Hi I am new to growing hoyas too, one thing I have learned, do not over water hoyas...

Hi,

Ok, since there are tons of threads about this (you can do a search and find lots of info), I will list a few quick things:
1. keep them rootbound
2. they like a chunky, loose medium
3. watering depends on the hoya species you have (some like to stay moist, but most like to dry out between waterings)
4. they like humidity, so a good tip is to use pebble trays.
5. do not trim vines if there are peduncles on it (unless you are trimming below the peduncle), since that is where they will continuously bloom from.
6. eastern exposure (IMO) seems to be great for hoyas, and the more light they get, the more chance of blooms. Bright, indirect light is great for hoyas.
7. plastic pots (again, IMO) are better than clay pots.
8. fertilize

HTH, and good luck with your new addiction (trust me, you WILL become addicted!!).

Gabi

Nicely put Gabi.

Thanks, that looks like some good common sense tips!! I was checking them out and there may only be 2 in the one pot.

I broke a piece off of a plain green one by accident while trying to check it out, abt 2 feet and put into a sink of water to just soak up some moisture while I try to decide what to do with it.

In the one pot there is a rope type and the other one is green with a white edge. There may be a third, it's hard to tell... but one strand has more variegation than just the edges.

The other pot has one with rounder leaves and a yellow edge, one plain green one and one with the dark green edge but yellowish centers.

I don't want to make any fast moves with these and live to regret it but am wondering things like should I repot them... they're in the really big hanging pots (12 inches wide not counting the pot edges and 8 inches deep) with the self watering reservoir you add water to in the bottom side. They're so big though they may need that!! How do you repot these without breaking pieces off??

Also once I get a 50% shade cloth put on will they like it in a hot greenhouse (above freezing in winter)? I won't be able to keep it cool at all, other than what I can do with a fan and opening vents, doors, windows etc. The sweet person that gave these to me said they were a bit overexposed to the light in her greenhouse so some of them look a little stressed.

My other option is to hang them on a north facing porch, where I hang epiphyllum (they're going back to the greenhouse too once I get a shade cloth on). Which I'm afraid won't give them enough light to bloom.

Hi RootDigger,
It sounds to me like you have Hoya compacta and Hoya carnosa variegata (also known as "Krimson Queen") in one pot and Hoya carnosa, Hoya Rubra (also known as "Krimson Princess") and the one with the rounder leaves may be either another variegated carnosa or perhaps a variegated australis, it would be hard to call without a photo.

I'm not sure how hot they will go to, but with the shade cloth you may be OK - I will defer to those with more experience on these things.

If the plants are still growing, I wouldn't repot them unless it's absolutely necessary. It's hard to not break portions off, but that's how you make new cuttings!

The only thing I would be worried about is having variegated plants in with non-variegated plants - the green ones will, most likely, take over the pot in the end, crowding out the variegated plant. Don't panic about this, it takes a while, but if you wanted to repot the plants at some point later this year, you might want to consider seperating the plants out. That's my advice.
Hope that helps, Hills

Hi RD,

I agree with everything said with the exception of them needing extra humidity. I grow all of mine in normal home conditions, very few with any pebble trays. I mist most of them only when I water them, so maybe once a week. They're very un-fussy plants. As Hills suggested, when you are ready to repot, I would separate the different species.

I grow most of my Hoyas in my GH, which faces east, no shadecloth but it does have a coating on the roof glass that filters out the hottest sun. They seem to love the heat (mid-summer, our temps are usually in the 90's, even higher sometimes...) Just check them often and don't let them dry out too much when they're in that kind of heat...

And once you're an addict, you can beome an official member of HAA - Hoya Addicts Anonymous!

Denise in Omaha

Hahaha! I so don't need another addiction!!! I have discovered some buds on these (the plain green) so I'm excited about them blooming. I played with them yesterday. Getting rid of tiny little weed seedlings and put a little bloom fertilizer on them that I use for epiphyllums. Then I gave them just a tiny bit of fresh soil and some soil conditioner on the top, just to spruce them up a bit. Probably not even a half inch total. I found that a strawberry huller was perfect for raking all the teensy tinesy weed seeds out. Not deep enough to hurt any hoya roots, but the teeth of the huller really grab the weeds! I'm going to spray the leaves off when I find my big sprayer and they will be bootifull!!

Thanks everyone for your help and hints!!

I am a semi-Newbie and need to learn more. I have an Obvata that 5 years ago I bought from a gal I met through this forum Leslie. It is on its 2nd time blooming and gorgeous. I also got an Obscura that on numerous occasions forms the beginning of flowers (very small), then drys up and falls off. Can anyone tell me what's going on and how I can get the flowers to maturity? ALSO explain to me in Newbie terms the umbel & peduncle? Thank you so much. I Will take pictures of flowers and post for you. Jan