To my dearest Hoya heads,
I thought I would share some books/literature I have come across. Some I have found via online library archives, some have been sent to me, and some come from Dale Kloppenburg's website. I figured it would be nice to have it all in one place if anyone is interested in this particular content. Click here to access via Google Drive.
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My plant collection is made up of 98% hoya. All of my hoya's are potted into the same mix to make it easier on me. I did not invent this particular mix. Credit goes to one of my plant friends and mentor Christie. To make up this particular mix you will need: The ratio is 40% FF, 30% pumice, and 30% bark. For example, you could do 4 cups FF and 3 cups pumice and bark. FF is my go-to high quality soil. I refuse to use anything else. As far as pumice goes you can technically use perlite if you prefer. My personal preference is pumice because you can't crush it and it is heavier than perlite. In terms of bark, I absolutely hate extremely thick bark especially since I use mainly 3 and 5oz cups as pots. I tend to buy small bark but I would recommend maybe a medium bark to keep the soil mix a little chunkier. Hoya's are epiphytes so they feed of nutrients in the air. You do not want to have a soil mix that is overly dense. The key to a good hoya mix is something light and airy. I make my hoya soil mix in bulk so that it is ready at my disposal. I then store it in a 4 gallon tote. In the past I have used traditional nursery pots. At the beginning of this year, I started transitioning all my plants into clear nursery pots. Why? I can actually see the plants roots as well as monitor soil dampness. Wet soil will appear darker while dry soil will be light brown. THIS IS A LITERAL GAME CHANGER. If you think your plant might have root rot or anything going on you can just pick up the container and gaze in. I exclusively only use clear pots now. My go to are 3 oz cups which I use a glue gun or scissors to make drainage holes in the bottom. For 4in pots and larger I get them from rePotme. The only downside to using clear pots is algae build up. After 6-8 months of using clear pots, you might notice green algae. Having a little algae build up is not a problem but if it becomes excessive it can compete with the plant roots for water and nutrients. I personally use Physan 20 which treats fungus, viruses, and algae. Once a week after I have finished watering my plants, I spray both the soil and foliage of them with Physan 20. I have only noticed a less than a handful having algae build up in my collection of 100+. If you are interested in learning more about algae click here for a helpful video. The basics:
CLICK HERE FOR BUILD LIST. Alright, so you want to set up a space for your plants... I invested in a basic cheap greenhouse frame that has a PVC clear cover. I would not recommend these for outdoor use since they are not very sturdy but they work perfect indoors with a tweak or two. You will want to zip tie the chicken wire shelves to the four corners of the shelf poles. Once you have your frame fully assembled and zip tied you will want to install grow lights. If you are new to houseplants this might not be a top priority. However, lighting is insanely important when it comes to getting your plants to grow and thrive. I know I definitely do not have any southeast facing windows. For me grow lights make it possible to have my greenhouse tents wherever I want without having to worry about light. My personal preference is the 2ft Barrina T8's. These lights are easy to assemble, LED, and come with the necessary accessories (clips and zip ties). The main drawback to grow lights is the initial investment but I can promise it is well worth it. Moreover, I would suggest getting a smart power strip to plug your grow lights into. My lights run 12 hours a day and automatically shut off at a predetermined time. Next, I put grow trays on the shelves and add in plants. The chicken wire shelves aren't great if you have a lot of small plants. Larger 4-6in plants might be find but the grow trays add stability. As an added bonus you can also bottom water your plants in the grow trays if you prefer. However, if you bottom water a hole tray of plants at once you might experience heightened pest issues. If you plan on doing a lot of propagating or have newly rooted/rooting plants I would highly recommend using heat mats in addition to everything else. Heat mats will help your plants root faster and keep your greenhouse warmer. Humidifiers aren't necessary for most people. If you have issues with low humidity try a pebble tray with water. Having a thermometer/hygrometer to keep track of temperature and humidity levels is not essential but does make it easier to have the optimal environment. Furthermore, tropical plants can be testy when it comes to water especially high maintenance varieties. I use a cheap water filtration system to help. There are other options such as rain water, distilled water, and reverse osmosis water to name a few. Depending on the genus of plant this will not be a big deal. This next step is CRUCIAL. You need to have air flow. Click here to read about my fan set up. Finally, we have made it to a potting bench/gardening mat. I started my houseplant journey with a portable gardening mat. Having a mat is great if you are tight on space. However, now that I have space for a potting bench I much prefer having a dedicated work station that I can store all of my supplies in. Neither of these are an essential but they make your life a lot easier. |
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