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Too Dry or Too Wet??? That is the question

15 years ago

I have learned from you helpful hoya lovers that yellow leaves mean too wet or too dry, I just can't figure which one. This is three plants in a ceramic pot. Not really pot bound and not wet to the touch on the surface. Got any hints . Think I should repot in plastic??? Jane

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Comments (5)

hannabella75
15 years ago
As a last resort, when I can't tell I either stick my fingers way into the pot or lift the plant out to see if the bottom is staying too wet. If it is, you can set it on a stack of newspaper to suck out some of the moisture. The drain isn't plugged up is it? It looks beautiful though.

Johanna
mdahms1979
15 years ago
I recently got the newest addition of The World Of Hoyas by Dale Kloppenburgh and in it he mentions that the Philippine Hoya species like to be watered frequently and that they should not be allowed to dry out like many other Hoya species. Having said this it is very important to have a fast draining potting mix to allow air to reach the roots.

I grow my Hoya DS-70 in a short 5" clay pot and I water it pretty much every day. My plant does very well with this treatment because the fast draining potting mix and clay pot allow lots of air in the root zone. I have never grown this Hoya in a plastic or glazed pot but I know many others have so hopefully they can help. Are your plants newly potted or have they been together in the pot for some time? If you have recently potted the cuttings together you might need to water less until the roots colonize the potting media a little more.

Mike
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gardensnail22
Original Author
15 years ago
These plants have been together for about a year or more. I think I will try the clay pot. This is an old ceramic pot that has an attached saucer. Maybe it can't drain properly. The soil has lots of pearlite in it so I don't think thats the problem. Thanks for the advice , will let you know how it turns out. Jane
mdahms1979
15 years ago
What schedule do you water your plant on or do you have some sort of test to determine when to water? You may simply need to adjust your plants culture. Does your Hoya get enough light to allow it to grow and take up all the available moisture each time you water? Tell us a little bit about how you care for your plant before you try repotting.

Mike
gardensnail22
Original Author
15 years ago
I had the plants in a east window since I got them and I was having trouble with the yellow leaves so about a month or so ago I moved it to a west window that has a porch in front of it. It gets a lot of light. I water about once a week if it feels dry. I stick my finger about a half an inch in the dirt to try to feel if it is wet. I also use Vf-11 every watering and pour of any water that stay in the saucer.

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