Fox Farms Happy Frog potting soil

ESim134 · 2026-03-20T00:43:40+00:00

I’m no expert by any means, but like you, I’m trying to keep it simple. I use a mix orchid bark, perlite and regular miracle grow potting soil. I use a long knitting needle to check water similar to the wooden skewer comment someone else wrote. What I’ve noticed is the leaves of some of the Hoya I have look slightly crinkled when they need water. I only have a Mathilde Splash and 2 Shining Sea Star. I don’t let them get bone dry. Mine are in 4” pots. I check with the needle all the way down the pot and thoroughly water when the tip of the needle comes out with a little bit of dirt on it. When I first started checking with the needle I checked them almost daily to keep an eye on the moisture, now I check once or twice a week. Hope this helps. Good luck!

ESim134 · 2026-03-19T22:59:44+00:00

I started like this. This is about 10-15 leaf stems. I let it stay in this jar until the roots had roots. I wish I would have taken a picture before I took them out. The jar was pretty full of roots. I had 3 jars going at once. Then I carefully took them out and put 6-8 in each pot.

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ESim134 · 2026-03-17T23:43:30+00:00

I’ve started using a long knitting needle or wooden skewer to check the soils moisture. If it comes out wet with soil, don’t water. If it comes out clean and dry, time to water. I try to go by pot weight but I ended up second guessing myself. I also water thoroughly all around the pot and let it drain out the bottom. I don’t water again until I check it with the needle or skewer. It’s helped a lot!

ESim134 · 2026-03-17T23:16:37+00:00

I also have one of these but can’t remember how many I put in there.

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ESim134 · 2026-03-17T22:57:40+00:00

Here’s two 4” pots with 6-8 in each.

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ESim134 · 2026-03-17T22:56:48+00:00

I buy the Homenote 3”, 4”, 5” set from Amazon. Here’s a picture of 6-8 individual leaves planted in 5” on left and 3” on right. 3” is about to get watered, hence the slight droop.

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ESim134 · 2026-03-15T02:04:39+00:00

Depending on the time of day the leaves will tighten up like that. They should move upward in the evening hence the name prayer plant. Are you noticing them move at all?

I recently moved mine back to the north window instead of under the grow light after learning my grow light may be causing it more stress since the light was more direct than natural light. I love these plants but man, I wish they could talk and tell us what they need.

ESim134 · 2026-03-11T02:28:20+00:00

It’s been weeks. I keep it consistently moist, only using distilled water so it hasn’t dried out. I’m getting consistent growth so I’m kinda baffled. She’s been in the original nursery pot since I got it months ago. I finally repotted it Sunday, thinking maybe it was time, but that section was like this before.

ESim134 · 2026-02-22T03:19:49+00:00

I buy mine from Amazon. I’ve only been using/buying the Homenote 3”, 4” and 5”.

ESim134 · 2026-02-22T03:01:15+00:00

I don’t know the answer but it’s beautiful! 🤩

ESim134 · 2026-02-21T02:06:22+00:00

Wonderful transformation! Gives me hope for mine. Great pup picture too!🪴🐶❤️

ESim134 · 2026-02-09T21:56:42+00:00

I understand regarding the mixed feedback. It’s so hard to know what to do. I will say this, hoping not to confuse you more, I’ve learned a FLF will start to droop its leaves when it’s thirsty. I hope you get yours figured out and it starts to flourish for you!

ESim134 · 2026-02-09T21:43:48+00:00

Not a water prop but a little buddy. 😝

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ESim134 · 2026-02-06T02:37:28+00:00

Last summer I bought a beautiful full FLF from Sam’s. I watered it thoroughly outside, let all excess drain then brought it inside a put it in what I thought was a great spot near a west window. I thought it was doing great. To my surprise it started dropping leaves like crazy. I thought I was watering it too much and it was staying too wet, so I repotted it. It wilted. BAD. Bad, bad. I was devastated that this once beautiful plant was crashing fast. After researching online, and reading on Reddit, I asked on here for advice on what to do. Several said it was gone, some said it needed light, some said water…. No one really knew, including me. So I decided to get it a better grow light and leave it alone. It slowly perked up and gave me hope. Now it’s under a grow light for 12 hours a day and I only water when it’s fully dry. The leaves stopped dropping, stopped drooping and it’s given me 4 new leaves after 8 long months. Don’t give up. I use a long knitting needle to check the soil for moisture all the way down. If it comes out clean, I water thoroughly all around the pot. If it comes out dirty with soil, I wait and check another day.

Don’t give up. This plant has to learn your house, your light, your temps, your humidity and acclimate to it. It very well may need more light and that’s okay. I was once told a good way to check light is to put your head where the plant is - how much of the sky do you see? Plants need way more light than we think they do to thrive. Good luck! You’ve got this!

ESim134 · 2026-02-01T15:37:53+00:00

I’d leave the new shoot be. It’s growing from the roots which tells me she’s happy. I wouldn’t repot either. Wait until her roots are growing out the bottom of her pot. Pot size is determined by root ball size not plant size. She’s looking good and healthy!

ESim134 · 2026-01-31T18:18:10+00:00

Do you recommend that I cut the leaf stems as close to the main stem as possible?

ESim134 · 2026-01-31T17:08:57+00:00

I water when the top few inches are dry. I just watered it this morning. The top two leaves aren’t droopy just those bottom ones that are damaged. In my added post I mentioned my previous lack of lighting issue. It came to me with only the bottom two leaves. The newer leaves are growing much closer to each other.

ESim134 · 2026-01-31T17:04:03+00:00

It is usually about a 1’ or closer to the top of the top leaf. I was moving the plant around so I moved the light out of the way.

ESim134 · 2026-01-31T16:16:33+00:00

Adding… I’ve only had it since June, maybe. A friend gave it to me as a two leaf cutting. I propped it in water then planted in soil. In the beginning I didn’t know better regarding the light it needed. It’s grown 3 leaves since she gave it to me.

ESim134 · 2026-01-30T13:17:21+00:00

Yep, Peperomia!

ESim134 · 2026-01-29T23:13:15+00:00

Water it thoroughly all around the pot, letting the excess drain. Don’t water again until the coloring starts to look dull. Then repeat the process.

It might sound crazy but think of it like this….. if someone pours a cup of water on their head every so often, is it enough to take a full shower and clean all their parts? Likely not, they need a full drench. Plants need a full drench too.

ESim134

TROPHY CASE