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pirate_girl

My Hydro Hoya's First Blooms

pirate_girl
11 years ago

Hi Folks,

In my excitement I posted these at Hoyas, but not here.

I thought them particularly worthy of sharing as this is a cutting I took 2 yrs, ago, which I've grown only in water on a west window ever since. Well in early August it bloomed for me, super exciting, felt like a kid on Christmas eve. Here's the night before, after dusk.

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Someone had indicated hers blooms right about early August, so she thought mine would too. She was right; this is Hoya kerrii (the sweetheart Hoya w/ the heart shaped leaves).

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Those 2 leaves were abnormally shaped, they usually really ARE heart shaped.

Had 2 big cluster balls of bloom like this & then aborted the next 3 peduncles.

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one more shot

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Look at all that rigging to hold it up & the yet unopened buds above. Worthwhile experiment in my book.

So the next time you knock a plant over or it falls from the window w/ a huge crash in the night (like this did), make a cutting like I did & hope for the best. You never can tell!!

Comments (13)

  • dellis326 (Danny)
    11 years ago

    Very Nice! Could you post a photo or two showing the container? Is it in LECA, something else or just water?

  • pirate_girl
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Hi Dellis,

    I gotta look for some other pix for that, but it's in a small netted pot w/ Leca stones & that sits in top of a vase of water, w/ the roots hanging into the water. Definitely not a pretty setup but it worked & I fertilized minimally (maybe once or twice). That whole thing sits in a terra cotta pot to keep it stable & secure on the window sill.

    {{gwi:99869}}

    Well it's in silhouette, but shows the components I just described above.

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    I never changed the water, only added to it, but used charcoal chips to help control the algae.

    {{gwi:99871}}

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    There's the netted pot w/ Leca stones inside it.

    {{gwi:99873}}

    I just kept doing what felt right, stakes, bamboos stakes after a while. Even tied the whole thing in a loose knot 'cause it was getting too tall.

  • Loveplants2 8b Virginia Beach, Virginia
    11 years ago

    Hi Pirate Girl,

    I just wanted to say how beautiful your blooms are!!

    Congratulations..

    Some of my friends have tried to get me interested in Hoyas and now i can see why.. they are gorgeous!!!

    I know how excited you are.. it is a great feeling!! : )

    Thanks for all of the pics.

    Take care,

    Laura

  • plantmasterm
    11 years ago

    PG, I love the heart shaped leaves on your Hoya, which one is that..I have several but I put them all in the same pot because of lack of space.

  • Lamora
    11 years ago

    Very Pretty plant, love what you have done with it. Can't wait for mine to bloom. How long did it take? I've had mine since aound March of this year, so it isn't too big, but it is growing. (Hindu Rope Hoya) I have 2 other different hoyas too, not expecting anything out of them for a while. (babies still)

    But anyway, back to you! very pretty and congrats on your "experiment" being a success!

  • eahamel
    11 years ago

    That's great! I had no idea they could be grown in water!

  • pirate_girl
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Hi Folks,

    Thanks for the nice comments, this one took 2 years, 2 summer ago to be exact & it gets very good light w/ western exposure. Actually it got too much sun this Spring. Got suddenly very hot one day & the growing tip got burned, so I clipped it off thinking, oh well.

    So it threw another growing tip & that stem quickly produced the penducles which started blooming. I wonder if the burn injury somehow kicked its butt into blooming. Who knows?

  • Lamora
    11 years ago

    pirate_girl,I love the set up you have. You have such beautiful plants!

    Can you please.. tell me where you got the netted pots? I cannot find them anywhere and it looks perfect for what I want. Been thinking of just cutting one small pot up for this, but don't really want to if not needed. (I need the pots I have, lol)

    But if you could just point me in the right direction for the pots, that would be great! Or any other ideas on this.. Thought someone mentioned Tule? (I think that is what it is called) I know where I can get that. But I like your netted pots better. :)

    Thank you.
    Marjie :)

    p/s~ very new at "water plants" so far I love what few I have and would love to try more. Need all and any advice~~ :)

  • rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
    11 years ago

    Marji

    I found similar pots in "Re-store" - I don't know if you have them in US, but there is some good deals there. They sell donated stuff, (usually from house renovations and also store close-ups & similar) anything from windows, kit. cupboards, light fixtures, appliances and on, and on, and on.
    They were very inexpensive, smaller cost me $1.00/ea and larger square $2.00/ea.(I bought all they had-even if I don't hve a pond!) These are sold in garden centres for potting pond plants, probably cost at least $6 and up.
    But the 'holes' are smaller than pirate girl's pot. I think it still would work.

    (BTW, someone used these kind of pond baskets to screen turface-can't remember who it was).

    Try similar type stores for better prices. Maybe even dollar stores have something like that some times.

    Rina

  • pirate_girl
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    To PMM,

    I forgot to answer this is Hoya kerri (you asked which Hoya), the heart-shaped leaf Hoya.

    Sorry Lamora, I don't remember where I got the netted pots. I just got up & went to look at the larger size to see if there was a brand name or any writing on it, there isn't.

    Perhaps if you check you places that sell supplies for hydro growing, they'll have it. In a different hydro set up which I bought, the inner pot is not netted like this, just has multiple slits in the bottom.

    One can grow plants in water in cups, vases, jars, bottles, all kinds of things, needn't be fancy pots. Helps if it's clear to get best light I think. Just keep the water fresh & it goes pretty well.

  • Lamora
    11 years ago

    Thanks~~ :) will need to look around some. I did find a great site tho for them. (AFTER I asked you,, silly me) The prices seem reasonable and they have quite a few different types and sizes. But before I order them, I am going to ask around. Who knows, maybe I'll get lucky for once.

    But thanks again.. :)
    Marjie

  • dellis326 (Danny)
    11 years ago

    Brew and Grow (A Beer making and Hydroponics supplier, see link) has them in a number of different sizes, That's where I get them from but there's one of their stores close to me. Best to get the net pots with the larger holes. Use hydroton or some other LECA or long fibered sphagnum moss in the pot to support the plant.

    http://www.altgarden.com/pots/net-pots.html

    Here is a link that might be useful: Brew & Grow / AltGardens

  • pirate_girl
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Hey Dellis,

    Thanks, those pots look exactly right, I'll need to remember this place. I'll be needing larger sizes soon.

    If you too grow in Leca & net baskets, can I pls. ask how you handle fertilizer in Hydro? I've only just begun to think about that & do it infrequently & dilute at that.

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