The vanillas, growing the spice orchid

[ThevanillaGrower]

Originally Posted by bil

So what size pot would you go for, diam and depth, and what would you plant in it as starter medium? Bark and moss?

As re-potting a dirty great vine would be impractical, what do you do? simply re mulch every year?

What I find works best for vanilla is to take good care of the roots in the pot and on the vine as the vine also relies on its aerial roots for moisture. For me anything greater than 6 inches in diameter seems to do well. Treat the roots in the container as that of terrestrial orchids, meaning use a heavier soil-less medium such as medium to fine coconut husk pieces and fibrous sphagnum moss. If you are feeding your vine do not forget to water the aerial roots too as the vine as it lengthens will rely more on them.

[bil]

Originally Posted by ThevanillaGrower

What I find works best for vanilla is to take good care of the roots in the pot and on the vine as the vine also relies on its aerial roots for moisture. For me anything greater than 6 inches in diameter seems to do well. Treat the roots in the container as that of terrestrial orchids, meaning use a heavier soil-less medium such as medium to fine coconut husk pieces and fibrous sphagnum moss. If you are feeding your vine do not forget to water the aerial roots too as the vine as it lengthens will rely more on them.

When you keep mulching every year, is there a risk that the medium will build up, compact and go anaerobic?

Or is it the case that the terrestrial roots aren't of huge relevance when the aerial roots kick in?

[ThevanillaGrower]

Do not mulch heavy. I do a few centimeters and even then the materials I use tend to last for several years. I just give them a source of nutrients manly through liquid organic fertilizers. I mulch some of my larger vanillas very rarely (two to three years) as they are in large containers 12 inches or more in diameter. The drainage holes are large enough to allow material that is small to fall through so It helps avoid the accumulation of dense media and the potential anaerobic activity. For this to be very effective you must have a potting media that has less long strands of sphagnum moss as it holds the media together. More granular media tends to decompose to smaller granular pieces which, with good watering are more likely to flow out of the container when they get too small.

This is just based on my own observation with my potting media trials really.

---------- Post added at 06:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:08 PM ----------

Also, It is good to understand the rate at which different potting medium components degrade, so you will know when to add more. Here is a list of material listed in order from the shortest lived to the longest lived based on what I have seen:

1) Green/dry leaves and most green plant matter (few months, typically 6)
2) Bark (7 - 11 months)
3) Coconut husk pellets large -medium(24+ months)
4) sphagnum moss (24+ months)

*This is based on an yearly average temperature of approximately 18 degrees Celsius and partial shade. The media was allowed to dry at the surface on multiple occasions and given liquid organic fertilizer once every three months, influencing the decay rate of the materials used. Therefore, there may be some variation when used under the conditions provided by your growing environment.This information was gathered during the greater part of three years.*

I think that it is safe to expect that more watering, addition of liquid organic fertilizer and warm temperatures will sustain a faster decay rate of these materials.

[bil]

Originally Posted by ThevanillaGrower

Do not mulch heavy. I do a few centimeters and even then the materials I use tend to last for several years. I just give them a source of nutrients manly through liquid organic fertilizers. I mulch some of my larger vanillas very rarely (two to three years) as they are in large containers 12 inches or more in diameter. The drainage holes are large enough to allow material that is small to fall through so It helps avoid the accumulation of dense media and the potential anaerobic activity. For this to be very effective you must have a potting media that has less long strands of sphagnum moss as it holds the media together. More granular media tends to decompose to smaller granular pieces which, with good watering are more likely to flow out of the container when they get too small.

This is just based on my own observation with my potting media trials really.

---------- Post added at 06:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:08 PM ----------

Also, It is good to understand the rate at which different potting medium components degrade, so you will know when to add more. Here is a list of material listed in order from the shortest lived to the longest lived based on what I have seen:

1) Green/dry leaves and most green plant matter (few months, typically 6)
2) Bark (7 - 11 months)
3) Coconut husk pellets large -medium(24+ months)
4) sphagnum moss (24+ months)

*This is based on an yearly average temperature of approximately 18 degrees Celsius and partial shade. The media was allowed to dry at the surface on multiple occasions and given liquid organic fertilizer once every three months, influencing the decay rate of the materials used. Therefore, there may be some variation when used under the conditions provided by your growing environment.This information was gathered during the greater part of three years.*

I think that it is safe to expect that more watering, addition of liquid organic fertilizer and warm temperatures will sustain a faster decay rate of these materials.

Thanks for taking the time to post all that.

So, basically you use an open media like bark in a wide, shallow container with large holes in the bottom so that decaying media will wash thru with watering over time. So in effect, the media, mulch and so on is 'passing thru' the pot?

Interesting. I can imagine that it wouldn't be too easy to repot such a vine once it had any length on it.

A question. I spotted an article on vanilla that mentioned that when handling the new plant to be careful not to dislodge the roots from the medium.
Is there any reason they would say that?

[ThevanillaGrower]

As with many terrestrial orchids Vanilla does not like root disturbance. Unlike the roots of most epiphytic orchids and some terrestrial that have a fleshy outer layer composed of dead cells that allow moisture to be absorbed, vanilla produces root hairs that attach to the surrounding substrate. Therefore, moving them would damage the root hairs. The formation of root hairs forms mainly in the terrestrial roots of the plant but with sufficient moisture and a substrate to dig into on the support the aerial roots will begin to produce root hairs as well. I found the root system if disturbed would set the plant back a few months depending on the damage. Being capable of forming adventitious roots, the plant will eventually recover in even the worst of scenario (the dis-attachments of the root system).

[bil]

Excellent.. Thanks.

[ThevanillaGrower]

Your welcome.