Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Create the right environment
• Method 2 of 3: Maintaining your Hoya plant
• Method 3 of 3: Dealing with common problems
• Necessities

Popularly referred to as wax flower, Hoya plants are popular for their thick, waxy leaves and beautiful, star-shaped flowers. Although they do have a number of needs, Hoya plants are generally easy to care for. This makes them a good option for both beginners and experienced plant growers. To take care of your Hoya, you need to create an environment where your plant will thrive and maintain it.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Create the right environment

1. Place your Hoya plant in bright, indirect sunlight. Hoyas need a lot of sunlight to thrive, but direct sunlight will cause them to fade or dry out. So try to place your Hoya where it gets about six hours of indirect sunlight per day. If you find that one side of the plant is getting more sun, turn your plant over every few months so that the whole plant gets the sunlight it needs.
   • If you place the Hoya outside in the warmer months, make sure you don't put it directly in the sun's rays. Choose a patio area that is partially covered, but that still receives bright light.
2. Keep your Hoya in a temperature of at least 10 degrees Celsius. Hoyas grow best in warmer temperatures, from 15 to 26.5 degrees. To keep your Hoya alive, the room temperature must be at least 10 degrees.
   • Although Hoya's thrive at temperatures below 26.5 degrees, it can tolerate heat up to 35 degrees.
   • If you live in a warm climate, you can leave the Hoya outside as long as the temperature allows. When the temperature drops in the fall and winter, however, you should put the Hoya indoors.
3. Expose the Hoya to high humidity whenever possible. Although Hoya plants can survive in moderate humidity, they do better in high humidity. To provide your Hoya with more humidity, you can place it in a more humid place, such as in a conservatory or greenhouse. If you don't have a place indoors where you can expose the Hoya to moisture, you can put the plant outside on humid days to help it grow.
   • When you put the Hoya outside, make sure it is not in direct sunlight.
4. Place the Hoya in a pot that drains well. Hoya plants are very sensitive to overwatering, making it important to ensure the pot has a drainage hole in the bottom.If left in water for too long, it can lead to root rot and can cause your plant to die. If the current pot does not have a drainage hole, you can prevent root rot by drilling a hole in the existing pot or by repotting the plant to a pot with a hole.
5. Repot the Hoya plant every few years when it grows out of its pot. Hoyas do best when left in the same pot for a long time. They like to be firmly rooted, so as long as the Hoya thrives in the current pot, leave it there. However, if your Hoya has outgrown the pot and needs to be repotted, make sure the new pot allows adequate drainage in the bottom.
   • Try to repot your Hoya in the spring or summer, when the plant is at its strongest.
6. Use a lighter soil mix to promote good drainage. Since Hoyas are so sensitive to overwatering, they generally do well in light, less dense soil mixes. Soil mixtures for orchids, sphagnum moss, and mixtures for succulents and cacti are all good options for the Hoya, as they drain well.
   • If you want to use a traditional commercial potting soil, add perlite according to the instructions on the perlite pack to lighten the soil and create better drainage.

Method 2 of 3: Maintaining your Hoya plant

1. Water your Hoya when the soil on the surface is dry. To determine if your Hoya needs water, touch the surface of the soil. If the soil is still slightly damp, wait a few more days and then check again. When the soil is completely dry, water the plant just enough to make sure the soil is moist. Hoya plants are very sensitive to overwatering. So make sure you don't pour so much water into the pot that water builds up on the surface.
   • In the spring and summer months, Hoyas typically need to be watered once a week. In autumn and winter, once every two weeks is usually sufficient.
   • In general, it is better to give your Hoya too little water than too much. If you don't get enough water for the Hoya, its leaves will wilt and / or turn yellow. If that happens, water it a little more often. However, overwatering the plant will likely cause root rot, causing the plant to die.
2. Give your Hoya fertilizers in the warmer months. While your plant is still growing, you can help it by giving it a fertilizer high in nitrogen. Do this once or twice a month in the spring and summer months. Once your Hoya is fully grown, switch to a fertilizer that is high in phosphorus to encourage the plant to bloom.
   • Avoid using fertilizers in the fall and winter, as the plant usually stops growing during this time and needs time to rest.
3. Prune your Hoya plant when you see dead leaves. Check your plant occasionally for dead leaves, which usually look wilted, yellowish or brown. Prune these away and then also on aesthetics if you wish. When pruning the Hoya, you have to be careful not to cut away the long tendrils and old flower stems. These are the places where the Hoya usually develops its new flowers.
4. Leads the Hoyarank with a structure and thread. If you have a climbing Hoya species, Hoya carnosa variegata, you can direct the hoya's tendrils however you want them. First, select a bamboo, wooden or iron structure to grow your plant on, such as a U-rack. Then use the wire to attach the existing tendrils to the bamboo as far as possible. As your Hoya's tendrils grow, they will grow up and around the structure.
   • Make sure to tie the string so that the knots are strong enough to support the Hoyaranks as they grow upward, but that they are not so tight as to stunt the growth of the plant.
   • If the Hoya tendrils start to grow off the bamboo, wooden or iron structure, you can use more wire to attach the new growth to the structure as well.

Method 3 of 3: Dealing with common problems

1. Use neem oil to control sucking pests. The most common pests for Hoya plants are sap-sucking insects, such as mealy bugs and spider mites. To combat these nasty pests, spray the Hoya plant with neem oil. The amount of neem oil you need will depend on the specific product and mixture you are using, so make sure to follow the instructions on the package.
   • In most cases, you will need to use the neem oil spray for 10 days to ensure no new infestation from hatching eggs re-infecting your plant.
2. Try insecticidal soap to get rid of whiteflies. Although whiteflies prefer other plants, they can also infest a Hoya plant. To combat such an infestation, you can try insecticidal soap. Many types of insecticidal soaps come in a spray bottle, making them easy to use and apply to the plant.
   • When using insecticidal soap, follow the directions on the bottle.
3. Buy snail bait when your Hoya is outside. If you put the plant outside in the spring and summer, it is good to use snail bait to keep these slimy critters off your Hoya. Snail bait is usually sold in pellet form, which can easily be scattered around the plant to keep the snails out of your planter.
4. Wipe away sooty mold to keep your plant disease-free. In some cases, pests can cause sooty mold on the leaves of your plant. While the fungus usually peels off once the infestation is controlled, you can help the Hoya recover by wiping the sooty mold off the plant if you see it. To do this, mix 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap with 3 liters of water in a spray bottle. Spray the fungus leaves, wait 15 minutes, and then wash the solution away with the fungus under the tap or with a garden hose.

Necessities

• Hoya plant
• Pot with drainage hole
• Light potting soil
• Fertilizer with high nitrogen content
• Fertilizer with high phosphorus content
• Bamboo, wooden or iron U-rack or plant rack
• Neem oil
• Insecticidal soap