Tin labels??? Do tell! (Or show.)

This number is still a work in progress for me, and a moving target. At 127 hoya kinds now (plus other house plants, plus some duplicates, so just under 200 pots total), I have been thinking lately about how to get rid of ones that do not raise my pulse. So, that means the number needs to be smaller. But at the same time, my wish list is still rather full, so maybe the number needs to be higher. There will likely be some shifting of things in my collection is what I am saying.

Also, when I look at my tray fulls of 2' / 3' pots, I can't help but think that I really like the look of a few way more mature plants, rather than a quadrillion basically well-rooted cuttings plus a few leaves grown on each of them in my care (which is what lots of my hoyas are). And if that vision materializes, the numbers will absolutely have to come down - not even so much because of space constraints, but because watering and otherwise taking care of them takes so damn long - and watering larger plants will take even longer.

If you pinned me for a specific number, as of right now, I'd give you two: maybe 200-300 hoyas at most if they are small, and 40-50 if they are larger plants. There would also likely be 1.5-2 dozen orchids and just a few other favorite house plants like bromeliads and Philodendrons whose looks or personalities I like.

A lot less than I have right now! My Hoyas and Dischidias are hovering right over 200, but I have another roughly 175 or so other succulents. A lot of my Hoyas have turned into real space hogs as they've aged - I'm not complaining, mind you, as an older, full Hoya is an amazing sight. But I am considering selling off all but my absolute favorite succulents and I really have to start scrutinizing what Hoyas to acquire and keep. I think if I could keep my collection to around 150 plants, at least until I retire, my life would be simpler! Will I do that? Probably not!

Denise in Omaha

I have two numbers, one is completely realistic and one not so much. First the unrealistic one. If I were retired and had either a large year around heated greenhouse or lived in South Florida, I could handle 500. Since that will never happen, in my present circumstances I need to keep the number somewhere around 100 plants. Since I want my plants to be more than just rooted cuttings, and grow intensively, with the goal to bloom these plants in record time, I really can't do much more than I do now without winning the lottery.

For me, it's not a number but time. I've got plenty of space, except for the coldest months, and even that is not as restrictive as I continue to find each year more that can stay outside all year. With all the space, I let them grow as big as they want also.

But time, there never is enough. :)

Renee