Hoya's stekken (Propagation Methods)

Hoe kun je een Hoya plantje stekken, er zijn vele manier die o.a. worden

beschreven in Stemma.

In deze Stemma beschrijft Gerbrand Caspers hoe je een Hoya het beste kunt stekken. 

My first propagating efforts where actually forced upon me a few years ago when I was

given a chunk of Hoya by a friend, who said “Just put it in a glass of water and it will

soon grow roots. Then stick it in a pot. You soon will have a nice plant of your own”. All

went as predicted and the cutting has grown into my first self-made Hoya carnosa.

I had no idea at that moment that this first shot of Hoya would be the cause of my present

addiction!

Further efforts rooting other Hoya “the wet way” were not always successful. Some

rooted and some rotted.

I tried H. Linearis, H. australis, H. bella, H. lacunosa, etc...all the common Hoya plants

I found at my local gardencentre or at the grocers. I took them apart and cut them up. I

asked for and followed other peoples experiences. I ordered and read Dale Kloppenburg

and Annie Wayman’s new edition of World of Hoyas (you must!) and roamed the Internet.

I found, visited and asked advice of Paul Shirley, a native Englishman, Hoya grower

and collector in the Netherlands, who gave me much useful advice, especially regarding

the use of Jiffy grow-plugs.

My experiments trying to root directly in soil had in the beginning not been very

reliable, and had often unpredictable outcomes. My first soil mixes I formulated

(modified Epiphyllum mixes) still were far too heavy and “un-open”, I now know was

the problem. I found it all out the hard way, discovering afterwards the best way, of course, after

having had many moments of grief and despair! In most cases a lethal form of rot was

the diagnosis and cause of death of my dear, cherished and pampered little ones. After

that rotting period, afraid to over-water, of course I managed to kill them also by the dehydration/

starvation method.

So eventually I copied Paul’s method and bought the plugs (compressed peat pellets)

on Ebay. But I still was loosing cuttings, mostly by rot. I found out that these plugs stayed

moist for quite a long time and that in our spare bedroom where the Hoya propagating

took place, in winter temperatures fell to about 12-14C (about 55’F) and that was what I

now know (and should have known), was a sickening combination for man, most plants,

and most definitely for tropical Hoya.

Conclusion 1:

Wet + Cold = how to kill your Hoya

Today, I have built a nice greenhouse with space, light and a heating system, keeping the

minimum temp. at 19-20’C (about 67’F). In summer temperatures can rise to 35’C (about

95’F). I only have a fan and spill rainwater on the floor to cool somewhat down. I bought

a simple heating mat and I continued my efforts. I started using Seramis (fired clay).

Seramis plain, Seramis mixed with peat, Seramis in clay pots, Seramis in plastic containers.

At last my success rate went up. I abandoned the direct in-water method altogether.

After two years of trial and error I have now chosen three ways of rooting Hoya (see the

next section). This allows me to multiply Hoya and Dischidia summer or winter.

Conclusion II:

Damp + Warm = conditions for new Life

Some methods this conclusion led to:

1) The Seramis Method (or in perlite or a combination/mix) in a small plastic container

on the heating mat. This has proven to be a safe and reliable way with most Hoya.

In clay containers the Seramis or perlite dry out quickly on the mat (drying out

time- clay: plastic containers = 3:1). When propagating without the heating mat I

use clay containers instead for the opposite reason. You can leave the plants alone

for quite some time. After rooting I now often just repot soil-less into a bigger pot

and fertilize while watering. Hoya I raised this way seem to love it and thrive. No

negative experiences so far. It’s clean, stable and re-usable. The plants stay damp

but never sopping, and watering intervals are down to once every 2 to 3 weeks (!).

Recently I’ve found a perlite supplier and I noticed when Seramis and perlite are

mixed ( I try everything) new roots seem to favor Perlite to clay Seramis.

2) The Grow-Plug Method- placed in a small clay pot with Seramis. Bigger Hoya

I plant in two mounted plugs. Larger sized plugs are available. A hole can be

punched in the wetted plug with a piece of bamboo sharpened in a pencil sharpener.

This combination more or less “controls” the drying out of the Jiffy peat plug (at

least I think it does). It could be a totally superfluous ritual, but within weeks roots

invade this damp borderland of peat and air, which does not seem to be a problem.

Intake of nutrients may be easier this way, in theory. This combination is stable and

easy to handle.

3) The Sphagnum-moss Method. Lately I have been trying rooting bigger Hoya

cuttings by wrapping a node in lightly moistened Sphagnum moss, putting a plastic

bag or a piece of wrapping plastic around, and placing the cutting on the heat-mat

or an old glass covered aquarium near the radiator. Also I sometimes plant the cutting

in a clay container filled with Sphagnum moss, covering it with plastic so I can

put it on its side when dealing with a cutting with “upside-down” leaves or twisted

stems, thus turning the green side “up” into the light.

3a) Auto-rooting or Layering Method. Finally, I experimented to induce root formation

by layering a node (still attached to the mother plant) and pinning it to

the soil or wrapping Sphagnum moss around a node, severing it only when

root formation was successful. Quite safe and natural. No roots no separation!

3b) Antone Jones Mounting method. Small Hoya and Dischidia are mounted on

a piece of cork bark or a piece of pressed coco-fiber block covered with

Sphagnum moss and sprayed daily.

Conclusion III: Most (maybe all) of my failures are most likely due to bad water and

temperature control.

Conclusion IV: Newbie Hoya collectors sometimes do not initially follow the excellent,

expert experience and Hoya propagating guidelines available. Like bringing up a child:

most eventually will fall in line!

Conclusion V: In asexual propagation the rootless Hoya cutting is relatively vulnerable.

Surviving this period, and finding conditions favorable, the adult plant shows great

adaptability and wonderful skills for survival.

Conclusion VI: All Hoya are equal but some Hoya are more equal then others!