I'll gently disagree with the VF-11 recommendation on this basis: The guaranteed analysis of the primary macro-nutrients (NPK) in Eleanor's is: 0.15 - 0.85 - 0.55 This is less than 1% of ANY of the majors. 1/8 of 1% N, 7/8 of 1% P, 1/2 of 1% K. This is EXTREMELY low in fertility. Since I cannot find the rest of the analysis, I'm going to guess the rest of the nutrients are probably nonexistent, or nearly so. I haven't used this potion (VF-11), but then, you don't need to ride the bus to know what makes the wheels go round & round. Forgive me for being somewhat skeptical or even cynical, but when vague claims are made like: ... and mildew is eliminated because VF-11 changes the pH and creates a condition where mildew can not grow. Once again, isn't it amazing? I wonder why there isn't something specific in the claim. Changes the pH of what? Soil? Cellular pH? Leaf surface pH - for how long? Hmmm I also wonder at: VF-11 builds so much strength and health that plant cells 'harden' and 'seal in' the amino acids which aphids feed on. You have merely eliminated their food supply. And you have done it without the use of poisonous systemic or pesticides. Pretty nice...huh? Don't aphids feed on sap. How does this product make the sap unavailable to aphids? Does it somehow make cells so hard that they cannot be penetrated and dry up all the intra-cellular plant water/sap? Should I/we be saying GMAB here? There's more, but you get the drift. I wouldn't say that this product has no benefit, as it may very well have some, but I am of the general feeling there is almost surely no panacean value to products like Superthrive or this elixir, and it's a good bet it's not the magic potion some may think it to be. I don't trust advertising that is known to be false and this alone is enough to fuel the skepticism in me. One thing additional: The claim that "you cannot overdo", means there could only be extremely minute (almost immeasurable or nonexistent) amounts of any micro-nutrients in it because micro-nutrient overdose produces toxicity at even low levels and over-doing would reveal readily visible symptoms quickly. Like I said, I wouldn't argue that it has no value, but I do know that I would invest in a good, known source of micro-nutrients and an appropriate fertilizer before I'd trust plant vitality to a product labeled with so many unsubstantiated claims. Al

Another way to disinfect your pruners after working with a gall-infected rose is to dip or wipe the cutting surfaces with a 1:4 chlorine bleach solution (i.e. 1 part chlorine bleach to 4 parts water). Whatever treatment you choose (frankly, while I don't know this to be true I wouldn't be surprised to learn that dousing the cutting surfaces with rubbing alcohol also will work if you do it the right way), after you've pruned away the stems you know to be infected with crown gall you definitely should treat the pruners before they are used to prune any other plant (or any other plant in the rose family at the least). Crown gall is usually caused by a bacterium (once known as Agrobacterium tumefasciens). You don't want to spread those bacteria from one rose to another via your pruning shears.

Hoyas are never ready for winter. LOL You are right though and when using fertilizers of any type (unless very dilute) you need to maintain optimum temperatures and light levels for the plant to be able to fully utilize the fertilizer. If you are using artificial light you will not have to worry but otherwise gloomy fall and winter weather and cool temps are not conductive to heavy fertilizer use. It's also important to rotate fertilizers so that you don't get leggy growth, this can happen when you give too much Nitrogen for an extended period of time and the same goes for the bloom boosters. Remember that Hoyas don't naturally experience the dramatic seasons we are used to and other than the higher altitude growers or species from more Northern latitudes many don't experience a large swing in temperatures throughout the year. Seasonal rainfall or lack of it is often the determining factor for growth although mountain species are less subject to harsh dry seasons. Cindy thanks for the link. I had look into a local distributor but it was all agricultural fertilizers in 25Kg bags. Mike

Knowing all the subgenus levels is difficult since so many of the names are wrong. But I usually use the coronal lobes and pollinia shape to help determine the way hoyas are related. The most important note is that hoyas have their receptive stigmas on the side of the column , not terminally as in most plants. This is the biggest mistake that pollinators do not realize. They appear to be receptive but this is not the case. Remember bees, butterflies, flies and wasps are the pollinators and they stumble across the flower reaching in deep to get at the nectar. On some species, nectar is oozed over the surface of the flower and insects lap this up with gusto. Walking and getting their legs in a fix allows pollinia receptors to be attached and this is what they bring to the next flower. Trial and error is the ebst practice. Start with self pollination (note some species are self infertile) but for the most part, almost all can be self pollinated. Hoya imperialis is a species which is self infertile. But I think some of the imperialis clones are actually backcrossed hybrids and do self pollinate. Many of the eriostemmas are hybrids and we call them species. Many of the guppyi's, susseula, and others are all hybrids. This can be seen when you self pollinate these and watch the variation come out in its offspring. The best tool to use is a coarse cat whisker, a watch repairman's magnifying eye-glass attachment, and a white scotch pad (to place the pollinia upon while gathering pollinia and going from one flower to the next. The scotch pad works since the pollinia gets stuck onto it and no gust of wind or just the breeze from walking will flutter these pollinia away. Attach the cat whisker to a thin pencil-like rod and use good secured electric tape, or similar material. Do not use metal or toothpicks, or anything that can damage the coronas. If you break a corona it will bleed sap and that sap is toxic to the stigmas and pollination process. Cat whiskers are best since they are stiff but not stiff enough to damage the floral parts.