Nice Hoyas, Diane. Are you seeing lots of new growth yet? Mine are really revving up for spring. Some are setting buds, some are just throwing out new growth. I love this time of year! And I agree, I'd like to see more pics here, too. Here are a few of my favorites...

Plain green Hoy kerrii...
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... and it's flower...
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Hoya macrophylla, a favorite for it's foliage...
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I also have Hoya pubicalyx - I love the splashy leaves...
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... and it's pretty flowers (they're a little darker than they appear here - I guess it was a sunny day...)
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And Hoya carnosa rubra, which is setting buds now...
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Denise in Omaha

Oh those are very nice Denise! Wish I had flowers but I'll wait, they will come:-)

All my plants are showing signs of spring. Must be the longer days. It doesn't get dark now till almost 7pm so I'm optomistic! (11pm come summer and 4 pm in the dead of winter)

I gave all my plants a spring tonic yesterday. Decided to try Gelatine, ST and this new product that I found to help build healthy roots called Rootein. Can't wait to see how this gets them growing. (it was a VERY mild solution, to early yet to really start fertilizing)

Thanks for posting your Hoya photo's.... lovely
Diane

Hi Diane,

What type of Rootein do you use? Regular house plant fertilizer?
I got Rootein -a liquid garden fertilizer (1:.25:.25)- recommended as a foliar spry for fruit, vegetables and flowers.
I was using it last year on hoyas and Philos (lacunosa did not like it, but the rest did ok). I also got soil conditioner by Rootein - no risible results.
I used the last one on old established plants (lipstick vines)I did not repot for yers.

In your spring tonic -What is the gelatin for ?

Hi Matt,
I used the rootein soil conditioner. Calcium/sulpher additive. It's new to me but it says to use it along with your regular fertilizers. (I have a post in the house plants forum, asking if anyone has used this) Couldn't wait for replies so I went ahead with it and watered with the jello(gelatin) and Superthrive. Healthy root systems are my biggest problem for growing plants.... don't know why?

The jello is to help green things up. Was reading somewhere here that it's a good thing to use so I thought I'd try it and Superthrive is something I always use anyway.

I'll try to find the post/article that I was reading about using gelatin and post a link.

Diane

Well I didn't find the exact page I was looking for, it was more detailed, but this page sorta explains it. I also just used 2 pkgs gelatine(dissolved) to a 3 gallon watering can and about 5 drops of ST. I didn't want to over do it:-)

Diane

Here is a link that might be useful: gelatin/plants

Thanks  IÂm looking forward to that gelatin link,

About the conditioner.
We are talking about the same product -(30%calcium, 2.4% sulphur).
On the box there is a note "this product should be applied based on the results of a soil analysis (??????)." And" be a part of a complete fertilization program".
I used it on plants I thought could have their soil too acidic (salts build ups and p moss breakdown ). No, I have not done any analysis the company recomends.
Now I think that if I flashed my plants with a plain water to get rid of build up salts instead of using the conditioner- I would have more visible improvement.

IÂm not convinced with this "amazing results" sales pitch on yet another "miracle" product.
They use the same phrase on every product they produce.
Hope you have better experience. In my opinion you could credit it to ST rather then Rootein.
Just my 2cents.

Maybe somebody else has better experience.
BTW where did you get ST in Canada?

Ps Love your plants. My h. Sheperdi was as big as yours 2 years ago - budding up for a year now testing my patients.

And for anyone who has arthritis, Knox geletin taken daily will GREATLY reduce the joint pain. Just disolve about 2 tbsp. in a cup of broth. You won't see overnight results, but after a couple of months, you can throw away your pain medication!

Denise in Omaha

Matt
I got my ST from a shop on-line in Quebec (sorry can't remember the site) But it worked out to way too expensive and I won't be doing that again!! Go to superthrive . com and buy from the source. Free shipping, even to Ca., and you'll get WAY more product for 1/2 the price. I recommend calling the 1-800# to place your order.... they are very helpful!

Now the product is called 'Perfectly Rootein' (part of the 'Perfectly Natural program')
"Custom Soil Conditioner containing calcium and organic matter. This product should be used as part of a complete fertilization program."
Calcium:29.00%
Sulphur:2.74%
Recommended usage: once per month.
Rate of application: Houseplants; sprinkle 1 Tbs. into large pots, 1/2 Tbs. for medium pots and 1/4 Tbs. for smaller pots. Continue watering at regular intervals.

"Getting to the ROOT of the Problem!"

That's all it states on the package.... nothing about having a soil analysis done before use.

I doubt very much that it'll make much of a difference, ST is probably the better way to go, but what the heck! I use small amounts of ST with every watering so I might notice a change that I can attribute to Rootein.(or is that change in my plants due to the Jello?) OOPS! seems I may have done too much to do a science project, Lol!

Thanks for the nice comments:-)
Diane

Hi Diane,

I got mine in September 2004 (Wal-Mart) end of season sale.
It is called "Rootein" Soil Conditioner for Indoor Plants -premium- Amazing results.
It has the same dosage as yours. By Ceres. Even % is similar.

I think, they dropped the line about testing and renamed the product hoping to attract buyers.
Mine is in squared white plastic container with white-green label - 1.7kg. It stinks a little and looks like a very fine gray gravel with some white flakes.

Thanks for the tip with ST- I will definitely call them and order some.

After checking that gelatin site I went through recipes in Jerry BakerÂs Happy healthy houseplants. He also recommends gelatin.
IÂm usually reluctant to use anything other then regular premix fertilizer (I noticed once that some home made fertilizers attract mold and bugs  J. BakerÂs for example).
I hope you will keep us posted about the results in your experiment.

Denise,
Thanks for the tip with a gelatin (my mom complains a lot about the arthritis pain).
Love your picks  and the web.
What did you do to h. pubicalyx to get that magnificent bloom?
I have one  big, old, root bounded monster that does not bloom at all (growing indoors). This winter my cats knocked it down twice  it was in 6" self watering pot for couple of years. Too tall and too light.
So now I had to repot it to 8" pot where everything is sturdier and roots and not drying that fast. IÂm afraid more vines will follow with no blooms- as usual.

Matt,
Is that the same guy who uses things like coke, ammonia, dish soap......on lawns? If it is, then I have used some of his whacked out recipies on my lawn but didn't know he had a houseplant book too. I'd NEVER use anything on my houseplants that contained sugar! I think the man is a tad insane to start with but does he think 'we' are....no, no, no!! Not sure what he recommends for Houseplants but I can just imagine!

This is a first for me to use anything but Schultz plantfoods and ST. It's been a awefully GREY winter here and all my plants seem pale. The lack of sunlight has made them SAD too.

Bring on the sun and the green!
Diane

Wow Denise, what beauties, really so very nice, love all those blooms (I rarely get any myself). You're clearly doing something very right -- using any special supplements?

I'm trying to remember to send away for the sample of Eleanor's VF1 which (if I recall correctly) Cena swears by.

Wishing you could come on over & whisper some inspiration to my Hoyas & me.

Nice job, thanks for such beauties!

Thanks for the nice comments. As for the H. kerrii, it decided to start blooming when I got my GH, so I suspect it's good light that's the key there. I keep it towards the top shelf where it gets as much sun as possible. In winter, that means ok light, in summer pretty strong light. I keep all my Hoyas inside (except the ones that aren't doing so well...) because the aphids eventually get them. As for additives, I do use Eleanor's and have for about the last year. I can't give credit to Eleanor's for the kerrii, but I've seen amazing results with my other Hoyas. The H. nicholsonii I posted in another post is a rooted cutting I got last fall, so I'm amazed to have a flower already. I use it every watering, year round (it's not a fertilizer, but just a mineral supplement, more or less...) and I also spray it on the foliage. Eleanor swears that it's every bit as beneficial to foliar feed as root feed, so I do both. Not only have I seen the benefit of the plants looking better, but I've also found that I'm finding far fewer mealies.

Denise in Omaha