Also known as “wax flowers”, hoyas are known for their thick, waxy leaves and beautiful star-shaped flowers. Although it requires a certain amount of care, in general hoya is very easy to care for and this makes it a great choice for both novice and experienced gardeners. To care for hoya, you must create and maintain an environment that supports the plant to thrive.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Creating the Right Environment for Hoya
Step 1. Place the hoya in a bright place with indirect sunlight
While hoyas need lots of sun to thrive, direct light can cause them to turn white or dry out. Therefore, place the hoya in a place that gets indirect sunlight for 6 hours per day. If you notice that only one side of the plant is getting more sunlight, rotate the hoya every few months so that the entire plant gets the light it needs.
If you keep your hoya outdoors during the warmer months, don't place it in direct sunlight. Instead, choose a veranda or spot that is partially shaded, but still well lit
Step 2. Put the hoya in a place where the temperature is more than 10 °C
Hoya plants thrive best in warm temperatures, which is 16 - 27 °C. To keep the hoya placed in the house alive, the room temperature must reach a minimum of 10 °C.
- While hoya tends to thrive in temperatures below 27 °C, it can tolerate heat up to 35°C.
- If you live in a warmer climate, hoya can be placed outdoors as long as the temperature conditions are right. However, if you live in the subtropics, hoya should be brought inside when temperatures start to drop in autumn and winter.
Step 3. Expose hoya to high humidity as much as possible
While hoya can survive in conditions of moderate humidity, it tends to thrive in higher humidity. To expose hoya to high humidity, store it in a place with high humidity, such as on a bright veranda or in a greenhouse. If you don't have a place to expose hoya to high humidity indoors, place it outside on damp days to help it thrive.
When hoya is taken out, make sure the plant is not exposed to direct sunlight
Step 4. Plant the hoya in a well-drained pot
Hoya is very sensitive to excess water. So, hoya should be planted in a pot that has drainage holes in the bottom. Sitting in standing water for too long can cause the hoya roots to rot and make the plant die quickly. If your current pot doesn't have drainage holes, you can avoid root rot by punching holes in it or moving the hoya into a new pot with holes in the bottom.
Step 5. Move the hoya every few years when the plant is larger than the pot
Hoya tend to grow rapidly if left in the same pot for long periods of time. Hoya prefers crowded roots. So, as long as the hoya looks fine in its current pot, don't move it into a new pot. However, if your hoya has grown larger than its current pot and needs to be moved, make sure you use a pot with plenty of drainage at the bottom.
Move the hoya in the spring or summer, when it is at its strongest
Step 6. Use a loose soil mix for better drainage
Since hoya is very sensitive to excess water, it tends to thrive better in a mixture of loose, loose soil. A mix of soil for orchids, peat moss, and soil for succulents and cacti is a good choice for growing hoya because water can drain quickly into the growing medium.
If you want to use a regular commercial soil mix, just add perlite according to the instructions on the bag to loosen the soil and improve drainage
Method 2 of 3: Caring for Hoya Plants
Step 1. Water the hoya when the soil surface is dry
To find out if a hoya needs watering, touch the ground. If the soil still feels a little damp, wait a few days, then check again. If the soil feels very dry, water the hoya a little until the soil feels damp. Hoya is very sensitive to excessive watering. So make sure you don't pour so much water that it pools or floods the top of the pot.
- In the dry season months, hoya usually needs to be watered about once a week. In the rainy season, watering can be infrequent, about once every two weeks or according to circumstances.
- In general, it is better to have a lack of water than an excess. If the hoya lacks water, the leaves will begin to wilt and/or turn yellowish. If this happens, water more often. On the other hand, if the hoya gets too much water, the roots will rot and the plant may die.
Step 2. Fertilize hoya in the warmer months
As the hoya grows up, you can help it grow by applying a high-nitrogen fertilizer 1-2 times a month during the dry season. Once mature, use a high-phosphorus fertilizer to stimulate flower growth.
Fertilization in the rainy season must be done after the rain falls because the fertilizer can dissolve and be washed away by the flow of water
Step 3. Prune the hoya whenever a leaf dies
Check the hoya every now and then for dead leaves that usually look wilted, yellowish, or brown. Prune dead leaves along with other pruning to beautify the plant. However, when pruning hoyas, don't cut the long twigs or flower stalks as these tend to be where new flowers are starting to grow.
Step 4. Prop up the hoya vine with the support frame and twine
If you have a hoya variety that grows in vines, such as Hoya carnosa variegata, you can propagate the vines to allow them to grow as desired. First, choose a bamboo, wood, or metal vine support frame in the shape you want the plant to be later, such as a curved trellis or trellis. After that, use the thread to tie all the existing tendrils to the turus. As it grows, the hoya's vines will extend up and around the support frame.
- Make sure you tie the twine so that the knot is strong enough to hold and support the hoya vine as it grows upwards, but not too tight so it doesn't cut off the growth of the plant.
- If at some point the hoya vines begin to grow away from the bamboo, wood, or metal support frame, you can use more thread to tie the new shoots to the frame.
Method 3 of 3: Troubleshooting Common Problems
Step 1. Use neem oil to get rid of sap-sucking pests
The most common pests that attack hoyas are sap suckers, such as mealybugs and spider mites. To combat this annoying attack, spray the hoya with neem oil. The amount of neem oil you need will depend on the individual product and the mixture you use. So, just follow the directions for use on the bottle.
In most cases, you should apply neem oil spray on the hoya for 10 days to ensure that no new pests hatch and infect the plant
Step 2. Try insecticidal soap to kill whiteflies
Although whiteflies will attack many other types of plants first, these pests sometimes land on hoya as well. To combat the attack, try insecticidal soap. Many insecticidal soaps are available in spray bottles, making them easy to apply and apply to plants.
When using insecticidal soap, make sure you follow the instructions on the bottle
Step 3. Buy snail and snail bait if the hoya is placed outside
If the hoya is kept outside for certain months, use snail and snail bait to keep these slimy creatures away from the hoya. Snail and snail baits are usually packaged in pellets that can be easily sprinkled around the plant to keep snails and snails out of the pot.
Step 4. Wipe off the soot dew so that the hoya is disease free
In some cases, pest attack can cause sooty dew to appear on hoya leaves. While mildew usually sloughs off after a pest attack is under control, you can help your hoya recover by wiping it off when you see it. To do this, mix 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of liquid dish soap for every 3 liters of water in a spray bottle. Spray the moldy leaves, wait 15 minutes, then wash off the remaining solution with the fungus on the hoya leaves under a tap or garden hose spray.
