Hoya cuttings

[shawnintland]

Figured I'd post a few pictures of my now 'preferred' method of rooting hoya cuttings. I found these black plastic tubes years ago for growing tree seedlings and plants that need to put down a deep tap root. They come with a stand that holds about 30 tubes. Last year I decided to try stuffing them with a little bit of cocofiber cubes in the bottom (big drainage hole) and then the rest with sphagnum moss. When the tube is half full I stick in the cuttings and then top it up with sphagnum pushed in with a pencil. A very light misting every other day or so for a month and you have incredably well rooted cuttings ready to transplant. I've found it best to use the eraser end of a pencil to push the coco/moss up from the drainage hole helps to avoid breaking any of the new roots (the sphagnum is pretty well 'packed' in there!). Hope this helps any hoya lovers expand their collections. It's also a great way to prepare cuttings for gifts, as 'newbee's' often have trouble figuring out how to root them without problems.







Here's about 75 tubes of cuttings, mostly well rooted up already;




Good luck!

[Robert]

A good idea, thanks Shawn.

[boonleng]

Shawn,
That's a good method.
First time i see this kind of tube, where did you find those tube? Is the tube made for growing plants or other purpose?

[shawnintland]

Originally Posted by boonleng

Shawn,
That's a good method.
First time i see this kind of tube, where did you find those tube? Is the tube made for growing plants or other purpose?

I found these black plastic tubes years ago for growing tree seedlings and plants that need to put down a deep tap root. They come with a stand that holds about 30 tubes.

They were from a plant container supply company in Bangkok and I just added a hundred or so to my order to try them out. The 'stands' were pretty flimsy but the wire mesh screens sold locally hold them just fine (and many more of them as well). The tubes are made of very thick plastic and are very rigid, I've been re-using them month after month for a couple years now. I just made another 30-40 cuttings in them today!

[arvin555]

This is very very old but I'd like to put in a bit of suggestion myself... I was pointed here by Shawn as I was asking him through PM about Hoyas.

If you can't find these types of tubes, I doubt if I can find them here in Manila, you an try out PVC Pipes of the same diameter, But maybe 1 meter or 2 meters and cut to lenght you need, then just a matter of finding a way to plug the other end, or just tie a net or something at the end to hold the cocochip in place. That wire mesh thing is a great idea too from Shawn!

Hmm wonder if this tube idea will work for Nepenthes as well

TTFN
Arvin