Garden update
Summer has brought rain, humidity and some toasty days. It is often too hot to stay outside on the porch for more than a quick watering. We welcome any and all rain because it cools everything, even if it’s just for a short time.
Hoya carnosa ‘Chelsea’
Chelsea was my first hoya. I had it for a few years in New England, where it did not put out more than a leaf a year. Coming back to the south has caused this hoya to explode in new growth. Currently, it is potted in the typical coco chunks and granite chips that all my hoyas seem to enjoy. In my experience, Chelsea prefers to dry out completely between waterings but can also sit in a cache pot where the bottom just barely touches water in the reservoir. Clear pots are a must to keep an eye on moisture levels. If overly soggy, this hoya does not hesitate to drop leaves and stop growth – and edema presents as spots on the back of leaves.
Watering involves a cache pot or a shower – since this hoya is huge, I prefer to soak it thoroughly to ensure every bit of the coco is moist. At times, I will take a hoya into the shower, spray it down multiples times or let it soak in a container for a few hours, then let it drip dry on top of the shower drain.
For lighting, Chelsea likes bright shade, similar to my Obovata. When exposed to more light, leaves lose the rich green coloring and start turning yellow-green – which is fine if you enjoy the look. Only water when all humidity in the pot has evaporated – that is very important to keeping Chelsea happy in a typical watering setting. Hoya carnosa ‘Chelsea’ likes to be ignored and forgotten.
Hoya macrophylla ‘Albomarginata’
This hoya loves the heat of summer but because the porch is shaded, it doesn’t get to show off beautiful pink margins. We get a few hours of direct sun in winter, and that’s when the color really starts to emerge. Watering is very similar to Chelsea above, however, this particular hoya is not in a clear pot so it gets the finger test. I poke my finger as far down into the pot as possible to check for moist coco. I can usually wiggle my finger at least an inch down the side of the pot. Only water when completely dry and water deeply.
Balcony garden update
The balcony is looking so lush with all the summer growth. We even added a new rug for Tubby. He loves laying on it while watching over the parking lot. We have cucumbers, peppers and basil growing. They get no direct sunlight so they appear a bit leggy. We’ve already had flowers on the peppers, so fingers are crossed! Hopefully the cucumbers will produce both male and female flowers to pollinate, but we’ll see if they can handle the lack of direct sunlight.
