Any success growing Vanda Douglas in NNE USA?

[Dr. Dave 4u]

Has anyone had any success growing Vanda Douglas in the climate of Northern Eastern USA? I am in Northern NJ with just 6 hours of morning-noon sun on an eastern facing balcony.

If so please share any tips, potting medium etc...

Seems it grows like a weed in the right southern, tropical type climates.

Thanks

[estación seca]

Look up posts from jcec1. He's even farther north than you.

[Leo H.]

People in Germany grow Vandas succesfully at 52° North, that is further north than any point of the continental US exept Alaska. Most growers use supplementary light to increase daylenght in winter from 7h to 10h. In case of the real Vandas with no (former) Asconcendas in their parentage (sorry, I have to catch up on Taxonomy), they are grown outside from late May to early September by many growers since they come from higher elevations (Especially species like V. alpina or cristata) and can take the cool summer nights when it heats up during daytime.

Growing Vandas that far north does come with a downside though: Vandas in locations that far north are more sensitive to deseases as they are weakened by the long dark winters somewhat. Also, they bloom less frequently (one to two times per year). You can definetly grow healthy Vandas in northern locations although it is a bit trickier and the results are not as spectacular as in the tropics. Also, since you live in NJ, all conditions are less extreme (longer winter days, warmer summer nights, more sun in general, ...)

EDIT: I totally forgot to look Vanda Douglas up. It seems to me that it is one of the former Papilionanthes. This does make a difference since those are warmer growers and should not be exposed to cool night temperatures.

[theorchidapartment]

I live in your neck of the woods and grow a Vanda hybrid indoors under a Jungle Dawn LED bar year round. It's potted in wine corks with a layer of Orchiata bark on top and watered daily. Media and roots are pretty much completely dry after 24h. Got the wine cork idea from Dustin of Here But Not who grows indoors with no humidification even further north than us.

I've separated the two Vandas that were communally potted and added the top layer of bark since making this post, but the larger of the two is putting out another spike as we speak!