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H. imperialis var rauchii I got from Carol last spring...
It's taken off like a bandit, and right now I'm using a tomato cage till I figure out just how I'd like to keep in in the short term. I have it sunk into a larger clay pot with lava rock around the outside to keep the inside pot steady. the legs of the tomato cage are sunk into the lava rock between the two pots. I don't think it's quite ready to put into a bigger pot as it's not really root bound but maybe this one likes bigger shoes ? I'm at this point a little more concerned that I keep it trained...( it was trying to reach over and grab one of the trees before I noticed and very gently turned the stem back down.
So those who grow this one how do you keep it potted, ( Carol you probably let it run right up the tree's, wish I could do that here !
I'm going to be dealing with my own H. imperialis var rauchii over the weekend. I repotted mine in the spring. It is trellised using five foot bamboo hoops which are zip tied to a extremely heavy duty red tomato ladder pictured here: http://www.gardeners.com/Stacking-Tomato-Ladder-Supports/Veg... The strong tomato ladders ensure that if the bamboo rots on the bottom the plant will stay supported. I have two vines on the plant that 12 feet long are all tangled on the roof of my small greenhouse. I will be wrapping those stiff vines around the trellis and bringing it back into the house. Has anyone else noticed that these stiff vines weep sap when bent around trellises? Hoya kerrii does the same thing.
Doug,
Yes, My kerri did the same thing when it took off and I started to train it up around the pot hanger. So now I don't let it go too long before "re-directing" it again.
Imp var rauchii did the same thing and scared me half to death cause I was afraid I was going to break it, so I moved up a bit on the plant where it wasn't so stiff and bent it down so I could start training it.
I swear the thing grew 6 in. overnight !
Where do you get those bamboo hoops from ?
I need to find an alternative to the stacking tomato ladder, cool idea but a little pricey for me.
MJ, I agree that once those imperialises start growing there is no stopping them! The best place to look for those bamboo hoops are in your local garden centers. The five foot ones are very hard to find - my local supplier is out for the year, and I've tried to find them on the internet to no avail. I thought the stacking tomato ladders would be the answer to my to my larger hoya trellising problems, but found out that they just will not work for most plants. They cannot be inserted into most large plants because of the rungs. The only way they would work is to use on very young plants that would grow into them. The only plant that I was able to use them on was the imperialis. I have thought of using straight bamboo and making ladders by cutting rungs and zip tying them to the uprights. It would function like a large version of this: http://www.amleo.com/bamboo-trellis/p/VP-BTLX/
I've lost control of 1 and I think Im just going to have to let it go wild...I tried to bend a stem...oops.
Has anyone ever trid to prune this one into shape to keep it manageable?
Yes, that is a problem. Very few people need 100 four foot bamboo U Trellises I did however buy a bundle of 100 2 foot trellises, and I am finding them very handy to have around. I'll try to post a photo of my imperialis after I get it all wound up on Sunday or Monday.
Name: Carol Noel Hawaii (near Hilo) It's all about choices.
H. imperialis really likes to climb!! That said, yes mine are growing up trees...
Stacking tomato cages can be used "upside down".... (will take a photo today of one). With the widest 'ring' of the cage over the pot, I attach the cage to the hanging pot with wire. I bend the 'prongs (the long pieces that are supposed to go in the dirt)' to hook on a nail or on a branch. They take a bit of watching because the vine can grow straight UP and in order to keep the growing tip pointed UP, the plant needs coaxing in order to wind around....but soon it is accomplished. It is easy to switch pots too with this method.....
Name: Carol Noel Hawaii (near Hilo) It's all about choices.
I like to grow big hoyas in these bulb pots because hoyas' roots tend to be shallow...so...here is the tomato cage, upside down on the bulb pot. With wire I attche the rim of the cage to the holes in the pot for hangers. On this one, I bent the "legs" down and attached a hook to the top. Works well.
Carol, did you drill holes in the bulb pan to wire the tomato cage too or did you just wire it down thru the drain holes in the bottom...couldn't quite tell from the pic.
Umm wondering if I have a smaller bulb pan out in the shed somewhere.......
Ok, well I didn't get a chance to get out into the shed, but I'm positiveI don't have predrilled bulb pans...never seen them come that way. Working on getting some fresh green bamboo that I can soak and bend to shape. S'O' knows someone in the next county up that we can probably get as much as we want.
Here is one of my H. imperialis on a trellis I found at Home Depot.
And...another one with a different trellis:
These are not very good pictures and the background is just an old gate, but these are other trellises I found at Lowes but haven't put anything on them yet.
Love that tomato cage support. Looks nice & steady. Is it also tied to the pole above? Bet you hate to move those big ones in for the winter. I know I can never find enough spaces to put them. Fortunately this year I have an extra bedroom to play with. Getting ready to set it up now.
Thanks everyone. Marcy, it's tied to those five foot bamboo hoops in many places, and I really do hate trying to find a place for all of the plants that I bring back in for the winter! I just spent my entire week's vacation doing just that - I don't know how many more times I can go through it Julie, it is a beast, and it is not even close to three years old. Carol, the plant came from you and I thank you for making it available
such an amazing looking plant Doug imperialis var rauchii's been on my want list for a while, but after seeing your plant, Its being upgraded from "want" to "must find asap"
I did however buy a bundle of 100 2 foot trellises, and I am finding them very handy to have around. I'll try to post a photo of my imperialis after I get it all wound up on Sunday or Monday.
also I just moved it up to a 6 in. pot 2 maybe 3 weeks ago. Should that hold it for awhile ?
