These days, it's Miracle Grow Houseplant Food in a gallon of water-capful. In yesteryear, I would never have dreamed to feed with MG but I must say I'm experiencing more growth than I ever had in a short period of time. Of course, I'm keeping a steady eye to spot any problems.

I fill gallons of plastic milk jugs with water and refill when they're empty so they sit a few days before watering again. I try not to water straight out of the tap. I occasionally use SuperThrive but am running out of that-don't know if I'll buy again.

Susan

Susan,

I don't usually use MG either, but I am this year because it's super-cheap and I'm on a tight budget. It's doing the job. And I do use the ST, too, when I'm not using the MG. I also use VF-11 in my spray bottle for foliar feeding. I fertilize every watering because I use coir, which has no nutritional value whatsoever unlike some potting mixes.

Denise in Omaha

I use Jack's Classic Orchid fertilizer (I think that's what it's called?) because of a similar reason, Denise. I grow in coco husk chunks, which is pretty similar to growing in bark, and the orchid fertilizer is supposed to provide for the nutrients that they don't get by growing in bark. I've had the same tub for years.

Susan, I used to use plastic jugs too (in my case, from distilled water, from when I used to grow carnivous plants) but they have this tendency to eventually spring leaks due to the nature of the plastic. Which led to soaked carpet. Not saying don't use them, they were very helpful to me for a long time, just a heads up. I use these now:

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=22676&catid=816

I can't fill them all the way up to five gallons because it's too heavy to get them up the stairs, but I do fill them to four. The spout is nice for filling my watering can, as long as I vent the top cap to equalize pressure. Otherwise the water flow becomes really slow. They were originally for a gravity fed drip irrigation system, but I find I like them better for storing water mixed with fertilizer for hand watering my hoyas and orchids.

Here is a link that might be useful: 5 Gal Carboy

I use half gallon milk jugs, and you're right, Quinn, they eventually get weak. So when they start to show some signs of algae, that's when I replace them with new ones. I find half gallon a little easier to work with. And if you have them ready to go with fertilizer, you aren't as likely to skip the feeding. I use R.O. purified water, but if you're using tap water, leave the lid off so the chlorine/chlormine can evaporate off.

Denise in Omaha

I have been using Wegner's Liquid Organic fertilizer which is a fish and sugar beet extract based fertilizer. I also use seaweed extract or Kelp based fertilizer and sometimes Dyna-Gro when I have it. The Kelp/seaweed is my favorite fertilizer product.
I only ever feed at 1/2 strength and then only once every two weeks or so.

Mike

I've used both Miracle Grow all purpose and Dyna-gro fertilizers (separately, of course). I've had good results with both. They're both pretty economical to use...MG being very economical. I use either 1/2 tsp of Dyna-gro or 1 1/2 tsp of MG to one gallon of water. I fertilize once a week during the growing season and half of that recipe during the winter months when my growth has slowed down. I also add 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of epsom salts to a gallon of fertilizer.

I have a 55 Gallon Rain Barrel underneath a gutter that collects the rain and stays filled up most of the year. On the few times I've ran out, I use tap water and let it sit out for a day or two in large buckets.

All of my plants are on the front porch now so I don't worry about leaking milk jugs but you're right, we go thru several gallons of milk a week so there's always new jugs to replace the old ones.

Susan

i feed everything whatever is laying around, this could be miracle grow-bloom/or rose, Grow more orchid whichever type is laying around, Eleanors, sea weed, superthrive, roots excelurator or aquarium water when im exceptionally lazy LOL:) Or a combo of whats left in various watering containers. I have to agree with pug about feeding quite heavily during growing season then tapering off during winter. What i never forget to do though is to put a 1/4 of a mosquito dunk in my containers, and sometimes Lime because they seem to like it (will put on new growth almost immediately) and the dunks to kill fungus knats. Quinn those carboys look like they would be an awesome way to keep feeding materials handy and at the ready. I may have to be a copycat :)

Just FYI... My sister owns a nursery and I was commenting to her that I usually use the Ferti-lome bloom booster, but I got the MG this year because it saved me a few bucks. She said Ferti-lome is better because "there are less salts in Ferti-lome". So as my mother would say, "If I had my druthers(?)", I'd use Ferti-lome.

Denise in Omaha

I use a very dilute fertilizer solution which is I use some Miracle Grow fertilizer that includes micronutrients, but I can't recall what the exact name. I also mix slow release fertilizer pellets into the soil, and add dolomitic lime.

"...there are less salts in Ferti-lome.''

People have gotten the idea that salts are bad when it comes to plants. While it's true that some salts (like table salt) are bad because plants do not absorb them in any appreciable amount, other salts are necessary for plants. A salt is simply a combination of a cation and an anion. A salt like calcium nitrate provides plants with necessary calcium and nitrogen. Magnesium sulfate (or epsom salt) provides plants with magnesium and sulfur. Inorganic fertilizers are just combinations of useful salts.

As for fertilizer brands, I use Dyna-Gro's Foliage Pro 9-3-6 on everything I grow because it is a very close match to proven plant uptake ratios. I would avoid any bloom booster formulas. They have no benefit over other formulas and can be harmful in some situations. Here are a couple links if anyone cares to read up on it.

The uselessness of high P fertilizers

Bloom Boosters - How Much P is Enough?

Well said, Pen!

I do the same, regarding Dyna-Gro's Foliage Pro.
I use it on all my plants, from maples to peppers to succulents, and I've been incredibly happy so far.

Thanks for linking those Threads, too.

Josh

Thanks, Josh. It's nice only having to buy one fertilizer while still feeling that I'm doing right by all my plants.

What great info. I think I'm going to look for Dyna-Gro's Foliage Pro. This way it will be good for all my plants. I have a few mini-rose bushes out in the front walk. They could use some food too. My orchids get Ozmocote granules each spring. But I keep forgetting about the hoya. I'll have to make sure I feed them before they revolt and refuse to bloom.

I know almost nothing about hoyas and have never fertilized or fed any of my houseplants. Since they're growing now, I know I should get on this. I'm particularly interested in organic non animal product based feeds, so if anyone can point me towards a seaweed brand they like, that would be awesome. Has anyone ever tried compost tea? Not sure this is a good idea inside, but I will be making some for my vegetable garden once the weather warms up here (next month).

Thanks!
xo kittee

I almost killed my 35 year old hoya with epsom salt.

I'm trying a food specifically formulated for Hoyas that's imported from Germany...you can get it on Amazon...it's kind of expensive, but I don't have a huge number of plants to feed and I use half the recommended amount every couple of waterings...it seems to be working well--I've got blooms and peduncles on lots of plants for the first time...I like it, although, as I said, it's kind of pricey and since it's actually mailed from Germany it takes a while to arrive...here's a link: http://www.amazon.com/Plant-Fertilizer-Hightech-Foliar-Fertiliser/dp/B00HZ5WF4W/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1430146808&sr=1-1&keywords=hoya+food

Thank you for the link Shelley, I just ordered some.

Anybody has any experience using worm castings for hoyas? Got a big bag for other plants and I wasn't sure if it would benefit hoyas too.

Leann, how did you like the German fertilizer stuff? I am very interested and may order some for my hoyas but want to get some insight on how it's worked for people. Thanks!