critter,
The very first cutting i had was imperialis, not knowing any better i got it in the dead middle of winter. i had a heck of a time rooting it and decided that it may have needed a bit of oxygen, as it was rooting in water. So i had extra fish supplies and put them to use a pump and small bubbler stone (dont know what else to call it). it started developing roots almost right away. Now if i see something struggling i break out the pump n' stone. i even split the lines sometimes and put one inside the plastic bags i put on top to bring up humidity for air circulation they love that. And it cuts the times i have to open the bag and blow in it.
carol,
what does your mix look like? even amounts of hydroton, perlite, and cinders? or do you use more or less of each one? I tried just hydroton but for the price of the stuff im gonna have to find something to supplement the media.
thnx
jaci
Rooting with Hydroton
Thanks, Jaci! I need to set up a bubbler anyway... :-)
Jill, the only one I have tried that didn't like the bubbler setup was an eriostemma, but (and that's a big one) it was extremely cold in that unheated room in the dead of winter in north AL. The brugs were happy enough though.
Thanks!
Critter!
I just noticed your in Frederick! I'm not too far from you - Shepherdstown, WV!
Kelly
Kelly! Come to the SEED PARTY next month! Look for the purple crocus thumbnails in the Mid-Atlantic forum. :-) I will bring you a cutting of my mystery hoya... LOL
Critter,
I rooted all the cuttings I got last spring from DL in perlite. When I first got them, I soaked them in water with a few drops of Superthrive overnight. Then I put them in plastic disposable cups that I had burned drainage holes into, with damp perlite. I put all the containers into a big plastic bubble to hold in the humidity and warmed it with a an aquarium heater placed into a tall glass bottle. It was basically a very large terrarium with heat and humidity. Although the cuttings had been delayed at least more than a week, and had been fumigated, they all "took" and are still growing in my basement plant room under lights. They spent the spring. summer and fall outside under my deck. This is where the grew the fastest.
Thanks!
I'm thinking I need to get more into Hoyas... just to be part of such a friendly & helpful forum! :-)
Jaci... (sorry to be late, but I was off island for a couple of days)... I have a big pail with just Hydroton...(rinsed with lots of clear water...), another pail of 1/3 each #4 perlite (with the powder and the fines shifted out) and 1/3 each black lava cinder and 1/3 hydroton. I use the black cinder only because I have a mountain of it and it is easy to get...it keeps the mix lose and it wicks a bit. #4 Perlite also wicks and is cheaper and easier to get than Hydroton. If you are stuck and can't get cinders, I would use 1/2 hydroton and 1/2 #4 Perlite (it is the largest they make). So....if I am potting up a seemingly easy hoya i use the mix. If I feel unsure of myself I use 2/3 mix and 1/3 more hydroton (I do this by the handful from the buckets). If I know the hoya is really difficult...like H. kloppenbergii, H. flagellata, H. linearis...I put them in almost all Hdroton. The normal mix of orchid or redwook bark (fine), added to the cinder and perlite, I use for everything and the more the hoya has a tendency to rootrot in 'soil', the more hydroton 'mix' I use with it. The mix will work perfectly well. It is just how I do it.
If you find another material, that is not organic, creates lots of gaps in mixes and wicks water well, you could use it (exceptt RED cinder which has too much iron in it. Iron=red. I've heard that some people smash up crockery or cut up wine corks....
With the Hydroton mixed with Perlite and Cinders used for rooting...when potted on/up, would you use the same mix Carol or pad it out with something more organic?
I do pad the mix with fine orchid bark or redwood shavings if the hoyas like to stay wetter than others.... and if they are going to grow there for a long time.... For the tender ones...just the mix. I also pad it if I don't have enough of the mix!!! Everything changes all the time..... Most of the time I do have some organic matter in the pot when they have roots...just more or less depending upon where they are going to grow and what they like.