather returns.

A little planning now will pay off in spring, when your mango, banana, citrus, and all your favorite tropicals come back happy and ready to grow.

🛒 Shop Garden Supplies

Add Heat Pack to your plant order

🏡 To Use Your Garden Or Be Used By It

Smokey and Sunshine November Planting.

Smokey: Winter roots make spring easy. Keep that plant straight.
Sunshine: I am keeping it straight by not touching it at all.
Smokey: That is exactly what I was afraid of.

November is the month when the garden finally stops yelling at you. The heat backs off, the bugs calm down, and the weeds take a breath. This is when we get to take control again. And as gardeners, we know the truth: Either you use your garden, or your garden will use you in spring. Let me walk you through this, gardener to gardener.

"November is when the garden finally listens. Give it a little direction now, shape it, guide it, and prepare it for spring. It will reward you all year." - Tatiana Anderson, Top Tropicals Plant Expert

🌴 When The Garden Uses You

We have all lived this scene:

• March weeds appear, and two days later it looks like a jungle.
• One missed watering turns into five wilted plants and a full week of recovery.
• A skipped feeding shows up as yellow leaves and panic searching online.
• Bugs return fast, and suddenly you are washing leaves every other day.
• Random plant purchases fill your yard with chaos and mismatched care needs.
• When the garden takes control, spring feels like hard work, not joy.

Overgrown Tropical Garden Showing How a Garden Can Use You

📊 When You Use Your Garden

November flips the script. Plants slow down. Soil stays warm. This is the safest month to experiment, move plants, fix mistakes, and redesign.

What you do now pays off huge in March.

• You map out sun zones and shade zones.
• You mulch now so weeds do not explode later.
• You move plants to better positions without heat stress.
• You remove the high-drama plants before they start another season of complaints.
• You pick what you want for next year instead of letting impulse buys rule you.

Spring becomes smooth instead of overwhelming. And honestly? It feels good to walk outside in March and see order instead of chaos.

In the photo: Every garden starts in small steps. Biquinho Pepper (front) in the garden.

What Benefit Do You Get Personally?

• Less watering.
• Fewer bugs.
• Bigger fruit.
• Better flowering.
• Less money wasted.
• Less time fixing problems you could have prevented now.

This is why experienced tropical gardeners adore November.

In the photo: Organized Tropical Garden. Firebush (lemon gold variety) and Cordylines (Ti Leaf) make colorful spots in the garden.

🐭 Start With Something Small Today (5 Minutes)

Pick one:

• Add mulch to the driest spot in your yard.
• Cut one dead branch from any tree.
• Move one pot to a better sun angle.
• Pull three weeds from the worst area.
• Water deeply once this week.

Small steps now save hours later.

⭐ One Short Story

Last year we planted a Star Fruit in November. By March, it was already covered in flowers, and have been harvesting fruit non-stop since then! That is what winter planning does: it gives plants a head start you can actually see.

🐍 Plants That Will Use You If You Let Them

These are great plants, but only if you plan before planting them:

• Banana (thirsty)
• Hibiscus (hungry)
• Brugmansia (sensitive)
• Passion vine (takes over anything it touches)

Place them wrong, and they become full-time jobs.

In the photo: Passion Vine taking over the swing.

🐰 Plants That Work For You

These feel like free upgrades to the yard:

• Moringa - grows almost on autopilot
• Star Fruit - continuous production
• Dragon Fruit - minimal effort for big results
• Cattley Guava - cold hardy, compact and fruitful
• Loquat - fast fruiting and hardy
• Mulberry - very cold hardy with fruit abundance
• Tabebuia - spectacular winter colors
• Brunfelsia - reliable night fragrance in shade
• Adenium - perfect container showstopper
• Jasmine - instant fragrance
• Mexican Flame Vine - fast growing yet controllable vine
• Wiri Wiri and Biquinho Peppers - always available for your kitchen
• Firebush, Hamelia - everblooming and hardy butterfly native
• Cordyline Ti Leaf - instant leaf colors
• Megaskepasma Brazilian plume - lush tropical foliage with red blooms in shade or sun
• Iris - hardy easy low-growing native for any soil
• Champaka, Joy Perfume Tree - legendary perfume tree that blooms almost year round
• Olive tree - maintenance-free source of olives
• Plumeria - instant Hawaiian perfume flowers all summer
• Dombeya - spectacular hydrangea-like blooms all winter
• Insulin Ginger - instant nature remedy
• Eugenia Cherries and Barbados Cherry - immediate fruit, compact trees for small gardens or pots
• Peanut Butter tree - exotic sweet fruit like peanut butter, compact tree
• Blackberry Jam fruit - exotic fruit like blackberry jam, very small tree
• Colocasia - instant tropical look with Elephant ears
• Strawberry tree - sweet cotton-candy fruit year around
• Papaya - fits any yard, delicious fruit and natural digestive remedy

Pick even one of these and your garden starts giving back.

In the photo: Cattley Guava brings not only tasty fruit but also a wonderful character with its amazing multi-color twisted trunk.

🌡️ November Advantage

You cannot ruin anything in November. This is the safest, calmest month to shape your garden the way you want. If you act now, spring becomes a victory lap. If you wait, spring becomes a rescue mission.

In the photo: Adenium is a colorful accent in the garden.

💐 Thanksgiving Tie-In

This is the season to reset, breathe, and be thankful for your outdoor space. A garden that works for you is one of the best gifts you can give yourself going into the new year.

Start your November plan today. Use your garden. Do not let it use you.

In the photo: Megaskepasma, Iris, Colocasia, Crotons, Dracaena and Ti Leaf bring instant tropical look to your garden.

Shop Fruit trees

Shop Flowering shrubs

❄️ How to Prepare Your Tropical Garden for Winter

Smokey and Sunshine Wrap Up the Garden with Frost Cloth Before the Chill.

Smokey: "Thermometer says 45. Time to wrap the bananas!"
Sunshine: "You wrap the bananas. I’ll guard the mulch… from this sunny spot."
Smokey: "Teamwork, Sunshine. Teamwork."

🌡️ Cold nights are coming - but your tropicals do not need to shiver!

Even in sunny Florida and other warm zones, one cold snap can undo months of growth. Preparation is everything. Tropical plants can handle a lot, but they dislike surprises. Let’s make sure your garden stays safe, strong, and happy all winter long.

Tips from Tatiana Anderson, Top Tropicals Plant Expert

👉 Group and Check Your Plants

You already know which plants are in pots and which are in the ground. What matters now is prioritizing by cold sensitivity. Identify the tender tropicals – papaya, banana, plumeria, adenium, heliconia – and decide which ones get covered first when temperatures drop. Keep frost cloths or old sheets near those areas, ready to grab fast. If your garden is large, label protection zones or mark plants that always need extra care. The goal is to have a plan, not a panic, when the cold alert hits.

Once you know your priorities, you can plan the rest of your protection strategy.

👉 Feed and Mulch

Stop using high-nitrogen fertilizers by late fall. They push soft new growth that freezes easily. Add compost around the base of your plants and top with 3 to 4 inches of mulch. Mulch acts like a blanket: it keeps warmth in, protects the roots, and keeps soil moisture steady. Just make sure the soil drains well; cold and soggy soil leads to root rot. In raised beds, check that water flows away easily.

After you feed and mulch, it is time to look at how your local zone changes the game.

👉 Zone-by-Zone Tips

Moving Tropical Plants Indoors for Winter Protection

• Zone 10: You are lucky! This is mostly a maintenance season. Watch for root rot after heavy rain, trim lightly if needed, and protect tender young trees during surprise chills. Keep some frost cloth ready just in case.
• Zone 9: This is the main action zone. Nights can dip into the 30s. Deep-water your trees once before cold nights to insulate the roots. Apply heavy mulch, and have frost protection ready to go. If you grow tropical fruit like mango or guava, consider wrapping young trunks in burlap or foam pipe insulation.
• Zone 8: This is where tropical gardening becomes creative. Stick to cold-hardy tropicals such as loquat, guava, or cold-hardy avocado varieties. Use portable greenhouses, wrap trunks, and move smaller plants indoors or to a heated porch when frost threatens.

Now that the garden beds are set, let’s look at your pots and containers – your most mobile plants.

👉 Container and Patio Plants

Potted plants are the easiest to protect but also the quickest to freeze. Start reducing watering now so roots do not stay too wet in cooler weather. Before moving them, check for insects hiding under leaves or in the soil. Group your pots close to a wall for reflected heat and wind protection. If you plan to bring them indoors, do it gradually. Move them closer to the house for a few days before bringing them all the way inside to help them adjust to lower light and humidity.

When the chill starts, many gardeners rush to move everything inside at once – but a smooth transition works much better.

👉 Indoor Plants

When bringing plants inside, give them a good rinse to remove dust and bugs, and flush the soil to wash out salts from summer fertilizing. Keep them separate from your houseplants for a week to make sure no pests come along. Expect some leaf drop – it is normal as they adjust to lower light. Give them bright light near a window, and cut watering by about half until spring. Avoid misting too much; good airflow matters more than humidity during winter.

Many tropicals, like hibiscus, brugmansia, and crotons, may look tired for a while, but they will bounce back quickly once days get longer.

👉 Timing Is Everything

The key is to prepare before the first cold warning. Check your weather app regularly once nights start dropping into the 50s. Keep covers, mulch, and supplies ready so you are not running outside at midnight with a flashlight and a frozen hose. Have your frost cloths labeled by plant group and stored in an easy spot. A little organization now saves a lot of stress later.

Many tropicals, like hibiscus, brugmansia, and crotons, may look tired for a while, but they will bounce back quickly once days get longer.

Remember: the goal is to help your plants rest safely. Many gardeners prune or fertilize too late in the season – we will talk about why that can be risky next week." — says Tatiana Anderson, Top Tropicals Plant Expert

Coming next mail-list: The best gadgets for cold protection (lights, heaters, frost covers) and what NOT to do in winter.

📚 Learn more from Top Tropicals Blog:

Cold protection - winter action for your plant collection

What plants are good to order in Winter?

How to take care of house plants in Winter

How to protect tropical plants in Winter

How to take care of a mango tree in winter

How to protect Avocado from cold

Overwintering Adeniums outside of tropics

Protecting Tropical Plants with Frost Covers at Top Tropicals Nursery

How to protect tropical plants in Winter

Winter tips and podcast

Photo above: wrapping plants with frost cloth

Winter can be tough on plants, especially on tropical varieties. But with a little preparation, you can protect your garden and keep your plants safe from the cold. Here's how:

Winter Care Tips for Tropical Plants

Cut watering: Reduce watering to prevent root rot. Cold + wet = dead roots.
Water before frost: Thirsty plants are more vulnerable. Water them before a cold night to prevent damage.
Wind protection: Wind is more harmful than temperature drops. Plant near structures like houses or trees for shelter.
Prepare for long cold periods: If cold weather lasts for hours, use all available protection, including Christmas lights and propane heaters.
Don't use dry fertilizer in winter: Heavy fertilizing encourages tender growth, which is more susceptible to cold damage. Sunshine Boosters liquid fertilizers are safe to use year around as their intake is controlled by reduced watering.
Use fabric covers, not plastic: Plastic can cook plants in the sun, while fabric allows better ventilation.

Photo above: we cover our plants in the nursery with a thin synthetic fabric (sintepon) called "frost cloth" or "strawberry cloth". It is light, breathable and allows light and water to go through unlike plastic that creates heavy water pockets.

Prepare for Cold Nights

Wrap plants: On cold nights, cover individual plants or trees with sheets or blankets to shield them from wind chill.
Use Christmas lights: A simple string of lights can add extra warmth, protecting your plants during frosty nights.
Use propane heaters: For added warmth in a larger area, place a propane heater near your plants. Make sure to follow safety guidelines and keep the heater at a safe distance from flammable materials. This can help maintain a few extra degrees of warmth, especially in more open garden spaces or temporary greenhouses. Always ensure proper ventilation to avoid harmful gas buildup.

Photo above: we use both propane and kerosene heaters at the nursery

Large Collections? Build a Temporary Greenhouse

Affordable winter greenhouse: For large plant collections, you don't need an expensive greenhouse. A mobile carport with plastic or fabric covering, costing around $200, can house up to 100 plants!

Photo above: Temporary wrapping around plant collection with a plastic or frost cloth protects from a windchill. It may also win you a few degrees even without a heater. In this particular case, according to our temp sensors, with 30F outside, it was 41F inside this "dome", no heaters used.

Southern Exposure and Garage Storage

Southern windowsills: Compact tropicals can thrive on southern-facing windowsills, getting plenty of sunlight during the day.
Move plants inside: If you have larger collections, move them into a well-lit garage for the colder nights or longer periods.

Photo above: using Christmas lights around plants while wrapping with frost cloth.

Key Factors for Survival

Cold duration: Tropical plants can survive brief cold spells but long durations, even above freezing, can be deadly.
Wind-chill: Wind chill can be harsher than the temperature itself.
Exposure: Southern-facing slopes hold heat longer, making them ideal for your plants.
Humidity: Proximity to lakes or oceans can create a milder micro-climate.
Gradual temperature Drops are safer. Plants adjust better to slow temperature changes than sudden cold blasts. Gradual cooling allows plants to prepare, reducing the risk of damage.

Strengthen Plant Hardiness

Health and maturity: Well-established, healthy plants are more cold-hardy.
Boost plant immunity: Use products like SUNSHINE-Epi to improve cold resistance. Apply it before and during cold snaps to protect your plants.
Healthy plant is hardy. Make sure to fertilize your plants on regular basis - healthier and stronger plants are more cold hardy.

With these steps, you can protect your plants and help them survive the winter months. Stay warm and keep your garden thriving!

Podcast with Horticulturist Mark Hooten:
How to Protect Tropical Plants in Winter

💕How would you like to give a Valentine plant gift?

Choose the plant

If you already know what feels right, choose the plant now. Sweetheart Hoya is a favorite for a reason, and there are other Valentine plants to explore if you want options.

A good choice when you feel confident, love plants, or are gifting something meant to live indoors.

Let your Valentine choose

If timing, weather, or choice feels uncertain, a Gift Card keeps the moment simple. Your Valentine can choose the perfect plant when the time is right.

Especially helpful for gardeners up north, or when you want the gift to unfold later.

About shipping and timing

We ship live plants with care and pay close attention to weather along the way. If conditions are not right, we may hold a shipment briefly to keep plants safe.

If timing or weather makes you hesitate, a Gift Card is an easy way to give a Valentine gift now and choose the plant later, when conditions are perfect.

🎁 Buy Gift Card

More Valentines Gift Plants

• Valentines plants from around the world that symbolize love, connection, and appreciation. 👉Learn
• Top nine plants of love, desire, and the senses: aphrodisiacs and sensory connections. 👉Learn
• Four popular plants of friendship, appreciation, and shared connection. 👉Learn
• Eight favorite plants of romance, affection, and emotional connection. 👉Learn

✍️ More About Velentines Gift Plants from Blog

🎁 Shop Gift Plants

🌿 Bring the Jungle Inside: Winter Survival Guide. Part 3. Watering and Humidity. ❄️

💦 Water, Humidity, and the Small Things That Decide Who Makes It to Spring

In Part 1 (Winter Survival Guide: Temperature) we covered the foundation: light, placement, and acclimation. That is the survival layer.

Part 2 (Winter Survival Guide: Temperature) is about what quietly ruins plants indoors in winter. Not overnight. Slowly.

Most winter losses come from good intentions and habits that worked fine outdoors or in summer, but fail indoors when growth slows.

Watering: Where Most Indoor Plants Die in Winter

If there is one winter skill that matters more than anything else, it is knowing when not to water.

In winter, light is weaker, temperatures are lower, roots stay cold longer, and growth slows or stops. Plants simply do not drink the way they do in summer.

How winter watering actually works

Do not water on a schedule. Winter does not care about your calendar.

Instead:

• Water thoroughly when you do water.
• Let excess drain out.
• Then wait longer than feels comfortable.

Before watering, test the soil with your finger. Water only when the top inch or so is dry.

If the soil below still feels cool and damp, do nothing. That is the hardest skill to learn.

Remember what we covered in Part 1: in winter, soil and roots stay cold much longer. Cold roots absorb water very slowly. Wet, cold soil is not helpful moisture. It is stress.

Waiting is often the correct move.

Common winter watering traps

• The soil surface looks dry, but the root ball is still wet.
• Pots near windows dry unevenly.
• Large pots stay wet for weeks.

Always check below the surface. If the pot feels cold and heavy, roots are not asking for water yet.

Signs you are watering too much

• Soil stays wet for many days.
• Pot feels heavy long after watering.
• Leaves yellow and soften.
• Fungus gnats appear.

As a rough guideline, most indoor tropicals need 25 to 50 percent less water than summer, sometimes even less in low light.

Always use room temperature water. Cold water shocks roots and slows recovery.

Humidity: Invisible Winter Stress

Winter indoor air is dry. Often far drier than people realize.

Heating systems pull moisture out of the air, and many homes sit at 20 to 30 percent humidity all winter. Most tropical plants prefer something closer to 50 to 60 percent.

Low humidity rarely kills plants outright. It weakens them first. That is why pests show up more often in winter. The plant is already stressed before insects arrive.

What low humidity looks like

• Brown or crispy leaf edges.
• Curling leaves.
• New leaves stuck while unfolding.
• Spider mites appearing suddenly.

What actually helps

• Group plants together.
• Use pebble trays.
• Run a room humidifier.
• Use bathrooms if light allows.

Humidity works best when plants are grouped. One isolated plant in dry air struggles far more than a group sharing moisture.

Misting leaves feels helpful, but it only raises humidity for minutes. It does not fix dry air.

Cleaning Leaves: More Important Than It Sounds

Winter light is already weak. Dust makes it worse.

Dusty leaves block light, clog stomata, and create hiding places for pests.

Wiping leaves is one of the simplest winter care steps, and one of the most ignored.

How to clean

• Soft cloth.
• Plain water.
• Mild soap if needed.

Gently wipe. No scrubbing. Every few weeks is enough.

Plants with fuzzy leaves, like African violets, should only be brushed gently with a dry brush.

Clean leaves also make problems easier to see. You will spot mites, scale, or damage early instead of discovering it weeks later.

Winter is not the season to be surprised.

Soil and Pots Behave Differently Indoors

Soil that works outdoors often behaves badly indoors. No wind, lower evaporation, and cooler roots mean the same soil stays wet far longer than expected.

In winter, roots care more about oxygen than water. Soil that stays wet pushes oxygen out, even if the plant looks fine above the soil line.

This is why rot often appears suddenly in late winter, not right after watering mistakes.

Pot size matters

Large pots dry slowly. Slow drying plus cool soil equals rot.

If a plant is barely growing, a very large pot is not doing it any favors.

About repotting

Winter is not the time to repot unless you must.

Only repot if:

• Roots are rotting.
• Pests are severe.
• The plant is clearly failing.

Repotting in winter slows recovery and often makes things worse.

Airflow: Quietly Important

Indoor winter air is still. Still air leads to mold, fungus, and spider mites.

Airflow is not about cooling plants. It is about breaking stagnant air layers that pests and fungus love.

A small fan on low, not blowing directly on plants, makes a big difference. Even gentle movement helps more than people expect.

Drainage and Mold: Boring but Critical

Never let pots sit in water.

Standing water causes root rot, fungus gnats, and mold smell. Always empty trays after watering.

Raise pots slightly so air can move underneath. It helps more than people expect.

If you smell sour soil or a musty odor, something is staying wet too long. That smell is an early warning, not a minor issue.

Fertilizer: Mostly Stop

This is where a lot of winter damage happens.

If a plant is not actively growing, fertilizer does not help. It hurts.

In winter, most indoor tropicals are in maintenance mode, not growth mode. Feeding during this time leads to salt buildup, root burn, and weak, floppy growth.

Green leaves do not mean the plant is growing. They often just mean the plant has not given up yet.

Growth shows up as new leaves, longer stems, or expanding roots. No growth means no feeding.

When light feeding is acceptable

Only if all of these are true:

• The plant is warm.
• Light is strong.
• You see real new growth.

Even then, feed lightly and less often than summer.

Spring will come. You do not need to force it.

Common Winter Care Mistakes

• Watering on a schedule.
• Misting instead of humidifying.
• Fertilizing to fix poor light.
• Ignoring cold windowsills.
• Placing pots on cold tile or stone.
• Repotting out of boredom.
• Letting trays stay wet.
• Assuming green leaves mean growth.
• Assuming winter leaf drop always means death.

Quick Winter FAQ

My soil stays wet forever.
Too little light, too cold, or pot too large. Water less.

Leaves are crispy but soil is wet.
Low humidity combined with overwatering.

Should I mist every day?
No. Fix the air, not the leaves.

Can I fertilize just a little?
Only if the plant is clearly growing.

Why do I suddenly have fungus gnats?
Wet soil indoors is the invitation.

My plant looks fine but has not grown in months. Is that bad?
No. Stability is success in winter.

When Bigger means Better

Everybody loves shopping online nowadays, and plants are no exception. Buying plants by mail order is not uncommon anymore; it only takes one click, and luckily, there are many sources - from big shopping malls like Amazon to small backyard nurseries that sell their seedlings on eBay or Facebook - all delivered to your door. But plants are alive... So when doing your online plant shopping, you must ensure that you fully enjoy your experience and are happy with a healthy plant that a) doesn't die; b) recovers quickly; and c) starts growing fast, so you can see flowers and fruit as soon as possible.

The rule of thumb for shipping plants: bigger plants undergo shipping better, experience less stress, less leaf drop, and recover quicker than plants with smaller root systems. So when it comes to buying plants online, the bigger, the better. Unfortunately, many mail-order plant sources may sell you a tiny twig that has very few chances of surviving. Shipping is very expensive today, so shipping a bigger size plant may cost more than the plant itself.

Below is a piece of advice on how to make the best plant selection for your garden...

Photo above: Loquat trees in 3 gal containers.

5 important rules on how to buy trees online

1. Find a source with bigger plants. Check reviews, ask friends for recommendations, inquire from the company about the size of their plants and how they pack their plants for shipping.
TopTropicals offers well-established, strong plants with developed root system, in container sizes 1, 3, 7, 15 gallon, directly from a tropical Florida growing farm. Our unique plant-packing techniques are state of the art!

2. Price not always reflects the size and quality of the plant
TopTropicals offers many deals, discounts and sales, while still providing the biggest and strongest plants grown in real tropical conditions.

3. Most fruit trees must be grafted to produce good fruit. Make sure you are not purchasing a seedling when it comes to Mango, Avocado, Peaches and some other trees with named varieties that don't come true to seed.
TopTropicals offers only grafted - Mango, Avocado and a large number of other tropical cultivars.

4. Pick up when possible from the nursery your ordered from, or get a delivery, instead of shipping the plants. A drive to the nursery will save you more time and money in the future, plus you can hand-pick the biggest and healthiest specimens.
TopTropicals is open 7 days a week for your convenience. Visit our Ft Myers Garden Center or Sebring Farm to select the biggest plants.

5. Take advantage of X-Large size plant material if you live outside the tropical zone and are trying to zone-push your tropical garden. Bigger plants will establish faster and have more chances to survive cold winters. Again, it will save you money in a long run (although bigger plants may be more expensive, but their survival rate is much higher when it comes to cold nights).
TopTropicals offers X-Large flowering and fruiting trees (7-15-25 gallons), and most of the varieties you see in our online store can be custom-ordered in big sizes. Delivery and installation available.

Photo above: Avocado trees in 7 gal containers.

Photo above: Magnolia champaca - Joy Perfume Tree in 25 gal container.

When the Black Bat Lily decides to bloom

Every so often a plant blooms and the whole greenhouse seems to slow down.

That is what happened this week with the Black Bat Lily, Tacca chantrieri. We have grown Taccas for years, but when the black ones open properly, it still feels special. The flowers are dark and quiet, almost unreal up close. They do not shout for attention. They make you lean in.

Right now, we have a lot of them blooming at the same time. If you have never seen one in person, photos only get you part of the way there. The wings are darker than you expect, and the whiskers seem to go on forever. People walk into the greenhouse, stop, stare, and usually ask the same question: "Is that real?" - Yes. It is.

A quick honest note, because this matters. The blooms themselves are delicate and may not travel well. That is just the nature of this plant. The plants, however, are strong, well established. With the right conditions, they bloom again. This is not a one-time trick.

Black Tacca is not a beginner houseplant, but it is also not impossible. It likes filtered light, steady warmth, and humidity. It does especially well in a greenhouse or a bright indoor spot where you already keep plants that enjoy moisture. It is the kind of plant you keep close, not one you forget in the corner.

We are offering them now simply because they are ready and looking their best. If you have been waiting for one, this is a good moment.

You can see the Black Bat Lily here: https://toptropicals.com/store/item/2345.htm

Just wanted to share something we are enjoying in the greenhouse right now. Some plants come and go. Some stay with you.

Tacca (Bat Lily) FAQ

What is Tacca?

Tacca, also known as Bat Lily or Devil Flower, is a tropical plant grown for its unusual bat-shaped flowers with long whisker-like filaments. The most popular species is Tacca chantrieri, the Black Bat Lily.

Is Tacca hard to grow?

Tacca is not a beginner plant, but it is not impossible. It does best with warmth, humidity, and filtered light. Gardeners who already grow orchids, calatheas, or other humidity-loving plants usually do well with Tacca.

Does Tacca need a greenhouse?

A greenhouse is ideal, but not required. Tacca can be grown indoors in a bright spot with indirect light and good humidity, such as near a humidifier or in a bright bathroom with a window or skylight.

Will my Tacca arrive in bloom?

Plants may be blooming in the greenhouse, but flowers are often removed before shipping because they are delicate and do not travel well. The plants are well established and capable of blooming again with proper care.

How often does Tacca bloom?

Tacca does not bloom constantly. It may take time to establish before flowering, but once settled, it can bloom seasonally and may produce multiple flowers in warm, humid conditions.

Does Tacca grow from a bulb?

Tacca grows from a rhizome, not a bulb. The rhizome stores energy and allows the plant to regrow and bloom again.

Why does Tacca have long whiskers?

The long filaments are thought to help attract pollinators such as flies by mimicking the look of decaying organic matter. While unusual, this is part of the plant's natural pollination strategy.

✍️ More about growing Tacca
🛒 Get your own Tacca plant
🎥Watch our videos about Tacca