My First Vanda

[nubiesan]

I purchased a vanda the other day; I have a collection of phalanopsis, dendrobiums, and cattleyas, but this is the first vanda.
I have seen conflicting advice about the care of these plants and don't know where to start.

I am in Southwest Florida; all my other orchids live outside on the lanai under the pool cage so the sunlight is filtered. The humidity is usually pretty high; we water them once a week by soaking for a few hours and fertilize maybe once a month.

I see that vandas don't like cold weather; we bring them all in once the forecast is for below 50 degrees. Are the vandas pickier?

The others are in potting medium. Should the vanda go in that as well or have the roots exposed in one of those slatted hanging baskets?

Are the light requirements closer to a cattleya or phalanopsis? These are in different areas on the lanai with the cattleyas in a place where they have more sunlight for a longer time.

Do they really need daily watering? Should they be misted or drenched?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Ray]

In my experience, vandas prefer the hot conditions phalaenopsis do, and even more light than cattleyas. I used to have a lot of them - now only 2 - but I grow them in full sun here in NC, after transitioning them to it after a winter indoors.

I prefer to keep them bare-root in baskets, and water them daily. They don't have the water storage capacity that other orchids do, and seem to prefer their roots to be very airy, so how you accomplish that is up to you.

[estación seca]

Motes Orchids is in Homestead, Florida. In his book Martin Motes says they water their Vandas every single morning of the year when it isn't raining, and frequently a second time in early afternoon on hot dry days. You can find his videos on YouTube, including one of him watering. He uses a water wand and completely drenches each plant in the row. Then he goes back and drenches them again to ensure the roots are completely, thoroughly soaking wet.

They try to keep plants above 55 F / 13C. A lot of Vandas will drop most of their leaves if they get to 50 F / 10C.

If you go to the Motes Orchids Web site you can sign up for their E-mail newsletter. They send out information each month about what to do with orchids that month in Florida, including Vandas.