I have repotted (albeit gently) when they need it or when I have the time to do it. Doesn't seem to hurt too much, just take care. Rosie

You had given me some tips on this previously, this is the one with the bit of neck exposed you suggested I gently scrap during the repot. Should I still proceed? Otherwise,it will be weeks before the blooms are done. And into some pretty hot weather at that.

Forget the blossoms. Go ahead and just use your fingernail and gently scrape, then repot making sure where you scraped is under the soil. Also if your plant has a bunch of leaves UNDER the first row of flower stems and above the neck I would take them off. I have found that I can't always wait til the blooms are all done to repot. I have bought a brand new plant at Meijer or Lowes, brought it home and if I had the time I did take off at least 1/2 of the flowers and gently massaged the soil ball until I got as much of the ucky commercial soil off as possible. Then I filled in with "the good stuff"!!! Another thing is,,,I wick my violets. It saves the watering chores considerably. So I use a 1/2 perlite and 1/2 MiracleGro (because it is available to me locally) mix. Good for starting leaves in Kcups also. It makes a nice light mix! This may be too much information,,sorry,,,sometimes I just go on and on! Good luck!!! Rosie

Rosie, I am the last person you need to apologize to for going on and on. I like information and appreciate your eagerness to share. If it weren't for people like you and Irene my AV's would have turned to brown crisps within weeks of bringing them home, not surviving to become blooming beasts in need of long term care advice. :)

If you ever find yourself with extra K cups please let me know, will pay shipping. Ok, off to repot.

Oh Kim, thanks so much! Can you "follow" me? Need to private message you! I just sent a message to your profile page. Rosie

Wait, nope. Need more Rosie ramblings. ;)

Just checked, off course I have recently removed all the spent bloom stalks. There are THREE rows of leaves below the last remaining one. Here is my plant-

It got a little leggy during the height of this last bloom cycle, think maybe the flowers where crowding out the leaves. It will be spending some time under my light after this adventure, for sure.

And my best attempt at a side shot-

And yes, yes it is in one of those horrible so-called self watering AV pots. And yes, the pot is a bit large for it. Call me a rebel, but I like the stupid pot. Been its home sweet home this last year now, and I never ever ever ever put water in the stupid water reservoir of doom. I top water all of my AV's with a narrow spout watering can. (Depending on how much it gets cut back I may be using a small plastic one this time though.) Will eventually switch to wicking, not because I mind watering (I enjoy it actually), but to save my poor AV's from anyone but me touching them when I am out of town.

Half inch (ish) of neck sticking up, still on plan scrape and no root pruning?

It really has been happy with my efforts though-

And now who is rambling?

lol,,,ok rambling on!!!! Well, if you are happy with the pot, make sure you use the 1/2 to 1/2 mix. You need a light mix so the soil doesn't compact and smother the plant roots.

Anytime I have to bury a neck, big or little, I still gently scrape. That is just me. I did see some smallish leaves on the very first row (closest to the soil) and I think I would carefully prune off just enough leaves (from the bottom only) to shape the plant. You may even want to start them!

I don't actually prune roots, as in cut them off with scissors, I just carefully and gently shake or tap the root ball on the table to remove old soil to make room for the new soil. Then I repot.

And if you are happy with the self watering pot then go ahead and use it. Use what works for you! Heck have you seen what I use? Check it out.

Nothing fancy,,,cheap to free!!!!!

Part of my reason for wicking is during the winter I would just get done watering and have to turn around and start again! Now I just have to keep an eye on the level of water in the clear cup! Sooooooo much easier. AND also the fact of I had NO ONE to take care of my plants while I had a knee replacement in April. And until I could get on my feet again. It was hard. Lost some babies. sniff sniff.

If I didn't answer everything let me know! Good Luck!!! Rosie

I do not think I will do any leaf propagation of this one, since I have 3 of this type, but am sending one to my mom on Monday. Think I will keep the second. Have to draw a line somewhere.... maybe. I have a deep purple one from a coworker, sprouting off of a leaf and several I would like to get.

And I do understand... wish I could wick my Hoyas too. But they would likely hate me for it. Fortunately those do much better when neglected than AV's.

As for pots... well, try to keep it nice in my living room, and having sort of nice displays helps keep my friends from using words like "hoarder" and "addict" when they come visit. Hahahha, but most of my plants are in cheap nursery pots. And the occasional sawn off soda bottle.

I am sooooo far past the words "hoarder" and "addict"! AND I am too old to care! Just gonna enjoy life, plants and hobbies! Oh there is some semblance of order, sort of. lol

(sorry, off topic) As far as Hoya, I have 2 large plants of Silver Queen. Every now and then I have to whack off foot long lengths and I put them in a vase of water. Just water!!!! Maybe some pretty marbles to hold them in there, but the point is....they root and grow nicely in nothing but water! I had about 6 pieces that had been in a vase for over a year! Couldn't find anyone who wanted them! Eventually I found someone and man! what a bunch of roots and growth that was!!!!! And the lady was thrilled to put it back in water to grow it!!!! Rosie

Hahahaha, Hoyas are weird. You can grow them in water and they are often happy, but overwater them and get a big fat nope in return. Granted... at last count, I have 57 Hoyas, and 5 plants from their sister genus Dischidia... and 46 things in the not-hoya categories... which includes 6 AV's, but two are being sent to my mom in Texas on Monday.

Alright, my baby is repotted. Took 5 leaves, think anyone may want them on here if I offer on a separate thread? Maybe not worth it, am broke until payday and as such no money for shipping until then. Hate to waste, but I also don't need 7 of these as much as I like mine. :)

Hi! Opinions on these self watering pots sure vary a lot! Esthetically, I often find them too big and too "country" but yours is very pretty !

I dont have a plant room. I keep my plants everywhere in the house, according to how much Sun they need, and my violets are part of the déco...Pots have to fit my style. Since these self watering pots are relatively expensive and because many people say they can lead to root rot, i think I will stick to plastic pots hidden inside pretty porcelaine or terracotta pots. IKEA has a nice variety of un expensive pretty pots.

I pour water at the bottom of the larger pot, and when the soil is moist, I discard leftover water.

Catherine you are right,,,,you either love or hate the self watering pots. I have a couple I have been threatening to resurrect for years now and just don't do it. Lazy I guess! Rosie

Most of mine are in plastic waiting to go into nicer things once I find them. I have plants everywere too, and no shortage of tacky DIY things here and there. I just hate spending more on a pot than I spent on the plant. And finding pots that are not enormous that I actually like is always a challenge. I wouldn't go out and buy another of these self watering AV pots, because you are right and they are space hogs. And so many... I cringe every time I see 6-9" monstrosities with stickers thay say, "great for African violets!"

My sentiments exactly!!!!!! And you are right about hoyas,,,,,the way I see it, you start 'em in water and after a couple years I wouldn't even TRY to convert them to soil. But geeze I hate watering hanging baskets!!!!! Of anything!!!!! I think from now on everything is gonna have to have a connection with water culture. hmmm,,,I will let you know how that works!!!!! lol Rosie

Start a bog garden!

Kim, we would love to see some pics of your hoyas sometime! I can't imagine having 57 hoyas! I have 3 right now, and have a few more on my wish list.

Heather

Rosie and Kim, thanks for the info on Hoyas they are a plant that I have not grown but now you have piqued my interest and I might have to attempt some.

Heather I am so glad YOU asked for pix. I wanted to soooo much but I was afraid to ask. It would certainly be off topic to see the hoyas but I would soooooooo love to have a peek!

Julia you're welcome! Hoya are nice plants! I do have a couple. Thanks! Rosie

After all, we aren't African violet snobs. We like hoyas too! :)

Heather

I would hope so! Rosie

Hahahha, ok I can post some photos. So many of mine are in the baby stage yet though, so I do not yet live in as wild a jungle as you would think. Give my babies some time though, lol.

Here is my H. bella, ome of my biggest. This plant has been grown now by three generations in my family.

And Hoya shepherdii, this one bloomed fast for me. Was given cuttings in November, had blooms in May. It is also called string bean Hoya, because the leaves look just like grean beans!

And here is my Hoya javanica (also sold as multiflora, but there is some contention over the naming)

To date, these are the only 3 that have bloomed. I do have peduncles forming on 5 others right now- cummingiana, chinghungensis, praetorii, inconspicua, and lacunosa "snocaps"

And some photos of the house and my mini jungles-

Hard to tell, the middle shelf is almost all Hoyas, couple Hoyas nestled in with the spider plants on the top.

And a recent addition, Hoya sp Gunung-Gading.

I will need a machette once they all get big, many will be confined to 1 to 2 foot tall trellises, some are going to hang, and eventually I may start selling cuttings myself. Have plans for more shelves, etc.

Also, the Hoya board here is excellent. Lots of great Hoya folks, just be warned... it is also how I went from 1 Hoya to 57! :D

Oh,,,,you have hoya bella? I used to have her. I really liked her. She is one of the small ones, isn't she?? Nice pix! Rosie

Well, she is one that behaves herself and knows how to fill a hanging basket. I can send you a few cuttings of her if you like, only fair since you are sending me some leaves. :)

I know all about the hoya forum. I look at it all the time, but I don't post too much. Nice pics of your hoyas, especially your heirloom bella!

Heather

Heather I think bella is the cutest hoya. Had her years ago! Just loved her. Rosie

Its funny because thats the plant that made me decide once and for all my black thumb was a cureable condition that had to be fixed... and then I found you wonderful folks.

Been reading about your guys' Hoyas. A friend of mine in Pennsylvania has been threatening to send me some cuttings of hers. Not even sure what kind she has (I think bella). Asked her to please wait, as the temps here in AZ are over 110.

But have a question or two: If kept in a hanging basket, how do you stop water from dripping when you water it? Is it easier to keep a hoya in a regular pot and just let it spill out? Do you need to "winter" them by not watering much, or will they be okay indoors year 'round, even if they don't bloom?

Thanks for input!

I water mine in sips IF I am running late, but usually I put my hanging Hoya in the shower to drip and get a good soak, and some extra humidity in the process.

There is no getting around that drip factor. ugh!!! When I water hanging baskets (of ANY plant!) I take it to the sink, put it in a plastic container that will catch water and let the lukewarm water run into the middle of it at a slooooow rate. I do let it soak up the excess water for close to 1/2 hour because it is just to iffy to guess if it is all watered! Course then it has to drain. Oh time consuming!!! Is this the time to say I hate hanging baskets, but I have quite a few because of the plants that grow well in them???? sigh.

As far as "wintering" them, just treat them like normal. Water probably a little more frequently because of the house heat, they do dry out faster. Rosie

Hi Rosie!

I was reading that Hoyas have to "winter over" in cool/dry in order to bloom again. Was wondering how I'd do that, and the hanging basket thing made me shy away from getting one. Now that my friend really wants to send a cutting, I guess I can try that. I've never had one, and you know how it is when a friend sends an unfamiliar plant - I'm terrified of killing *her* plant! So I guess they're not too fussy, right?

I was thinking about the hanging basket drip problem. Does anything exist where we could have some sort of catching bucket underneath? Almost like a self-watering pot, only without water - to catch drips? Then it could either evaporate (adding humidity?) or we could empty it if it gets too full. Could solve the "don't overwater" problem, too. If nothing like that exists, maybe we can rig something that would work?

If I can't find anything already extent, I'll try to draw something to show you.

:)

DJ

I know some orchid growers who have 5 galon buckets with holes drilled in the lid, they use one bucket to soack plants, then the other with the drilled lids to drain. Been considering something similar.

Also, I have not heard of the wintering over thing. I know some tougher ones like villosa appreciate a temp drop at night to bloom though. Easier ones like bella and carnosa, your winter conditions inside are plenty enough. I also know a few growers in Florida who have no isses here either.

Hi Kim!

And Rosie, I saw this just now on Amazon:

https://smile.amazon.com/Curtis-Wagner-Hanging-Basket-Drip/dp/B00AI5CD0M/ref=pd_sim_sbs_86_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=518A3E61UFL&dpSrc=sims&preST=AC_UL160_SR150%2C160&psc=1&refRID=QYBFPJPRXZS2D98THBW7

It's something that basically attaches to the bottom of your hanging basket (come in different sizes), and catches drips. The 5 gallon bucket idea is a good one, too. However, that takes time. I know a woman who raises orchids, and every day she soaks her (she has many) in a 5 gallon bucket, but then sets each in her sink to drain. Unless one has more than a few buckets, seems to me it would take a long time. But the hanging thingy doesn't need to be watched or timed. Probably not good for orchids, but maybe for Hoyas in hanging baskets?

Glad that at least some don't need wintering over. I guess I could do it in my garage, but remembering to go out there and water them might be a trick. I'd rather just leave one in one place, like in front of a window near my AV light carts.

Nice to meet you, Kim!

DJ

Hi DJ! Did you read my above post where I started a bunch of Hoya Silver Queen in a vase of water??? The cuttings were about a foot long (really had to trim that thing) and they rooted just fine. I am thinking if I root another one in water I may just put it on a wick system and see how it does! Wadda ya think?

African violet problems really got me hooked on wicking and since I already had the experience of rooting hoya in water,,,,I am wondering if the possibilities are endless???? I googled growing orchids in a jar of water! Looks promising!!!!! I am just getting tired of the soil dry out,,,oops forgot to check,,,oh my plant wilted,,,will I lose it,,,,,watering hanging pots,,,,etc!!!! Rosie

Rosie, I've thought about trying to wick my hoyas, but I haven't had the nerve to try yet. They're growing so well the way they are! And I've been haunting the hoya forum, so I've seen some of Kim's other nice hoya posts and pictures. I must say, I get confused with all the different kinds though.

I think if I would wick or just plain grow a hoya in water, I would do it from a cutting. Just like rooting them in a vase. Because eventually they do grow larger/vineyer than any wick system I could possibly provide, I am opting for a small vase or container to start the rooting but upgrade the container size as it grows. I do think that would work.

And yes, Kim's pix are nice! Rosie