Stressing of Vanilla plant

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Maru777

That is hilarious. A truly flat-leaved (planifolia) vanilla. I have 2 vanillas but I need a cat!

haha Maru! I'll remember to take pics of those flat leaves and upload later.

[yug]

Here's photos to establish my 'bonadfides' as someone who actually grows the vine. I've had these for years. Every so often I have to trim the excess and donate to an interested fellow orchid grower. I've no idea how long they might be. I lived across the street from my present address, and originally had it in 1 pot, but it escaped and took over the back fence. When we moved, I took it down, and kept three large pieces (about 10 ft each), and re-started them in their current pots. The one on the left (top photo) keeps trying to escape the cage. These are not straight Van. planifolia, it is a primary hybrid with Van. bahiaensis.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

haha Maru! I'll remember to take pics of those flat leaves and upload later.

This link here shows gingercat sleeping on the vanilla orchid leaves.

And the result ----- flattened leaves - attached pic hehe

[AU77]

The tomato cage is an interesting idea. I have two vanilla Orchid plants and have been trying to decide on a trellis. The longest is about six inches. The shorter one is about three.

[yug]

Well, it has the capacity to get pretty big if you make it happy. It all depends on how large you want it to grow. It will adapt to different trellis sizes. If you grew it on the side of a tree, it will continue to grow until it reaches the top. Those that grow it for the beans use either a "T" shaped pole about 6 feet high, or small trees to loop the vine over a few times so the 'beans' are not too high to reach.

[Phalaenoptics]

I just want to say, thank you for your cat @SP and this adorable method of "stressing" the vanilla plant. He is really trying to help!

I wonder if one could also stress the vanilla plant by shouting mean words at it 😂 "Flower, damn you, you [expletive] 🤬!!"

[Ben_in_North_FLA]

Grew vanilla planifolia in corner of greenhouse, not paying attention to it, it climbed up one of the 4x4 wood posts of shadehouse and then snaked out of it into a wall of areca palms behind it and started blooming once it went horizontal after the climb... just a novelty plant as too much work to get viable vanilla pods cured for use.
I believe the trick is to let it climb 6-8 feet and then route it horizontally and flowers should follow after that. If you want a seed pod once you get a flower out , you have 1 day to hand pollinate with a toothpick after flower opens up.