Hoya is a great plant that comes in many varieties and can be sold as a rooted plant. There are shops that offer unrooted and rooted cuttings, which is also an option if you are looking for ways to make money. If you want to turn your hoya hobby into a business, there are different ways to go about this, one being to open a flower shop and another to market your product online (read more). A third option is to take your plants to different markets and offer them for sale. If you have a website, you can place a list and schedule, showing the markets that you plan to go to.

Sell Online

One way to market your business and sell hoya is to open an online store and advertise your product. In this case, you will need a website, quality content, and high-resolution photos, featuring your hoyas. If you grow rare species, then you can offer them on auction. Comparison shop to check prices so that you can beat the competition. Obviously, prices vary widely depending on the type of hoya you have (carnosa, calycina, bilobata, benguetensis, australis, etc.). You may advertise featured collections, special offers, and hot deals to attract more customers. If you choose this option, it is a good idea to use the services of a SEO for better visibility. Another idea is to maintain a Facebook page where you can feature your collection of hoya species. Set up a blog on WordPress or another platform as well so that you can keep customers updated and add new offers. If you have a blog, it is a good idea to write a short description for each species – uses and cultivation, optimal temperature, how to grow hoya, and so on. If you know of any good guides and books on hoya growing, you can add a section with recommended books. Add useful links for more credibility.

Think of discounts, shipping policy, and other details as well. Check the prices for packaging and postage.

Open a Florist Shop

This is also an option if you intend to sell a selection of species, not only hoya. There is a large selection of plants you can offer, including bouquets for special occasions such as anniversaries, weddings, bridal showers, and so on. You can add a selection of rooted plants as well. You can choose from a large selection of species, including hoya, begonia, rose, tulip, orchid, wildflower, sunflower, and primerose. Among the top flowers in the floral industry are also lily, carnation, iris, lilac, petunias, and lobelias. It all depends on your market and customers so it pays to ask around. If you want to sell hoya only, a better option is to go to different markets in your area. This is a better option if you have a more limited budget and bad credit. In this case, many issuers will turn your application down. If you don’t have a car, consider buying a used car on credit. You may need a cosigner to get approved. Think of consolidating your debts as well to make payments more affordable so that you can start a business (read more). There are two options – to apply for a consolidation loan or to use an interest card with a long introductory period and a very low or no interest (read more). The intro period usually varies from 6 to 12 or 18 months. If you use high-interest cards, this is a better option.

If you don’t have access to capital to start your credit, you can apply for a credit card and finance your business this way. A good choice for a first credit card is the Triangle from Canadian Tire. Another decent choice is to apply for the Simplii credit card.

Hoya is a plant species native to countries such as Australia, New Guinea, Polynesia, Indonesia, China, and Thailand. Also called the Wax plant and Hindu rope, you can grow hoya in your garden, balcony, or home.

How to Grow Hoya

The good thing about this plant is that it doesn’t require a lot of care and can be grown inside. It is a good idea to place it in a greenhouse or protected area and close to a sunny window if possible. Make sure your hoya receives enough sunlight and plant it in a fertile, well drained, light, and moist soil. It is a good idea to add perlite which has a good water content and makes for an excellent growing medium. How you water your hoya depends on the season. Ensure moist soil in summer and spring. Dry soil is best during the winter but not too dry because you risk shriveled foliage. If you want to, you may mist the leaves from time to time to improve humidity levels, and you can clean the foliage. This can have a good effect on your hoya when it is in flower or budding. Speaking of temperature, the best medium varies with the season. Ensure warm temperature in summer and spring, which is the growing season, and around 50 degrees at other times. Hoya will be in a semi-dormant state during the colder months.

Fertilizers also help grow a healthy, strong plant but don’t overdo. You can use fertilizers during the spring season when hoya benefits the most. Use once a month or a couple of times during the growing season. Don’t fertilize during the cold months when hoya is semi-dormant. If you use fertilizers more frequently or keep the soil too dry, this can result in brown edges developing. Remember not to touch the leaves or blooms during the blooming period which is during summer and spring. This is when blooms begin to develop (during the active period). Avoid constant moving around and hovering as well.

Additional Tips

While good care depends on the type of hoya you have at home, there are several things to keep in mind, one being that propagation requires a leaf or cutting to grow a plant in about two years. You can do it the same way you do with gloxinias or African violets. If you want quick results, then layering can help. The reason is that layers tend to mature at a faster pace. You will have good results if you choose to use African violet soil for layering purposes. Avoid plastic pots and use clay pots instead. Placing the cuttings in water works well for some species such as Hoya bella, Hoya carnosa, and others. It is much more difficult to grow hoya from a seed, so use the above methods instead. Another reason is that seeds are scarce and thus hard to find. Blooms may produce seeds but this does not happen often enough. This is because in their natural environment, different types of species pollinate hoya, which are not native to Canada. Speaking of diseases and pest control, this can only be a problem if you grow hoya outdoors but most people choose to grow it at home.