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Which Hoyas Prefer a Drier Potting Medium and Which Like Moisture?

amaranthineglow

7 years ago

I tend to think hoyas prefer dryness, but I know there are those that don't mind being a bit moist.

I know that dryness of the medium is complicated by humidity and other growing conditions. But, all things being equal, which hoyas like a bit of dryness and which like constant moistness?

Thx

Comments (7)

Kim
7 years ago
I keep my bella, javanica, chinghungensis, lacunosas, engleriana, glabra, finnlaysonii complex types, praetorii, darwinii, davidcummingiana, lobbii, and imperialis on the moist side to varying degrees. I will probably be keeping my polyneura a bit moist too but that is still rooting.

For drier ones, that would be my kerriis, carnosas, and treubiana. I have been keeping my villosa a bit dry too, and these are all doing well.

I suppose, heushkeliana I keep a bit moist as well. My others are more intermediate sort of water when I remember or they look dry. Those would be DS-70, pubycalyx types, shepherdii, andalensis, UT-002, limoniaca, inconspicua, curtisii, obscura, pottsii, pachyclada, australis species, diptera, UT-168, fungii, obovata, diversifolia and diversifolia aff crassipes. Think thatcabout covers my collection, may be forgetting a few.

I live on Eastern washington, tends to be hot in summers and my house is nearly always on the dry side from either external conditions or my heater in the winter.
amaranthineglow
Original Author
7 years ago
thx. i'm mainly interested in those that don't want to be moist.

do caudata, wibergiae, and surigaoensis need to be moist?
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It does sound like it's now overpotted. I have mine in the same size pot bought from HD and when I bought it, it had been trimmed to just reach the bottom of the pot and had a number of plants stuffed in the same pot. I dumped it out to add some cactus and succulent soil and the thing was pretty much rootbound (ie., the whole thing came out in one big knotted mass), so I just added some C&S soil at the bottom and around the sides as best I could and watered it in. I then gave it some bonemeal (which had been a recommendation here some time ago, although I don't know if it is anymore). That first year with it in similar light exposure (NE, where there is no direct sun in winter, although it is bright but where it does get direct sun in summer), some of the stems grew almost 1ft more. After the 2nd year, it added almost another 1 ft to some of the stems. It does get the backwash of light from my HD 500W worklights that shine on the other tropicals and subtropicals that I overwinter. Plus this past summer, I had it outside and it seemed to like that. I too am waiting for mine to bloom one day as my HD lacunosa seems to love to bloom. I've given it a variety of fertilizers ranging from bonemeal sprinkled on the soil, to Peter's 20-20-20 and occassionally some liquid Ironite (suitably diluted). I'll also give it some Epsom salts diluted in water 1 tbsp/gallon. It's cute to look back on when I first bought this plant and see what it looks like now: Here it was in June 2002 when I first bought it: And then hung it up by the window: Here it was a year later in June 2003: And then a year after that outside in June 2004: Here it is today inside: Sometimes I wonder if these are like some other plants I have that are "social" - ie., they enjoy being with others and I have certainly given mine some company (the lacunosa and an incurvula - both of which would crawl all over the rope...lol). Of course bunching plants together also keeps the humidity up around them all too. ;-)
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My "marbles" are made up of glass (perlite) AND absorbent pieces of sponge (MG soil). Now I do know that perlite doesn't absorb water but it does hold on to it on the surface. Imagine you spray water on a mirror. It won't become part of the mirror, but will stay there until it evaporates from room temperature. Now my pieces of sponge (MG soil) DO absorb water and then they slowly dry as room temperature draws it out of the top of the pot. This action makes the sponges in the pot shrink or contract. But if there is a wick touching the sponges and marbles, the wick will keep bringing water up to them from the bottom reservoir to continually supply small amounts of water. This keeps the sponges damp and dampness on the marbles somewhat. All of these actions work together to keep air moving in and out of the soil. It is a continual push and shove. Add growing roots to the mix and their movement further "pushes" the sponges and marbles hither and yon. Continual movement necessary to have all important air in the root ball. Now, that is the way it happens in my head. And this is why, to me, plain perlite would not be a good thing to use. Or plain vermiculite. Although I have had success with barely damp plain vermiculite (and I mean BARELY damp!) with Christmas Cactus cuts and a few other things. Not wicking. But for wicking violets, I prefer the 1/2 soil 1/2 perlite (a very generous 1/2 perlite). I don't use charcoal or vermiculite. Don't know why. I suppose a little bit,,,,maybe just a scattering worked in real well might be helpful. For these reasons, I don't understand why a wick will go dry. Especially when there is water in the reservoir. The continuous action worked well for the longest time. Is it the fault of the wick? Do they just fail after a while? Mind you it doesn't happen often at all. But every now and then,,,,, And I do have a very absorbent wick. I also let the potted plant sit in water until the entire root ball is wet. Then I set it on the reservoir. Seems to me the chain has no reason to be broken! And yet it does. And I don't know why. Rosie
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Kim
7 years ago
I do not grow caudata or surigaoensis, at least not yet so I am unsure. I just got a cutting of wibergiae that is rooting, I do plan to at least start it out with more of a dry to intermediate approach.
aurorawa
7 years ago
Caudata thrives in high humidity. Potting media should never go dry, but at the same time, it should not be soggy or drippy. I grow mine semi-hydro on a west facing windowsill in my bathroom, where it gets the humidity it loves from two people showering daily (I shower in the evening, unless I am still at work on-call, hubby showers in the morning).

My wibergiae and surigaoensis are both in 1-1-1 mix of Orchiata bark, perlite and LECA (hydroton), all 1/4 inch. They are watered every 7-10 days, depending on the weather. When I move them indoors for the winter, they are watered every 7 days.
amaranthineglow
Original Author
7 years ago
thx all. this was helpful for future purchases or non-purchases.
gvargo883_mst
7 years ago
I've found out that pachyclada, which is one of my faves, hates to be wet. I've had it in and out of intensive care this summer due to sudden rain. It now remains sitting on my sun porch. Those thick, succulent leaves should have been a dead giveaway. But then again, my obovata seems to like the rain. I learn something new every day.
gvargo883_mst
7 years ago
My caudata likes a consistent level of dampness. It's been surprisingly non finicky. Knock wood.

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