Hmm. You know what, Kelly? I've long known that Haworthias, one of my favorite succulents, have a tendency to lose their roots. I've found that when this happens, if I clean up the rotted roots and let it dry, then stick it in with another large succulent, like an Aloe, a Jade, whatever, they root quickly and absolutely THRIVE. There's something about growing in with another plant that makes them very happy. I have never, ever had a Haworthia growing under a larger succulent lose its roots! Now I'm thinking maybe I should try this with problem Hoyas! I hope it thrives for you!

Denise in Omaha

Denise! I haven't talked to you in such a long time! How are you? Nice to hear from you again. I only come on GW here and there, so maybe I've missed your posts...

Well that is good to know about the buddy system. I tried that with 3 begonias a few years back, and they did fabulously. I have a space problem, so that was my reason for that. Maybe they just get lonely LOL.

Kelly in Victoria

I heard it was a hormone thing, encourages rooting...

I would imagine this phenomenon is due to the soil holding too much water for a small plant or cutting. When placed in a pot with a larger plant, the root system of the larger plant is able to remove water quickly enough for the smaller plant to thrive. It may be a sign that you should switch to a more porous soil, try a smaller pot, and/or water less often.

This is the time of year when excess water can be a problem. I sometimes stick a bamboo skewer in a pot for 10-15 minutes, and am continually surprised at how damp some of the pots remain when I pull it out to check for moisture.

penfold: While I can understand what you are saying in theory, and this is not news to me (ever see where a weed seed roots?), practically that is not what was happening with my bella. It was not overpotted, overwatered, nor had inappropriate soil.

Denise and I are alluding to something beyond those particular variables. Denise has a wealth of experience growing not just hoyas, but many other kinds of plants, and I am confident that you'll find any of her hoyas with inadequate conditions :)

Laura may be on the right track with hormones?

Kelly V

And read somewheres, if you have trouble water rooting something, to put it in the same glass with a cut of ?_____? (begonia?) b/c the one released a hormone that encouraged rooting. And always keep your water, never dump it out and start fresh, for the hormone reason...

I am one of these folks who never dumps the rooting water, having read that it gives off growing hormones (said to be similar to that of willow branches). I only ever add to it & use bits of aquarium grade charcoal to keep down algae growth. I grow a fair amount of cuttings in water & also have a few hydro or semi-hydro setups now, including for Sansevierias & have started some for Hoyas too.

I add, but never dump. My english Nana kept a carnosa cutting alive in a glass, in a window, and I can assure you, that glass was never cleaned, nor the water dumped. Darn thing lived for YEARS, until after Nana passed away, and my uncle forgot to add water to it, and it dried up and died.

"Denise has a wealth of experience growing not just hoyas, but many other kinds of plants, and I am confident that you'll find any of her hoyas with inadequate conditions :) "

CRAP! That was supposed to read "I am confident that you'll NOT find any of her hoyas with inadequate conditions."

Sorry 'bout that Denise - but you knew what I meant...LOL

Kelly in Victoria

Like Denise, I've potted plants together and they do seem to put on more growth quickly. OT Hoyas, but last year, I potted up a small dracaena marginata, a snake plant, and some small syngoniums and before the summer was over, they were well on their way to being large plants, much better growth than if I had potted them separate.

Susan

Back again! Kelly, I'm like you this winter - I pop in about once a week or less and peruse the posts, so I'm a little slow to respond...

I don't really grow anything in water, but I think maybe even the algae might help the rooting process or feed the roots. I have my rooting aquarium in a corner in my bright sunroom. It gets no direct light, but it's bright enough that algae starts to grow in the water. Sometimes, I let it get pretty green before I get to it to clean it. Well, in the last year or so, when it comes to rooting lacunosa (which I find particularly hard to soil root - it's always a race to see if roots form or the cutting dries out and dies first...), I stick the cuttings cut-end down in the grid, so they actually dangle in or just above the water. They produce roots FAST and they seem to be really healthy roots that take pretty fast to soil. It kind of feels like the algae is a benefit.

Denise in Omaha

P.S. Kelly, I must have read your post the way you meant it because when you corrected it, I had to go back and re-read it to see what you were referring to!

I have a finicky unk Hoya that had leaf rot/decay or something, got it re-rooted/planted, then to my surprise, a stray hot pepper seed sprung up in the pot and took off. I decided to leave it in the pot & now bearing 3 good-size red peppers. I figured it was a good decoy plant to attract bad bugs if any were around (bug magnet for aphids, mites, etc.). So far, np, and Hoya is huge & happy.
Kathy E

p.s. side benefit: when pepper plant droops, I know it is time to water;
also, will have salsa soon.