Thanks GG. I think I'll leave my hoyas stay in their 4" pots for another year since they're newly rooted cuttings. I have a couple of australis ssp. australis cuttings, as well as Iris Marie, rigida, and buotii that will probably need repotting next year.

I am planning on switching my Bella to one of these, since it doesn't like to dry out. And maybe now my australis, carnosa, and hopefully lacunusa if that particular cutting decides to live.

Kim I've heard lacunosa can be a difficult variety for some. I haven't grown it myself but I may try growing it eventually.

You might want to avoid putting the rigida in a self-watering plant. This is a species that performs best with a dry season. The others sound like likely enough candidates. And I agree with your plan to hold off a bit before transplanting.

Isn't australis ssp. australis a little beauty? I always find myself nodding approval at it like it's a pretty girl pulling off a party dress.

Thanks for telling me that GG. It's difficult finding the right sized pots for hoyas and I don't know what to use for trellises for the 4" pots. I really like australis ssp. australis. I got two cuttings from Denise in Spring. Both are producing lots of new growth. I also have australis ssp. tenuipes. It's growing like a weed and it's already outgrown the bamboo hoop trellis. I may get calycina and diversifolia next week.

Hahaha. I just noticed that you are in zone 8a. I bet you guys hardly even bother with plastic-coated wire hoops, the way Hoyas grow for you.

I didn't know there were plastic coated wire hoops. I've only seen the bamboo ones.

Success story (of sorts): One of my older carnosas is in a big self watering pot, but I don't water it more than once a month. Sometimes it goes 6 weeks between, and then I give it a pitcher or so from the fish tank. I like the big catch tray then because the soil is so dry it can't absorb well. Generally the water is out of the tray the next day - I don't leave it with standing water. Not sure if that counts as actually using the self watering function, so only a "sort of" endorsement. The carnosa doesn't seem to mind, though - grows like crazy.

That's good to know Nianyu. I guess carnosa is a very tolerant plant?

I mean those coated wire plant stakes, like this:

Which you can then bend into a hoop, like this:

Sorry for being confusing!

Blackwillow, my impression is that carnosa can survive anything. Anything. This is one of about a zillion cuttings from my grandma's plant, and my variously brown-thumbed relatives have grown it in everything from cactus mix outdoors (in shade) to peat moss (in low light bedroom) to full hydroponic (in the kitchen window.) Seems to like abuse.

I'd be happy to share cuttings, I have vines coming out my ears. And up the wall. And across the ceiling.

GG I've never seen those before. Where did you get yours? Those would be perfect if I could find them.

Nianyu carnosa is sadly one I don't have. I have Krimson Queen and Princess but not the plain carnosa. I didn't know it took that much abuse.

Yeah, my Krimson Queen won't stand for it, but the plain old carnosa is forgiving.

I've never seen the plastic coated hoops for sale in my area, either. Always wondered where people got those...

I've had my KQ for 4 years now. It was a little fussy at first but now it's pretty forgiving.

You can buy them at BBS during the summer, but they are a lot cheaper to buy from an orchid supply retailer. I usually buy mine from Chula Orchids b/c I like the 10 gauge wire he carries, which is a bit sturdier for the heavy Hoyas. I just noticed that he removed the 36" 10 gauge from his site, so I'm checking in with him to see if he discontinued selling it. Most any orchid vendor carries the 12 gauge 30" wire tho.

I usually keep an inventory of 36", 30", 24" and 18" and of course the many various heights I have from Joni over the years hehehe. I personally use the 12 gauge 30" most frequently. 30" and 36" are good heights for most cuttings to start on and wrap around a few times before they need to be upgraded to bamboo. 24" is a good height for shorter cuttings. And 18" is nice for those stubby heavy big leaf cuttings that need a brace to stay positioned right in the pot.

J

Thanks so much GG. I saw some 12 gauge wire at Home Depot, would that work too?

Yep! I use the 12 gauge on my 30" hoops, so that's what most of my plants are on, and what is pictured above. The 10 gauge is just handy if you have something like a really succulent latifolia or something.

Does the 10 and 12 gauge wire stay in place? I have a very chunky mix. I tried using floral wire but it kept falling out of the pots.

Yes, they do, but I should remind you that I am using square pots. I'm not sure what you're using, but with square pots the wire pushes against the corners and stays wedged in well, even if you're using a very chunky mix. The 12 gauge moves around more at the top, but it doesn't pop out.

I've also use hoops in the round terra cotta pots my rigidas are in, but I don't ever move them, like I do the rest of my plants. They stay in okay, but not great.

Most of mine are in 4 inch pots, but my older cuttings are in plastic cups so they're top heavy unfortunately. I use bamboo hoops for my KQ (in a ceramic pot) and australis ssp. tenuipes. I don't know what I'll do with the australis now that it's outgrown the hoops?