I have diversifolia and australis ssp tenuipes that are getting to be a good size - but I must say that they are not the most graceful, attractive hoyas to grow in a hanging pot. Their stems seem to only want to go straight up, and on diversifolia the stems are as thick as a pencil and have long leafless sections...it is definately the less attractive of the two. I keep clipping off the wayward stems and sticking them back into the pot to root, giving them a chance to "start over", but they wind up growing the same exact way. Australis is a bit more graceful, the vines taper and are easier to bend, it wants to go straight up but I am training it to wrap around the long hanger it is in, the same way I would a pubicalyx, letting parts of it hang below the pot and parts of it grow upwards....but diversifolia is hopeless. Now I know why someone once told me that they thought diversifolia was the ugliest hoya.
How does everyone grow these? Anyone have them in hangers? I know alot of you do the trellis/pot thing, which I don't really care for, but if it is the only way to train these varieties, I would give it a try.
Training your plants
I guess we are all different. If I had my druthers and had the room, I would grow every Hoya I own up some type of trellis, because I prefer most of them that way.
All of my hoyas are in hanging pots. I don't use trellises for support. I use clips on very thinned stemmed ones, but not on the thicker stemmed ones for fear of bruising them. For those I use flexible pipe cleaners to hold stems in place to the hanger itself, or to bring longer stems to a downward position. I cut the pipe cleaners to desired lengths and usually twist the ends into shaped forms like butterflies.
Scissors are sometimes used on the 'nonconformists' that refuse to cooperate. H. cinnamomifolia is one that drives me nuts with its long bare stems that want to go every which way very much like the serpents of Medusa's head.
Yup, Doug, we all do it our way don't we.......I have at least 90% of my hoyas trained on trellises, and if I had even more space, I would put them all on them. Really the only ones I have hanging are serpens, shephardii, and DS-70. I don't think they would trellis, unless forced. Although I did have to force kanyakumariana, and it has since become a twiner, as well as my thick stemmed, succulent subquintuplinervis, so really who can say?
Cicada - pipe cleaners, BRILLIANT. I have been using twisty ties from the grocery section to attach my hoyas to their trellises, and then removing as the growth attaches them for me, and recently decapitated a new latifolia vine!! Majorly aggravating to say the least.
Jen, my diversifolia is on a trellis, and it looks good. I only have the pubescent leafed australlis, and that don't really vine, so not a ton of help here, sorry.
S
Personally I use a whip and a chair and find it more effective than reasoning with them.
Diversivolia has to be trained from the beginning or the vining stems will break. Both want to climb, obviously, and that is why they won't hang. Once they grow the way they WANT to grow, they will bloom more. Cutting off the 'bald' vines usually cuts off the growth where flowers form....
Dang! I cut 2 of the darn things yesterday, but did leave one....I think I will repot this week into a sturdy pot and make some sort of trellis out of wire, before the plant gets too big and out of control. Australis is going to do ok, the rope hanger it's in is pretty long, so if I can train the stems to weave thru and around it, it should fill it up pretty fast and look decent....I will see if I have a picture to show what I mean
I would think that a stable or very wide bottomed pot is best, and I was thinking of getting some sturdy but flexible wire to make a hoop trellis out of. Any other suggestions or pictures of homemade trellises?
"Why put off something till tomorrow when you can do it today" really isn't my motto, but when it comes to my plants, I can always muster up the enthusiasm....
The plastic trellis came with some outdoor vine I bought last year. It is a little overpotted, but this is the most stable pot I have and no worries of root rot with the clay pot and my watering habits. You can't see it but the 2 stems I clipped off yesterday are in the back.
It may outgrow this trellis pretty fast, but thats ok...for now it looks better than it did!
Here are a few ideas.
Last summer, Paul ran wire and conduit to the pool. As usual, he came home with more than needed. Since I have a problem throwing anything away that can be recycled, I have used it to make U hoops. It is very flexible, yet, strong. The wire is also flexible enough to run through the holes at the bottom of the pot and bent back to hold the hoop in the pot.
I also love to use copper tubing. (Copper prices are pretty high at this time) I have a oval wash tub that makes a perfect jig for the hoop. One can find rolls of copper tubing in different sizes at Lowes or Home Depot.
I also use the bamboo stakes that are common in garden centers. Just drill a small hole in 3 stakes, run wire through the holes and tie them together for an instant tee pee! If you want to go artsy, poke a hole in a ping pong ball, spray paint it for the top of the tee pee and you have a finial. The same theory works for the round wire tomato cages when turned upside down. The smaller cages are around 10" in diameter, which is a perfect fit for a 10"hb. These can be attached the the pot with wire.
Although I hate pany hose with a passion, I love cutting them up to make plant ties. They work really well on Hoyas as well as tomatoes or any other vining plant. With small strips, they are really easy to hide. I only wear the hose on days I have to dress up for work, but, their use as plant ties makes them easier to buy. Besides, I got tired of the strange looks I got when co-workers found out I asked women for their used pany hose!
Mel
Somewhere in the past was a thread about bending a vine over to the point where it is pointing DOWN...as you have done Jen. Many of the climbers don't like it and they will die back to a node and then sprout new growth that will go UP. Some plants don't mind, but I find the larger plants do...so I let the questionable part of the vine grow until I can make a shortish loop, clip it down until it grows long enough to go all the way down and then up again. Is that clear?...confuses me!!! There are some wire fencing units that can be cut apart and used (also a thread on that...Marcy's idea I think) as a trellis which work well if you can stabilize it in the pot.
We use strips of panty hose all the time here...they are great to tie orchids/plants to the trees as they are flexible enough to grow with the plant. By the time the plant is rooted to the tree, the PH rots off. Bob uses the 'toe' part: put dried chicken poop in the toe and then hang it above the orchids or hoyas growing on the tree. As it rain, "it" drips on the plants...they love 'it".
Carol, i think I remember that post...and I get what you are saying about training the vine, waiting till it is long enough to go down and also go up.. It makes sense that some plants would die back if forced to do this, the plant depends on climbing for better growth and it's survival...if it was forced to go downwards, it would be going away from the light, and also the tender growing tips would maybe be more accessible to grazing ground animals.
With my australis, the vine had grown all the way up the hanger and was working it's way up the chain to the ceiling - I unwrapped it and wrapped it around the hanger, leaving the end free to do as it wants for now. So we will see. I trained both carnosas and pubicalyx this way, letting them both climb up and around their hanger, and hang down from the pot, but I can't remember any of them dying back from it.
As for the diversifolia, I unclipped the last section and will let it get longer before tying it down again.
I use old panty hose for lots of things, including tying plants to stakes or something stable. Definately use the nude ones in the garden though - I tied some fallen over rose bushes to the arbor with a pair of lilac colored thigh high stockings (don't ask), I figured they would fade or get dirty and you wouldn't see them, but they didn't, and they stick out like a sore thumb. I dread going back in there with all those stickers to replace them!
Mel- I meant to ask- how does the copper tubing look after a while, I am assuming it will tarnish, right? Do you have any pictures? Do you bend it into a U shape or a circle/hoop? Thanks
Jen, Dmichael put some photos up using the copper tubing not too long ago. I 'think' (therefore I was) it was a post started by Gaby about trellises....
Jen, are you talking pictures of the way I bend them or in the plant? I am pretty sure I posted a picture before.....just can't remember when or where. I'll see what I can come up with. It is 100 degrees today. I am afraid to go in the greenhouse until I let the mist system run for awhile. I have been using the copper tubing for several years and it may be hard to find a hoop that is not covered.
And, yes, copper develops a nice patina with age. I also use 18 gauge copper wire to make hangers for small pots. In winter, I also like to take out the beads and add to the wire.
I bend the tubing in a U.
This message was edited Aug 22, 2007 5:05 PM
I would sure love to see some pictures of some of your plants in these neat hangers when ever you can also.
Cindy
Mel, I was thinking more the way you bend them...I can get the tubing, just not sure what to do with it when I do. I was thinking of doing the 2 upside down "U" shapes, and putting them in the pot the way you see it done with the u-shaped bamboo trellises.
That would work Jen. I'll get a picture for you tomorrow. Actually, the tubing I buy is very strong and you would not have to put 2 together. (tho it sounds like it would look really good that way) I usually use it in clay pots.
OK Kidies, it is show and tell time!
Jen, here is a copper tube bent around the wash tub. It is not totally flexible and does require a little strength. The wash tub happens to have a lip around it that makes the perfect jig.
Cindy,
This is an example of a wire project. I have given away most of my projects, but, finally found a couple I kept! This is craft wire that can be found easily. The beads are what make it really fun!
This is a sample plant hanger with a few glass beads worked in. It is really simple as all you have to do is twist the wire. It is a great winter project!
.This is the whole pot. It is a cv. Ms G. I favor turning plastic pots in to hanging baskets because I have more control of the pot size. Plus, I am over those white 4.5" baskets.
This simple little trellis is made from electrical wire.
Thanks Mel, especially for including the picture of the packaging, I know exactly what to look for. I love the candle holder and all the beadwork - I have seen those candle holders for sale around here in alot of the beachy garden type gift shops for big bucks, and not even half as pretty as yours.
Lastly, this is pre cut florist wire. These little hoops can help hold in a rooting cutting and keep it from moving around in the pot.
PS- how do you attach the chain or wire to the plastic pots? S hooks or just stick the wire thru?
Wonderful bead work Mel !! I found some awesome new canning jars that look similiar to the shape of your rooter :) And I figured out how to do the wire twisting, I just stuck it in my husband vice, put a screw driver at my end and twist away, works great. Gotta get ready for those winter projects to keep me sane.... Oh and can I see if that cv. Ms G will fit under my Hothat? LOL Your plants look super nice, and your plants look marvy.....
Mel, those photos are tremendous!!! I love the creativity of your hangers - I would never have thought to do that myself - those hangers just make the plants look so darned cool! I'm going to the hardware and bead store!!!
Ann
Mel, I am late posting, but I agree with everyone else.....I love your wire hangers!! Do you purchase your crafting wire at craft stores, or hardware stores? I know what I will be doing during the loooonnng football season this year!!
I usually just whip a hanger up out of jute twine, or cotton twine, but I think I will slowly be replacing that with wire and bead hangers.
Your plants all look so lush and healthy......I too would love to see more pictures.
S
Mel - beautiful plants with beautiful trellis' and hangers! I love the candle holder!
Karen
Thanks all!
Jen, to attach the wire to the pot, all you need is a small drill bit and a cordless drill.
Tami, you got the idea. I use a screwdriver, awe, or pencil to twist the wire.
Sara, you can find generic wire at Wal-mart, but, hit the craft stores or on-line for designer colors. I bought a wire jig that has moveable pegs. If you really want to get creative, the jig will guide you in making all sorts of curly cues and flowers. Check out Firemountain Gems on line,
Karen, you are always so sweet. Thanks. I actually make these for hanging rooters that I display in the winter with wind chimes, crystals, and witches balls. Witches balls are blown glass and when hung in windows, will keep evil spirits from entering you home.
Ann, be warned! Beads can be every bit as addicting as Hoyas! On the upside, beading can also be as theraputic. I am convinced it becomes all about the hunting and gathering!
Mel
I love your creative hangers. How do you make the hook at the top. Bend wires around an s hook?
Cindy
This message was edited Aug 27, 2007 11:42 AM