For a good first experience I strongly recommend using a STRONG recipe that will harden quickly. Most failures are due to pots crumbling from being removed for molds to early. A strong quick setting recipe is the solution. Recipe should be between 1/3 and 1/4 FRESH Portland cement, no less. And use an Admix for your first few attempts. Elmers wood glue will work, or you can buy an Acrylic admix for about $5 a quart or less. If you have some old latex paint around use that. If you replace around a 1/3 of your water with any of these your project will be stronger and setup faster. Even 10% admix makes a noticable difference. As you gain in experience you can leave the admix out. But for the excited newbie a bit of admix can be the difference between success and failure.

Thank you so much docmom for basically holding my hand so far! lol i watered the seed trays in the greenhouse today :) there was condensation and some seemed dried out a little...and omg, i bought like 3 or 4 books on seed saving and seed planting different seeds. the one contains info on planting alot of different varieties and care on each plant and i keep it close with me when new seeds arrive!! I also can not wait to attempt to save more varieties this year and have much more to offer in fall if all goes right!! I've also informed several family members, if this all goes good, i might have extras to give away. also might do some flemarket or yarden sales in the future...I really love gardening and I'm so glad I am taking time to do a hobby that I love so much again! I would love to find a job in gardening in the future or just to sell a few plants at fleamarkets and stuff. The garden is fun but it's also more enjoyable when you have people ooo and ahhhh over your plants and are asking you questions or ideas. :) : ) :) Thank you so much! ~michael P.S. Even without sprouts, I am thoroughly enjoying this new project and experience!

First, I have to say...Nice Haul, Dave...especially for a starter set! :) My 2 cents: (what I believe) 1. How big is it? I'd have to see it when it grows a bit. I don't think Echeveria bella is common in the trade (but it could be that). 2. maybe another Anacampseros -need to see as it grows. 3. could be Kalanchoe longiflora, but flowers will confirm 4. Echeveria 'Imbricata' 5. xPachyveria glauca 6. yes, Anacampseros rufescens 'Sunrise' 7. yes, Aloe too young to tell 8. Kalanchoe pumila 9. looks like a Sempervivum to me as well 10. looks more like Kalanchoe x houghtonii to me (if the leaf near the petiole is NOT curled up, this is what I think it is) 11. Echeveria 'Dondo' 12. yes, Anacampseros rufescens 13. maybe Pachyphytum bracteosum (I would cut above the rot & re-root-or pull leaves & root them) 14. Yes, Stapelia, but maybe gigantea instead of gettleffii 15. xGraptoveria 'Debbi' 16. Corpuscularia lehmannii 17. looks to me like xGraptoveria 'Amethorum' You did well naming many! :) 18. Echeveria runyonii 'Topsy Turvy' 19. Pleiospilos nelii 20. Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi 21. Crassula tetragona

Hi and welcome! Gorgeous hoya you got there. It's called H. carnosa 'Krimson Princess'. Ok, let me try and answer the questions you had... "When should I repot it?" - You really don't need to repot it unless it's COMPLETELY rootbound (no soil left). Exotic Angel (the company where your hoya came from) uses a very peaty mix, so just make sure you let it dry out completely before watering. When I buy EA plants, the first thing I do is take the bottom saucer off...and I leave it off. This will allow it to dry out faster and allow more air to the roots. If you notice roots sticking out after removing the saucer, you'll need to repot. But in order to get blooms, you'll want to keep the hoya rootbound, so keep the pot as small as possible. "Should I put this outside or inside next to a window?" - If I lived in Florida I'd definitely keep it outside. Hoyas can happily live in temperatures much lower than 70 (depending on the hoya of course...and this is one that will do fine in that weather). You will have more chance of blooms if you keep it outside. But if you decide to keep it outside, just know that the sun may bleach out the leaves a little. "It says high light, morning direct sun should be okay?" - Yes, that should be fine. If you notice signs of sunburn just move it to a more shady spot. In the summer, I put a bunch of my hoyas, including the one you have, in direct morning sun...they do great. "Does it look like this plant is big/old enough to maybe flower this spring?" - That's not an easy prediction to make! Yes, it looks big enough to bloom, but it also depends on what conditions you have it in and on how stubborn it is! One thing you'll learn with hoyas is patience...getting blooms can take quite some time, so just enjoy the foliage until then. You'll know when it's close to blooming when you see a peduncle (the small stems that grow from the main stem...that's where the flowers will come from - and never cut those off, as it will continue to put out flowers from the same peduncles over and over again). "Is there something I need to do to keep this from staying variegated?" - This happens with mine as well, and I just leave it be. I guess if you don't want the all green coloring to take over (which is a possibility, although your's looks like most of the leaves are variegated), then cut off the green leaves. Good luck with your new hoya. And be forewarned that they are VERY addicting!! Gabi