This weekend I managed to re-pot two Hoyas and move a number of plants around into new locations hoping to find areas where they might improve.  Hoya engleriana was declining (leaves were yellowing) in semi-hydro.  I however still do not know if it was the semi-hydro, or the too cold basement grow-tent causing the issues.  I opted to re-pot into regular potting mix and move the plant to a window.  It was actively growing, but the leaves just kept yellowing.  I will watch the plant closely, and if it continues to decline I will move it back to the basement.  The other plant that I re-potted was Hoya chinghungensis.  This plant is thriving in the cold basement tent, but I needed to water it every three days.  Hopefully the plant continues to thrive after the re-pot.  Here is a new photo of Hoya sp. Bangkok Red taken over the weekend.  I have made a film titled A Visit with Hoya sp. Bangkok Red that will be up in about a week.

I continue to document my experiences with various potted Hoya species with a new video entitled A Visit with Hoya aff. picta.  I’m pretty sure that I will never be able to grow this plant this well again, but at least I have a video record.  I also think that a film can help show off the entire plant better in context than a still photo ever could.  Without further ado, the link: youtu.be/6daknt9iPfU

I love this Hoya!  I would list it as one of the five Hoyas that every Hoya collector must own.  I have just uploaded a video tour of the plant that I think will give everyone a greater appreciation for it, and see its potential when grown well.  Here is the link: youtu.be/QeVHh2BaRxo 

I have just posted my 65th You Tube Video demonstrating the effects of 24/7 bright light focused on an elliptica bud set.  There are a number of Hoyas that I have found that only want to open their buds in the evening.  It could have something to do with the insects pollinating the flowers would be most active at that time.  I have found that most of these Hoyas given enough time will open their buds exposed to 24/7 lighting – unfortunately Hoya elliptica is not one of them!

You might ask why would I want to expose them to around the clock lighting?  Always in pursuit of making better time-lapse videos, the only way I have found to actually show the opening of the buds is to have both lighting and camera always on.  Making a good time-lapse is all about the lighting!  I have made many very cool time-lapses over the summer that will be appearing here regularly over the cold dreary months of winter.  This particular movie was actually only shot last week; I was going to scrap it, but I think there is still a kind of beauty in the film.  Without further ado, a new photo of Hoya elliptica and the link to Hoya elliptica Bud Crash or I Really Need Some Shut Eye!

http://youtu.be/E1AM6Fncegg

Here is a photo showing how small Hoya aff. picta is actually.  I hope to be able to take some highly magnified photos over the weekend.  Also, a new Hoya elliptica video coming on Sunday titled Hoya elliptica Bud Crash or I Need Some Shut-eye.

Here are some of the first blooms on Hoya picta that have opened.  The photo was taken over this past weekend.  I have to pat myself on the back on this one as I have always found this plant to be quite difficult.  There will be plenty more photos to come as this specimen looks as good as any picta that I have seen.  I will also probably be shooting a video as still photos don’t seem to do the plant justice.