Hoya Plant Care
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Some of the things I love about hoyas are that they come in a huge variety, are easy to care for, bloom, don't need to be re-potted very often, are non-toxic to pets, and are generally smaller than aroids.
They are often called wax plants because of their thick, waxy leaves. Some of the most common hoyas fit this description. However, many hoyas do not have thick, waxy leaves.
Here are some answers to some common questions -
What soil is in?
All my hoyas are in a DIY pon mix, and I have a recipe I use for that here. I also sell it on my website, and you can see the options here. If you don't want to use pon, then I like this DIY aroid mix.
How should I water the Pon?
They have been in a self-watering system, and if you don't keep them in a self-watering system, they will need to be watered every time the pot gets lighter, which will probably be as often as every other day. When my hoyas aren't in a self-watering system, I usually give them a spray or two of water every day.
If you don't want to water that often or don't want to experiment with a self-watering pot, after the three-week quarantine mentioned below, I recommend you either move it to a self-watering pot or re-pot it in your preferred hoya mix, keeping as much Pon as possible.
Here is an example of a self-watering pot with a wicking system.
Can I set a pot with Pon in a sauce with water or in a reservoir?
Putting it in water works as long as the roots aren't touching the water in the reservoir, such as with a cutting. However, most plants I sell have been rooting and growing for at least six months, so it is not a good idea to keep them in water.
Should I fertilize?
Yes. All the plants I sell have been rooting for at least several months, so I recommend you fertilize a little with each watering.
The question that's hard to answer is which fertilizer. To be honest, there are several good options out there, and I usually end up rotating through them. I use a different fertilizer with every watering for three weeks, then have one week without any fertilizer to flush out any mineral buildup in the pon.
Here are some fertilizers I like to use -
Super Thrive Foliage Pro - 1/2 tsp
Tezula Plants K-Lite Formula - 1 scoop
Each time I use fertilizer, I also add liquid rooting hormone to help the cuttings root faster and have stronger roots.
Hormex - 1/4 tsp
What light, temperature, and humidity should I give my plant?
If you search for the plant you bought on this website, I have listed the conditions that each plant was in during my care.
What do I do when I first get my plant?
First off, there is a good chance it needs a little water, and it definitely wants some light after being in a dark box for a few days.
When you receive your plants, please inspect them for pests or damage and then put them in quarantine away from the rest of your collection for three weeks. This is a good idea for any plants you buy from any store. Please don't repot them during this time, as it will only add to the stress they have from shipping.
Don't cut or trim leaves/roots during the acclimation period. This not only voids my guarantee but will also further stress and greatly reduce the survival rate of your new plant.
Don't stress about a few broken or yellowing leaves. This is 100% normal for shipping plants.
What if I want to repot it?
If you want to repot it, wait three weeks, then you can move it to the soil medium of your choice, but please keep the pot the same size. Hoyas love to be root-bound - plus it makes it a lot easier to get the watering down correctly.
Generally, you will know it is time to move it to a larger pot when the roots are pushing against all the sides of the pot. When you do re-pot, only go up one inch in size.
How do I know when to water my hoya?
I feel the pot, and if it's lighter than when it's wet, I water it. With pon, it's easy to tell when to water because you can visually see that it's dry and chalky.
Pests
I routinely spray all my plants for pests once a week, whether there are signs of them or not. I actually have several different gallon pump sprayers, so I can have one pump for each type of insecticide.
I use these two organic insecticides when the plants are growing well, and there are no signs of an active infestation. These sprays are more natural, better to breathe, and better for the environment and any beneficial insects.
- PureCrop - mostly to target root mealies. (Mix 4 Tbsps per gallon of water - plus I also adjust the PH because PureCrop raises the PH a lot). I leave the lights on while this dries.
- Horticultural oil - After the PureCrop dries, I spray with 2 tsp of horticultural oil per gallon of water. (no PH adjustment). Afterward, I turn off the lights overnight.
When I have an active infestation of any type of pest, including root mealies, I don't want to mess around with natural products that don't usually kill at all stages of the life cycle, and need to be applied more often. So, I put on a mask, gloves, etc., and get out the strong stuff. If you don't have too many plants, you may want to spray them outside, because this stuff is toxic to inhale. I also would not spray it on flowering plants you keep outside, because it could kill pollinating insects.
- BioAdvanced Complete Insect Killer for Soil & Turf - mix 1 Tbsp per gallon of water
About every three weeks, I spray with Kontos at a rate of 1/4 tsp per gallon of water, which is a systemic that can be used with pon. It takes about three weeks to start working, so it isn't good for an active infestation, but it is a good preventative. It is expensive, and I don't think it is necessary for most collectors.
How to grow hoyas faster
Once you get the basics down, read this article to dive into more details of how to grow your hoyas faster with topics such as humidity, VPD, lighting, soil, fertilizer, and pruning.
Want more Hoya Treasures?
If you are looking for hoyas, please check the shop section of my website because I update it almost every day. I also have a lot of plants I am growing that are not yet ready to sell, and you can sign up to be alerted when they come in stock.