To say I’ve been overwhelmed by plants is an understatement. Downsizing over the last few years hasn’t been easy, especially when your business depends on stock plants. ” More” always feels like the answer—more varieties, more plants to cut and propagate, more of everything. However, space and time are limited.
This year, I will focus on creating a business that is manageable on a high level. I want to prioritize my hoyacuttings.com shop and curate plant collection more carefully, keeping only the plants that truly align with my personal goals and business needs. Whether for my collection or the shop, I’ll select plants thoughtfully rather than aim for quantity.
I also plan to finally set up and organize my growing spaces, making them efficient and enjoyable. I will focus on maintaining plant health, simplifying my workflow, and, most importantly, enjoying the beauty of the plants I grow.
So, what’s the plan for 2025?
hoyacuttings.com
The shop remains a top priority, and here’s what I want to focus on:
- More varieties: Add as many new and exciting hoyas as possible. (Less common, more rare).
- Detailed listings: Include photos of mature plants and blooms (if and when hoyas bloom) in the listing on the shop website.
- Plant supplies: I plan to expand the shop’s offerings to include pots and different sizes of trellises (I am working with a supplier who can create a trellis that might replace DIY rabbit fence trellises). I would love to offer the new trellises this year. I also considered adding hoya-related greeting cards, stickers, and other physical products.
Stock Plants: Bigger, Better, More Organized
- Grow larger plants: Stock plants will be grown large before cutting. Ideally, the top cutting and next node should only account for about one-third of the plant (with some exceptions), minimizing shock and encouraging faster regrowth.
- I plan to grow two to three stock plants of the varieties that are always in demand—at least, this is the goal. How can I make it happen? I’m not sure yet. I can hardly fit in the plants I already have, so removing some plants will be necessary.
- Selective buying: I’ll try to control myself and purchase only wish-list plants—stunning foliage, unique blooms, or something that takes your breath away—and only if the cost is reasonable.
Grow Room & Setup, Upgrades, and Improvements
Self-Watering Pots: My goal is to repot every plant into self-watering pots. It saves time, provides consistent moisture, and makes plant care more manageable. I have a lot of plants in self-watering pots already, but for collection, I want something more “fancy” and “good-looking.” I will adjust the soil mix accordingly to the specific plant. I also want to grow Begonia and Alocasia this year. I meant to say “successfully” grow 🙂
Adding another large grow tent for stock plants and a Milsbo-wide cabinet for larger hoyas on trellises sounds like a good idea. This will allow me to keep plants I already have spaciously and not messing with each other, entangled in every possible way.
Cabinet Setup Post: I am working on writing a detailed description of how we set up Milsbo cabinets (both tall and wide versions) for plants, so stay tuned!
Pest Management: I’m sticking with beneficial predatory mites, which I release every six to eight weeks throughout the year. I use no chemicals except PureCrop1 occasionally.
Yes, it might seem expensive. But in the long run, it is much more convenient than stressing out about pest contamination on hundreds of plants (most grown to be sold). I can place the sachets with predatory mites once every two months and spread soil-dwelling mites into pots (one hour of work, max). And not taking dozens of the plants to wash, spray, and wash again. I do not need to think about finding a place to isolate and monitor them and constantly changing pesticides because pests are getting immune to the ones already sprayed on plants. Nope, who has the luxury of wasting time?
Personal collection: I believe I deserve it.
This year, I want to establish and maintain my personal plant collection. Because of the plant shop, I have to offer as many plants as possible: cuttings and rooted. Running a business is expensive, and the return on investment has to happen sooner without sacrificing the quality. As I offer plants propagated from my own, not imported plants, I barely leave them to grow large due to limited quantities and high demand. Therefore, I decided to acquire cuttings from my shop to enjoy growing and caring for them, leaving them alone. I would also like to take beautiful photos of mature plants and blooms.
Collection plants will be thoroughly selected. I want them to grow purely for my pleasure. Hoyas, philodendrons, monsteras—and yes, that one begonia—deserve the chance to grow as large and healthy as possible.
Hoyas: Hopefully, I’ll see many hoyas in bloom this year. I’ll focus on giving them the right conditions to thrive, and I would like to add some to my wishlist.
Anthuriums: I’ve collected quite a few recently. We have a perfect spot for them—on the counter under grow lights on the ceilings. Room conditions are, as they say, “ambient”; humidity is around 50% or a bit higher most of the year—and temperature is 68-70F in winter and around 75F during summer. We’ll see. I believe this setup and environment might work.
Climbing philodendrons and monsteras: I want to try to grow the plants on moss poles from Rousseau. I will start with small plant plugs that I purchased at the end of the year 2024. They will also go into a self-watering pot. I also need to find heavy pots of the proper size to keep plants on tall poles without falling over.
I’ll document the progress of small starter plants throughout the year. Monthly photos, notes, and tips will show how they grow and evolve. At the end of the year, I’ll compile everything into a visual “before and after” story.
Wrapping Up: 2025 Goals
This year, I’m all about finding balance—growing my shop, enjoying my personal plant collection, and keeping things manageable. From adding new Hoyas to improving my setups and sticking to pest management routines, I’m excited to focus on what matters most: happy, healthy plants and a less stressful routine.
What about you? Any fun plant plans for 2025? Let me know—I’d love to hear about them!