Hoyas ( Hoya spp . ) , vining or woody shrubs , make ideal houseplants for meddlesome moms with small children and dearie because they are nontoxic . When their minimum needs are run across , they will reward you with sweetly perfumed , genius - shaped flowers that come out one by one on some varieties and on others cluster into balls that resemble floral tree ornamentation . The low - sustentation hoya grow well in sunny region indoors or partially shady area outdoors in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 to 11 . The succulent has attractive , waxy leaves . If brown spot appear on the reverse sides of the leave , take steps right away to protect your pretty plant life .
Seeing Spots
Step 1
Brown spots on the top and/or bottoms of hoya leaves are triggered by either a bacterial or fungal infection . When , however , the daub only appear on the bottoms — reverse side — of the leaves , you ’ve got a case of scale - insect plan of attack .
Likely Suspect
graduated table louse are tiny , usually 1/8- to 1/3 - inch long , and can be any of a variety of colors including benighted brown or tan . They are flat insects that impound to the underside of leaves , and possibly the stems , and remain immobile , sucking juice from the parting . At first glance , they appear to be bantam ellipse or round spots ; however , when lifted with a thumbnail or the crown of a tongue , they flake mighty up . There may also be honeydew , a clear , sticky substance , on the leaf . The honeydew , an dirt ball waste material product , attract pismire and provides a sticky surface where sooty mold can grow . The leaves may also droop and turn chicken .
Removing the Perpetrators
Scale insect can be brushed off the hoya leave with an old toothbrush or rubbed off with a cotton wool chunk dip in isopropyl alcohol . Set the hoya in a sink or tub , and wash the leave and stems off with plain water to transfer the honeydew . The bugs can also be killed with ultra - svelte , summertime or superior horticultural oil colour . Mix 1 to 2 ounce of oil into 1 Imperial gallon of water , and pour it into a spray bottle . Take the plant life outdoors , if it is a houseplant , and spray the tops and bottoms of the leaves and the stems with oil . The rock oil must cake the scale insects in ordering to kill them . Shake the bottleful often while spraying to keep the oil from break . Cover any surface beneath the industrial plant and wear protective glasses and article of clothing . iterate the handling if the ordered series fall back .
Protecting the Victim
Providing the hoya with the light , water and fertiliser it needs to thrive will serve it sail through a scale insect attack with fiddling to no noticeable damage . Put it in a shiny location where it gets a few hours of verbatim morning sun . Hanging it right in front of an east - face window is ideal . Hanging it in front of a west- or south - look window is full , too , as long as there is a right-down curtain between the hoya and the window . Let the potting dirt become nearly teetotal ; then water it in the morning with room - temperature urine that has been sitting in a container for a few twenty-four hours . Letting the water pose let the chlorine vaporise . Give the hoya a in high spirits - potassium water - soluble fertilizer , with a ratio standardised to 4 - 18 - 38 , once each calendar month during the spring , summer and fall . The common dilution charge per unit is 1 teaspoonful per Imperial gallon of H2O , but this may vary , reckon on the fertiliser convention . Give the hoya diluted fertilizer after a normal watering to prevent antecedent impairment .
References
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