Hoya Plant Care

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Light, temperature and humidity

Hoya plants thrive when provided with bright indirect light. Warm temperatures and a proper amount of humidity are necessary to produce food for plants through photosynthesis.

Temperatures should be kept above 15 degrees C since hoyas are tropical or semi-tropical plants and many won’t survive if temperatures fall below 10 degrees C.

Hoyas also flower beautifully under artificial light, so get 40-watt tubes and keep it on for 14 hours a day if it is your only source of light, but make sure they receive darkness, too.

Soil

As for the potting medium, you can use ready-made mixes that contain peat moss, ground bark, composted leaf mold and coarse sand, perlite or vermiculite for aeration and this mix is great for Hoyas.

If you are using your own mixture, purchase these ingredients separately or use your garden soil as a base, enriching it with peat moss, dried manure, bark, leaf mold or compost.

After combining, sterilize it by baking it in the oven for an hour at 180 degrees and check pH which should be slightly acidic 6.9 to neutral 7.0.

Fertilizing

Additionally, put some peat moss, sphagnum, bark to enrich your potting mix. Fertilizers that contain phosphorous, potassium and nitrogen are a source of nutrients for the plants, too, but too much of it can burn the plant, so use them in weak concentrations and slow-release ones.

Repotting

Wait until your plant becomes rootbound and then move them to a slightly larger pot. When you repot, make 4 vertical strokes through the root ball and new roots will develop there.

Use a sterilized pot and sterilized fresh mix, firm it, water it and place in subdued light for a week, after gradually increasing light intensity.

Watering

Water hoya plants thoroughly, let the excess water dry out and wait for the top 2 centimeters of the soil to become dry between waterings. When it gets colder, reduce the amount and frequency of water management.

Propagation

Propagate it from cuttings in spring, using water or a solid medium. Ideal soil medium is sponge rock, sphagnum moss, bark chips or your regular loose soil.

Pruning

As for pruning, do not prune off old spurs as new flowers will appear again. If you want to cut off some stems to make your plants look neater, choose those that do not have spurs on them.

Insects and diseases

Hoyas are subject to few diseases and mainly disease-free. They can attract fungus diseases, but these can be easily eradicated by using a systemic fungicide.

As for insects, aphids are the most prevalent ones, mostly on young growth. Crush them by hand or dab some rubbing alcohol on them by using a cotton swab.

Mealybugs and scales can also occasionally visit hoyas, and treat them the same as aphids and use insecticides for scales.

What hoya plant types don’t like are frost and soggy soil, so remember that, too.

Hoya display ideas  

There are myriad possibilities for displaying hoya plants. When selecting the spot, take into account sun, wind, shade, as well as your preference as to where it will attract attention.

One of the most beautiful settings is when the plant hangs from the balcony, or you can display the plant above an entry or porch. You can also frame your door or window with hoya species.

Another amazing display idea is to place them in a shade roof, if you have it, or above the patio. This way you can enjoy your meals and observe them grow.

Finally, they make great hanging plants indoors, in decorative containers, they will add a calm and visually nice landscape to your busy morning routine.

How to display a Hoya plant
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