FAQ

Will you be offering rooted cuttings and larger plants sometime in the future or is the "Cuttings only" permanent?
I do not have the answer to that just yet. Most of the plants I have to offer right now are 'larger' plants...almost one year old. Depending on the response to Cuttings Only...I will make a decision for next season. :0)

What does SRQ stand for?
The call letters for the Sarasota Airport are SRQ...just something short unusual for the name of my hoya nursery.

How much will I be charged to ship my plants and/or cuttings?
Within the United States, plants will ship for a Flat Rate of $10 per order up to 10 plants or 15 cuttings.
Outside the United States I only am permitted to ship cuttings and the rate for Express Mail (3-5 days) is $45 and Priority Mail (6-10 days) is $35.

Which species cuttings will survive the trip as well as being in a box for up to 21 days?
From my experience...they are all capable of surviving the travel conditions and time. Most of my tender thin leafed plants started from cuttings from around the world. Very often they look wrinkled and dehydrated when they arrive but once they are given moisture and time to rehydrate...they will do just fine.

Will you please wrap the cuttings in a moist towel or newspaper to prevent dehydration for shipping?
No...they have a much better chance of surviving after being dehydrated than they do if they rot. I take cuttings the evening prior to their ship date...soak them overnight in Superthrive and water...let them air dry before putting them into a box to ship.

What exactly does 'Hoyas on Drying Rack' mean?
When I receive your order the status is 'Order Received' after I make the yellow tag I proceed to pull the plant from stock and set it aside on a separate rack. There I turn fans on the plant to dry the mixx so it may be shipped without the threat of root rot.

My plants are wilted and dry as a bone when they arrive?
That is normal since I dry them out prior to shipping. If there is excessive moisture in the mix when I pack them...that moisture turns to excessive humidity curing the trip which may cause fungus, pests (mealy bugs in particular) as well as rot. More often then not, if a plant does not survive the trip it is due to excessive moisture. When it arrives...drench the mix, mist the foliage and be patient. If you let the plant remain in the clear pot you will be able to monitor the moisture level without guessing.

What are the brownish red spots on the leaves and do I need to be alarmed?
No, I grow some of my plants outside but under a screen enclosure so bugs are still apparent. This does not spread and is not alive...just is not so attractive. I find these spots on the leaves after a torrential rain? They mean no harm so I look at them as 'Beauty Marks' :0)

Why have you stopped using Bayer Advanced Tree & Shrub (BATS) for pest control?
After two years of systemically treating all my plants with BATS...I have ceased for may reasons. (1) I found the only sure results from this treatment were dozens dozens of dead wasps and bees. After further researching this product I was able to confirm the serious effect it is having on the world's food supply. Without pollinators...we are all in a bind. (2) I still struggled with the mealy bugs in excess.
I now use a much diluted spray of Permethrin, derived from chrysanthemums. Although the warnings are still for the health of our bees...I have noticed the dropping of the wasps has stopped since I only spray once a month and it is not a systemic control. The best part of all...NO MORE MEALIES!

Do you root in soil or water?
I have always had great success rooting directly into the Mixx I use to grow the hoyas. On occasion I will put an entire order of new cuttings in my Hydroponics System and root them this way but never just sitting in a bottle of water. I am not claiming it does not work...I just prefer the root in soil.

Is it possible to purchase a bundle of cuttings of just larger leaf hoyas? I would only want cuttings from species with larger leaves.?
Although it is possible you will receive cuttings with larger leaves...I cannot guarantee you will receive ONLY larger leafed cuttings. The choices are made at the time I am ready to cut, label and ship. I am offering these Bundles at a very discounted rate and so it will be at my discretion. If you prefer to choose which cuttings you receive...please email me for availability as before.

I am wondering if I just missed the section on your website that shows shipping costs. What would shipping be to 94131 please.?
In the footer is a SHIPPING page...that will explain more about my procedures and rules on shipping and packing. To ship to any zip code within the United States is a Flat Rat of $10 for up to 10 plants or 15 cuttings. Supplies are NOT included in this flat rate.

I purchased 3 plants from you in July. They haven't done much and since I am new to this, I'm not sure what I should be doing to them...Should I repot it them with more soil? What kind of soil should I purchase? Could you please give me some advice to help the plants thrive?
I hear this a lot...plants just sitting there after they arrive healthy and happy. For that very reason I have decided to offer only cuttings to customers worldwide.
When starting a plant from a cutting...it seems to take off and grow and bloom without the hesitation seemingly cause by it’s new environment.
It sounds like you are doing everything right so keep on doing it. I would not repot or add more soil because that may lead to root rot. If there is too much space the soil will retain too much water. Fertilizing may help some but I would wait until spring if you are using a commercial food. If you want to use MSU, what I use exclusively, you can use year round with each watering.

I was looking at this code (Species Detail)...what does it mean?
Please refer to this blog for a better ubderstanding of the Species Detail Tab which can be found on each Product page.