My favorite mix for Hoyas is coir mixed with perlite, but everyone seems to have a different "favorite" that works well in their conditions and with how they water. I see you're in zone 10, which is a lot warmer than where I am, so the mix they're in may be fine. But if they're still truly wet after a week, that does seem little heavy. I would probably unpot them to check for over-potting, and put them in a mix that you feel will work better in your circumstances. Some people use orchid bark in a standard potting mix, sometimes with some perlite, too.

Your other Hoya does look like a carnosa. They both look very heathly and yes, I'd say there's a good chance you see a peduncle forming. My favorite product is Eleanor's VF-11, but my budget is tight this year so I'm only using that as a foliar spray to stretch it, and I'm using a bit of standard fertilizer in my watering can - I used an all-purpose early when they started to grow, then switched to a bloom booster a couple weeks ago.

Congrats on your new Hoyas!

Denise in Omaha

Ok learned how to embed the photos from a good samaritan. Here they are:

Peduncle? or not?

Carnosa? or not?

potting medium

hoya collection

Hi Anne. Your Hoyas look like they're in peak condition. Very happy. Thanks for sharing the pictures.

1. Yes, that does look like a new peduncle. Pepeuve's blog has a lot of good pictures of what new carnosa peduncles look like, for your reference. Below is a link to one such post.

2. Yes, that is Hoya carnosa.

Here is a link that might be useful: Carnosa compacta new peduncles.

Thanks Greedy
This compacta is mine.
You can see two peduncles.

So I have repotted my two compactas in a better potting mix that is mostly comprised of fir bark, perlite and vermiculite. They seem to be very happy and have even started putting on more peduncles.

My question is, once a new peduncle is produced on a compacta how long until it starts to produce flowers?

Thanks!

Anne

It can take quite some time for new peduncles to produce an acutal flower spur. My compacta put on peduncles at least 6 months ago that have done nothing. I have other species that have grown peduncles long, long ago (years) with no hint of flowers. I have no idea why a plant produces peduncles with no intent of immediately flowering!

Denise in Omaha

There is one thing that I personally find magnificent. It's called "seramis" and it's made in Germany from some kind of red clay and burned in high temperature. It's extremly porous so retains water giving a lot of air around the roots at the same time. I have some hoyas just in that - making it a semi-hydroponics system (way easier though). They grow in glass. The pebbles have nice orangeish colour.
I have some hoyas it potting compost with seramis added to it.
Generally it's more porous, better looking and less dusty than perlite. I love it.
Where I live it's unavalible. I imported some from continental Europe until I found that non clumping cat litter works the same. There is a cat litter made of pink clay. It's not as even in size and colour as original seramis, but still looks stunning and does the job perfectly. Hoyas that did not want to move a bit, when poted in it, started rapid growth.
Once I learn how to post pictures I will show you

AH, I love seramis I was very lucky to be given some to try.The only problem is I cant get it anywhere around where I live.I have also looked into cat litter but also it is not sold in my area.

Cindy

Try online. I don't know about what's avalible on your market. When looking though make sure it's the one made of clay. I tried others and they don't seem to be ad good

Turface is a similar high fired clay product. It is wonderful stuff.

Some cat litter will work, but most won't. You'll need to fully saturate, freeze, and thaw
your cat litter to find out if it is stable and suitable for container culture.

Josh

I use turface but seramis is just so much better.
AH I have looked online and every where but when I do find it shipping to Canada is nuts.

Cindy

I live in Scotland and shipping from England (the same country really - the UK) would be more than seramis itself. So I know it hurts. I got mine from a friend from the continent.
As for cat litter mine works just fine. But first I rinced the dust from it an soaked in boiling water just in case. So far my best growing hoyas live in pink cat litter :)

Some areas can find Diatomite in various grade sizes and it is light weight and water retentive. Because it is essentially the fossilized bodies of Diatoms there is a high Silica content so that should make for nice strong cell walls in plants. Some people are even growing the succulent Stapeliads in this using the semi-hydropinic method but it works equally well when mixed with bark or as a potting mix additive.

Mike

Floor Dry, a brand of oil absorbent from Napa auto stores, is diatomite. It's the same size as Turface, and doesn't break down like some other products. I use it in my mixes, and like it a lot.