I’m always very jealous of those of you who can keep your Hoyas outside. The British climate just doesn’t allow this, so mine are kept indoors or in the greenhouse all year round.

Keeping Hoyas Outdoors

Whilst it is great to have them outdoors, please take care as they do not like to be baked in direct light. Keep them in shade, or partial shade to prevent leaf bleaching and secondary issues. I always think of their Natural Habitat
I have an old hoya which I pruned back heavily and had ‘baby-sat’ while we moved into a new home. The leaves are reddish-yellow now not the healthy dark green they used to be. What can I do to bring it along now that it has moved in with us?
many thanks
Wilma

Hi Wilma,
Thanks for your message – send me a picture and I’ll see what I can suggest.
Kindest regards,
Henry
Molly’s Tropical Plants

Thanks for your prompt answer.
please see attached photos.
Wilma

Hi Wilma,
Hoyas have a tendency to produce red-tinged leaves if they are in bright light. This isn’t normally a problem but make sure it isn’t getting too much direct sunlight. The lightening, or bleaching, of some of the leaves also suggests the light has been too intense.
The blackening near the leaf axils may be a sign of the plant being ready to shed a few leaves as a result of its condition. Don’t be too alarmed as it should recover well.
Another reason plants can go red / purple is if there is too big a difference between night and day temperatures. This is a result of toxin build up in the tissue and is usually temporary, if you keep it in good conditions (particularly don’t let it get waterlogged), with a little diluted general fertiliser, like a seaweed extract. Foliar application of a weak fertiliser can be particularly beneficial.
What has the weather been like near you?
I’m pretty sure it will be fine and will look more normal if it is kept out of strong light for the next month or two.
I hope this helps, and Good Luck!
Kindest regards,
Henry

Oh dear! I need to move it.
The hoya was in shade at our old house but was in the open the last 5 months. I have now put it in the open….shaded until about 11am then shaded after about 3pm. We live in Perth, Western Australia so the light doesn’t come much brighter.
Thanks for your help. My husband is going to LOVE shifting the pot and trellis.
Wilma.
Will get some seaweed extract….hadn’t thought of that.

Hi Wilma,
That’s definitely confirmed the diagnosis and I’m glad to have helped!
I hope it restores itself to its former glory – I’d love to hear how you get on so please keep in touch.
Kindest regards,
Henry

I’ve been enjoying all the feedback you have been giving me, and now the weather is improving, I’m actually enjoying being outside more too. Whilst I do a lot of the work myself, it is only right that I offer a ‘Thank You’ to everyone that has helped me along the way, including YOU!

Jacksdale Garden Centre

This is my favourite garden centre. There is a fantastic range of plants, including vegetables, fruit, ornamentals and so much more. Not only do they have a wonderful range of plants and everything else you would expect from a garden centre, but they are also extremely generous. As you know, I like to recycle everything I can. This includes pots! Every year I beg for pots from Jacksdale Garden Centre and they are always happy to help. So, many thanks to Stuart and Peggy for letting me relieve them of stacks of 9cm pots every year! Drop in if you are nearby – you won’t be disappointed!

Here’s a photo of me Washing the Pots! I rinse them well and leave them soaking in a solution of Jeyes Fluid for a couple of hours to make sure they are ultra-clean.

Noy and Partners

Noy and Partners have helped me out for years now. They are an accountant based in Eastwood, Nottingham and are a pleasure to deal with. My needs aren’t great, but they charge me a fair price for sorting through the buckets of boring receipts and invoices I bring to them every year! I recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone looking for help that doesn’t want to pay big faceless accountants big faceless amounts of money! Visit their website HERE (but only if you are in the UK- they won’t be much use to my overseas visitors!)

Special Thanks To You!

As I said, thanks to everyone for their custom and the kind feedback you have given me. I always listen and will try to improve things where improvements are needed. As you know, I’ve also started a Newsletter this year and I have been warmed by the amount of people subscribing to it so far. Let me know what you want from me and I’ll try to sort it out for you. I also want to thank you all for your patience. I’ve had a few ‘tests’ in the last year and have not been as organised as I would have liked, but hopefully everything is back on track now and there won’t be any further delays!

Growing and selling Hoya plants is not my full time job, although I would love it to be. I spend at least one day of the weekend and a few evenings tending my plants, taking cuttings and doing all the website stuff that goes with it. My day job is very different to horticulture as I spend most of my time in a large office with loads of great people.

‘Green Up’ Your Workplace

You won’t be surprised to hear that I have smuggled in plenty of plants, with many of my friends and colleagues having a Hoya adorning their desk. I have turned my workspace into a mini garden, with Hatiora, Hoyas and Cacti filling the gaps between my calendar and my keyboard. I just can’t help myself!

Worth The Wait

This is a picture of one of the Hoyas at work. It was a birthday present for someone that has now left, but we remembered her fondly when the Hoya carnosa flowered for the first time this spring. I had promised everyone lovely flowers and as you can see, they have come good at last!

Rosehill School

I also do an annual plant sale at work, with proceeds going to a good cause. The range normally includes Tomatoes, Courgettes, Annuals, Perennials and of course, Hoyas and other tropical plants. This year, the money will be going to the Rosehill School in Nottingham, whose website you can visit by clicking HERE

It is a really good cause. It is also local to my work which has given me the chance to visit them next week. We also raised a lot of money for them through Movember and various other Challenges. My employer at least matches the totals too, so the cheques we take over are of a meaningful amount, and hopefully will make a difference. I can’t wait to see for myself.

I don’t know what it has been like in your part of the world, but here in the Midlands of the UK the weather has been truly miserable! I really suffered a few weeks ago when a heavy snow fall collapsed my heated greenhouse and put paid to a lot of my dear stock whilst I was away for a few days. I lost numerous Hoyas under a pile of broken bits and snow, and my treasured Epiphyllum gave way, dropped from the ceiling and destroyed a load of tomatoes and courgettes that have been going quite nicely – Aaargh!!

Blue Sky

Nature has been seriously testing our patience and we’ve had one of the coldest Aprils in history and in the latter few days it looks like it could be an incredibly wet few weeks too – this must be nature having a bit of fun with us gardeners! BUT it is with great joy that I looked out of the house this morning to see a glorious blue sky! How long it lasts for is anyone’s guess, but I’ve been making the most of it.

Happy Chickens

Maybe this is the signal for the start of the year? I know my chickens are enjoying the warmer weather, each of them popping an egg out every day which has been my highlight so far. They have been enjoying devouring my leggy lettuce seedlings and pretty much anything else that isn’t going to make the grade.

Hoya Plant Sales

So, the question you are all asking me is ‘When will I be selling Hoyas again?’ Well the good news is that the answer is now. I can’t cope with big orders due to my reduced stock levels, but I’ve got a selection of starter plants ready for the off, including:

Hoya carnosa
Hoya pubicalyx ‘Silver Pink’
Hoya loheri
Hoya cummingiana
Hoya kerrii
Hoya camphorifolia

Other Plants

I’ve also got a good supply of superb looking Tomatoes, Courgettes and Epipremnum aureum, which seems to be rather sparce on the market at the moment. I have been amazed at the prices that my aquatic plant, Vesicularia dubyana has been selling for on eBay – I guess there must be a drought of that too!

Un-rooted Hoya Cuttings

If you are after unrooted cuttings, I’ve got a wider selection, including most of the above and Hoya carnosa variegata, Hoya archboldiana, among others. Let me know if there is anything in particular you are after and I’ll do my best to help.

So, I hope this post finds you enjoying a bright sunshiny day (I know a song about that!) and that it really is the first sign of a proper summer. If it isn’t, I’ll be very disappointed and will have to turn up the heating in my house again!

Despite the fact that it has been in the high 20°c’s in the daytime for a decent part of March, night temperatures have remained very low. We haven’t had too many frosts, but the danger of them has been lurking over the last few weeks.

A Snowy Easter?

Now, just as we thought the nights were going to warm up, we are told that the night temperatures will be dropping to near 0°c this week, with sleet and snow expected over Easter!

Hosepipe Ban

Water is in short supply and we need a lot of it to balance out the recent dry periods. It has been very dry. Too dry. In fact large portions of the UK will be subjected to a sustained hose-pipe ban as our water supplies have dwindled and our reservoirs remain half full, at best.

Early Vegetables may suffer

I have probably made the mistake of planting my vegetables too early – I wanted to get the most out of my greenhouse and it is now packed full of Tomatoes, Courgettes, Melons along with a host of other seedlings and cuttings.

Only time will tell if I will get away with it – hopefully if the weather stabilises after the cold snap we are about to get, I can finally plan ahead for the year and actually start looking forward to planting my vegetables out in the garden.

Confused Tortoises

Even my tortoises are getting confused. After coming out of hibernation a few weeks ago, they have been rampantly destroying any sign of dandelions and greedily eating all the weeds and wildflowers in their enclosure. I’ve even heard the tell-tell signs of my boy mounting the girls which is unheard of in the month of March. I’ve been bringing them in at night to make sure they don’t get too chilly but the daytime temperatures will soon be too cold for them, so they will be back on their tortoise table for a few weeks.

My fish have been feeding early this year too and even the millions of tadpoles we have are out and active well before time. There’s no sign of a lack of frogs in my garden, which is great news as they have been struggling to maintain population numbers in the UK.

Beautiful Epiphyllum

As you can see, my epiphyllum basket is looking great, with a dozen or more flowers coming along – the heater in my greenhouse will have to stay on for a while longer!

Please be Patient

Needless to say, the night temperatures have been too low to post most Hoyas, so I haven’t promoted any yet, other than putting a couple on eBay to test the water. Please be patient – hopefully we will be back in business in the next few weeks, and I am sure that the wait will be worth it!

A Couple of Hoyas on eBay

These 2 are currently on Sale on eBay but I will probably have to delay posting them due to the weather. Hoya pubicalyx ‘Silver Pink’ and a lovely little Hoya polystachya – one of my favourites.

Hoya pubicalyx ‘Silver Pink’

Hoya Polystachya

Hoya plant tendrils…..do I cut them off? Do they have something to do with the flowering? I have not had a flower yet.
From Beverly in Ontario, Canada

Hi there,
Thanks for your message.
You can wind the vines around or train them in before trimming them. The new vines may well produce flower spurs which will bear the flowers.
Check out these posts for more advice:
Hoya Care
Taking Cuttings
Kindest regards,
Henry
Molly’s Tropical Plants

Hoya with a Problem!

I live in Texas. I have a hoya my mother in law gave me. She brought it from California in the 1950s. I have had it over ten years. It means a lot to me. It has large white spots on some of the leaves. When I give cuttings to others, it doesn’t happen. Can you tell me what is wrong and how to fix it?
Jody in Texas

Hi there,
The damage could be a few things but most likely cold damage or a fungal infection.
Cut out and destroy any diseased leaves and stems (don’t be afraid to be harsh) and make sure your plant is not over watered and is not cold which will help deter fungus.
The fact that the cuttings you are giving away are healthy makes me think it is the conditions rather than a disease but I also can’t help think that you may have mealy bugs or some sort of pest in there too.
If it were mine, after cutting out the damaged stuff, I would totally repot it, wash the roots and give it a new home in a slightly larger pot with new compost.
Also, take a few cuttings yourself to make sure you can keep it going if the problem turns out to be fatal.
Please let me know how you get on, and remember that Hoyas are tough so you can be brutal with cutting the damage out.
Kindest regards,
Henry
Molly’s Tropical Plants

Over-Watering Hoyas

I have a hoya for about 10 years. I don’t know if I overwatered it but the leaves are looking limp and they are browning. I repotted it the other day and its not looking any better. It was a gift from someone who is deceased and I’m trying to keep it alive. Should I take cuttings and concider it gone? Any ideas are greatly appreciated.
Fran

Hi Fran,
Thanks for your message and sorry to hear about your plant.
Your description does sound like over-watering, so you have done the right thing by repotting it.
As for what to do now; I would hedge my bets and take a couple of cuttings from healthy stems / vines, but also give your Hoya a few more weeks to see if it will recover.
You never know, it may pick up, but at least you’ll have a couple of babies if it does fail.
I am sure your deceased friend would understand – you are doing everything you can!
Please let me know how you get on, and if you need help with cuttings, this post may be worth a
read: Taking Cuttings
Kindest regards,
Henry
Molly’s Tropical Plants

Thank you for your advise. I took some cuttings, I think the plant is on it’s way out. I put the cuttings in water. That’s how I made the plant originally.
Fran

This is something that irritated me for well over 24 hours, so I thought I’d share the solution with you.

Eheim Professionel 3 External Filter

I recently gave my aquarium an overhaul. I was pleased with the outcome, but just needed to finish the entire process off by ritually servicing my Eheim Profesionel 3 external cannister filter. Those of you that are familiar with this range of filters will know that there is a big red button that releases the hoses and allows you to wheel your filter body off to service it.

It’s Still Stuck

On this occasion, however, the big red button did absolutely nothing. I followed the manufacturer’s instructions and pushed the flow valve to the right before pushing the button, but still no success. I pushed the big red button until my thumbs hurt, my wrists ached and I had a horrible burning in my shoulders.

I Need Help With My Big Red Button!

Surely this should be easy? Surely I am doing something wrong, although I am following the instructions to the absolute letter.

What To Do When The Release Button Is Stuck

Finally, I cracked it. Should I have worked it out earlier? Yes, probably. Do I care now? No – I am just pleased to have sorted it. The answer was to actually push the flow valve all the way over and holding it in place, whilst then pushing the big red release button. This picture shows you how easy it is.

This solution may seem a bit simple and pretty obvious, which is great. But nothing is obvious until you know how, is it?

Grrrrr.

My Fixed Eheim Professionel 3

It is definitely worth the effort as it is very satisfying knowing that your filter is fresh and the flow is strong, which will help keep your aquarium clean and your fish healthy! Take a look at this short video – Hopefully you will agree my fish are on good form! My Red Hook Silver Dollars are primarily vegetarian, but as you can see, love the odd worm.

It’s planting time in the vegetable garden again. As ever, I am growing loads of onions, but this year I’m going to plant some sets now, which is a bit earlier than I normally do. I’ll keep an eye out for any nasty frosts and cover them with a cloche if needs be, so I’m sure these onions will do well.

Stuttgarter Onion Sets

The variety I am using is Stuttgarter. They are versatile, tasty and grow large. They also store well, so we will be able to enjoy our home-grown onions all the way through the year. Onions can be grown by Seed or by planting Sets. Sets are onions that have been grown on to a small bulb, as you will see. I have always grown onions from sets as they have always provided me with loads of lovely onions with very little effort. Here is how I do it.

Prepare Your Soil

It is best to plant onion sets on pretty good soil, that has not had onions growing on it for the previous couple of years. You can get away with growing on the same patch, but I prefer to rotate my crops to make sure diseases don’t set hold. Hoe out any stones or lumps of clay, and prepare the surface of the soil so that the tilth is nice and crumbly.

Mark Out Rows For Your Onion Sets

In this case I am using a ‘forgotten about’ piece of skirting board as a ruler to make sure my rows are nice and straight. Uniformity in the vegetable garden looks great in my opinion, but you can be a lot less accurate with your spacings and still have great results. I aim for about 15-20cm between rows to help ensure I get some nice big onions. The closer together that you plant onions, the smaller they will be.

Prepare The Onion Sets

Take a few minutes to inspect the onions sets, discarding any that are dried up, too soft, or that are discoloured. Remove any loose or flaky skin to help prevent any disease spreading through your crop. I also remove any straggly tips as tiny tips sticking out of the soil can be too much of a temptation to many birds, especially when food is scarce. Birds can pull up your entire row of onion sets within a day.

Plant The Onion Sets

Plant your onion sets around 15-20cm apart, deep enough so that the tips will lie just below the surface of the soil. You can back-fill the rows as you go down them to ensure your onion sets are not planted too deeply. As you can see, I use a stick to help me space them evenly.

Cover The Onion Sets With Soil

After you have planted the row, cover the onion sets carefully with nicely prepared soil before firming the rows gently. Onions like relatively firm ground, so don’t be afraid to apply some pressure when you are firming them in.

Water Lightly To Settle Your Onion Sets In

I always water my onions sets a little to finish them off. This may not be strictly necessary, but I feel that a light watering makes sure there is good contact between the onion sets’ young roots and the soil, which I think helps them establish more quickly.

Protect Your Onion Sets From Birds

Netting your onions sets further protects them from early attacks from your local birds. When they are larger you can remove the netting, but netting your crops for the first month or two does provide assurances early on in the growing season when the birds are hungriest!

Protect Your Onion Sets From Frosts

Cloches are an excellent way to extend your growing season as they protect your young plants from the elements and act like a greenhouse to warm the soil up, making it much more pleasant for your seeds and seedlings. Using a cloche to protect your onion sets will help ensure they make good progress in the early weeks, and that they will be well protected from any harsh frosts. Cloches also provide excellent protection from birds.

I have had my Hoya for many years now and only seen it bloom once. It was so fantastic. Why hasn’t it bloomed again?

Hi there,
How long ago did it bloom? Have you re-potted it at all?
Can you send me a picture of your plant to help me find the problem.
Kindest regards,
Henry
Molly’s Tropical Plants

Hi ..Thanks for your reply. This larger hanging plant by the bedroom windows bloomed 4 years ago. It is in a window facing west and sheer curtains filter the light. It has been transplanted The smaller plant hangs by an east facing window which gets morning sun. The smaller plant was a cutting from the larger one which was repotted 2 years ago. It bloomed for perhaps a month

The Answer

They look in great condition and are clearly enjoying their positions!
I think it has to be the re-potting that would have disturbed the flowering. My Hoyas often miss a year or two after being re-potted so I think this year, or maybe next at a push, will see your plants roots filling up the pots and hopefully you will get flowers.
Make sure you maintain the light and perhaps even feed with a very weak phosphate-rich fertilizer in the warmer months. You could also try moving them a little to get a bit more light – this can often trigger a bloom. I think you have Hoya carnosa variegata, and the cutting you grew on has lost the colouration.
Please let me know how you get on – your plants really are admirable!
Kindest regards,
Henry
Molly’s Tropical Plants

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Cacti are fun to grow and as you will read, very easy to grow from seeds. Cacti come in many forms. Some that grow into enormous giants, whilst some grow painfully slowly. However they grow, cacti are rewarding plants to grow, with their sometimes bizarre forms and amazing blooms.

Easy House Plants

Cacti are well-suited to modern homes, with our bright window ledges and central heating. Cacti are durable, versatile and a great addition to any home. They do not need large pots and often ‘thrive on neglect’. What this means is that they have naturally adapted to very dry conditions, so they do not need watering much. This suits our busy lifestyles as people can easily forget to, or just not have time to water plants regularly.

Obtaining cactus seed

Either collect seeds from your own mature cacti or purchase fresh seeds from a reputable stockist. Keep them in a cool, dry place until you are ready to sow them. Don’t wait too long as most cacti germinate best when the seeds are fresh.

Prepare your compost mix

Sterilise the seed compost. I am using a mix of seed compost, grit and sand. I bake this in my oven on low for a couple of hours to kill off any bugs or diseases, then I allow it to cool before handling it. It is important to heat the compost thoroughly enough to kill any living organisms, but make sure the oven isn’t so hot that your compost starts to burn. Sterilising your pots and compost is especially important if you are using recycled material.

Clean your pots

Sterilise your pots or trays. I always wash my pots in hot soapy water to help eradicate any unwanted guests. Keeping your pots clean should be part of any growing regime, as diseases can easily be transferred between plants in dirty pots.

Fill your pots

Fill your pots with the gritty mix and tamp it down to create a nice smooth surface to sow the seeds on. Don’t push it down too much as it is good to have an airy structure in the compost. Good aeration is vital for root development, and waterlogged compost is a sure-fire way of encouraging fungus, which will quickly kill your baby cacti.

Water the compost a little

I water the compost a little at this point. This will not only help the seeds stay in place, but I think it helps provide the right level of moisture for the several weeks that germination can take, by making sure the lower compost layers are moistened.

Sowing Cactus Seeds

Carefully place the seeds on the moist compost, making sure they are nicely spaced out. I like to give them a chance to establish in this pot, so will only plant about 15 per pot. You can get away with planting many more, but you will need to prick them out earlier. Once you have sown the seeds and covered them, I recommend misting the surface of the pots liberally. This should provide for the young cacti’s water requirements for several weeks, at least.

Protect your seeds

I then cover the cactus seeds with a thin layer of sand. This makes sure they are held in contact with the moist soil and helps with drainage.
Cover the pots or put them in sealed plastic bags. This will help maintain the humid conditions that cactus seeds often need for germination. Open the bag a little every few days to let some air in, and top the water up if it happens to dry out too much. Keep the seeds at a temperature of around 25°C and you should see them begin to germinate in anything from 1 week to 6 weeks, or even longer depending on the species you are growing.

Wait for germination

In my case, I am growing two types of cactus – an Echynopsis hybrid mix, which should produce an interesting range of plants, and Ferocactus wislizenii – The Candy Barrel Cactus which is a lovely cactus.

Enjoy your new cacti!

I’ll post updates as my seeds germinate and my new cacti grow. Why not have a go yourself?

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