Lin, I think the pots in the first site would work better....the pellets might fall out of the pots with the bigger holes. And yes, you can use any decorative container as an outerpot, good thinking. So how would you gauge when to water? Would you just lift the inner pot out and see if the bottom is dry, or would you buy some water gauges from a site like the one I posted?
Kelly, you'd think those 70's parties that had hydroponic plants weren't "regular" houseplants if you know what I mean!!! Thanks for answering that question about the containers. I love the ones on Lin's first link, but it's nice to know we can save money by using any ol' cup/container! Keep us updated on how your semi-hydro plants do.
Gabi
Semi Hydro Hoyas
Ahhhh.....lol, I gotcha! Figure the neighbors are already wondering about me when they see the flourescent lights glowing from the basement windows night and day and see me outside burning random holes in cups....
LOL, Gabi. I'm sure there were other kinds of "plant" parties back in the 70's! I have a feeling some of those plant parties had containers in lots of psychedelic colors too, or it could be they were all plain and it was the party guests just thinking they were wild colors! I was always a good girl and my DH and I didn't attend those kinds of parties but I know at least one of my sisters did! ^_^
The lady who is president of our local African Violet Club is in her mid 60's and she has three or four lighted plant stands. One summer it was so hot during the day that she was keeping the lights off in daylight hours but had them on all night. She got a call @ 2 O'clock one morning and it was the police dispatcher telling her to go to her front door and come outside with her hands up! She asked if it was some kind of joke and the dispatcher told her absolutely not, that she needed to do as she was told that her house was surrounded! LOL. Apparently the bright lights from her plant stands were so visible at night they thought she was operating a Grow House for pot. They of course inspected and saw all her pretty African Violets in full bloom on the stands. I know it's funny to her now but I bet it was a bit nerve wracking when it happened! I have one of my plant stands in front of the window and one of my neighbors asked me about it last year. She said she was walking her dog at night and noticed the bright lights. I brought her in and showed her my African Violets and Gesneriads! ^_^
Lin, that is TOO funny!!
Here is my home made semi hydro. I made it 3 weeks ago, looks like the linearis is doing fine so far.
Great job Sunshinesw! I've got to try the semi hydro on a couple of things!
Love the H. linearis too! I put that on my wish list at the EA site ... they still haven't gotten any more in stock I guess ... every time I check it's not listed anymore.
SOB...what a lovely linearis!!! Waaaaah.....
Carol the linearis murderess.
That looks great, jan! How did you do it- does the plastic cup have holes in the bottom/side?
Uh oh ... If Carol had trouble with the linearis, hmm ... I'd better forget that one, sounds like maybe one of the ones that wants to be "difficult". I don't do well with "difficult", LOL. Well, maybe I should say, I don't want to bother with "difficult" ...
Lin, thanks!
Carol, the linaris seem to like being in there. Maybe you can try again in semi hydro.
Mark, I've cut the holes in the bottom & the sides with a knife.
This is subcalva in a SH pot. It is doing a lot better, with a developing new branch and leaves. It was almost dead when it went in.
Lin, Carol may have trouble with linearis because her conditions are too warm, so you may find it difficult as well. It grows well in cooler climes (like coastal Norcal!)
I still can't believe that they don't rot being grown like that ! Amazing....
LOL, Mark ... sounds like it is not a Florida Hoya! What about subcalva? That is one on my wish list (along with about 200 more!) Does the subcalva prefer cooler temp's too?
I can't blame any plant for preferring cooler temp's ... I don't like snow and ice but I prefer cooler temps myself! I've lived in the heat and humidity long enough! I wish my husband would hurry up and retire and we could find a little cabin in the Blue Ridge or Smoky Mountains during the summer and retreat to Florida in winter! LOL.
Paula, I guess as long as there's enough air circulation around the roots, they don't rot. It is really cool isn't it? I am always taking cuttings of different plants and sticking them in water to root ... some do well and some rot if left in the water too long. I have cuttings of a lipstick plant in a little vase in my kitchen window ... it took root in the water and I found the cuttings blooming yesterday!
Subcalva is supposed to be a warm grower, which is probably why it does not do well for me. Very stubborn and demanding, that plant, and it is still never happy! Even in the SH it has funny, chlorotic looking leaves.
Carol,
Hopefully you can see the pot a little better in this pic....a bargain for about $1 for a 6 inch pot. It has a little place on the side to fill the reservoir - although I've been watering from the top.... The manufacturer or distributor is Misco Home and Garden in NJ.
I don't know why this whole hydroculture thing just has me so enthralled!
I wonder how the shooting star hoya (I'm drawing another blank on the name) would do in hydro culture? That one of mine seems to always want water.
Hoya multiflora?
I'm surprised that Hoya linearis tolerates being grown in hydro culture. I keep my plant just about bone dry all winter. If I give the plant too much water during the winter it rots on me.
Yep, that's it. Now, why was it so hard for me to remember the name multiflora? I know ... AGE! Arrgh!
I think it works because hydroculture does't keep the plant wet, it allows the plant to "wick up" the amount of moisture it needs and because of all of the air pockets it allows for a better flow of oxygen around the roots.
I have both lobbii and fusca in hydroculture, so I would think multiflora would do fine!
I have a large H subcalva growing like crazy, I keep it pretty dry before I water and it's in a small 4.5" pot. I do mist them when I think of it.
I think I am going to buy a couple of the hydro pots from the links that plantladylin supplied. I'll try hydro with a couple of the smaller-growing hoyas and see how they do. It's too bad that there isn't a hydro hanging basket - or, is there and I just have not seen it?
Thanks,
Mike
Mike-
That's what I want to! The hydro hanging basket!
Kelly
Jan,
That is a gorgeous linearis! I'm wondering though...do you really need the inner container? It would look so much prettier without the yogurt container, no? Since your's is in glass, you can see when to fill it with water and how the roots are doing. It's the same concept on this link: http://www.waterroots.com/
Just throwing it out there as a suggestion :)
Gabi
Mike and Kelly,
Here is a pic of how to do hydro with a hanging basket (it's from that site I linked to in the above post):
http://www.waterroots.com/imagesplants/007.jpg
Gabi
Gabi,
Due to the hard water in most of the USA I would think it would be good to be able to remove the plant to be able to pour off the water and run water through the pot to clean out the excessive salts/minerals that would accumulate from constantly adding tap water to the pot. the glass container may need to be cleaned now and then, too. Now if RO water was available, then this wouldn't really be a concern.
Jan,
I would think you could use a marine paint to paint the outside of the yogurt container so the printing does not show. This would also allow you to customize the color of the container with the color of the room. (:o)
My .02
Mike
Hi Mike,
I see what you're saying. But one can always water just like they water their soil plants (I use plain tap water and let it sit out for over 24 hours). Also, on that site, she tells you to clean the aggregate, and shows you how (you remove the plant and then dump the clay into a strainer to rinse it). Honestly, I don't know if I'd use this method, but it seems so easy! We'll see how I like semi-hydro after I get my kits.
Oh, and your suggestion for Jan is excellent.
So I've been looking around, and for anyone who wants to make the hydro set-up (opaque outer container of your choosing and plastic inner container), this site shows how to make a water level indicator. Just scroll down to where it says Level Indicator: http://www.hydro-culture.net/
Gabi
Hi Gabi,
Thanks for the link.
Mike
Great link Gabi, Thanks!
Gabi, I'll try with an upright plant without a plastic container.
Mike, that's great idea but I am going to put the plant in a hanging container soon because it is getting longer.
Fascinating information....if you think about it...that is how hoyas grow (mostly) in the wild with their little toes into the most moist area and the rest of the plant fairly exposed. I tried to root some pretty common hoyas in one of those net like pots that come from Asiatica ....using the Hydroton and it was a bust.... :(.
This was a cutting that I was given to me in September 07 by a very generous Dg member, (that I have not seen around in a while =( ).
The H. imperialis cutting rooted very well and was doing fine. About two months ago, it started loosing leaves and others were just turning yellow for no apparent reason. I checked the roots and some were not healthy; since I didn’t want to loose it, I removed very carefully as many bad roots as I could, rinsed it out, cut it in three parts and I switched it to semi-hydro ( the “new”cuttings rooted there). I don’t have the container inside other one, I just make sure it doesn’t get direct sun light. I rinse it under the faucet every two weeks and add MSU half strength weekly. I don’t take the plant out often, but wanted to share the picture of the new roots, they look very strong and healthy the plant has put new growth very fast since then. I guess it liked it.
More roots
Plant
Looking good, Lourdes!
I am watering today,and have been checking out the SH plant's progress.
I put, last month, the following Hoya into SH:
H. fuscomarginata (root-rot)
H. obscura (wasn't growing)
H. citrina (root-rot)
H. subcalva (wasn't growing)
H. multiflora IML153 (is fussy)
H. incrassata (just as an experiment)
H. sp. Thai #3 (experiment)
Checking them today, every single one except H. sp. Thai #3 has new growth and is looking quite healthy. Even sp, Thai #3 looks good, just no new growth.
I made a hanging SH pot for obscura, here it is from below. I used the same method as a regular SH home-made pot, I just put the holes higher. I tip out extra water so that the reservoir stays half full, so the pot doesn't spill water if it is bumped.
Today I cut up and restarted a Hoya lacunosa 'Tove' I have had for over a year, which has not grown at all. As I expected, root rot.
I used a half size plastic container (this one came from an Indian delivery place, it had mango chutney in it). When the plant is rooted up I'll poke holes in the rim and hang it.
Yours too Mark!
Do you also leave it only in the plastic container? I mean not a conteiner inside another container?
Yup, just the one container, looks like yours is the same way. That was the way I saw it done on the First Ray's site, so that's how I tried it first, and it seems to work just fine.
I'm a big fan of simplicity (in theory).
I like it like that too, by the way I also saw it at First Ray's site. I rather deal with only one container (lol) I have not have any problems either .
We'll see ;)
Lourdes: Great looking H. imperialis, look at all those roots! It looks like it is very happy with the Semi Hydro method! I have an H. imperalis I got last year from a friend on the African Violet forum. It is doing really well and I can't wait for it to bloom ... hopefully next year!
Mark: I love how you made that hanging SH container! I love recycling, I once made a little terrarium out of a plastic Dairy Queen sundae cup and poked holes in the sides and hung it in a window. I've been known to use odd containers as planters. I have an old outdated cloth purse from the 70's with my name embroidered on it. I've been using it as a hanging planter for a couple of years.
I've got to order some of the hydroton pellets! I love rooting and growing stuff in water and I have a few rooting vases and jars sitting on shelves and in window sills.