My greenhouse has been in 'need' of upper-level peak-dwellers....I chose to get some hoyas as a plant variety from the majority of my greenhouse collection, which is orchids.
Many years ago, I had 1 hoya (don't remember the species but the soft-pink waxy flowers in wintertime were wonderful and fragrant). I remember hanging my hoya in a window with western exposure. It thrived! Not many plants can take that much sunlight or heat.....
So, it looks like I am about to embark upon the Hoya Path....And after reading some of the posts in this forum, I don't believe I will regret my decision to grow some of the hoya species. I've really enjoyed the photos and all of the enthusiasm shared by this group.
I just purchased these:
Hoya macgillivrayi
Hoya imperialis var. rauschii
Hoya megalaster
Any suggestions on other species to grow in a greenhouse? What is the minimum night-time temperature that a hoya can tolerate? In wintertime, I keep my greenhouse at approx. 60-degrees F for the orchids. Will this be too low for night-time?
Hoya Hunting
Hi Lynn welcome aboard! I live in Arizona and grow the majority of my hoyas in a greenhouse. I keep the winter temps at 60 degrees and haven't had one complaint from my hoyas:-). I would think that just about any hoya would be okay at 60 degrees. I do bring my eriostemmas inside during the winter months, just to be on the safe side. As far as the minimun temp hoyas can take it depends on the hoya.
Blessings,
Awanda
Hi, Lynn. Welcome!
Here is a link to Carol's website with a list of temperature tolerances of many different hoyas. This way you can see which ones might not do well below 60 degrees. http://www.bigislandgrowers.com/ghp/AHtemps.php
Have fun!!!
Ann
Lynn - glad you joined this fun (and sometimes crazy!!) group of people! I, too, am new - been posting here only a couple of months. I've found people here to be very willing to share their knowledge to us newbies - in a fun and encouraging way. I grow the majority of my hoyas in my and my sister's greenhouse - and we keep it at about 60 degrees - this is our first year with a greenhouse, and we're a little nervous about the cost of heating it. How big is your greenhouse, and how do you heat it? Karen
Welcome aboard Lynn. You've come to the right place. Awanda is a bloomer. Meaning she can get those hoya babies to bloom, if she says 60 degrees is okay, I say 60 degrees is okay. There are some you might want to bring in though. Erisostemmas, delicate leafed ones. Glad to have ya join!
Heather
Thanks for the info, encouragement, and kind words. It'll be fun to have yet-another type of plant to learn more about. I visited the link posted above and, geez, I can see I'm already lured into buying more.....That website was very informative, full of photos, and very easy to navigate as a prospective buyer. Yep, y'all got me.... :-) And so, there are a couple of hoyas more I found (susuela and limoniaca). From what I referenced, they both appear to be listed in the Intermediate temperature range. What do you all think about those 2?? And is there any other suggestion for a good vine-grower with a scented bloom?
I have a hobby greenhouse (detached from the house, 9x14 feet) and the brand is Juliana. This type of greenhouse is made with panels of polycarb, not glass. It is equipped with electricity, heat, exhaust fan, and water. I heat with propane using a forced air heater suspended at the ceiling. The brand is Hot Dawg. The back-up heat source is a kerosene heater that will kick-on if the main heater breaks down for some reason (there is a separate thermostat to trigger the kerosene heater, just in case).
The humidity is helped along with a fogger (brand is AquaFog), and I usually keep it set between 50%-60% humidity. During hot sunny days (like this week in November), all ceiling vents and the greenhouse door are all fully opened, so the humidity lags. I hose-down the floor a few times a day. The center area is set up with 16-inch square decorative stones and the sides are pea-gravelled. Both can be hosed to bump up the humidity a notch or two.
Karen, since we all know that heating costs will rise this year (a 'thank you' to the oil-pigs), we have chosen to insulate the lower portion of our north wall with a type of styrofoam-board. We have also bought a solar pool-cover which will enclose almost the entire greenhouse (it will be pinned to the ground with ropes and grommets). The pool cover will not hinder full-sun but will retain some of the solar-heat.) That cover has not been put onto the greenhouse yet because our temperatures are unseasonably warm right now.
Lynn