Thank you for posting this for all to see, Doug! I'm so happy to see your great results like I have! You sound happier in this video than you have in a while, and that makes me feel so happy for you! 💚 In response to the comments, I do want to mention that as long as the sulfur is on the plant, you do not have to reapply. I have observed eggs over 12 weeks after spraying once and they never hatched. Even if they did manage to hatch, the outside area of the egg would be covered in sulfur and would result in subsequent death. While being thorough is great, spraying again when there's still sulfur on the plants is unnecessary. Doing a quick follow up on the new growth wouldn't be a bad idea if you get paranoid, but don't feel pressured into going through that 3 day torture again. :) Cheers to the bright future of your Hoyas!
I think people are washing it off after a week and then reapplying. Maybe after a week some of the sulfer losses its potency and that's why it needs to be freshly applied?? I'm no expert
@@mwoods4608 sulfur doesn't degrade or lose potency, it's not a "chemical" acaricide, sulfur is not absorbed by the plant and doesn't dissipate so I'm not sure why people wash it off and reapply it. 🤷♀️
Thank you so much Kyla for everything! I would never have known about this problem and solution if it were not for you! Also thank you so much for telling me that all of this reapplication of sulfur over and over is not necessary. That would probably be enough to send me over the edge and leave the hobby altogether. Three days of spraying was really enough for me! Thanks again!
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas I'm so glad I could help! It took me 2 days to spray all mine and I was exhausted, but 3 days is just insane! I'm always here to help, never hesitate to ask me any questions! You've done a lot for us Hoya hobbyists and I look forward to watching your collection boom again!
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas Hi Doug. I am not a subscriber, but was directed to your channel by another UA-cam channel. I am in need of some help! I only have one Hoya, (Hoya Rubra Wax Plant). I am not a collector. This Hoya has been failing sice I bought it maybe a month or two ago. It has a little of the symptoms of the flat mites, but I cannot find signs of any kind of pest under a microscope. I removed all soil and checked the roots carefully, and they all look good and healthy. I then put her in leca and took dome cuttings, just in case. But she continues to fail! I am at the end of my knowledge and the end end of my rope! The leaves at the end of the vine just shrivel up and then spreads through the vine to other leaves. Any new leaves trying to form just dry up and die. It is not being under or over watered in my care but may have been previously as it came from a big box store. Is there a disease maybe? Please, if you or anyone can help or even offer a suggestion as to what the problem might be, would you please respond? I'm begging. I just love this plant! Thank you!
Sherry thank you for bringing up Adam (Knot Dude) as his video really reinforced my decision to spray. To anyone else who is looking for the video, here is the link: ua-cam.com/video/11T0642jPXs/v-deo.html
Sulfur must be applied every week or every other week for a minimum of 6-8 weeks in order to wipe the mites out completely (it won't destroy the eggs).
Hi Betsy! I am sure that would be the best practice, but quite frankly I don't think I have the energy to spray everything I have again. I will closely observe the plants going forward, and spray problem plants and hope that does the trick. I am just hoping that since I applied it so heavily and left it on so long that the larva will succumb to the sulfur residue. Time will tell...
Hi Betsy! I was wondering about your friends in Sweden. Knot Dude said in the Let’s Talk Hoya podcast that they leave it on for 8 weeks. Can you confirm or deny?
@@giagia9974 I have been advised by Swedes to apply it at least every other week for 6-8 weeks. The STEMMA Hoya Journal article that Doug references states this as well.
@@mwoods4608 Absolutely! I will now have a disclaimer on anything I sell or trade. The thing is that these mites are now so pervasive that you really have to assume that any plant or cutting that you receive has them😢
I just sprayed all my plants down with Sulfur, I could definitely tell I had a problem by all the failed growth points! I will be repeating in 2 week intervals for a few applications, because I don't want this to happen again! I will be much more vigilant about treating all new hoyas as well. Crazy to see how pervasive they are in everyone's collections!
I also believe that all of the failed growth points is the surest way to tell that you have flat mites; I only wish that I had known about this years ago, as I am certain now that is what has plagued me these last few years. I thought that I had lost my touch, when it was these invisible menaces. I am sure that you will experience an entirely new world of growing in a few weeks after your spraying! Report back with your results!
Just saw this video, so I checked my Hoyas, and sure enough, they all have mites! Additionally, my Streptocarpus have them too! Argh! Sulfur is on its way, can’t wait to treat my plants. Thanks so much this critical information!!❤
Sorry to hear that you found them, but I really don't think that there are many people who actually don't have these mites in their collection at least at low levels. It really is an eyeopener though to find out how well they actually grow, when most of them are removed. Good luck with your spraying and report back with the results!
Thanks Doug, after throwing everything at my Hoyas, I think that you’ve shown me what’s going on with my Hoyas. 50 years of hoya growing & I never knew!!
Hi Cathy! You’ve been growing Hoyas for a very long time, much longer than me. I’m glad that I could be of some help. I was in the same boat as you trying to figure out why the Hoyas that used to grow well, no longer did. I hope the sulfur treatment works for you, as well as it did for me!
I found mites on some of my Hoyas and sprayed my collection 3-4 months ago and left it on all my plants (which it still is). I haven’t seen anymore mites, I still check randomly with the microscope. This is just my experience. All new small cuttings I use the powder and a small makeup brush/paint brush to apply on stems and under the leaves so I don’t need to spray one plant. I do this even if I don’t find mites on new plants. Thanks for your video. Your wonderful and have a beautiful collection! Amazing!
Thank you so much Vanessa for the kind words and relating your experience with mites! It was very helpful to me - all the best to you and your growing!
It’s amazing the result after one single use, I was so pleased after I applied it and immediately new growth was visible. I’ll definitely apply it again just in case!
Probably a good idea, but going forward I will probably only apply it to plants that seem to be struggling. I'm happy that it seems to be working for you as well.
I use Forbid 4F. It is expensive but it works. There is a reason why professionals use it. IT WORKS. I understand the average homeowner that has a handful of plants won’t want to invest in professional products. I’m glad you found that sulpher is working for you and you keep inspecting your plants. Sulpher also provides essential nutrients for plant growth so it will be important to distinguish that your new growth isn’t just from the nutrients but also ridding your mite infestation. Happy growing!
The product that you are using is then one that I was referring to in my video. I absolutely would use it if I was a professional nurseryman and my livelihood depended on it. You are also correct in saying that it is not something that the average plant loving home owner is going to want to use. Happy growing to you as well!
This was an informative video! I have a large tent with Hoya and will order a microscope and sulfur. There are several of the same issues with my plants that you described.
I never had the patience to actually see one of these pests with the microscope, but the sulfur really worked beyond my expectations in making all of the Hoyas burst into growth again. Good luck with your spraying!
I tried a digital microscope but preferred a cheap Chinese 10-30x optical stereo microscope it was much clearer. You need a really long rack for plants. I never knew sulfur worked on mites. The Avid is really not bad and only leaves a very thin oily film that goes away in about a week on thin-leaf plants it's a problem but Hoya has very thick leaves.
Good information, but I would still not use a product like Avid in the house. There is a relatively new product that is deadly to root mealies that is also supposed to work well on different mites, aphids, and stem and leaf mealy bugs called PureCrop 1. This is the product I will use next time I spray for flat mites. The sulfur worked very well, but is very unsightly and somewhat difficult to wash off at a later date.
Greetings from the mountains of NE Washington state where the 1st snow is flying today.... great video Doug. I have about 180 Hoya throughout my house under lights. I have 2 elderly cats and a young small dog that thankfully do not chew on or bother them. For those of us that have pets I see on the package that it says it's ok to use the powder on dogs to control fleas and tics (apply powder and work into coat)... also on poultry and domestic livestock. I personally wouldn't use it on my dog but... under precautions it ALSO says hazards to humans and domestic animals, harmful if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed thru the skin. Avoid breathing dust vapor or spray mist, wash thoroughly and remove contaminated clothing and wash, also toxic to fish, do not allow pesticide to enter or run off into storm drains, ditches, gutters or surface water. I guess what I'm saying is probably best to wear a mask and gloves, protect your pets and then dispose of any left over properly. I've yet to check with my microscope but I'm sure I have some. Some have corking and numerous stunted growth points but most of the others are growing just fine with new growth... but a total treatment is in order to stop the spread. So glad your Hoyas had such an amazing come back...a preventative treatment once a year is a great idea. I use the Bonide systemic granules every time I repot, pot up my cuttings or receive a new Hoya as a preventative. Thanks again Doug and happy growing! 💚
Hi Carol, great to hear from you! It is so funny that you have your first snow flying and today we will see record warmth with temps in the mid 70s - crazy weather. I wore rubber gloves at first while spraying and finally gave up on them because they were soaking wet inside. I do believe that the sulfur can be absorbed through the skin as I could smell it on my hands at least 2 days after I stopped spraying. You have a lot of Hoyas probably many more than myself. I keep telling myself that I need to cut back as some days the work involved is a little daunting. Eventually I will figure out a better balance; as of right now I spend a minimum of 3 hours a day on them, and sometimes I begin to resent the time commitment. I wish you all the best and happy growing to you as well!
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas We had record heat in the 70's this fall... almost up until it snowed yesterday so that's very unusual for us as well. Now we're looking at single digits tonight, also very unusual for this time of year. I am definitely going to cut back... their care is becoming more of a chore as I'm still working 4 days a week and am pretty tired when I get home. Totally my fault though as I see new Hoyas I must have, lol. Treating all of them is a daunting task I'm not looking forward to but must be done. I think I might put 4-5 plants at a time in the shower, turn on the fan, wear mask/gloves and spray them there to keep the spray fairly confined... so it's not all over the house and the animals can't get into it. I'll be eagle eye from now on, lol. Have a great afternoon Doug.
I had to treat my entire collection which took forever and was so annoying, but it will have been on my plants for 8 weeks next week (appears to be the lifecycle of the flat mites) and can finally wash it off. In the meantime, lots of new growth! Going forward, I will spot treat each hoya after inspection. I am also checking every new hoya that comes in with my microscope and have caught a few plants already with flat mites.
Thank you Ashley for weighing in with your experience; I appreciate it! I actually made this video a couple of days ago, and I am already starting to wash the sulfur off. I will tell you that it does not come off easily even with a high pressure spray. If you really want it all off, it almost requires each leaf to be rubbed while spraying with water. It really is dramatic though how well almost all of my plants responded to the treatment. There are so many others that exploded with growth that I did not have a chance to mention in the video.
Okay, I just washed them all off and I learned a few things. One, there is such a thing as too much sulfur. I had some leaves turn yellow and die that were really coated. Two, I put on microfiber gloves so as I hosed them off, I could wipe them down more easily.
@@AshleyBolduc Good information Ashley while I had no leaves turn yellow and fall off, I can see where it could happen. I love the microfiber gloves idea and will have to look for some!
Oh my goodness. This video was great. I probably have this problem too. I couldn't figure out why in my nice climate my hoyas are like garbage. I shall get some of this sulfur when I can and do the same. Hope I can save my plants. I know what it's like to think we are the ones doing something wrong and good to know it's not us. EDIT: Forgot to say that I also enjoyed seeing the tents and the tour. I love that kind of thing.
Yes, I am sure that you have these mites as well Scary! The thing about sulfur is that it has been used for hundreds of years as an insecticide and fungicide, and best of all it is very cheap, and usually available locally.
Wow! Sulfur seems like a real game change for you! I tried the warm water method & honestly killed a number of Hoya that way 😭 My order of sulfur just came in a couple days ago & I can’t wait to try it out. I know it takes repeated applications, but I think I’ll just do it every quarter or something. At least to keep the population down. Thank you for sharing!
You're welcome Ria! It is not something that I was really excited about sharing, but it now seems that almost every collector is plagued by these things, and it really does help explain so many of my problems over the last few years.
Damn,, you were right. Hoyas that I had for a year started dying at new growth of leaves and vibes. I took a jewelers loop and looked. Sure enough, tiny red dots of flat mites. I'll be going to ace hardware tomorrow for some sulfur.
Sorry to hear that you have them too Patrick; I don't know where the heck these things came from, but I now think they have been in my collection for at least a few years. You will find that the sulfur will be a game changer though. Good luck to you!
Wow, thanks for this very informative video 👏 I had spider mites on broad leafed orchids decades ago, underside leaf damage was pretty obvious after a while, and I did see the mites themselves using a magnifying glass 🔍 Thinking of bugs that'd feed on Hoya, only thing I came up with (eventually) was mealy bugs, which I had in succulents (also decades ago). Only thing that worked for them was a systemic insecticide, whatever the folklore otherwise may indicate (least that was my experience). Never heard of flat mites. I'll have to check 🔬 you should get a cut on sale of those microscopes 😄 I use sulphur powder to control black rot on thick leaved orchids with success ✅ I'm sure no surprise to anyone here, most of the plant pests I've had have come in on new plant acquisitions - so that's always something to check thoroughly for and I'm actually glad import restrictions on things like media are enforced quite vigorously for just this reason. 8:01 That imperialis is looking VERY green 💚 11:35 Ah, was wondering - maybe your plants had a sulphur deficiency? 😇
Hi Doug! I doubt that my plants had a sulfur deficiency as I use a well balanced variety of plant fertilizers. I have had issues with spider mites in the past with certain thin-leafed Hoyas, but they are comparatively easy to deal with as they are completely visible to me. I made a time lapse video of the flowers opening on Hoya javanica about 9 years ago, and if you look closely, spider mites can be seen running all over from the under side of the leaves to the flowers themselves: ua-cam.com/video/K8QHp3UZVqY/v-deo.html These flat mites are so insidious because they can't be seen with the naked eye. Yes, after a long while, I finally have a couple of good looking imperialis plants!
@Doug Chamberlain Joking on the sulphur deficiency 😇 Kinda fun watching those very active spider mites due to the video speed up, mine were not so active 🪑 Ah, I did look with a magnifying glass on some hoya & orchids and saw nothing untoward - but if there're not viewable that way then something more appropriate is in order. I am having some of the symptoms you mention - though leaves themselves look fine 🤷🏻♂ Was easy to find a variety of such microscopes online ✅
Happy for you that you decided to send cuttings to someone who was on the lookout for this menace. I think you said in the video that the sulphur was applied once and has been on your plants for five weeks now. I am not an expert but my understanding of the breeding cycle of these mites is that treatment should be done sequentially over the course of several weeks to insure that they have been fully eradicated. Otherwise, you run the risk of eggs hatching and reinfestation occurring. It would probably be a good move to apply the sulphur, let it dry, shower off the plants and reapply sulphur in about a week to 10 days. Let dry, shower and repeat again in a week to ten days, checking with the microscope to make sure that no activity is noted. Flat mites and broad mites are insidious and all too often, no problem is noted until an infestation is full blown. Having new growth is a very good sign but it does not in and of itself indicate that the battle has been won.
Good information Leslie, and I will follow it to the best of my ability, but there gets to be a point when one has to ask is this hobby worth the hassle any longer?
@@yesno7060 There is nothing wrong with a small collection! My goal is to work my way back to a much smaller one myself. Keep a very few easy favorites, and find a few new ones that I have yet to flower and concentrate on those.
Your welcome Peggy! It is too bad that these pests seem to come out of nowhere to infect most of our collections, but at least there seems to be a way of fighting back. All the best to you and good luck with eradicating them!
I recently heard about flat mites so I bought a microscope because I have been having so many issues with my hoya not growing. So far I've only seen them on one hoya, the same one that came with mealie bugs. I'll probably treat everything that's not growing anyway, just in case. Thanks for the informative video.
I've got over 300 Hoyas in my family room... I have 3 that def. have flat mites... I sprayed the heck out of them with sulfur last week. I will be spraying everything again this week. Interestingly enough, a lot of new growth points since last week. My rangsan, chicken farm & ganung gading being the worst... they're all perking up. Smelly stuff but it's working.
You have one heck of a lot of Hoyas! I am glad that the sulfur seems to be working for you too. I think that as much of a pain as the sulfur is to apply and look at, it is really the best option for most people. I will no doubt spray everything again this summer.
I’ve seen the same thing with my Hoya bellas and many others. Before I was able to order my microscope and sulfur, I sprayed them all with Azamax, which also seemed to work. I got new growth on Hoyas who had been stunted for months, including nubby Hoyas that’s had never grown in my care. I just got my Sulfur and I will continue my treatment with that. Thanks for this video documenting your progress with it!
Thank you for mentioning your personal experience with Hoya bellas in your comment. I had this phenomenon of no leaves or dropping leaves at the tips for a couple of years now and could never figure out the problem. It seems almost miraculous that they now have actual leaves forming at the tips!
Doug I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this video! I’ve been so discouraged with my plants lately and now I’m wondering if this has been the issue! Just ordered the the fungicide! Thanks so much!!
Hi Lynda! I have been discouraged with my plants so many times over the years that I have lost count. I can almost guarantee that most of the problems you are experiencing now are related to these stupid flat mites. You will likely experience a complete turn around of most of your plants within a couple of months of spraying. I am still finding plants with new growth popping out that I literally had given up ever growing for me.
This comment is incongruity with the subject of this particular video. I am starting to appreciate what Doug has been saying over the years about how easy it is to overwater Hoyas. The evidence is clear-a yellow bottom leaf on one of my H. pubicaylx and another on my H. subcalva. The journey has begun!
Thanks for the video! This is very interesting - I also have quite a few Hoyas that haven’t grown in ages. Just ordered the microscope and sulfur so I can find/treat flat mites.
Thanks Doug! Ive been watching all the flat mite discussions too. currently trying to figure out if there is a beneficial bug that can take out these pests rather than spraying everything with sulphur. Sulphur is toxic to cats and i want my plants to stay pretty! If this isnt an option i will have to figure out a safe way to do the spraying. You have done the best job of convincing me that this is a "real" problem. Thanks again and happy planting!!
You're very welcome! I have four cats and have not noticed any ill effects on them to date so I would not worry too much about it unless your cats are prone to licking your plants.
I just got TWO species of mites (plus fungus gnats) from cuttings ordered online in New Zealand which spread throughout my entire collection, both indoors and out. Never had either before and the slow down in growth was shocking with many deaths. It turns out my vintage roses are an extremely friendly host for mites so once they got them they became a mite factory and a source of re-infestation for the outdoor hoyas and any other susceptible plants nearby (tropicals, African violets, and roses outdoors). Since systemic sprays are only allowed to be sold to growers not consumers in my country it is near impossible to treat (no organic sprays or other treatments work). I also have long haired cats which are a reliable vector for spreading mites on their fur. They only plants that didn't get the mites are on a shelf in a separate room away from the others and away from pets. I only ever handle or water them in the morning after a shower and never after touching or watering others so I don't spread mites to them from my clothing, hands or an unwashed watering can spout. But Doug, I did not know about sulphur spray, thanks for letting us know!! 🤩🤩🤩This gives me hope, I will try this and check with the microscope to see if it works. Please give us an update over time to see if you get on top of this pest.
Thanks for leaving your wonderful comment Tom. I feel badly that you are suffering from these horrible mite issues as well. I went years without having any major pest issues, and up until a little while ago still believed that my growing issues that seem to get worse over time was the fault of my environmental conditions and me losing my touch as a grower. At least now, I know what the issue is and I can fight it as best as I can. I am sure you will see amazing results with the sulfur treatment, and it is so inexpensive.
Pest control has never been strongly on my radar, but with Hoyas it has to be part of the routine as I am now realizing that they are strongly susceptible to many pests.
Thank you for sharing. I don’t know if I have those mites. All the cutting I got from you are growing nicely. I still do mealy bug issue but I recently bought a product called Suffoil-X. I have solution for spraying purpose and also put some in water when I water my orchids and Hoyas. It seems to do the job. Most likely killing those mites too if I got some.
I had never heard of that product and looked it up; it does say that it is also a miticide. I will write the name of it down as it looks like it could be a good weapon in the arsenal against Hoya pests of which there are numerous. Keep us updated on its effectiveness against mealy bugs as it would be great to have an organic option!
Hi! Just received the same bonide sulfur but a bigger bag and I can’t seem to find the ratio of powder:water I need to use to spray? There’s only amounts for fruits and veggies. Curious what ratio you used? Thanks! I have so many stagnant Hoyas and was at a loss and almost gave up until I saw a fb post about flat mites! Bought a 60x magnifier and sure enough, they were there! So glad there’s hope and I get to enjoy watching new leaves grow again 😊
Oh my....first I've heard of flat mites and Hoya. Thank you for the heads up! I think an inspection of my collection is in order now. Although I haven't seen any of the symptoms you described yet I'd like to head things off if there's a problem.
I hope that you never have this problem Kerry, but if you bring in new plants from anywhere, you will have flat mites probably sooner, rather than later.
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas So my husband and I have sprayed with sulfur 3 times now - 2 weeks apart - and it's crazy how much new growth we have now! I can only assume we had flat mites. Thank you so much for making this video 😃
@@kerry4741 Well Kerry, your comment made my day! I’m so happy that the sulfur spraying worked so well for you. It has really been a game changer for me.
Thank you for the information and video Doug, I first heard about the different mites months ago from Betsy Begonia and Basie Plants, but I REALLY paid attention when you posted this . When you treated cuttings, did you dilute the treatment? Also did you treat cuttings that were in water, if so how did you treat them?
Barbie, I treated both cuttings in water and cuttings that were rooting in soil. The treatment did not seem to make any difference in their ability to root. I did not dilute anything.
So the bonide sulfur… was it a powder you mixed with water? I’m only finding dusting powder. Can you share how you mixed to spray? Thank you for all the wonderful content and helpful suggestions.
@@crystaldyson3169 I used the ratio of 3tbl sp/gal. Once I sprayed all the surfaces I just left the sulfer on my plants. No washing no reapplication, except to new growth. Adam(knotdude) recently stated in his “Let’s Talk About Hoya” podcast that the recommended time is 8-10 weeks. I am now in week 4. Every 2 weeks I’m dusting the powder on the new growth. Best of luck. These little buggers are awful!
@@maggiechong2915 OMGoodness thank you so much! I'm a huge Doug Chamberlain follower and when I saw his video I was 100% sure I may also have the mites in my hoya collection. I'll go to knot dudes podcast also. Thank you so much for your help! ☺️
Doug thank you for posting this and sharing your experience.. I'm convinced everyone has these. What kind of sprayer did you use? I plan on getting mine done this week while it's warm outside
Mary, I am also convinced that everyone has them as well. I think anyone is kidding themselves if they have a large collection and really feel that they have none. I kidded myself for a very long time. Here is the sprayer that I use: www.amazon.com/2-Liter-One-Hand-Pressure-Adjustable-Telescoping/dp/B000AQNQ4Q/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=DqUnO&content-id=amzn1.sym.8cf3b8ef-6a74-45dc-9f0d-6409eb523603&pf_rd_p=8cf3b8ef-6a74-45dc-9f0d-6409eb523603&pf_rd_r=ZHJ8V5AX9XJF7GZXQF1A&pd_rd_wg=RGZne&pd_rd_r=b34b585b-3188-4d35-9271-ef3aab893ae0&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mi
Aloha Doug! I am absolutely amazed at how well your hoyas grow indoors! I haven't been successful at indoor growing and only noticed vigorous growth and blooming when I place them out into my garden where they receive good airflow and sunlight from our Hawaiian environment. You mention using sulfur on your hoyas to combat flat mites and it seems it promotes new growth for you. Is it a premixed formula that's ready to use?
Aloha Melanie! It is a powder that is easily mixed with water in a sprayer. I used 2 heaping tablespoons to 2 liters of water. The sprayer should be shaken continually so that the sulfur remains suspended in the water as the sulfur does not readily dissolve. The plants need to really get saturated with every surface covered and stay on the plant for at least 6-8 weeks before washing off. Here is a link to what I used: www.amazon.com/Bonide-BND141-Fungicide-Organically-Controls/dp/B000HA95W2/ref=sr_1_6?crid=3NZ6N2KIMZFNB&keywords=garden+sulfur+powder&qid=1678637363&sprefix=garden+sul%2Caps%2C90&sr=8-6
I have mites infestation last year . Nothing grows for 3-6 months . We use similar thing in Australia (macozeb). One, 2 weeks after spray all new shoots coming out. I just leave all the residue on the leaves . It looks a tad ugly and the place smell of Sulfur for a while hahaha . I did the second time 6 months after. I think they are all dead. Now I have an explosion of flowers. I say spray every 6 months or so to be safe. Mites are the worst kind of pets. Can’t be seen by naked eyes and then just kills new growth.
Thank you so much for your imput Minhja! I can live with spraying every 6-8 months; I just don't think I can go through spraying and rinsing like has been suggested to me every week to 10 days for a couple of months. My collection is too large and now that it is cold out, I would have to do all of that spraying in the house. Thanks again for sharing your experience!
What size tent is that 8ft x 8ft? Collection looks great Doug as usual. I use Safer brand 3 in 1 sulfur concentrate spray. Works great inside and in the edible garden too.
Hi Adrian, here is the link to the tents that I use: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00S7TC310/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I find that it is the best bang for the buck; more expensive tents don't last any longer than these do. With the high humidity and constant use, I get about 4 years out of these before they need to be replaced. Great to know about that Safer brand product as I had not heard about it. It is unfortunate, but I think that every one who grows Hoyas needs to have a spraying program now.
I wish you would have shown before, the process and then after. I have yet to see any UA-camrs do that. We love hearing success stories, but we would like to see start to finish. Discovery of them some of the damage you saw etc.
I think this video does a pretty good job of explaining the damage and total lack of growth: ua-cam.com/video/11T0642jPXs/v-deo.html As far as the spraying, there is not much to it except for adding the powder to your sprayer, and keeping it in suspension by shaking the sprayer every once in awhile. I simply sprayed every possible surface letting the stuff just drip off. 3/4 of the spray will end up on the ground or down the drain. I thought about reusing the runoff by capturing it in a tray, but thought that might not be a good idea as the run off likely had mites in it.
How do you control the humidity in your tents? Do you vent it somewhere? Do you also need to control the mold? This is an excellent video. Thank you. I will be purchasing a bottle of the Sulphur for my plants as well. I am sure they contain flat mites since almost everybody's hoyas appear to, and besides, it can't hurt them, and it'll be a good preventative. Again, thank you for the information.
The only venting my tents get is when I open the door for a couple of hours every day. I run a dehumidifier in my basement year around. I also add a small amount of water to the humidity trays in the tents every couple of days. I used to keep full trays of water, but that made such a mess with blue green algae that I finally stopped that practice a few months ago. Mold likes to grow on the surfaces of power cords and a few other surfaces. There is not much you can do about it, when you grow like I do. Fortunately, I don't seem to be affected by what ever grows in there. Once a year, I do a complete tear down and clean out of the tents.
Thank you Becca! I only sell cuttings and starter plants on eBay during the summer months under the name erbtarzan24. Good luck with your spraying; I’m still amazed every day by what a difference it has made.
Thank you Doug. I’m wondering if that’s what I have on one of my Hoyas. I for the life of me can’t figure out why it looks so sickly. Guess I’m going shopping on Amazon. Thanks again. 🍁🍂🦃💚🙃
Hi Judy, I think that any Hoya that just won't grow, or gets lesions, or corky patches probably have flat mites. I also think that they are probably in most people's collections now without them knowing.
They are pretty easy; here is a couple of videos that will give you an idea of how I do it: ua-cam.com/video/BZBw1uC401Q/v-deo.html and ua-cam.com/video/70ZspzzEN88/v-deo.html
Wow as usual Doug love all your videos and now I have sulfur and a very very very large hoya collection as well as tropicals .We're doing this tomorrow however my one question is is that how are you applying the sulfur I'll bet you I have some mites as well
Hi Deb, I applied the spray with this pump sprayer: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AQNQ4Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 at 2 heaping tablespoons to the 2 liter container. I sprayed all of my greenhouse, and upstairs plants in September when the weather was warm enough to spray outdoors. All of my tent Hoyas that you see in the video had to be sprayed in my basement and I had to rig up a folding dog swimming pool: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01I3DL9XW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and hang a shower curtain around it. After I was done spraying I had to use a wet dry vac to get rid of the liquid. It was a lot of work! Good luck with your spraying!
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas Oh lordy 🙄 I'm in for a fun filled time.All my plants are in now tent,houseall over the place.... thanks so much for the info and the luck.. now I need to come up with some kind of plan...Ugh
Hi Doug! How are you? Sorry about your Hoyas! Thanks for the video! I lost almost all of my Hoyas. They started to go downhill so fast and then gone! I didn't notice any pests, but I think I also had Flat Mites. Oh well, we live and learn. Enjoy the rest of your weekend! Gerry HPEteacher ☹
Hi Gerry, so sorry to hear about your plant loss😢! More than likely you did have flat mites as I don't think that there are many collectors who don't have them. Hoyas are capable of going downhill pretty rapidly and I've experienced it many times over the years. Hoyas are very susceptible to pests; if it were to start over again, I might have chosen different plants to fall in love with. Have a good rest of your week!
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas Thanks Doug! Yes they declined so fast. I couldn't figure out why, but I now know. I never did get one to bloom. Oh rats! Enjoy! 😊
I read somewhere that there are over 50,000 different mite species and some of them are beneficial, but look out for the ones that are not. It is really aggravating that they can't be seen with the naked eye!
The hoyas that I have on the windowsills in the regular house were only sprayed once. The Hoyas in my grow tents were sprayed twice. Whether I got all the mites, I’m not totally sure, but they are all still growing great a year later.
Doug, after watching your video, I picked up a container of sulphur from amazon. I figure for $10 I can't go wrong, and if I have the flat mites it'll get rid of them and if not, maybe it'll assist in the growth. My question to you is did you spray this indoors? Does it smell like rotten eggs? I don't want to remove all my hoyas back outside after just getting them situated on the shelves for the winter, so if I can spray indoors, it's a big plus. If not, then this weekend while it's still relatively warm, outside for spraying they'll go. Thoughts? Recommendations? Thanks....
William, here is my experience with spraying. I sprayed 2/3 of mine outside in early September when the weather was still warm. The other third were sprayed inside in my basement where I rigged up a shower curtain around a folding dog pool. This had to be periodically emptied with a wet/dry vac as most of the spray runs off. It smells kind of like rotten eggs at first but it begins to dissipate with time at least those Hoyas that live on the windowsill. Also, after a while you don't seem to notice it any more. Those Hoyas that live in a very humid environment like my tents even after 2 months the smell is pretty strong, but if the door is left open for a couple of minutes before you enter, it is not too bad. Many people have no choice but to spray in the bathtub/shower, which will work fine. After you are done, just rinse it down. I suggest wearing gloves as I did not, and I could smell sulfur on my hands for a couple of days afterwards as I think it penetrated into the pores. I was spraying them for 3 days before I was through. Good luck with your spraying project and report back!
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas Well I sprayed them today. Took a few hours to move all the hoyas onto the deck. That exhausted me because I'm in chemo and have little energy, but I got it done. Only the hoyas though, not the other plants. I sprayed everything, then let them dry in the wind and sun for a while, then moved them back inside. That was even more exhausting than moving them out! So, if they had flat mites or fungus, they don't now. I did notice some mealies however. This surprised me because prior to bringing them inside for the winter, they were heavily sprayed with neem oil and I used the bonide granules on the soil surface. I don't think the sulpher affects mealies, but my fingernail certainly does! Interestingly enough, I didn't notice any odor. Maybe because it was outside? I mixed two tablespoons to a gallon, shook it up real well and sprayed everything. Took me about four or five hours. Now I'm going to go conk out for a while! I am anxious to see what effect this process has on the growth. BTW - I like in the video where you say "it's growing like a real plant now". That cracked me up. All the best to you Doug. Thank you for some very informative videos. I know I have learned a lot from them, and I'm sure you have benefited many others as well. You stay well and all the best always....
@@williammalone8097 William, I'm not on chemo, and it exhausted me, so I can't even imagine! I believe that within a few weeks you should notice quite a difference with your plants. I am hoping that you see all of the new growth that I did. All the best, and keep up the good fight!
Hi Doug. Could the sulfur actually be what hoyas need out of their natural habitat? I'm curious if that's why plants are doing so well not because they were all affected. Dee, long Island, ny
Sulfur is an essential component of all living cells, so plant do use it in small amounts, but these amounts are provided for in all fertilizers with micronutrients. Since I use a variety of fertilizers, I don't believe that they were lacking in that nutrient. I believe that at least 80% of my plants were affected to one degree or another with these mites, and as soon as the sulfur knocked them down, they started growing again.
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas wow! I'm envious of your hoyas! Well I'm about to order to keep around to have on hand just in case any of these little buggers make an appearance!
Does the sulphur residue on the leaves hinder the leaves ability to photosynthesis like hard water spots would? Also, could you please post a link to ordering the microscope? Thanks.
Patrick, my personal feeling is that little bit of sulfur residue is not going to make much, if any, difference in a plants ability to photosynthesize for the energy that it needs.
Is it possible that the plants were lacking sulfur, an essential nutrient needed for photosynthesis, causing them to grow more once applied to the entire plant? Or could the blocking of the leaves with the sulfur residue cause the plant to leaf out more? I just would hate to not scrutinize all possibilities when there is little evidence that the mites were in fact the issue. Correlation vs. causation and all…
It is doubtful that the plants were lacking in sulfur as I use very good name brand plant fertilizers that are fully balanced with all of the micro nutrients. I am thinking that all of the failed growth points that were In evidence was probably the leading indicator of a pest problem.
Thank you for the informative video. Do you happen know an Europeian analogue of Sulfur?.. And another question - did you ever had also leaf miners on hoyas, and if yes how did you solve the problem?
For some reason, from the little bit of searching that I have done, sulfur products in Europe don't seem to be marketed toward killing mites. Here is a product that I am sure would work, but it does not say that it kills mites: shop.hdchemicals.co.uk/products/sulphur-powder-99-99 To my knowledge, I have not ever had leaf miners on my Hoyas.
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas Thanks! How would you use that powder (in water, dose etc.)?.. I've never did anything like that so is a little bit afraid to harm my plants.
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas I think I have an answer on my last question. On the Internet I found an opinion about the use of pure sulfur. It is in principle possible. But in pure sulfur, there are no auxiliary substances in the composition, what causes poor wettability and high stickiness into lumps. It increases the consumption rate, worsens the effect and creates visible dirt on the leaves. Of course it is possible to add some soap to it. But again the question of dosage arises. In Europe, there are antifungal products with sulfur in the composition. Probably they are also effective agains flat mites.
@@poezenhuis9388 Yes, the antifungal products would probably be best. I am surprised that this easily wettable powder that we have here is not readily available in Europe. Here it is marketed as an antifungal and miticide that can be sprayed or dusted. The one that I feature in the video can be used by organic growers, and I used it at a dosage of 2 heaping tablespoons/two liters of water.
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas In Europe neem oil is very popular. And they are not compatible with sulfur. May be because of that. Though it's always nice to have a choise. Thanks again for your video.
My hoyas are all out on shelves next to other plant types like philodendron, monsteras, etc. Do you think that I should spray those plants too or are the mites just mainly interested in Hoya?
That is what I did Pam. I sprayed so heavily that it was very close to a dip. Most of it will run off, which I contemplated capturing and reusing, but I ultimately rejected the idea for fear of spreading pests to plants that might not have them already.
Any tips for the clemensiorum? Do they like to stay on the moist side? I have mine in a grow tent, warmth and humidity are good but not sure how frequently to water.
It is incredibly easy to rot the roots on Hoya clemensiorum. I now only water the plant when it has thoroughly dried out and then I soak it. I am currently growing it in coconut husk chips and it seems to be the best medium that I have used on it thus far.
I personally will spray as soon as I spot a problem on a particular plant, but will probably not respray my entire collection at least until I can get them outside again next summer. It is one thing if you have as small amount of plants, but when your entire house is full of them, it becomes a problem.
I can only say that even the most tender of emerging leaves on every Hoya that I sprayed were not harmed at all by the sulfur. So while I have not tried it on other tropicals, I would be highly surprised if it caused them any harm.
I have a Hoya Kerrii I bought several months ago and every new leaf dries up and falls off as soon as it sprouts. I want to treat it along with my other hoyas. I wonder if they've spread to my other plants. What is the sulfur/water mix ratio?
I mixed 2 heaping Tablespoons in a two liter pump sprayer, but I don't think that the ratio is too critical as long as you get really good coverage. When you are done spraying, you should have plenty of sulfur residue on the plant. Constant shaking of sprayer is necessary as the sulfur does not really dissolve in the water.
Here is the link from Amazon: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DVFBVPF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I have not used it very much yet so I am still learning. The image is displayed on your phone.
@@girliehanooman2022 Four heaping tablespoons of sulfur per gallon of water. My understanding is that plants that live outside don't suffer from mites nearly as much because of frequent rains, humidity and predators that feed on the mites. All the best of luck to you, and thank you for posting from Trinidad; I believe you are the first person to do so!
Before I got the sulfur, I treated a few plants with Azamax, which is just a more powerful version of neem, and it definitely seemed to work on the 4 or 5 plants that I used it on. I have also not used sulfur on them because I am afraid that the oil and sulfur would probably burn the plants. I think that if you spray with neem it would in all likelihood have the same effect.
That is what I am thinking too. I want to try sulfur but have been treating plants with neem (and Azamax) for so long that I am afraid...Probably will wait a couple of months with continuous flushing of plants to get rid of all of the oils before trying sulfur...
I use azamax with every other watering and i have not had any problems with sulphur - sulphur can burn the roots so you don’t want to spray the soil unfortunately
@@brooklin_bernek I was also concerned about all of the sulfur that dripped down into the roots, and believe me there was a lot of it as these plants were literally showered in the stuff, but I have seen zero bad effects so far.
I sprayed my collection about 3-4 months ago, I left the sulphur spray on (which it still is) I keep checking randomly for eggs or mites and I haven’t seen anymore mites. That is my personal experience. But so far I’ve only sprayed once, and my new small cuttings I just use a makeup brush/paint brush and the powder on the stems and under the leaves then the leaves don’t look gross on small cuttings
thay is the biggest hoya undulata i've seen lol I see 4lb of Sulfur is only $3 more than 1lb box. I wonder if I should get 4lb bag, though I know I won't use all of it. how did you spray the mixture of sulfur and water?
You know what? That sulfur will never go bad; for $3 more I would opt for the 4lb bag. The next time I buy it that is what I am going to do. I think I will probably spray everything annually just as a preventive measure if nothing else. I used this sprayer and used 2 heaping tablespoons for its 2 liter size: www.amazon.com/2-Liter-One-Hand-Pressure-Adjustable-Telescoping/dp/B000AQNQ4Q/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=DqUnO&content-id=amzn1.sym.8cf3b8ef-6a74-45dc-9f0d-6409eb523603&pf_rd_p=8cf3b8ef-6a74-45dc-9f0d-6409eb523603&pf_rd_r=ZHJ8V5AX9XJF7GZXQF1A&pd_rd_wg=RGZne&pd_rd_r=b34b585b-3188-4d35-9271-ef3aab893ae0&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mi
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas thanks Doug. I will also order a spray as well, but I only have 2 80qt bins - not much to need that big of the spray. one more comment since I watched this video again, the hoya stemma magazine is great. I stumbled upon it when researching something, and learned partially about hoyas and Costa Farms in one edition.
I have only sprayed it once as it took me 3 days, to do that and I don't have the energy to keep spraying the entire collection. I am hoping that one thorough spraying will be sufficient. Any plant however that shows signs of them again or stops growing, I will spray again.
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas I wondered if it’s like any other pest where you have to go back and spray again when the eggs hatch. Cuz I don’t think the sulphur kills the eggs. I could be wrong tho. Thank you for sharing this info and do you have a link for the microscope??
@@1101naomi Here is the link to the microscope: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DVFBVPF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I am hoping that the eggs that hatched later will still be vulnerable to the residue sulfur on the plant, but time will tell.
Thank you for posting this for all to see, Doug! I'm so happy to see your great results like I have! You sound happier in this video than you have in a while, and that makes me feel so happy for you! 💚
In response to the comments, I do want to mention that as long as the sulfur is on the plant, you do not have to reapply. I have observed eggs over 12 weeks after spraying once and they never hatched. Even if they did manage to hatch, the outside area of the egg would be covered in sulfur and would result in subsequent death. While being thorough is great, spraying again when there's still sulfur on the plants is unnecessary. Doing a quick follow up on the new growth wouldn't be a bad idea if you get paranoid, but don't feel pressured into going through that 3 day torture again. :)
Cheers to the bright future of your Hoyas!
I think people are washing it off after a week and then reapplying. Maybe after a week some of the sulfer losses its potency and that's why it needs to be freshly applied?? I'm no expert
@@mwoods4608 sulfur doesn't degrade or lose potency, it's not a "chemical" acaricide, sulfur is not absorbed by the plant and doesn't dissipate so I'm not sure why people wash it off and reapply it. 🤷♀️
Thank you so much Kyla for everything! I would never have known about this problem and solution if it were not for you! Also thank you so much for telling me that all of this reapplication of sulfur over and over is not necessary. That would probably be enough to send me over the edge and leave the hobby altogether. Three days of spraying was really enough for me! Thanks again!
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas I'm so glad I could help! It took me 2 days to spray all mine and I was exhausted, but 3 days is just insane! I'm always here to help, never hesitate to ask me any questions! You've done a lot for us Hoya hobbyists and I look forward to watching your collection boom again!
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas Hi Doug. I am not a subscriber, but was directed to your channel by another UA-cam channel.
I am in need of some help! I only have one Hoya, (Hoya Rubra Wax Plant). I am not a collector. This Hoya has been failing sice I bought it maybe a month or two ago. It has a little of the symptoms of the flat mites, but I cannot find signs of any kind of pest under a microscope. I removed all soil and checked the roots carefully, and they all look good and healthy. I then put her in leca and took dome cuttings, just in case. But she continues to fail! I am at the end of my knowledge and the end end of my rope! The leaves at the end of the vine just shrivel up and then spreads through the vine to other leaves. Any new leaves trying to form just dry up and die. It is not being under or over watered in my care but may have been previously as it came from a big box store. Is there a disease maybe? Please, if you or anyone can help or even offer a suggestion as to what the problem might be, would you please respond? I'm begging. I just love this plant! Thank you!
Thanks to you an Adam ( Knot Dude) we know what’s going on with these flat mites. Greatly appreciated 💚
Sherry thank you for bringing up Adam (Knot Dude) as his video really reinforced my decision to spray. To anyone else who is looking for the video, here is the link: ua-cam.com/video/11T0642jPXs/v-deo.html
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas Yes, but your helping spread the word also. Thank you 💚
Sulfur must be applied every week or every other week for a minimum of 6-8 weeks in order to wipe the mites out completely (it won't destroy the eggs).
Hi Betsy! I am sure that would be the best practice, but quite frankly I don't think I have the energy to spray everything I have again. I will closely observe the plants going forward, and spray problem plants and hope that does the trick. I am just hoping that since I applied it so heavily and left it on so long that the larva will succumb to the sulfur residue. Time will tell...
Hi Betsy! I was wondering about your friends in Sweden. Knot Dude said in the Let’s Talk Hoya podcast that they leave it on for 8 weeks. Can you confirm or deny?
@@giagia9974 I have been advised by Swedes to apply it at least every other week for 6-8 weeks. The STEMMA Hoya Journal article that Doug references states this as well.
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas I would say that's fine for your personal collection, but if you send someone cuttings again please disclose that to them.
@@mwoods4608 Absolutely! I will now have a disclaimer on anything I sell or trade. The thing is that these mites are now so pervasive that you really have to assume that any plant or cutting that you receive has them😢
I just sprayed all my plants down with Sulfur, I could definitely tell I had a problem by all the failed growth points! I will be repeating in 2 week intervals for a few applications, because I don't want this to happen again! I will be much more vigilant about treating all new hoyas as well. Crazy to see how pervasive they are in everyone's collections!
I also believe that all of the failed growth points is the surest way to tell that you have flat mites; I only wish that I had known about this years ago, as I am certain now that is what has plagued me these last few years. I thought that I had lost my touch, when it was these invisible menaces. I am sure that you will experience an entirely new world of growing in a few weeks after your spraying! Report back with your results!
Just saw this video, so I checked my Hoyas, and sure enough, they all have mites! Additionally, my Streptocarpus have them too! Argh! Sulfur is on its way, can’t wait to treat my plants. Thanks so much this critical information!!❤
Sorry to hear that you found them, but I really don't think that there are many people who actually don't have these mites in their collection at least at low levels. It really is an eyeopener though to find out how well they actually grow, when most of them are removed. Good luck with your spraying and report back with the results!
I purchased my sulfur from my local Ace hardware
@@patrickandrews42069 That is another great thing about the sulfur is that it so readily available!
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas A pound of sulfur was only $10. I used to use sulfur shampoo for my psoriasis, so it's good for people and plants.
@@patrickandrews42069 Also good to remove ticks and fleas from Dogs!
Thanks Doug, after throwing everything at my Hoyas, I think that you’ve shown me what’s going on with my Hoyas. 50 years of hoya growing & I never knew!!
Hi Cathy! You’ve been growing Hoyas for a very long time, much longer than me. I’m glad that I could be of some help. I was in the same boat as you trying to figure out why the Hoyas that used to grow well, no longer did. I hope the sulfur treatment works for you, as well as it did for me!
I found mites on some of my Hoyas and sprayed my collection 3-4 months ago and left it on all my plants (which it still is). I haven’t seen anymore mites, I still check randomly with the microscope. This is just my experience. All new small cuttings I use the powder and a small makeup brush/paint brush to apply on stems and under the leaves so I don’t need to spray one plant. I do this even if I don’t find mites on new plants. Thanks for your video. Your wonderful and have a beautiful collection! Amazing!
Thank you so much Vanessa for the kind words and relating your experience with mites! It was very helpful to me - all the best to you and your growing!
It’s amazing the result after one single use, I was so pleased after I applied it and immediately new growth was visible. I’ll definitely apply it again just in case!
Probably a good idea, but going forward I will probably only apply it to plants that seem to be struggling. I'm happy that it seems to be working for you as well.
Thank you for making this video! It’s encouraging to me!! I just sprayed all my Hoyas and I’m hoping I will get the same results you did!
I use Forbid 4F. It is expensive but it works. There is a reason why professionals use it. IT WORKS. I understand the average homeowner that has a handful of plants won’t want to invest in professional products. I’m glad you found that sulpher is working for you and you keep inspecting your plants. Sulpher also provides essential nutrients for plant growth so it will be important to distinguish that your new growth isn’t just from the nutrients but also ridding your mite infestation. Happy growing!
The product that you are using is then one that I was referring to in my video. I absolutely would use it if I was a professional nurseryman and my livelihood depended on it. You are also correct in saying that it is not something that the average plant loving home owner is going to want to use. Happy growing to you as well!
This was an informative video!
I have a large tent with Hoya and will order a microscope and sulfur. There are several of the same issues with my plants that you described.
I never had the patience to actually see one of these pests with the microscope, but the sulfur really worked beyond my expectations in making all of the Hoyas burst into growth again. Good luck with your spraying!
I tried a digital microscope but preferred a cheap Chinese 10-30x optical stereo microscope it was much clearer. You need a really long rack for plants. I never knew sulfur worked on mites. The Avid is really not bad and only leaves a very thin oily film that goes away in about a week on thin-leaf plants it's a problem but Hoya has very thick leaves.
Good information, but I would still not use a product like Avid in the house. There is a relatively new product that is deadly to root mealies that is also supposed to work well on different mites, aphids, and stem and leaf mealy bugs called PureCrop 1. This is the product I will use next time I spray for flat mites. The sulfur worked very well, but is very unsightly and somewhat difficult to wash off at a later date.
Greetings from the mountains of NE Washington state where the 1st snow is flying today.... great video Doug. I have about 180 Hoya throughout my house under lights. I have 2 elderly cats and a young small dog that thankfully do not chew on or bother them. For those of us that have pets I see on the package that it says it's ok to use the powder on dogs to control fleas and tics (apply powder and work into coat)... also on poultry and domestic livestock. I personally wouldn't use it on my dog but... under precautions it ALSO says hazards to humans and domestic animals, harmful if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed thru the skin. Avoid breathing dust vapor or spray mist, wash thoroughly and remove contaminated clothing and wash, also toxic to fish, do not allow pesticide to enter or run off into storm drains, ditches, gutters or surface water. I guess what I'm saying is probably best to wear a mask and gloves, protect your pets and then dispose of any left over properly. I've yet to check with my microscope but I'm sure I have some. Some have corking and numerous stunted growth points but most of the others are growing just fine with new growth... but a total treatment is in order to stop the spread. So glad your Hoyas had such an amazing come back...a preventative treatment once a year is a great idea. I use the Bonide systemic granules every time I repot, pot up my cuttings or receive a new Hoya as a preventative. Thanks again Doug and happy growing! 💚
Hi Carol, great to hear from you! It is so funny that you have your first snow flying and today we will see record warmth with temps in the mid 70s - crazy weather. I wore rubber gloves at first while spraying and finally gave up on them because they were soaking wet inside. I do believe that the sulfur can be absorbed through the skin as I could smell it on my hands at least 2 days after I stopped spraying. You have a lot of Hoyas probably many more than myself. I keep telling myself that I need to cut back as some days the work involved is a little daunting. Eventually I will figure out a better balance; as of right now I spend a minimum of 3 hours a day on them, and sometimes I begin to resent the time commitment. I wish you all the best and happy growing to you as well!
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas We had record heat in the 70's this fall... almost up until it snowed yesterday so that's very unusual for us as well. Now we're looking at single digits tonight, also very unusual for this time of year. I am definitely going to cut back... their care is becoming more of a chore as I'm still working 4 days a week and am pretty tired when I get home. Totally my fault though as I see new Hoyas I must have, lol. Treating all of them is a daunting task I'm not looking forward to but must be done. I think I might put 4-5 plants at a time in the shower, turn on the fan, wear mask/gloves and spray them there to keep the spray fairly confined... so it's not all over the house and the animals can't get into it. I'll be eagle eye from now on, lol. Have a great afternoon Doug.
I had to treat my entire collection which took forever and was so annoying, but it will have been on my plants for 8 weeks next week (appears to be the lifecycle of the flat mites) and can finally wash it off. In the meantime, lots of new growth! Going forward, I will spot treat each hoya after inspection. I am also checking every new hoya that comes in with my microscope and have caught a few plants already with flat mites.
Thank you Ashley for weighing in with your experience; I appreciate it! I actually made this video a couple of days ago, and I am already starting to wash the sulfur off. I will tell you that it does not come off easily even with a high pressure spray. If you really want it all off, it almost requires each leaf to be rubbed while spraying with water. It really is dramatic though how well almost all of my plants responded to the treatment. There are so many others that exploded with growth that I did not have a chance to mention in the video.
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas Thanks for the heads-up, Doug. Always an adventure!
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas I don’t wash them off ever. I only watering using a watering can. I think they should be all dead
Okay, I just washed them all off and I learned a few things. One, there is such a thing as too much sulfur. I had some leaves turn yellow and die that were really coated. Two, I put on microfiber gloves so as I hosed them off, I could wipe them down more easily.
@@AshleyBolduc Good information Ashley while I had no leaves turn yellow and fall off, I can see where it could happen. I love the microfiber gloves idea and will have to look for some!
Oh my goodness. This video was great. I probably have this problem too. I couldn't figure out why in my nice climate my hoyas are like garbage. I shall get some of this sulfur when I can and do the same. Hope I can save my plants. I know what it's like to think we are the ones doing something wrong and good to know it's not us. EDIT: Forgot to say that I also enjoyed seeing the tents and the tour. I love that kind of thing.
Yes, I am sure that you have these mites as well Scary! The thing about sulfur is that it has been used for hundreds of years as an insecticide and fungicide, and best of all it is very cheap, and usually available locally.
Wow! Sulfur seems like a real game change for you! I tried the warm water method & honestly killed a number of Hoya that way 😭 My order of sulfur just came in a couple days ago & I can’t wait to try it out. I know it takes repeated applications, but I think I’ll just do it every quarter or something. At least to keep the population down. Thank you for sharing!
You're welcome Ria! It is not something that I was really excited about sharing, but it now seems that almost every collector is plagued by these things, and it really does help explain so many of my problems over the last few years.
Damn,, you were right. Hoyas that I had for a year started dying at new growth of leaves and vibes. I took a jewelers loop and looked. Sure enough, tiny red dots of flat mites. I'll be going to ace hardware tomorrow for some sulfur.
Sorry to hear that you have them too Patrick; I don't know where the heck these things came from, but I now think they have been in my collection for at least a few years. You will find that the sulfur will be a game changer though. Good luck to you!
Wow, thanks for this very informative video 👏
I had spider mites on broad leafed orchids decades ago, underside leaf damage was pretty obvious after a while, and I did see the mites themselves using a magnifying glass 🔍
Thinking of bugs that'd feed on Hoya, only thing I came up with (eventually) was mealy bugs, which I had in succulents (also decades ago). Only thing that worked for them was a systemic insecticide, whatever the folklore otherwise may indicate (least that was my experience).
Never heard of flat mites. I'll have to check 🔬 you should get a cut on sale of those microscopes 😄
I use sulphur powder to control black rot on thick leaved orchids with success ✅
I'm sure no surprise to anyone here, most of the plant pests I've had have come in on new plant acquisitions - so that's always something to check thoroughly for and I'm actually glad import restrictions on things like media are enforced quite vigorously for just this reason.
8:01 That imperialis is looking VERY green 💚
11:35 Ah, was wondering - maybe your plants had a sulphur deficiency? 😇
Hi Doug! I doubt that my plants had a sulfur deficiency as I use a well balanced variety of plant fertilizers. I have had issues with spider mites in the past with certain thin-leafed Hoyas, but they are comparatively easy to deal with as they are completely visible to me. I made a time lapse video of the flowers opening on Hoya javanica about 9 years ago, and if you look closely, spider mites can be seen running all over from the under side of the leaves to the flowers themselves: ua-cam.com/video/K8QHp3UZVqY/v-deo.html These flat mites are so insidious because they can't be seen with the naked eye. Yes, after a long while, I finally have a couple of good looking imperialis plants!
@Doug Chamberlain Joking on the sulphur deficiency 😇
Kinda fun watching those very active spider mites due to the video speed up, mine were not so active 🪑
Ah, I did look with a magnifying glass on some hoya & orchids and saw nothing untoward - but if there're not viewable that way then something more appropriate is in order. I am having some of the symptoms you mention - though leaves themselves look fine 🤷🏻♂
Was easy to find a variety of such microscopes online ✅
Great video Doug! Even with the spots your plants look good! 😊
Thank you Alison! It is still kind of painful to see all those spots for me, and I'm chomping at the bit to wash it off!
Happy for you that you decided to send cuttings to someone who was on the lookout for this menace. I think you said in the video that the sulphur was applied once and has been on your plants for five weeks now. I am not an expert but my understanding of the breeding cycle of these mites is that treatment should be done sequentially over the course of several weeks to insure that they have been fully eradicated. Otherwise, you run the risk of eggs hatching and reinfestation occurring. It would probably be a good move to apply the sulphur, let it dry, shower off the plants and reapply sulphur in about a week to 10 days. Let dry, shower and repeat again in a week to ten days, checking with the microscope to make sure that no activity is noted. Flat mites and broad mites are insidious and all too often, no problem is noted until an infestation is full blown. Having new growth is a very good sign but it does not in and of itself indicate that the battle has been won.
Good information Leslie, and I will follow it to the best of my ability, but there gets to be a point when one has to ask is this hobby worth the hassle any longer?
Doug, I thank you for all the knowledge you have provided. I have decided to keep my collection small.
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas I can’t disagree. These days, with all the inspection, it takes me two days just to water!
@@yesno7060 There is nothing wrong with a small collection! My goal is to work my way back to a much smaller one myself. Keep a very few easy favorites, and find a few new ones that I have yet to flower and concentrate on those.
Thanks to you and other hoya folks, I am able to make prudent choices about which hoyas to add to my collection.
Thanks so very much! Needed this info desperately.
Your welcome Peggy! It is too bad that these pests seem to come out of nowhere to infect most of our collections, but at least there seems to be a way of fighting back. All the best to you and good luck with eradicating them!
I recently heard about flat mites so I bought a microscope because I have been having so many issues with my hoya not growing. So far I've only seen them on one hoya, the same one that came with mealie bugs. I'll probably treat everything that's not growing anyway, just in case. Thanks for the informative video.
You're very welcome and good luck to you. Pests are no fun, but they can be beaten back!
I've got over 300 Hoyas in my family room... I have 3 that def. have flat mites... I sprayed the heck out of them with sulfur last week. I will be spraying everything again this week. Interestingly enough, a lot of new growth points since last week. My rangsan, chicken farm & ganung gading being the worst... they're all perking up. Smelly stuff but it's working.
You have one heck of a lot of Hoyas! I am glad that the sulfur seems to be working for you too. I think that as much of a pain as the sulfur is to apply and look at, it is really the best option for most people. I will no doubt spray everything again this summer.
I’ve seen the same thing with my Hoya bellas and many others. Before I was able to order my microscope and sulfur, I sprayed them all with Azamax, which also seemed to work. I got new growth on Hoyas who had been stunted for months, including nubby Hoyas that’s had never grown in my care. I just got my Sulfur and I will continue my treatment with that. Thanks for this video documenting your progress with it!
Thank you for mentioning your personal experience with Hoya bellas in your comment. I had this phenomenon of no leaves or dropping leaves at the tips for a couple of years now and could never figure out the problem. It seems almost miraculous that they now have actual leaves forming at the tips!
Exactly the video I needed, was planning to buy sulfur tomorrow
Good luck with your spraying Nina! I am sure that you will have the same great outcome as I did.
Doug I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this video! I’ve been so discouraged with my plants lately and now I’m wondering if this has been the issue! Just ordered the the fungicide! Thanks so much!!
Hi Lynda! I have been discouraged with my plants so many times over the years that I have lost count. I can almost guarantee that most of the problems you are experiencing now are related to these stupid flat mites. You will likely experience a complete turn around of most of your plants within a couple of months of spraying. I am still finding plants with new growth popping out that I literally had given up ever growing for me.
This comment is incongruity with the subject of this particular video. I am starting to appreciate what Doug has been saying over the years about how easy it is to overwater Hoyas. The evidence is clear-a yellow bottom leaf on one of my H. pubicaylx and another on my H. subcalva. The journey has begun!
Incongruent. Spellcheck!
I can only hope that your journey will be much smoother than mine has been🙂!
Thanks for the video! This is very interesting - I also have quite a few Hoyas that haven’t grown in ages. Just ordered the microscope and sulfur so I can find/treat flat mites.
I can virtually guarantee if you have Hoyas that have not grown in ages; you have flat mites; good luck with your spraying!
Fantastic 🙌💚🪴 thank you so much 😊
You're welcome LeaAnne!
Thanks Doug! Ive been watching all the flat mite discussions too. currently trying to figure out if there is a beneficial bug that can take out these pests rather than spraying everything with sulphur. Sulphur is toxic to cats and i want my plants to stay pretty! If this isnt an option i will have to figure out a safe way to do the spraying. You have done the best job of convincing me that this is a "real" problem. Thanks again and happy planting!!
You're very welcome! I have four cats and have not noticed any ill effects on them to date so I would not worry too much about it unless your cats are prone to licking your plants.
Hello Sylvia, there are insecticidal nematodes which kill pests.
I just got TWO species of mites (plus fungus gnats) from cuttings ordered online in New Zealand which spread throughout my entire collection, both indoors and out. Never had either before and the slow down in growth was shocking with many deaths. It turns out my vintage roses are an extremely friendly host for mites so once they got them they became a mite factory and a source of re-infestation for the outdoor hoyas and any other susceptible plants nearby (tropicals, African violets, and roses outdoors). Since systemic sprays are only allowed to be sold to growers not consumers in my country it is near impossible to treat (no organic sprays or other treatments work). I also have long haired cats which are a reliable vector for spreading mites on their fur. They only plants that didn't get the mites are on a shelf in a separate room away from the others and away from pets. I only ever handle or water them in the morning after a shower and never after touching or watering others so I don't spread mites to them from my clothing, hands or an unwashed watering can spout. But Doug, I did not know about sulphur spray, thanks for letting us know!! 🤩🤩🤩This gives me hope, I will try this and check with the microscope to see if it works. Please give us an update over time to see if you get on top of this pest.
Thanks for leaving your wonderful comment Tom. I feel badly that you are suffering from these horrible mite issues as well. I went years without having any major pest issues, and up until a little while ago still believed that my growing issues that seem to get worse over time was the fault of my environmental conditions and me losing my touch as a grower. At least now, I know what the issue is and I can fight it as best as I can. I am sure you will see amazing results with the sulfur treatment, and it is so inexpensive.
Thanks, Doug, I had no idea of these pests, I get wooly wonkers but i keep them down with neem oil.
Pest control has never been strongly on my radar, but with Hoyas it has to be part of the routine as I am now realizing that they are strongly susceptible to many pests.
Thank you for sharing. I don’t know if I have those mites. All the cutting I got from you are growing nicely. I still do mealy bug issue but I recently bought a product called Suffoil-X. I have solution for spraying purpose and also put some in water when I water my orchids and Hoyas. It seems to do the job. Most likely killing those mites too if I got some.
I had never heard of that product and looked it up; it does say that it is also a miticide. I will write the name of it down as it looks like it could be a good weapon in the arsenal against Hoya pests of which there are numerous. Keep us updated on its effectiveness against mealy bugs as it would be great to have an organic option!
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas will do! So far it’s doing good job. I started using it about a month ago. I didn’t know this product either. 🫡
Thanks for the video. I scanned the comments but couldn't find if anyone mentioned what kind of microscope that is?
Here it is: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DVFBVPF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Thank you for the video!
You're very welcome!
Hi! Just received the same bonide sulfur but a bigger bag and I can’t seem to find the ratio of powder:water I need to use to spray? There’s only amounts for fruits and veggies. Curious what ratio you used? Thanks! I have so many stagnant Hoyas and was at a loss and almost gave up until I saw a fb post about flat mites! Bought a 60x magnifier and sure enough, they were there! So glad there’s hope and I get to enjoy watching new leaves grow again 😊
I used two heaping tablespoons per my 2 liter pump sprayer filled with water.
Oh my....first I've heard of flat mites and Hoya. Thank you for the heads up! I think an inspection of my collection is in order now. Although I haven't seen any of the symptoms you described yet I'd like to head things off if there's a problem.
I hope that you never have this problem Kerry, but if you bring in new plants from anywhere, you will have flat mites probably sooner, rather than later.
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas So my husband and I have sprayed with sulfur 3 times now - 2 weeks apart - and it's crazy how much new growth we have now! I can only assume we had flat mites. Thank you so much for making this video 😃
@@kerry4741 Well Kerry, your comment made my day! I’m so happy that the sulfur spraying worked so well for you. It has really been a game changer for me.
Thank you for the information and video Doug, I first heard about the different mites months ago from Betsy Begonia and Basie Plants, but I REALLY paid attention when you posted this .
When you treated cuttings, did you dilute the treatment? Also did you treat cuttings that were in water, if so how did you treat them?
Barbie, I treated both cuttings in water and cuttings that were rooting in soil. The treatment did not seem to make any difference in their ability to root. I did not dilute anything.
Thank you so much for the information ❤🌿❤
So the bonide sulfur… was it a powder you mixed with water? I’m only finding dusting powder. Can you share how you mixed to spray? Thank you for all the wonderful content and helpful suggestions.
Yes it’s the dusting powder that you mix with water.
@@maggiechong2915 thank you so much. What ratio do you mix?
@@crystaldyson3169 I used the ratio of 3tbl sp/gal. Once I sprayed all the surfaces I just left the sulfer on my plants. No washing no reapplication, except to new growth. Adam(knotdude) recently stated in his “Let’s Talk About Hoya” podcast that the recommended time is 8-10 weeks. I am now in week 4. Every 2 weeks I’m dusting the powder on the new growth. Best of luck. These little buggers are awful!
@@maggiechong2915 OMGoodness thank you so much! I'm a huge Doug Chamberlain follower and when I saw his video I was 100% sure I may also have the mites in my hoya collection. I'll go to knot dudes podcast also. Thank you so much for your help! ☺️
@@crystaldyson3169 you’re welcome. 😉If your Hoya are not growing, new leaves are dying, or you have nubby growth points then you probably do.
Doug thank you for posting this and sharing your experience.. I'm convinced everyone has these. What kind of sprayer did you use? I plan on getting mine done this week while it's warm outside
Mary, I am also convinced that everyone has them as well. I think anyone is kidding themselves if they have a large collection and really feel that they have none. I kidded myself for a very long time. Here is the sprayer that I use: www.amazon.com/2-Liter-One-Hand-Pressure-Adjustable-Telescoping/dp/B000AQNQ4Q/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=DqUnO&content-id=amzn1.sym.8cf3b8ef-6a74-45dc-9f0d-6409eb523603&pf_rd_p=8cf3b8ef-6a74-45dc-9f0d-6409eb523603&pf_rd_r=ZHJ8V5AX9XJF7GZXQF1A&pd_rd_wg=RGZne&pd_rd_r=b34b585b-3188-4d35-9271-ef3aab893ae0&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mi
Aloha Doug! I am absolutely amazed at how well your hoyas grow indoors! I haven't been successful at indoor growing and only noticed vigorous growth and blooming when I place them out into my garden where they receive good airflow and sunlight from our Hawaiian environment. You mention using sulfur on your hoyas to combat flat mites and it seems it promotes new growth for you. Is it a premixed formula that's ready to use?
Aloha Melanie! It is a powder that is easily mixed with water in a sprayer. I used 2 heaping tablespoons to 2 liters of water. The sprayer should be shaken continually so that the sulfur remains suspended in the water as the sulfur does not readily dissolve. The plants need to really get saturated with every surface covered and stay on the plant for at least 6-8 weeks before washing off. Here is a link to what I used: www.amazon.com/Bonide-BND141-Fungicide-Organically-Controls/dp/B000HA95W2/ref=sr_1_6?crid=3NZ6N2KIMZFNB&keywords=garden+sulfur+powder&qid=1678637363&sprefix=garden+sul%2Caps%2C90&sr=8-6
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas Mahalo Doug! Thank you for all the details asxwell as the link!!!
@@melaniedaranciang5142 You're very welcome Melanie!
I have mites infestation last year . Nothing grows for 3-6 months . We use similar thing in Australia (macozeb). One, 2 weeks after spray all new shoots coming out. I just leave all the residue on the leaves . It looks a tad ugly and the place smell of Sulfur for a while hahaha . I did the second time 6 months after. I think they are all dead. Now I have an explosion of flowers. I say spray every 6 months or so to be safe. Mites are the worst kind of pets. Can’t be seen by naked eyes and then just kills new growth.
Thank you so much for your imput Minhja! I can live with spraying every 6-8 months; I just don't think I can go through spraying and rinsing like has been suggested to me every week to 10 days for a couple of months. My collection is too large and now that it is cold out, I would have to do all of that spraying in the house. Thanks again for sharing your experience!
Amazon has 4 pounds of the bonide sulfur plant fungicide, I added to my cart.
Well, that should keep you in sulfur for some time 🙂
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas ❤
What size tent is that 8ft x 8ft? Collection looks great Doug as usual. I use Safer brand 3 in 1 sulfur concentrate spray. Works great inside and in the edible garden too.
Hi Adrian, here is the link to the tents that I use: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00S7TC310/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I find that it is the best bang for the buck; more expensive tents don't last any longer than these do. With the high humidity and constant use, I get about 4 years out of these before they need to be replaced. Great to know about that Safer brand product as I had not heard about it. It is unfortunate, but I think that every one who grows Hoyas needs to have a spraying program now.
I wish you would have shown before, the process and then after. I have yet to see any UA-camrs do that. We love hearing success stories, but we would like to see start to finish. Discovery of them some of the damage you saw etc.
I think this video does a pretty good job of explaining the damage and total lack of growth: ua-cam.com/video/11T0642jPXs/v-deo.html As far as the spraying, there is not much to it except for adding the powder to your sprayer, and keeping it in suspension by shaking the sprayer every once in awhile. I simply sprayed every possible surface letting the stuff just drip off. 3/4 of the spray will end up on the ground or down the drain. I thought about reusing the runoff by capturing it in a tray, but thought that might not be a good idea as the run off likely had mites in it.
I've sprayed twice and even a small plant that I lost the name of started growing after 1.5 years
How do you control the humidity in your tents? Do you vent it somewhere? Do you also need to control the mold?
This is an excellent video. Thank you. I will be purchasing a bottle of the Sulphur for my plants as well. I am sure they contain flat mites since almost everybody's hoyas appear to, and besides, it can't hurt them, and it'll be a good preventative. Again, thank you for the information.
The only venting my tents get is when I open the door for a couple of hours every day. I run a dehumidifier in my basement year around. I also add a small amount of water to the humidity trays in the tents every couple of days. I used to keep full trays of water, but that made such a mess with blue green algae that I finally stopped that practice a few months ago. Mold likes to grow on the surfaces of power cords and a few other surfaces. There is not much you can do about it, when you grow like I do. Fortunately, I don't seem to be affected by what ever grows in there. Once a year, I do a complete tear down and clean out of the tents.
New subscriber here 👋🏼 adding sulfur to my cart now! Thank you for this video, and your collection is stunning! Do you sell cuttings anywhere?
Thank you Becca! I only sell cuttings and starter plants on eBay during the summer months under the name erbtarzan24. Good luck with your spraying; I’m still amazed every day by what a difference it has made.
Thank you
You're welcome Nita!
Thank you Doug. I’m wondering if that’s what I have on one of my Hoyas. I for the life of me can’t figure out why it looks so sickly. Guess I’m going shopping on Amazon. Thanks again. 🍁🍂🦃💚🙃
Hi Judy, I think that any Hoya that just won't grow, or gets lesions, or corky patches probably have flat mites. I also think that they are probably in most people's collections now without them knowing.
Thanks for the video!! How did you make the hanger/trellis?? They look super genius! Could you make a video of it too please?
They are pretty easy; here is a couple of videos that will give you an idea of how I do it: ua-cam.com/video/BZBw1uC401Q/v-deo.html and ua-cam.com/video/70ZspzzEN88/v-deo.html
Wow as usual Doug love all your videos and now I have sulfur and a very very very large hoya collection as well as tropicals .We're doing this tomorrow however my one question is is that how are you applying the sulfur I'll bet you I have some mites as well
Hi Deb, I applied the spray with this pump sprayer: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AQNQ4Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 at 2 heaping tablespoons to the 2 liter container. I sprayed all of my greenhouse, and upstairs plants in September when the weather was warm enough to spray outdoors. All of my tent Hoyas that you see in the video had to be sprayed in my basement and I had to rig up a folding dog swimming pool: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01I3DL9XW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and hang a shower curtain around it. After I was done spraying I had to use a wet dry vac to get rid of the liquid. It was a lot of work! Good luck with your spraying!
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas Oh lordy 🙄 I'm in for a fun filled time.All my plants are in now tent,houseall over the place.... thanks so much for the info and the luck.. now I need to come up with some kind of plan...Ugh
@@debstewart4094 There is always the bathtub as the woman who told me about my mites said that is where she sprayed everything!
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas oh... that's a wonderful idea
Hi Doug! How are you?
Sorry about your Hoyas!
Thanks for the video!
I lost almost all of my Hoyas. They started to go downhill so fast and then gone! I didn't notice any pests, but I think I also had Flat Mites.
Oh well, we live and learn.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Gerry
HPEteacher
☹
Hi Gerry, so sorry to hear about your plant loss😢! More than likely you did have flat mites as I don't think that there are many collectors who don't have them. Hoyas are capable of going downhill pretty rapidly and I've experienced it many times over the years. Hoyas are very susceptible to pests; if it were to start over again, I might have chosen different plants to fall in love with. Have a good rest of your week!
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas Thanks Doug! Yes they declined so fast. I couldn't figure out why, but I now know. I never did get one to bloom. Oh rats!
Enjoy!
😊
Looks like the hoya are happy now that they have been treated! Every one of these videos about mites make me itch! LOL
I read somewhere that there are over 50,000 different mite species and some of them are beneficial, but look out for the ones that are not. It is really aggravating that they can't be seen with the naked eye!
I just read somewhere (sorry can't remember where) that flat mites are native to North America. And I think we exported them to Europe?
I have no idea where they came from, but they really are quite a hindrance to some Hoyas.
Thank you for making this video- how many times or how often did you spray them? 😎
The hoyas that I have on the windowsills in the regular house were only sprayed once. The Hoyas in my grow tents were sprayed twice. Whether I got all the mites, I’m not totally sure, but they are all still growing great a year later.
Okay awesome! I’ve sprayed twice now. I saw them alive. I see nothing now, but no growth explosion yet (3 weeks in)
@@Miles_Hoffman Lots of new growth should begin any time now! It has worked that way with many others not just me.
Doug, after watching your video, I picked up a container of sulphur from amazon. I figure for $10 I can't go wrong, and if I have the flat mites it'll get rid of them and if not, maybe it'll assist in the growth. My question to you is did you spray this indoors? Does it smell like rotten eggs? I don't want to remove all my hoyas back outside after just getting them situated on the shelves for the winter, so if I can spray indoors, it's a big plus. If not, then this weekend while it's still relatively warm, outside for spraying they'll go. Thoughts? Recommendations? Thanks....
William, here is my experience with spraying. I sprayed 2/3 of mine outside in early September when the weather was still warm. The other third were sprayed inside in my basement where I rigged up a shower curtain around a folding dog pool. This had to be periodically emptied with a wet/dry vac as most of the spray runs off. It smells kind of like rotten eggs at first but it begins to dissipate with time at least those Hoyas that live on the windowsill. Also, after a while you don't seem to notice it any more. Those Hoyas that live in a very humid environment like my tents even after 2 months the smell is pretty strong, but if the door is left open for a couple of minutes before you enter, it is not too bad. Many people have no choice but to spray in the bathtub/shower, which will work fine. After you are done, just rinse it down. I suggest wearing gloves as I did not, and I could smell sulfur on my hands for a couple of days afterwards as I think it penetrated into the pores. I was spraying them for 3 days before I was through. Good luck with your spraying project and report back!
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas Well I sprayed them today. Took a few hours to move all the hoyas onto the deck. That exhausted me because I'm in chemo and have little energy, but I got it done. Only the hoyas though, not the other plants. I sprayed everything, then let them dry in the wind and sun for a while, then moved them back inside. That was even more exhausting than moving them out! So, if they had flat mites or fungus, they don't now. I did notice some mealies however. This surprised me because prior to bringing them inside for the winter, they were heavily sprayed with neem oil and I used the bonide granules on the soil surface. I don't think the sulpher affects mealies, but my fingernail certainly does! Interestingly enough, I didn't notice any odor. Maybe because it was outside? I mixed two tablespoons to a gallon, shook it up real well and sprayed everything. Took me about four or five hours. Now I'm going to go conk out for a while! I am anxious to see what effect this process has on the growth. BTW - I like in the video where you say "it's growing like a real plant now". That cracked me up.
All the best to you Doug. Thank you for some very informative videos. I know I have learned a lot from them, and I'm sure you have benefited many others as well. You stay well and all the best always....
@@williammalone8097 William, I'm not on chemo, and it exhausted me, so I can't even imagine! I believe that within a few weeks you should notice quite a difference with your plants. I am hoping that you see all of the new growth that I did. All the best, and keep up the good fight!
💚💚
☘🍀💚
Hi Doug. Could the sulfur actually be what hoyas need out of their natural habitat? I'm curious if that's why plants are doing so well not because they were all affected. Dee, long Island, ny
Sulfur is an essential component of all living cells, so plant do use it in small amounts, but these amounts are provided for in all fertilizers with micronutrients. Since I use a variety of fertilizers, I don't believe that they were lacking in that nutrient. I believe that at least 80% of my plants were affected to one degree or another with these mites, and as soon as the sulfur knocked them down, they started growing again.
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas wow! I'm envious of your hoyas! Well I'm about to order to keep around to have on hand just in case any of these little buggers make an appearance!
@@deeb2000 Definitely a good product to keep her around in case you needed!
Does the sulphur residue on the leaves hinder the leaves ability to photosynthesis like hard water spots would? Also, could you please post a link to ordering the microscope? Thanks.
Patrick, my personal feeling is that little bit of sulfur residue is not going to make much, if any, difference in a plants ability to photosynthesize for the energy that it needs.
Is it possible that the plants were lacking sulfur, an essential nutrient needed for photosynthesis, causing them to grow more once applied to the entire plant? Or could the blocking of the leaves with the sulfur residue cause the plant to leaf out more? I just would hate to not scrutinize all possibilities when there is little evidence that the mites were in fact the issue. Correlation vs. causation and all…
It is doubtful that the plants were lacking in sulfur as I use very good name brand plant fertilizers that are fully balanced with all of the micro nutrients. I am thinking that all of the failed growth points that were In evidence was probably the leading indicator of a pest problem.
Thank you for the informative video. Do you happen know an Europeian analogue of Sulfur?.. And another question - did you ever had also leaf miners on hoyas, and if yes how did you solve the problem?
For some reason, from the little bit of searching that I have done, sulfur products in Europe don't seem to be marketed toward killing mites. Here is a product that I am sure would work, but it does not say that it kills mites: shop.hdchemicals.co.uk/products/sulphur-powder-99-99 To my knowledge, I have not ever had leaf miners on my Hoyas.
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas Thanks! How would you use that powder (in water, dose etc.)?.. I've never did anything like that so is a little bit afraid to harm my plants.
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas I think I have an answer on my last question. On the Internet I found an opinion about the use of pure sulfur. It is in principle possible. But in pure sulfur, there are no auxiliary substances in the composition, what causes poor wettability and high stickiness into lumps. It increases the consumption rate, worsens the effect and creates visible dirt on the leaves. Of course it is possible to add some soap to it. But again the question of dosage arises. In Europe, there are antifungal products with sulfur in the composition. Probably they are also effective agains flat mites.
@@poezenhuis9388 Yes, the antifungal products would probably be best. I am surprised that this easily wettable powder that we have here is not readily available in Europe. Here it is marketed as an antifungal and miticide that can be sprayed or dusted. The one that I feature in the video can be used by organic growers, and I used it at a dosage of 2 heaping tablespoons/two liters of water.
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas In Europe neem oil is very popular. And they are not compatible with sulfur. May be because of that. Though it's always nice to have a choise. Thanks again for your video.
My hoyas are all out on shelves next to other plant types like philodendron, monsteras, etc. Do you think that I should spray those plants too or are the mites just mainly interested in Hoya?
I would they can get on others as well.
Do you spray so heavy that it’s like a dip, being sure to get every leaf and stem from all directions? Just trying to assess the mess / drip level.
That is what I did Pam. I sprayed so heavily that it was very close to a dip. Most of it will run off, which I contemplated capturing and reusing, but I ultimately rejected the idea for fear of spreading pests to plants that might not have them already.
Any tips for the clemensiorum? Do they like to stay on the moist side? I have mine in a grow tent, warmth and humidity are good but not sure how frequently to water.
It is incredibly easy to rot the roots on Hoya clemensiorum. I now only water the plant when it has thoroughly dried out and then I soak it. I am currently growing it in coconut husk chips and it seems to be the best medium that I have used on it thus far.
💚 so the question is how often do we need to reapply?
I personally will spray as soon as I spot a problem on a particular plant, but will probably not respray my entire collection at least until I can get them outside again next summer. It is one thing if you have as small amount of plants, but when your entire house is full of them, it becomes a problem.
Do you make your own hanging trellis’?
Yes, I do! ua-cam.com/video/BZBw1uC401Q/v-deo.html
Hoya inflata “ uglier little dam plant”😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Will sulfer harm other tropicals that are mixed with Hoyas?
I can only say that even the most tender of emerging leaves on every Hoya that I sprayed were not harmed at all by the sulfur. So while I have not tried it on other tropicals, I would be highly surprised if it caused them any harm.
I have a Hoya Kerrii I bought several months ago and every new leaf dries up and falls off as soon as it sprouts. I want to treat it along with my other hoyas. I wonder if they've spread to my other plants. What is the sulfur/water mix ratio?
I mixed 2 heaping Tablespoons in a two liter pump sprayer, but I don't think that the ratio is too critical as long as you get really good coverage. When you are done spraying, you should have plenty of sulfur residue on the plant. Constant shaking of sprayer is necessary as the sulfur does not really dissolve in the water.
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas
Thanks for the detailed info! I'm going to treat mine today.
@@DionneRoxanne Good luck! I hope it does as much for your plants as it did for mine!
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas
Thank you so much. I hope so too! Happy New Year 🌿
Did you mix it with water and spray it on?
Yes, I put 2 heaping tablespoons in a 2 liter sprayer filled with water, kept shaking it and spray all surfaces of the plant.
It has worked for everyone that I know who has done it. You should notice a big difference in growth in a few weeks!
Where did you get your microscope from if I may ask? 🍁🍂🦃💚🙃
Here is the link from Amazon: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DVFBVPF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I have not used it very much yet so I am still learning. The image is displayed on your phone.
Hi Doug am from Trinidad a tropical country has quite a few hoyas how much sulfur per gallon and how often please
@@girliehanooman2022 Four heaping tablespoons of sulfur per gallon of water. My understanding is that plants that live outside don't suffer from mites nearly as much because of frequent rains, humidity and predators that feed on the mites. All the best of luck to you, and thank you for posting from Trinidad; I believe you are the first person to do so!
Have you done any neem treatments before? I have heard that if you treated with neem you have to wait at least 2 months before using sulfur...
Before I got the sulfur, I treated a few plants with Azamax, which is just a more powerful version of neem, and it definitely seemed to work on the 4 or 5 plants that I used it on. I have also not used sulfur on them because I am afraid that the oil and sulfur would probably burn the plants. I think that if you spray with neem it would in all likelihood have the same effect.
That is what I am thinking too. I want to try sulfur but have been treating plants with neem (and Azamax) for so long that I am afraid...Probably will wait a couple of months with continuous flushing of plants to get rid of all of the oils before trying sulfur...
I use azamax with every other watering and i have not had any problems with sulphur - sulphur can burn the roots so you don’t want to spray the soil unfortunately
@@brooklin_bernek I was also concerned about all of the sulfur that dripped down into the roots, and believe me there was a lot of it as these plants were literally showered in the stuff, but I have seen zero bad effects so far.
I sprayed my collection about 3-4 months ago, I left the sulphur spray on (which it still is) I keep checking randomly for eggs or mites and I haven’t seen anymore mites. That is my personal experience. But so far I’ve only sprayed once, and my new small cuttings I just use a makeup brush/paint brush and the powder on the stems and under the leaves then the leaves don’t look gross on small cuttings
Good morning
Good morning!
Got the sulfur! 💪
Good luck with it, and I hope it works as well for you as it has for everyone who has tried it!
thay is the biggest hoya undulata i've seen lol I see 4lb of Sulfur is only $3 more than 1lb box. I wonder if I should get 4lb bag, though I know I won't use all of it. how did you spray the mixture of sulfur and water?
You know what? That sulfur will never go bad; for $3 more I would opt for the 4lb bag. The next time I buy it that is what I am going to do. I think I will probably spray everything annually just as a preventive measure if nothing else. I used this sprayer and used 2 heaping tablespoons for its 2 liter size: www.amazon.com/2-Liter-One-Hand-Pressure-Adjustable-Telescoping/dp/B000AQNQ4Q/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=DqUnO&content-id=amzn1.sym.8cf3b8ef-6a74-45dc-9f0d-6409eb523603&pf_rd_p=8cf3b8ef-6a74-45dc-9f0d-6409eb523603&pf_rd_r=ZHJ8V5AX9XJF7GZXQF1A&pd_rd_wg=RGZne&pd_rd_r=b34b585b-3188-4d35-9271-ef3aab893ae0&ref_=pd_gw_ci_mcx_mi
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas thanks Doug. I will also order a spray as well, but I only have 2 80qt bins - not much to need that big of the spray. one more comment since I watched this video again, the hoya stemma magazine is great. I stumbled upon it when researching something, and learned partially about hoyas and Costa Farms in one edition.
Does anyone have a link to the microscope in the video or another good one?
This is the one from the video: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DVFBVPF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Get collection Doug 🍁🍂🦃💚🙃
Thank you Judy!
How often did you spray your collection?
I have only sprayed it once as it took me 3 days, to do that and I don't have the energy to keep spraying the entire collection. I am hoping that one thorough spraying will be sufficient. Any plant however that shows signs of them again or stops growing, I will spray again.
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas I wondered if it’s like any other pest where you have to go back and spray again when the eggs hatch. Cuz I don’t think the sulphur kills the eggs. I could be wrong tho. Thank you for sharing this info and do you have a link for the microscope??
@@1101naomi Here is the link to the microscope: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DVFBVPF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I am hoping that the eggs that hatched later will still be vulnerable to the residue sulfur on the plant, but time will tell.
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas thanks for the link and good luck Doug!
@@DougChamberlainVTHoyas I agree that's how I'll be doing mine as well. I do not want to feel overwhelmed.
Brasil 🌹
🌺🌺