I ordered a few Hoyas

At the suggestion of another member here, I ordered a few Hoyas from The Violet Barn. I have been lurking here in this forum and reading and drooling over photos.

I am pretty good with native plants but don't quite enjoy the same success with anything tropical.

Would somebody please give me the crash course for Dummies on Hoya? I'd specifically like to know what type of a potting mix to use for my new babies.

Thanks much,
Lauren

Hi Lauren, welcome to the addiction of hoyas, there's no turning back now. What one uses for potting soil is varied, everyone has their own mixture they use. The main thing is that it be fast draining. I use a combination of Warrior, a soil-less potting soil, Fox Farm Ocean Forrest Organic potting soil and #3 perlite, which is larger than what you normally find in stores. HTH

Blessings,
Awanda

Sadly, space is a consideration over here so I won't be able to get too addicted. I was already pushing my luck ordering the few I did but needed a winter fix since gardening operations are all but shut down now outside.

Well, I've got perlite if that counts for anything. What the heck is Warrier and where do I get it and fast?

Or use a cactus mix...something really airy that doesn't get soggy, sticky, gooey or thick.

Thank you all, Schultz's cactus/succulent mix is virtually 100% low quality sphagnum peat? I thought the deal was that the potting mix be fast draining. Perlite and sand will do that but sphagnum peat in the mix? I always did question why Schultz sold that mix as being for cactus. I can understand it being for succulents but cactus- bizarre.

Lauren if there is a hydrophonics store close by, see if they carry it. I buy mine from a local hydrophonics store, much cheaper than what it costs online.

Blessings,
Awanda

I mis spoke...not knowing all of the cactus mixes. Better description....use whatever you would pot up an orchid in with a bit more potting soil in it (organic matter) or spagnum in it. That's my best explanation. There are a number of great threads on this forum, not going back too far with links etc. for the great soils people are getting on the Mainland.

Carol

Not too many people read the bags. I'm one of those weird ones who does.

I did go back through threads here and ended up somewhat more confused with so many mixes out there. Being the lazy person I am, I was looking for somebody to just say here Lauren: mix this with this with this and voila! Hoya potting soil perfect for me!

We have a gardening center about 30 miles north of here that carries some nice bag mixes. Maybe they'll have something otherwise I can crack open a bag of top soil, add a little mushroom compost, add some rinsed tube sand, add some perlite, and pick up a bag of that Schultz's orchid bark for good measure to toss in. What the heck! If at once you don't succeed... toss it all in the mix and hope for the best. I understand these plants are pretty sturdy so I'd guess there would be signs as in no growth if they don't like my concoction.

Equilibrium, I have been using the mix Awanda suggested. It is Fox Farm light warrier, and Fox Farm Ocean organic potting soil. I have found them both at a local hydroponic store. On there website you can find local dealers of the products. I got my bag of Ocean off of ebay. Free shipping. It cost me $25 dollars. I found it in the hydro store for $18. Hth!! I really love this stuff. I have tried a lot of different concoctions, but for me this is the easiest.
Heather

So far no local hydroponics stores. Actually, no hydroponics stores at all that I can find but....

www.foxfarmfertilizer.com

Greetings Lauren!
Nice to see a new Daves member bit by the Hoya bug! I have tried lots of mixes for my Hoyas. I now primarily use Fafard (the formulation with 40% bark). My second fav is Pro-Mix BX with some added perlite. My third choice is Jungle Growth with added perlite.
Now, that should give you some bag labels to read!

I am striking out left and right trying to mail order the Warrior or Ocean Fox Farm products. I can find them... but they aren't mail order items at 1.5 cf. One guy told me to make my own and even offered to help me. How sweet.

I located Fafard on line and found an orchid product they offered but no specific product utilizing 40% western pine bark. All of their mixes added dolomitic limestone to neutralize ph which would make sense as sphagnum tends to be acidic.

The Pro-Mix BX is a "general purpose" peat-based growing medium with vermiculite and perlite, used for the cultivation of a wide variety of plant species. This complete mix is lightweight, uniform and blended to the highest degree of consistency to ensure maximum plant performance."

I found that Jungle Growth is available at Lowes off the shelf... too bad our Lowes is just now being built :( and won't open until spring of 2006. It would appear the Jungle Growth is basically soil, bark, and peat and all the links I can find to it indicate Bonsai people love this stuff.

So backing up to square one since I appear to be in a dead zone regarding product availability, I picked up some vermiculite, horticultural perlite, and two bags of western pine bark. I'll toss in a little Canadian Sphagnum Peat and Coir. I think this should work based on what I have read so far.

Looks as if the soil mix I will concoct will need a fertilizer. Any suggestions for something readily available off the shelves at Home Depot or Menards?

Be sure the coir is rinsed really really REALLY well. You combo sounds like what I use...with #3 Perlite and some pumice or lava rock in it....broken pottery, treefern shreds, wine corks chipped up...hoyas aren't fussy but prefer Chardonnay to Merlot.

:>)

I use gray pumice in some of my carnivorous plant mixes. That is one tough product to locate out here east of the Rockies. I wish we had more stores available in my area that carried nicer products. I'm getting a little fed up with Schultz everything.

Pretty funny, "broken pottery, treefern shreds, wine corks chipped up...hoyas aren't fussy but prefer Chardonnay to Merlot". What's interesting is the guy who offered to help me make my own Ocean, suggested that I go to a Chinese buffet and ask for a big bag of their discarded crab legs. He told me to boil them again and put them in a bag with unglazed pottery chips as well as any sea shells I had laying around and start whamming away with a hammer. He told me to add a little kelp and toss in a few other things and that chicken poop could be substituted for bat guano in a pinch. The guy made me laugh. I can't imagine standing outside a Chinese Buffet begging for crab scraps off of people's plates.

Good grief...you are all making me laugh here. That all sounds like WAY too much work to get a mix together. Ha.
The main thing to keep in mind is that hoyas are basically EASY plants. I grew my first ones in just a bagged mix from Home Depot called "Super Soil". I don't think there is much in it at all. They did fine. Now however, I add a bit of perilite and other things to make it drain faster, but most any bagged mix (except the ones with those added water retainers) will work just fine.
The mix you are describing in the last post doesn't appear to have any soil in it. I would suggest you add a bit of some kind of potting soil. I usually start with some potting soil & then add some pumice, a couple handfulls of perilite, a small scoop of charcoal, & a couple handfuls of orchid bark. This has been working fine for me. I have changed soils from time to time, but I always start out with a soil mix of some sort. I think they like some "dirt" to grow in.
Just make sure it drains well & drys out some in between waterings, and you will be fine. Avoid buying any bagged mix that says it has water retainers in it....those can stay soggy for weeks.
Marcy

Equilibrium, check out ebay. Go to the sellers store Sunsethydro. This is where I got my Ocean Forest potting soil. I think that would take care of soil and fertilizer. It cost me $25. That is with the shipping. Shipping takes about a week.
Heather

Your Crab Shell mix would neutralize any acidity...it is very alkaline. I add some crushed coral (Calcium Carbonate) to the soil...but just teeny amts....when I plant Eriostemmas.

Carol

Hey Carol, I hate to admit this but no plant is worth me standing around a Chinese Buffet begging for handouts. My husband would be aghast if I came home with crab shell plate scrapings to boil. He'd be convinced I was in need of 12 step plant program. I can increase the alkalinity another way.

Hey Marcy, I will add some soil to my concoction. Makes sense to me!

Hey Heather, I'll check out Sunsethydro at eBay. One would think that there would be a retailer somewhere within an hour's drive of where I live but there isn't.