They should be fine rooted in the same mix you will grow them in eventually ( Good mix is equal amounts of orchid bark, perlite and potting soil - but lately I have been using less and less potting soil in the mix, especially for cuttings )
If you have 3 or 4 cuttings, use a 4" pot and though rooting hormone isn't a must, I like to use it. Try for at least one node under soil level.

One thing I may start trying is putting a layer of straight perlite in the bottom of the rooting pot, maybe about an inch, and then put the rest of the mix on top.

Good luck!

If the plant the cuttings were taken from was actively growing, you really don't need rooting hormone, but you can use it if you want. I would root them in perlite first, then put them back in the pot once you have some good roots going. We tend to keep the mother plants a little drier than they prefer to be when rooting, so the cuttings can become dehydrated before they root, which doesn't look very good. If they get past a certain point of dehydration, they won't come back to looking plump and happy again, although the new growth would probably be fine.

I have to say, though, that I'm amazed at how dehydrated cuttings can be sometimes and still make a comeback. I took some stems off my huge tsangii about 3 weeks ago - these stems looked like they were dieing because the leaves were curled up and a little wrinkly. Not dry, mind you, but they were obviously not taking up water. My instinct was to just toss the stems they looked so poor, but I decided to put them in a glass of water with fine pebbles in the bottom just for the heck of it. They produced roots quickly and now (3 weeks later...) they're looking back to normal (all uncurled and not wrinkly at all) and one stem is even forming a flower, right there in the water! Wild!

Denise in Omaha

So I can root hoya cuttings in water also?

Hi Smith,

One can root many Hoyas in water, but not all.

So Denise,

Isn't that the coolest thing, to have a cutting in just water put out bloom? I've been lucky enough to have this happen a few years ago, practically knocked my socks off. Enjoy!

you can root them in water, you can also root them in perlite, but when they root so easily in soil, why not just root them in soil? Then they will not have to transition to soil later..less stress for the plant, less work for you!

I took a few cuttings today and stuck half in the same pot and the other in just perlite, just to be on the safe side. Wish me luck! how long does it take for the cuttings to root?

maybe a week, probably longer, I just did the same in the beginning of the summer, had a pubicalyx that I repotted and cut alot of damaged foliage off, it was looking pretty sparse so I put a few cuttings right next to it in the pot. It was outdoors, so the humidity helps, I know that within 2 weeks it was rooted, within a month it was already putting out new growth. Rooting cuttings indoors is a little different for me, they may root quickly but they rarely put out new growth so quickly.

It was smart of you to do it the way you did, learning by listening to what other people do and then trying a few things yourself is the best way. I would wait about 2 weeks and then gently tug on the cuttings, if they hold tight, they should have roots.

I am not sure what you should do once they root in perlite, but would like to know what Denise does cause i have an Australis cutting rooting in perlite right now, one that all other methods failed with, and I was down to one small one node piece!! Do you let them stay in the perlite a while and then repot, or do you repot as soon as the roots start forming - and is it best to wait till you see new growth?

Ines - I let them establish pretty good roots in perlite. The roots are more like soil roots, so there's really not much agjustment going to soil. With water, I pot them up as soon as the roots pop through the stem...

Karen - What species did you get to bloom in water? I have to admit that I wouldn't normally be terribly impressed with tsangii blooming in water simply because it's such a constant bloomer for me. But because the stems started out so very dehydrated, it took me by surprise. And, BTW, that diversifolia v. crassipes cutting you sent me last fall is now really taking off. Have you gotten yours to bloom? It's one that has really captured my attention and I'm watching it daily. Can you tell me anything about it??

Denise in Omaha

Hi denise,
In answer to your question,I have never rooted a cutting in water, as I mentioned in another post I only use vermiculite and perlite mixed together in a very small pot in my clone box under a grow light.And using this mix I have successfully rooted and grown (by a stem cutting without leaves just a stem)were Cumingiana,Santos X Cumingiana,Carnosa,Bella var.Paxtonii,New Guinea White&Lanceolata.
And also I have rooted by leaf a New Guinea White,Carnosa and I have a Kerrii rooting by a leaf at the moment.

Oh I was just reading your last post and you mentioned me sending you a cutting of a diversifolia v.crassipes last fall but that was not me so I hope I have not answered a question meant for another Karen,If so sorry...Regards Karen...

Sorry Kazzy-Karen - we have two "Karens" here! PG is also Karen.

And yes, I read about your rooting box on another post. Have any of your leaf cuttings grown into plants? Leaf-only cuttings of Hoyas won't grow unless you get a little bit of the stem (something technical about there being no growth cells in just the leaf...) Leaves root ok, they just never do anything else. Now I have heard of some people getting a plant to grow from a leaf, but it was explained to me that when they took the leaf, they must have gotten at least a bit of stem tissue for it to produce a plant. But I still throw a broken off leaf in with the plant to root because I figure MAYBE a little of the stem came along, and if not, at least the rooted leaf will do a little to hide the ugly soil.

Denise in Omaha

Many people have different ways of rooting.. it does depend on which method people use and how sucessful it is...
My method is to take at least a two-node cutting (node being where the leaves come out of) with fully formed leaves (you can do it with one node, but it doesn't always work as well) of a healthy growing plant, preferably during the growing season and not too late in the year (April - September for me). I dip it in rooting hormone, place the bottom node (with the leaves still attached) into a Jiffy 7 pellet and leave on a heat mat for probably around two weeks, by which stage roots will have formed. Then I take it out of the pellet and re-pot into the smallest pot possible in my regular growing media (bit of soil, perlite and vermiculite) and leave it for at least another couple of weeks on the heat mat to ensure it's growing well.
And - I have got a full plant from one leaf. It was a carnosa, and it did take 10 years to flower, but it's a great plant nonetheless. I wouldn't be able to tell you if I got a bit of stem or not, but out of the four I planted, only one that I could see produced a vine.

I have heard that, that you CAN get a plant from one leaf, but that it can take a long time, and the reason you don't hear about it is that most people lose patience and give up. Whenever I lose a good leaf, I stick it back in the pot with the plant. I have a few that are rooted, but not much else.

I just bought a heat mat (finally!), and I am planning to use it on my David Liddle cuttings when I receive them soon(I don't want to take any chances on those precious cuttings!).

So...I will describe my way of rooting (with 100% success "so far"), and please let me know if it's dangerous to use the "humidity domes" AKA "plastic baggies" with the heat mat. Basically, I've always been scared of the heat mat causing a fire (I know, I have a little OCD), and I'm afraid that any drips of water might cause a fire (I mostly fear for my dog who's home alone with the plugged in heat mat...ugh.

Ok, here's what I do:
1. I pot the cutting/s into a small pot with the soil I will be growing it in (perlite, soil, and either orchid or fir bark....1:1:1 ratio). The soil is "moist" when the cuttings are placed in, and I take the bottom 2 leaves off so that at least one node is under the soil. I don't use rooting hormone (since there's already some hormones in the nodes), but I do soak the cutting/s in some warm water with a few drops of Superthrive prior to potting it.
2. I put the pot in a large ziplock bag with a bunch of pre-poked holes in it, spray the foliage with my water/VF-11 mix, and close the bag. It then gets placed in bright but indirect sun.
3. I open the bag and spritz the foliage about every 2 days or so. I'll spritz the top of the soil if it feels dry (but usually it remains moist with all the humidity).
4. About 1-2 weeks later, I take the bag off and roots have been established. I leave the rooted cuttings in the pot until they outgrow it (which could take years!).

Ok, so is it "safe" to do this all on a heat mat? Does anyone cover the heat mat with a towel or something before placing the baggie or pot without baggie on it so that it doesn't get wet? And last question...do I just turn the mat on when I leave for work and that's that? Sorry guys...I'm a little neurotic!

Thanks :)
Gabi

Gabi...I wouldn't set the cuttings right on the mat. I would (and do) put them all into a plastic shoebox, or one of those black trays you get at hydroponics stores, or a rubbermade container, etc. then set that on the mat. Some of those heat mats are quite hot to set the little cups directly on. Most are waterproof though so that's not a problem. It is just easier to handle all the cuttings if they are all together in a tray too.
Marcy

Gabi, I understand your paranoia about fire - more than a few times I have been half way to somewhere and turned around to go home to make sure I didn't leave the coffee pot plugged in! At certain times in my life it was so bad that I would go around unplugging LAMPS before going out! ( I don't do that anymore, thank goodness ) I am not obsessive about most things, just fire, and like you, I fear for my pets being trapped in it.

I think that heat mats run on such low voltage that they are probably no more dangerous to leave on than a light, but I am not positive. I probably will get one eventually, because of the hoyas I seem to mostly get from cuttings, and for perennials, which I grow a few varieties of from seed each year. Also, the heating pad will come in handy for stubborn or ailing cuttings.

With all that zip lock bag stuff you go thru, I would think you would definately benefit from rooting/growing under some sort of dome or lid.

Thanks Marcy and Ines.

I actually do have one of those domes, but I like rooting in pots so that I don't have to transfer anything. However, when I root a bunch of cuttings at once (and they are small enough for those "cells"), then I use the dome.

And Ines, I actually re-use the ziplock baggies. That would just be too much of a waste to throw them out (obviously I re-use the ones I use for cuttings, not ones I use for food!!)

I'm expecting the Liddle cuttings by September, so that's why I wanted to use the heat mat. I don't see any reason to use it now.

So should I just leave it on all day if I'm at work for about 8 hours or more?
Also, I have all carpeting (at least where my windows are), and I'm a little nervous about putting a heat mat on the carpet. Should I put it on another surface (like my dining room table)?

Thanks guys...and sorry to ask so many questions - I'm just super paranoid about this.

Ha Ha - I didn't mean go thru ziplock bags as in you were wasting them from using to many, I just meant "go thru" as in the process (or hassle?) of using them, putting the holes in them, taking them off to mist or water etc etc. I meant it might be easier to have your plants in one big container or tray with a lid. I would probably use one if I was rooting alot at one time. And I do agree that trapping the humidity is beneficial - that one Australis Lisa cutting I was having so much trouble rooting, I put it in damp perlite and covered it with a clear plastic lid, and within a week it had roots!

I don't think putting it on a carpeted surface would be good, a counter top or a table would be much better - not sure if the heat would be bad for wood, though. As for leaving it on, I would think it should be on all the time at a lower setting, but I will leave it to someone else to answer that. As for asking too many questions, you should know better than to feel bad about that, silly girl! I can perfectly understand not wanting to lose any of your new cuttings, and I know it isn't just about all the money that they cost either, it is just hard to see them not do well.

Anyway, I may have something to say about people using heavy duty pesticides, but I can promise I won't lecture you, Gabi, on your use of paper and plastic!

I use an aquarium with glass lid to root hard to root plants, but I'm just speaking out of ignorance since I've never gotten hoyas past the acclimation to no humidity (ie:plastic baggie). however the concept works for all plants.

You can get a cheap glass 10 gallon aquarium for about $10 and some pet stores sell them with glass and light for about $30. Look for one on freecycle. Get the all glass top and the flourescent light if possible. It doesn't produce as much heat and has closer wavelengths to sunshine. I put a layer of aquarium gravel mixed in with charcoal for aquariums, put in water to about an inch below the gravel level and put the pots on top of that, put the glass on and turn on the light. Instant terrarium :) Treat the plants as if they are in the baggies. With the cost of baggies, the investement in an aquarium will pay for itself pretty quickly.

Gabi, did your heat mat not come with a dome? If it did, I recommend using that instead of going through the faff with bags. Mine has capillary matting on it too which I dampen with water and it then provides lots of humitidy within the dome for the plants. I also recommend placing your plants on some kind of tray/plant saucer to remove it a little from the heat source.

As for positioning of the tray, I definitely recommend some kind of table/windowsill/shelf, away from overcurious dogs and also placed in a way that said dog can't trip over the wires. If you're putting on a table or windowsill, I would recommend placing it on some kind of mat (my windowsill went a bit yellow after a while with direct contact, not good!). As for leaving it on, I had it on constantly for over a year with absolutely no problems, and I'm the most accident prone person after my boyfriend(!) I know.
Hope that helps, Hills

Here is a link that shows the typical tray and dome I use for some of my little plants during winter or to start cuttings. I don't use the tray with the individual plugs, but the one that is solid and just set the pots into it. I use the very high dome to allow for big leaves, and it has 2 places on top that adjust for allowing air. It just fits on top of the typical heat mat these places sell for plants. Most of these type things can be bought at hydroponics stores if you have any in your area.

Here is a link that might be useful: plant starter trays

Don't put the heat mat on a wood surface. I had mine first on a little antique table that wasn't in the best of shape, but had potential. It caused the veneer to warp and seperate from the wood. Then I put it on an old wood cutting board (one of those solid pine ones about an inch thick...) It apparently softened the glue and it broke in two when I went to pick it up. After that, I kept it on a cardboard box (don't worry - they only get about 75 degrees - not hot enough to start a fire...)

Denise in Omaha

The one I used on a wood ledge, I first put down a long piece of glass that had been a shelf. I have also used a marble cutting board under one.

Ines,
Ohhhhh...now I see what you meant about the ziplock bag thing! I totally misread it. But either way, I didn't think you were lecturing me AT ALL! So no worries. I just figured you were trying to save me some money :) I'm glad your australis rooted for you...humidity is a great thing!

Hills,
I'm not sure if you read my last post, but I wrote that I already have a dome/seedling tray. The heat mat that I bought didn't come with anything. It's just a heat mat with a plug! It doesn't even have instructions. I bought it from an online orchid store...can't remember the name though. I actually have the perfect tray to put the pots/dome on. My dog is 9, so she's over that "overcurious" stage (thank God!), but I still worry...remind me to never have kids! Thanks for the advice :)

Marcy,
I just might have to check out the hydroponics store in my area. I just fear that I might buy too much! But the higher dome might be just what I need, since I am expecting cuttings with large leaves. The cutting board/glass idea is great. Thanks!

Denise,
Thanks for the "wood warning". I was thinking of using my wood dining room table, but I definitely feared the wood causing a fire or the heat mat damaging the table.

Thanks everyone...you were all so helpful!!
Gabi

Hi All,

Back for Denise:

Let's see ... what rooted as cuttings in water for me?

Krinkle 8 (in 2001, from friend of Jeff's when I first went to Calif & met them both)

Nummularioides (from Judeanne who used to post here, haven't seen in a while); small, so cute & w/ heavenly scent!

Currently I have something that rooted (tentative ID as H. vitellinoides aka meredithii) in a ziplock bag rooting in clump of long sphag & during the 5 days I was recently away (end May when Dad died), I came back to find it had thrown a SPUR while still in the bag.

So I still keep in in the bag, 'cause I didn't want to disrupt the roots by potting it up.

Denise -- so sorry, I forgot to tell you of the cuttings we swapped last fall, the Polyneura died fast, so did a 2nd one (I forgot which). That Dischidia oin____ still lives but has not done one thing since it came to me, not a leaf, nothing! Globulosa also from you in that swap, is the one that took, it's not the fastest grower, but I do see a new leaf from time to time w/ healthy looking growth.

Diversifolia v. crassipes (who said it was Diversifolia -- she who can't be mentioned?). I just knew that as Crassipes, which originally came to me by mail from Norma in Burbank (aka Dufflebag, formerly Crassulady); who said it was growing up a wall somewhere (maybe at the Huntington?). Til lately it's done quite well, recently it's having trouble, mostly stem & few leaves, tho' I had made a second group of that, which is doing well. I love the look of those shiny, glossy tear shaped leaves, so pretty, reminds me of bost Citrus & Lacunosa in a way.

Am suffering losses lately (I think due to the heat). Have lost all my bits of Kentiana (w/ diff cuttings), now Lacunosa is suffering & yet another set of Polyneura cuttings (& potful actually) bite the dust.

Yet the regulars keep on plugging, KP & KQ, Obovata, Kerriis, etc. others I can't list right now.

Bye for now, gotta run.

Hi denise,
Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner I've been sick with the darn flu...Anyhow in answer to your question on the rooted leaves,well they are still growing and only very young but yes you are right that at the moment they are still only leaves with roots as they don't have any new growth as yet but because they are still very thick healthy green leaves still there is always a chance.And when I went to root them they did have about 2-3 cm of stem on the leaves.Anyhow hope you are all well see ya bye for now Karen (kazzy33)

PirateGirl, I am feeling the same heat down here, and it is having a negative effect on some of my plants. I haven't lost anything yet, but it has been bad. I hate to say I am wishing for September, because that means all the plants have to come indoors, but I am wishing for it. I am starting to wilt from the heat myself.

I would say that the only hoyas that seem to be thriving in this dense, humid muck that passes for the weather are obovata and linearis. Obovata has 4 of the thickest, healthiest vines I have ever seen shooting out a foot into space right now from every side of the plant. And linearis is one of the few that isn't burning up from the sun, which is surprising cause it looks so delicate.