Hi Kerstin,

I've never grown H. Macg & am still newish w/ H. lacunosa. But regarding yr. carnosa as mentioned above, pls. be reminded that Hoyas prefer being potted small & (supposedly) bloom better potted small. That larger pot may be OK for the warmer months, but I'd be nervous abt it in colder weather.

I don't know what you mean abt "warts" along the stem, except to think they're root nodes.

PS: H. lacunosa can be fussy abt humidity & its watering, I've killed 2 already & w/ over 30 Hoyas, I don't kill many or often. Just so you know.

Hello pirate girl,
hmm must say it sounds disencouraging.. if you have so many you obviously know what you are doing,
well the hanging pot I got is about 6 in wide, I thought if I put two together they'll take over the empty space faster.
??
You mention fussy about humidity, do you mean it demands high levels?
do you live with forced air or radiators?
I ask because a lot of the plants my friends have trouble with usually excell at my place - because of my radiators I believe.
-could I put two in a 4 in pot, then fill the bottom of the hanging with some sand and then doublepot?
I really need to get them up on hooks since I have very limited window sill space.
Hmm, what else?
well I can't think about anything but do you care to elaborate?
growthrate, suntolerance etc- which window is yours facing?Is it blooming yet?- in case, is it worth it?
Do have any sugg, on other, easy-ier and strongly fragrant kinds?
Thanks!
klk

I have a few or similar questions re: Lacunosa and MacG. Where to hang these pot is crucial to many of us (In my case, I do not have windowsills, just floor space or next to the windows and as we all know here in the east, it ranges anywhere from very cold to moderately cool with intermittent sunlight. What would be helpful is someone showing hanging baskets, exposure, and how often the plant is watered and what caused your lacunosa to die? Was it overwatering (which is usually the culprit with a person with heavyhanded watering techniques or on the other extreme, did it dry out too fast? Anyone? I know much depends upon the soilmix used in the planters, porosity, etc.

Thank you, Vicki

Hi again, I must say this forum is awfully quiet...
here's a brainstorm: what about using soilmoist with hoyas?
Anybody tried that?
kk

Hi Ladies,

I didn't mean to bum you out, it's just that I myself haven't yet gotten the hang of pretty little Lacunosa, whose looks I enjoy so much.

Too tired to write on this tonite, pls. forgive me, Xtra long (but good day); I'll try tomorrow to spend some time discussing my set-up & how I grow my Hoyas as I have no camera w/ which to take pix.

Yes, it does seem rather quiet here. I esp. notice the absence of OkieDeb & Lesli/GA, both of whom are lovely ladies & to my mind excellent Hoya growers. I've learned a lot from & enjoyed both of them.

OkieDeb & Lesli/GA, if you're out there lurking, pls. come back, I (I'm guessing we) miss you & your expertise.

(PG) Karen

OK here is how my H. lacunosa is being treated. It is in my small bathroom with hw baseboard heat directly beneath it. It is beside a south facing window but it doesn't get direct sun, only that reflected from the white walls. It is a very bright room. It has been known to dry out and get droopy.;)
{{gwi:936698}}

This is a couple of plants taken out of the above hanging pot last year on a spiraled and bent coathanger which is being hidden by the vines. It sits on the sink at the same southern exposure. It gets more direct sun, but the window is small so it is not for hours on end. It also has dried and drooped.
{{gwi:936700}}
BTW these pics were taken today amid our latest BLIZZARD ;=)
and both pots are blooming.

Karen, you didn't put me off, I appreciate it,
I have made a lot of urealistic purchases in the past and ultimatly I double loose out because there is nothing worse than when a plant croaks.. so much hope and expectations going out the window.
I have a feeling that was what happen to you too, loving it too much...
My own hoya barely gets her time of the day and she is flourishing.
I guess I am so addicted to gweb that I simply don't bother with the books anymore..
take your time , rest and get on top of things, no pressure at all.
hopa ya feel better.
-Vickster, do you know them hanging brackets? usually in wrought iron (should be, pots gets HEAVY)
You can find them at H depot and such for around 10$ each.
just drill them in to your wooden trims, windowsill/doorways.
I rent so I avoid all trim that is clear as they are obviously well treated, but if it painted, go for it!
when you move - cram in some painters plaster, run over it with a sanding paper when dry and voila!
Hmm, I guess this could be problematic if you live in a new nicer apt, everything is plastic..
well make a scan of your place, you gotta have solid wood somewhere..--?
Just hanging it from drywall is going to be chatasropic,
my girlfriend did that last and half of the ceiling came down with the hook, worse yet, the plant died!
Earline- your plant is most beautiful, I wonder if mine too will be varigated.?
The wire hangers is such a brilliant idea. I never thought of that. I think it almost look like a bonsai in the shape..
I have given up on the mac, I just don't seem to be able to find more specific info on it.
I am buying the lacunosa though.
And debating which one to go for, odorata or australis.
I am trying to stick to my winterblooming idea so which one would be most fitting?
thanks!
klk

My personal experience with lacunosa is that it seems quite temperature sensitive. Mine do great in the hot summer months out under the olive tree. However, even the big one I kept in the house over the winter this year got yellowish and scragly looking as the temps got lower. The small ones I have in aquariums under lights and on heat did fine.
My experience with macgillivrayii has been great. I have several and they all look fine and lush. I'm hoping my large lacunosa will improve with the coming warmer months.
Marcy

klk,

Thanks for your good advice re installation of wrought iron brackets against the sash, and the walls. I want it to look pretty as well as functional and with the curtains in a bay window could be a little tricky in a breakfast area/table b/c no one especially my husband wants a trailing plant over his head (I don't care for myself) haha but would be more concerned that someone may knock vines off with a hand. I need to get serious about it b/c the H. purpureo-fusca is really taking off now altho it is still a cutting. Also, you asked about "Soilmoist" which is gelatinous when moistened. Someone on a previus thread mentioned that she used a wick watering system even with her hanging baskets!

Karen,
You always have good advice and have helped me personally in the past.

Earline,

Those pictures are just what I was looking for and I'll bet they do well with the humidity in the bathroom. And you comments are very helpful to both of us.

Actually, everyone's comments are appreciated. When I repot some of the cuttings and display them, perhaps I can show and tell, if you will, at sometime in the future.

Vicki

goaaawwwww,earline, I didn't see the bathroom pic before, I am drooling here, what a beautiful plant!
I have currently a spiderplant hung the same way, only the window faces north and it is inside the shower.
No water reach the plant..
I wonder if that could be the spot for one of the lacunosa..?
vicki- my husband goes bananas when I block access to the windows, I can have as many plants I want as long as he can go and stand in the window every now and then,
well , I went out to Ikea and bought a double basket, = one basket hanging at aprox 6ft and then another below at 4 ft.
The bracket is on the SIDE of the window, it is a western exposure and once in a while I unhook it and spin it half a lap.
plants are doing terrific and hubby is happy= I am happy.
only a idea...

Hi Again Gang,

Quick couple of comments, otherwise, I'll come back for set-up later in the week (thx for yr. patience).

Kerstin & Vickster, thx for yr. lovely comments. It's especially nice to know one's comments are helpful, that's definately my intent & of course, to help share the pleasure that Hoyas in particular have given me.

Kerstin, if you haven't ordered yet, may I recommend H. Obovata. One of my favorites, really handsome, roundish, unusual looking leaves. A good grower yet entirely trouble free (for me anyway). Water roots readily & every time I make a new cutting to add to its pot they thrive; it's got new growth on every tip right now, really pretty, check out a pic to see if you like it. hasn't bloomed yet, but have only had it for 2.5 yrs. I'm confident it will when ready!

Wire hangers are a great old trick, I have too many plants to spend money on accessories (180+ at least count 2 yrs. ago). I just open a wire hanger, fold it in half, form it into roughly a U shape & stick the ends down into a pot (using a pair of pliers). I save this for the big or heavy ones.

Currently have wire hooped a Pubicalyx, the Obovata, my larger Lacunosa, my larger Bella, & a Findlaysonii. I'd say the bathroom Kerrii varieg. is next as it keep trying to grow into the shower stall.

Orchid supports are also good, I have my Imperialis on one as tho' it's still small, it's quite heavy & I see it wants to get big.

No Kerstin, I don't overlove them, tho' I see them every day 'cause they're in the kitchen, I really don't fuss at them much. Learned that lesson a long time ago.

More for next time, but broadly speaking, I think my Lacunosa problems were mostly from drying out a bit too much, the current one is on a wick & so far, so good.

Earline, what a fabulous display, & yes, I saw the blooms, while blizzarding no less, woo-hoo just marvelous! Makes me think I should bring mine over to the 'puter so they can see what they should be doing.

My Tsangii buds should open in the next day or 2, wish I had a camera.

Hi All,

Well my Tsangii blooms opened on Thurs. (only 1 spur, but still), very charming & pretty (sorry, no camera). Smells like sweet butter.

So some notes abt my set-up as requested. I grow indoors only, live on top floor of apmt bldg, 6th flr, west windows, unobstructed. My apmt is overheated, so I keep radiators turned halfway down & always leave windows open at least an inch or 2 (am a smoker). I think always having fresh air circulating helps me not to have pest problems.

'Cause of the dry radiator heat, I keep all my Hoyas on pebble trays (sorry if some of you may find this repetitive); plastic lids from pints of ice cream filled w/ pebbles or rocks, into which I water enough to overflow into the pebbles. Generally I only water Hoyas abt 1x wk, in summer maybe 2x depending on heat/humidity (NYC gets plenty of both).

At a right angle to the window, on my kitchen wall I have 3 shelves wall mounted (did this before Hoyas took over my kitchen, who knew?). The shelves start out abt 28" from the window, extending 4 ft. along the wall, full of mostly Hoyas, both common & less so.

I also have wire baskets (the 3 tiered kinds that I use to hang produce & fruits from), mounted right around the window frame for numerous Hoyas, one side mostly Carnosa hybrids. These baskets are lined w/ shallow plastic soup-bowl like dishes lined w/ pumice (I think one could do this w/ pebbles or perlite too) into which I have seated smaller pots of assorted Hoyas, Curtisii, several Pubicalyxes, Obscura, varieg Krinkle 8, & something that came IDed as Australis, but is looking more like Imperialis all the time.

I grow in smallest pots possible, plastic if a moisture lover, unglazed terra cotta (tc) for larger vined, heavier stemmed Hoyas. Sometimes I keep heavier Hoyas like Obovata in plastic pots w/ tc cachepots w/ rocks on the bottom. These gives them enough weight not to topple over (usually).

I tend not to mist (usually don't think of it).

That's all for now, if I missed anything, pls. ask. Happy almost Spring everybody!