Diana,

I've been blogging about my plants since late 2005 (I call mine "Succulent Ramblings") and I always encourage growers to keep a "journal" of some sort. Years ago, one of the old timers in my cactus club brought a photo history of one of her plants - apparently she's done this for years with several of her favorites. It was fascinating to see the progress and changes over the years. When blogging started to gain popularity, I thought this would be a great tool, and I find it interesting to go back and find notes I made about certain plants and see how much they've changed. I encourage everyone to do this.

I haven't touched my blog for a couple months... I've been crazy busy at work (I'm in the wedding biz) and, well, all I can think about right now is my brother who is in hospice care 600 miles away and how much I wish I could be by his side. Not feeling real upbeat right now... But my plants are my solice, so at least they "even my keel" so to speak.

But yes, everyone should be blogging about their plants! It would be like having a giant round-robin!

Denise in Omaha

I hope all will be well with your brother ... looking forward to reading more. The last one I could find was 1/24/12 -- am I missing more recent?

I hadn't thought of blogging about my endeavors. IDK that my writings would be as interesting! I'll give it a try privately and see how it feels.

:)

Diana, I didn't mean to confuse you. I'm not GG, though she does live here in Omaha, too. I'm betting, though, that when we hear from her, she'll say she's too busy taking care of her bazillion Hoyas to do much blogging! LOL! That girl has a collection that could rival the pros!

You know, I don't think blogging is about trying to attract a captive audience. When I started mine, I gave no thought whatsoever to anyone else reading it. It was more about keeping a timeline, a photo journal of plants and other events in my life. Something to look back at. Since it's free to keep a blog, I would do it - in 5 years, you'll be glad you started it.

Denise in Omaha

Denise I have read yours and I loved it!! I didn't know GG also had one. I'll have to check it out :)!

I have read GG's before and she is always highly informative and entertaining! :-).

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Aw, such kind words about my fledgling blog warm my heart. Thank you so much!!

I've been intending to get back into blogging for a while now, but I couldn't believe how much time had passed since I was on top of my game. In my head it seems like months, not over a year. @_@ Yeah, but I've got it going again.

I think people blog for different reasons - some for an intended audience - others for themselves. Sometimes you just have to start putting words to (virtual)paper before your purpose crystalizes in your head.

I write blogs as a writing exercise, so their purpose is fulfilled just by being created (I guess). Writing also helps me organize my thoughts and opinions. It's how I talk my way through a problem. So, sometimes I write a post about a plant issue, and by the time I've finished the piece I know my own mind... which is always good.

I stalled on my blog because my life got complicated for a while and I just didn't have as much time for hobbies.

But, I also stalled because I wanted to write about something useful, and I couldn't figure out what. that. was. But, I think it's just about admitting to being the kind of grower you are. I haven't been growing Hoyas for that long, so I can't claim wisdom. I don't have a greenhouse or a southern climate, so I can't claim record growth or a bower of flowers. And I was helplessly fixated on those bare spots in my resume. But, it turns out, I know what I know. And that's not nothing, so I have something to write about after all.

I think most non-narcissistic people doubt how interesting they are. But, I believe our small Hoya world could benefit from many many many more bloggers, and if anyone else here is writing one, I hope they'll share the link in this thread.

I have a hoya blog but I haven't blogged since last summer. I really need to because I have been buying cuttings like crazy. I really need to learn to control myself when it comes to hoyas.

Here is a link that might be useful: My hoya blog

I blog off and on, but nothing interesting, it's just a way for me to keep track of things.

Plus I combine my orchids and my Hoyas, so I'm not sure how worthwhile it would be for Hoya growers.

Www.orchidsnhoyas.blogspot.com

Oh and GG, 'Plain Jane' is in advanced bud! Keeping my fingers crossed that they open, and I'll be home when it does!

Renee

I will read your Blog theplanthoarder ... :)

I blog for my granddaughter to read when she gets older, but since I am more of a technical writer it's really not for public consumption - very few flowery, interesting words/sentences.
I guess the interest is more in the life events detailed.

How wonderful to continue to collect blog links! When I have more time I'm going to try and dig through my bookmarks and see if I can suggest some others that haven't been mentioned yet. We can create a blog library (and dutifully link to all of them on our own blogs, to help out interweb wanderers)

Shamefully, I just realized that Joni's been keeping an incredibly rich blog on her website, since February. AND, even more exciting, a bloom calendar! Am I the only one who's been dying for someone (everyone) to start doing that? So, if you're a big distracted dummy like me, I recommend you check that out, for starters.

@ Renee

That is very exciting. I don't think there is a single Hoya I'm more curious to see unfold its wares!! /holds breath

Great time reading the blogs, but I am confused by that calendar. It has listings for hoyas blooming on months and days that haven't happened yet. Like if you go ahead to Sept or Oct. ...it has the listings of hoyas blooming on various days.

I will jump in here to explain that my calendar was first loaded with past blooms as documented from the photos I took. But from February 2013 has been documented according to daily blooms. I thought by doing this I would be able to begin drawing reliable conclusions sooner.
I hope that answers your question?
Joni

Thanks for jumping in, Joni. ;)

Interesting. So, when a plant blooms, you add a repeating (?) entry for it on that day. That way, when we look at the calendar 5 years from now, we will see a smattering of bloom entries for every plant, demonstrating the range of days blooms have historically occurred (?).

Like, for aff. scortechinii*, it appears to have bloomed on August 9th and August 16th. I assume one of those dates is when it bloomed last year and one of those dates is for this year.

This must have taken a tremendous amount of time. TY for adding it to your site!!

* (one of my most favorite Hoyas... ^_^)

This post was edited by greedyghost on Wed, Aug 28, 13 at 10:43

Thanks Joni. I think the calendar is a wonderful idea. My confusion is only because I look ahead to months that are not yet here, like next month or even further into the future, and it lists hoyas blooming on various days. Why is there hoya names on days that are in the future?

@ Mairzy

The 'future' days have entries for when the Hoyas bloomed in past years, because Joni didn't want to throw away all that good data. Then, she adds this year's blooms as they occur.

My only question is whether the calendar will continue to show multiple years' bloom dates in future calendar years. Or if this was just a catch-up year.

I like it the way it is, because I like to see the range of dates a specific species flowers (in Sarasota).

Ahhh...I get it now. 'tis a really great feature. I take pics, but never think or take time to make a written account of what blooms when. It's all pretty much during the same summer months here for me. I start to get few in June, and then there are scattered blooms throughout the rest of the summer ending with the australis varieties blooming in late summer(now). It could be because I move most of mine outside for in summer. Also many of them live outside year round. I don't think I have anything blooming in the winter.

This year is a 'catch up' year...exactly. I thought it might be easiest to continue with a fresh new calendar each year as to not too many entries on the current calendar that you must 'dig' thru all of the entries. I hope to make some educated assumptions about the bloom time around the world. Also to clarify...I document the day the flower opens and then not again until the next bloom cycle begins. For the plants that bloom constantly on many peduncles it is a matter of using my 'guesstimation' skills.

Thanks for the feedback...sometime I wonder if all of the time I put into hoyas is just crazy and ONLY for me to feel a sense of accomplishment?

Oh I for one think you do a GREAT job with all your plants, your photos, AND your website, Joni.
It is so neat to see how you started your business plus all the transitions and changes over the few years. I love your plants I got, and love seeing how &where you grow them. Then to document it all and add bloom calendars, etc. to the site is extra nice. It will al be great help to future hoya nuts too. HIGH FIVE!