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I've had a few c mails from people asking why I've been quiet recently. I had a bad year with my Hoyas, and just got fed up with the little blighters. I've been thinking tho why about 20% died this winter. On this island, we have to use de salinated water...it just dosent rain 9 months of the year. In the winter, the rain is tropical, and can cause chaos with flooding etc, mainly because when the land is so dry, it dosent soak in at first, then later, when the ground gets wet, they get such a good soaking, plants love it. However, this year, we got bassically no rain at all.......maybe 2 days. No amazing wild flower display....just barren dry land. I have the theory that after 9 months of desalinated water, when the rains come, they flush all the bad stuff out of the pots....and the ground...and everything flourishes again. This year, it just didnt happen. I shall be more wary next year. I lost most of my Orchids and 90% of my Discidias. About 80% of my hoyas have gotten thru, and, whereas some never flowered this spring, my H pachyclada, H Purpurea fusca and a few more, others are now starting to bounce back, and my enthusiasm is bounding forward.
It's funny really that I have the climate..ie, the wrmth, to grow all my Hoyas , Orchids etc outside....I just never expected the rain...what little we have..to play such a deciding factor in the whole equation..mind you, thats why over centuries, when there has been no rain for 2 or 3 years, people emmigrated..or they would have starved.
Onwards and upwards. I got cuttings from most that failed, but missed out on some. They will have to be replaced.
Was just very disheartening, and not for just the Hoyas.
But, I can think of no other explanation than the rain water flushing everything out
I am so sorry to hear about your plight. I understand full well about the rain. We in the panhandle are not getting much rain to speak of while the rest of Florida is getting soaked. We hear have had warm humid days and cool nights and maybe this could be contributing to my bumper crop of buds. Hoping that they will open in the next week.
If there are some replacements you are looking for let me know and if I have it I will send it.
Name: Carol Noel Hawaii (near Hilo) It's all about choices.
Dom...that is sO sad about the water situation!!! I think hoyas are fairly tolerant, generally...but salts seem to accumulate/build up to a critical point and then it is BAD..... I wonder if there is something you can do to desalinate the water? Pour it thru a filter of sand? ....??????? The climate changes are affecting us in different ways, eh?.... Glad to hear you are bouncing back. Let me know if I can send you some cuttings to replace those you've lost!!!!
Dominic, sorry to hear about water issues. I admire your determination and love for these plants. Hang in there , hopefully you can reverse your losses.
I was reading on desalinated water's effect on plants and it can be quite devastating. I hope and pray it rains on time. Rainwater is so life giving.
Name: Carol Noel Hawaii (near Hilo) It's all about choices.
When I potted my entire greenhouse up in Coir....I noticed a drastic change in the plants: the salinity count was 70+ when toxic was about 7....and while the change to Coir happened over a month or two...I spent about 1 week 7 hours a day repotting everything - I think there were over 2000 plants. This was in the early days of Coir...and while rinsed, the Coir was a salt attractant....it was gruesome. It was also summer and the temps inside were about 100deg. - I hired someone to help.... The fertilizer I was using had enough salts in it to build up to a drastic level. GROAN. If this happened now, I think I would burn the greenhouse down!!!!
Good to see you back Dom - I'm hoping this means your internet connection is fixed now, and I do hope your potting (sorry - painting) arm is better too.
Let me know if I can help with any hoya replacements..
Looking forward to hearing your wit and wisdom on a more regular basis
Ha...house is still at a standstill...........interet connection still not working properly.....oh, the joys of living on a 3rd world island.....thats what it feels like, sometimes.
I remember that story about the Coir, Carol, and the problems it caused........uff. When the house is finished...ha ha ha ( if i ever get my permit ), then the plan is to collect all the rainfall off the roofs anyhow. The tank holds about 6 months water.in fact there's another tank half the size that isnt really used at all, so probably I can work this better from now on. The water does sweeten after its been in the tank a while, but obviously it has it problems still. Something I never anticipated, but will be aware of in the future.
Thanks for the kind offer of some replacements.....I've ordered a few favourites already that I lost and Im taking cuttings off everything now so I have plenty of backups to grow in different areas....
I'm very sorry to here about the plant loss Dom! I guess we should never take our water for granted. I've heard that Orchids are very sensitive to salts and dissolved solids in water, and I guess Hoyas must be also; although, it looks like to a lesser degree. I wonder if a small reverse osmosis system could give you enough water for your plants?
Dom,
I too would be willing to send whatever I could to help your recovery. I do have a request tho...that you paint these subjects...I've always loved your art...and would love to see Hoya's and Dischidias's painted by you..
Is this Blackmail ?????????????????/
I still have a lot left Laura, and whats left, is bouncing back. We're in the low 30s here, which is the 80s I think in Fahrenheit I seem to rememeber, will be like this till November....they always look good when it warms up. Mind you, we went into the high 40's.......bout 118º F last week. My sister came to get away from the rain and gloom of London, and nearly died of heat exhaustion...think she was quite relieved to get home to the rain........dosent normally get that hot here, but generally once of twice a year it can touch the 50º mark.........not pleasant. Most of the Hoyas are covered and get a lot of spraying down when its this hot, tho a couple of them completely outside did get quite scorched last week
Name: Laura Gardiner Manitoba, Canada You can't 'un-ring' a bell.
I am a Celsius girl and I have a hard time understanding F . Except to know 70F inside is perfect! I think I'd melt in those types of temps listed above..
My central A/C has been on the fritz, and I've been coming home to a house about 30c (80f?) and I've just been dying. Going to go down to 7c tonight! ! Paint me with the same brush as your sis. I cannot fathom 50c. I probably would be ill.
"When you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one, and a lily with the other."
- Chinese Proverb
Pleasantly warm in London just now Dom (mid 20's), set fine and dry ......until next week when the rain returns!! I'm sure your sister is enjoying a break from the gloom - we all are!!
My lawn has never been SO green tho!!
. Except to know 70F inside is perfect! I think I'd melt in those types of temps listed above.. 
! Paint me with the same brush as your sis. I cannot fathom 50c. I probably would be ill. 