Fanni-
Where do you live and what's the weather like? Also which hoyas did you get? Some prefer warm weather, some prefer cool and some inbetween! With a little more info, someone should be able to head you in the right direction!
Kelly

Thanks, Kellyknits for your quick reply. I live on the Mississippi Gulf coast. It is very hot and humid here. Today High is supposed to be 88 F, but it will be warmer later in the summer.
My hoyas are: Hoya australis, Hoya pubicalix and Hoya carnosa.

Fanni,

Your Hoyas would do great outside under a shade tree where they would only get sun coming through the tree. If you could avoid late afternoon sun, that would be best - morning sun is usually less intense, so a little morning sun would be ok. Watch them close, though, or you'll have them climbing the tree and they'll be permenant residents in the tree branches!

Denise in Omaha

I agree with Denise. You and I have the exact same climate, and I grow mine in the greenhouse which is kept at a year round zone 11 climate. The light in there is DIRECT but DIFFUSED (by the greenhouse glazing, and the shadows of other larger plants, and by the trees that grow in the yard outside the greenhouse, and by leaves that collect on the roof of the greenhouse). Its extremely hot here too for 9 months out of the year and warm for the other 3, but with just enough frost to preclude keeping hoyas outside year round. We have had temps between 92-97 degrees for the past week and a half, heat indexes have climbed to 104 and above. But with enough water many of mine are in full bloom at the moment. I have about 30 different ones.

Bright indirect light is just something that they put on the label so some silly doesn't try to grow the plant in either no light (full shade) or direct burning sun (no shade).

Any of those hoyas can take direct sunlight for a little while in pretty much any climate, some could take it for half day or more in most climates EXCEPT yours, mine, LOL. Southern states sun and the sun in Southern CA is more intense than states farther north.

What bright indirect light really means is, if you held a piece of paper up in the light coming in a window in your house, and held an object like your hand over the paper, it would still cast a distinct shadow that you could see. These definitions are old ways to measure light and were probably come up with by indoor orchid growers.

Nowdays most serious indoor orchidists invest in a good light meter instead of using the old system.

Denise is also right about keeping an eye on your hoyas, they will climb, and very quickly in your happy climate. I have hoya vines many feet long going up walls, over hill and over dale and just about everywhere in the greenhouse, and the 3 you have are among the most aggressive climbers.

Thank you, Denise. There actually is a tree in my yard. I had not even considered putting the hoyas there. I will check on the sun conditions there today. Yesterday one of my hoyas got one burned leaf, but the rest look fine. It got a tiny bit of afternoon sun, that is, there was sun on part of the plant for a short time.

Thank you, Bihai. IÂm so happy to get an answer from someone in the same climate zone. I have a greenhouse, but it easily gets 120 F there, so I never considered putting the hoyas there. The walls of the greenhouse are wavy plastic, and if I remember correctly, they have UV protection also. Cheap plastic containers, that melt down in the direct sun will not melt in my greenhouse, even though it is so much hotter in there than in the direct sun so there must be some UV protection. I would really be happy, if I could keep my hoyas in the greenhouse. That would also protect them from bugs (somewhat).
I am surprised that my hoyas are quick climbers, I guess, IÂd better start working on a trellis!
Bihai, I have one more question to you: Do you keep your hoyas in the greenhouse in the winter? Mine is not insulated, but I can put a few lights in there for warmth. (I guess youÂd have to leave them in there, since they attached to it, LOL.)

I think it is the heat AND the sun - We are in the middle of a 95 degree + heat wave right now, I have my plants outside, and yesterday in the morning I left a small plant on a table that was in the shade, but by mid afternoon it was in full sun, the leaves are now all scorched, and I saved it from the table only an hour into its sun bath... so it doesnt take long..and depends on the variety! The burned plant was neobudica - and not only do I not know how to spell it, I don't really know what kind of care it needs either! Sitting right next to it was cv Marlea, and that one looks fine.

Most tropicals do best in very bright indirect light, and I think this light is best for blooming, but I do have more than a few hoyas that can take direct sun in small doses, like tsangii and linearis and vitellina...while a brevialata in the same location burned to crisp. And some hoyas get really yellow in direct sun - I don't like the way they look. Also, I don't think that more light is the only way to get them to bloom, it might be in most cases, but I have a few now that are going to bloom for the first time that were in fairly weak light for the past 6 months. The last home I lived in had no trees around it and lots of windows, and all of my plants bloomed in the very bright light and sometimes direct sun, in air conditioning as well. In my experience, plants indoors in very bright windows do great in some direct sun, probably because it is not coming from directly overhead, maybe diminishing the intensity.

But, to be safe, I try to keep my outdoor plants out of mid day sun, or at least acclimate them to it slowly, and make sure they don't get too many hours of it. I spent alot of years moving plants around, and then observing to see where they did the best.

Well, Ines, 95F is kind of a routine temperature here in summer. 90F weather can start here as early as March, but it usually holds off til late April or early May, but once June hits, its the norm until about October. I think our stuff is just adapted to it. That's the challenge of gardening here, being able to find plants that will take day after day of 90+ degree heat, and, now, DROUGHT conditions and not frizzle or melt, but at the same time, stand the few hard freezes we can have in winter.

Whether your plants will burn on their first exposure to sun really depends on how they were being grown before you got them. Even plants that will actually thrive in full sun might have a bit of burn and problems starting out if they have been grown in 50% light before they went to your house, LOL. You have to stage them out and acclimate them to the brighter light.

Fanni, I have the waxy Lexan too, just single thickness because anything more here is a waste. It gets too hot in summer and we don;t need that sort of cold protection in winter.

My greenhouse is a "full service" house and the plants do stay in there year round. It has a 200,000 BTU propane heater and the minimum temp in winter at night is kept at 55F.

I can keep it at about 85-88F in summer with big 36" exhaust fans and a swamp cooler.

In the midst of this heatwave we are in, I thank God every day that 95 degrees is not routine here, especially because no matter what the temps in our summers, it is almost always humid. BUT - I have noticed that in the past few years, the summers are getting hotter and hotter, and 95 degree weather, which is common for us in August, is now hitting us much earlier in the season...I hate it, it just wears me out. I've spent alot of time in Florida, and I just never could get used to the heat down there either. Don't know how you all do it from May to October.

I lost 3 of my oldest hoyas a few years ago when I unthinkingly put them outdoors into a full sun spot in the spring, after they spent the winter indoors in low light. It was horrible, especially because I should have known better. I guess I figured it was spring, and because it was not that hot, the sun would not hurt them. Only one was I able to revive, and even now it is a shadow of its former self. Live and learn.

Hi Ines, I would like to know, what climate zone / state do you live in? I agree with you that trial and error is the way to figure out where to put your plants. However, I would like to err as little as possible with my new hoya babies. ThatÂs why I am really thankful to get so many replies. The more the better; helps me to make my decision.
Wow, Bihai, your greenhouse is really something! IÂm impressed with your heater and cooling system. For next winter, I will look into some better ways to keep mine warm, as I think lights are not that great. I looked up your heater, it is available at Amazon, but there were no reviews there. But there were good reviews for a weaker version of it. ItÂs affordable too, so I might get me something like that. I also looked up your swamp cooler as I had never heard of it. I would not be able to use that here, as the difference between Southern CA and MS Gulf coast weather is the humidity. I read that these coolers do not work in humid environments. And here it is H U M I D.
I have an inbuilt fan in my greenhouse that turns itself on, when the preset temperature is reached. But at 120 F all it does is protect me from instant heat stroke! Luckily, I do like warmth, LoL. But the heat difference between your greenhouse and mine does make me wonder, if my hoyas would be safe in it. I have a few plants in it that survive the summer, a jade plant etc.

Ines, I am so sorry about your hoyas. I just burned one leaf on one of my hoyas and kicked myself for it. And theyÂre new and easily replaceable. To lose old hoyas is really sad. ItÂs probably no consolation, but maybe you telling me about it will help me not make that same mistake. IÂm sure IÂll make lots of other mistakes instead âº.

Fanni,
you need to talk to a greenhouse company or do some research or reading before you purchase a heater. The BTU's needed for a greenhouse heater vary widely with the square footage of the greenhouse floor, the glazing, and the ceiling height.

Before you buy a heater, consider that my greenhouse is 1730 square feet, the size of a small house. It has a 20 ft ceiling at the gable. 200,000 BTU's is actually a little less than specified for this size greenhouse, but I can get away with it because of the single thickness glazing.

Also, this is a vented heater that runs off of a propane tank (a big one). You have to factor in the cost of running a gas line, the cost of propane, renting a tank, etc.

There are many types of heaters, natural gas, kerosene, electric....the trick is to choose the one that is most economical for the long term and does what you need it to do.

I need my greenhouse to be kept at basically zone 11 temps at night in winter because I have some rare palms and other plants that will be severely damaged or bite it at temps less than 40F. You may not be growing those types of ultratropicals, hence, you may not need that kind of firepower.

Ines, I know what you mean. I am acclimated to the heat, having always lived on the Gulf Coast of Texas or at the beach wherever I was. This is the first landlocked place I have lived, we are about 50 minutes from each coast. But I have always lived where it just swelters most of the year. My husband and daughter can't tolerate the heat and hug the A/C, or stay in the pool, but if I did that I'd never get anything done!!

Fanni, I am in Southern New Jersey, it is very humid here in the summer. I think it is zone 6 - or maybe 7? The heat bothers me alot now, I know it is something you get used to when you live in it for a length of time, but I dont care for it at all, and even less now than I did when I was a kid. My 5 year plan is to move to Nantucket or Cape Cod, where it will still be humid, but maybe not as much as here...though with the way things are going, I may have to push even further north!
I lived not far from the gulf coast in TX for a year, maybe it was an hour drive, maybe a little more, in a town called Kirbyville(east Texas) Pretty darn hot there too, but I liked being able to go to Galveston.

The humidity is great for the plants though, even hoyas that like to be dry.

Ines, I think I know exactly how you feel. I lived in Germany for most of my life where the winter is very cold and the summer short, hot and humid. No air-conditioning and not enough time to get used to the heat before it cools down again. It is really much easier for me here, because it is warm most of the year. And if I do feel too hot, I can always turn on the air conditioner. It really does take a while to get used to humid heat. IÂve lived in El Paso, TX before, where itÂs hot and dry. The dryness made the heat much more comfortable, but sometimes I felt like I had sand in my face.

Bihai, if you ever decide to post pics of your greenhouse, I wouldnÂt mind if you sent me an e-mail to let me know. Looks like you have a real professional greenhouse there. When I looked up your heater, I saw that there are so many different kinds and sizes. ItÂll definitely take me a while to decide on one. IÂve got a few months time nowÂ
I had pineapple plants before (best pineapples I ever ate), but they made it through the winter with just the lights on. So I may not even need a heater. IÂve also had tomato plants in the winter, just to see if I can. (I could and they were great) I have lots of different plants, but nothing rare. Lots of tropical plants that supposedly cannot take under 40 F. Every year I plant something new and mostly silly, just for fun. Sometimes itÂs annual stuff that doesnÂt need the greenhouse; e.g. a few years ago I planted brown and white cotton just to watch it grow. This year IÂve planted sunflowers.

Fanni,
here are a few photos for you. They give you an idea of what my place is all about
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Bihai, your plants are fantastic. What a beautiful collection you have. I love the one picture of the spidery flower. Is that an epi?

That is amazing. So beautiful! Thanks so much for posting the pics, Bihai. I think thatÂs hoyas climbing up trees in picture 10. And the flowers are so beautiful. IÂve never seen them before. Well photographed too. Can you still walk in this jungle or do you just fly through, LOL? I donÂt know how many times IÂve looked at your pictures and I still see something new every time. Do you water the plants individually or with sprinklers or sweep over them with a garden hose? I see you have plants in the ground, too. My greenhouse has a concrete ground. We have so many weeds ÂoutsideÂ, so I wanted a weed free zone in my greenhouse. But you have so many plants, there doesnÂt seem to be any room left for weeds.
These pictures really inspired me to try and find a way to control the temperature better in my greenhouse. I would love it, if my hoyas could grow all over the place there. It also would be nice, if I didnÂt h a v e to take most of the plants out every summer and in again every winter. My husbands arms are getting tired âº, he has to carry all the big pots. I measured my greenhouse just now, itÂs 14 x 10 and the highest point of the ceiling is about 9 ½ feet (itÂs gabled).
Thanks again for the pictures. I didnÂt expect that and theyÂre really a sight to see.

I appreciate your compliment. No, that's actually a Cirrhopetalum orchid called "Thai Spider".

I'm sorry that there aren't more actual hoyas in the photos. I don't tend to take many photos of my hoyas 'alone' because most are climbing up the wall, and I find photographing the wall unattractive. The greenhouse is so intensively planted that frequently some photos are just impossible to get because you can't position yourself with the camera in the exact right spot.

I do have some photos where the hoyas are more apparent, though. Since many of my plants are planted directly into the ground, or are growing as epiphytes or semi-epiphytes as mounted specimens, they usually just get 'included' in photos of other things

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Bihai, you really made my day. Thanks so much for everything. Your pictures are just perfect. I enjoyed them and all the info you gave me very much. I like your hoya kerrii, thatÂs one even I as hoya newbie can recognize, hehe.

Fanni,

I lived in Biloxi for about 6 months way back in 1980, when my ex was in training in the USAF down there. The climate is most definitely not for me, but I imagine our precious Hoyas would love, love, LOVE it! You'll do great with them. Although it's more of a challenge to grow the plants in our extreme climate here in Nebraska, at least the 'net gives me the chance to see plants grown in ideal circumstances, like Bihai's (I'm green w/envy, lady!!)

Denise in Omaha

Looks more like an indoor tropical rainforest than a greenhouse... The pictures probably don't even do it justice. Speaking again of TX, I went to a place there called Moody Gardens, looked the same but on a bigger scale - a huge rainforest inside a big glass pyramid, with winding trails and real tropical birds. I have to say I appreciate all the work that goes into maintaining something like that on any scale. It must be great for you to walk thru in the morning and see what is going on with everything. As the time gets closer and closer for me to have something like this, I get more excited. And I don't want to be in the same situation as Fanni, having to move things in and out with the seasons, that is alot of work! I want something that can stay intact year round.

If you don't mind my asking, in pic 7 what is the brown speckled plant growing in the ground, and what is the pinkish plant in the upper right hanging basket in pic 11?

Thanks

YouÂre right Ines, itÂs not just a lot of work, its too much work. I canÂt even do it alone, and the greenhouse is my hobby. Now that I have seen how much better it could be, IÂll spend my summer trying to figure out how to improve it.

Gorgeous pics Bihai! I love the spidery flower too...just beautiful.

Gabi

It's work, but its work I like. The hardest thing is keeping it weeded. Once weed seeds get imported with new plants, they are there to stay. Sometimes I discover grace errors in plant selection as well, like the 20 foot Hong Kong Orchid tree (Bauhinia) I just dug out and removed this week...the size wasn't the problem, I could easily keep it pruned, but it became infested with mealybugs and I tried everything (I mean EVERYTHING) but I couldn;t get rid of them. Bayer Systemic for trees didn't work, Neem didn't work (the leaves of Bauhinia don't 'hold' moisture, it just slides off) Soap didn't work, Cygon, Orthene and Isotox didn;t work, and coffee didn't work. So out went this huge tree, in sections. There was enough root mass left to plant the tree in the yard though. It will grow here, I only had it in the greenhouse for effect by the streamhead.

The speckled plant in photo #7 is a Neoregelia bromeliad, growing under the green and white variegated Philodendron. There are other spotted broms in photo #8, they are all Billbergias

The pink flowers in #11 are from a small blooming Phalaenopsis orchid that is mounted on a log spanning the stream. This particular species Phal makes keikis (baby plants)on long stolons so it is slowly spreading in that while area.

WOW!!! Thank you for identifying the Thai Spider....that's going on a short list! Are the pink flowers in pic #6 the same Phal from pic # 11? Do you know the specific name of it?

Can I plan my next vacation in your greenhouse?!?!

Kelly

Bihai thanks for posting your photos. I love the photo of the red Renanthera orchid with the Hoya climbing the rafters in the background. Your greenhouse has really matured and looks very natural especially in the photo with the mossy rock by the stream.

Kelly if you like Cirrhopetalum make sure to look into Bulbophyllum as well. I used to mainly grow those orchid genera and they are really fun to grow but just a warning most don't have a pleasant scent.

Mike

Here is a link that might be useful: Internet Orchid Photo Encyclopedia

Bihai

I'm speechless!!! Absolutely stunning.

shanna