my first Vanda - advice needed - Page 2 - Orchid Board

stefpix · #11 10-08-2009, 06:37 PM

PS
I was wondering if I can keep them hanging as I do now and if i go away put them in a vase with clay pellets [hydroton] and a 2/ 3 inches of water?

Hirschy · #12 10-08-2009, 10:22 PM

stefpix, do u have pictures of these new plants! very exciting...

from my experience, vandas like to have hanging roots... the ones that i have seen get HUGE are all with free hanging roots. also a plus is that when the roots hang free there is little chance of over-watering..

stefpix · #13 10-08-2009, 10:36 PM

yeah i like them to be hanging - hope it is enough light for them all. I think the ones i got from smileys had really good ligt. a catlleya division has really nice pale green leaves.

I am in brooklyn ny southern exposure window but with light a bit filtered by a tree.

anyway re vandas
my issue is if i go away a couple of weeks -
if i leave the roots in a glass vase wit 1 or 2 " of water would be ok or would they rot?

in water it is not as wet medium... people grow cattleyas in water.
stefano
ps the last 3 images are from the conservatory at the brooklyn botanic garden!

Hirschy · #14 10-09-2009, 01:07 AM

wooow, love the setup... im so affraid to have to face moving because i have no idea what to do if i had to bring my vandas inside!

thats a whooole new investment of lights and humidifiers!...

i have no idea about them sitting in water... i would worry about root rot... i guess using a moss would choke them (???)... any nursery around you?? i found a place by me that lets u drop ur plants off and only charges something like $1 a day per plant.....

hmm i was just thinking... maybe a plastic bag tied off around the roots?? so the roots stay somewhat moist??... have NO idea if this would cause root rot so dont try it without a second opinion!!!

s.kallima · #15 10-09-2009, 01:32 AM

Seamonkey, it is not so silly to get a Vanda in Vancouver ... I have had one for a year and it is doing fine

I got it for free because it was 'dying' in the corner of a flower department in the grocery store. By dying, I mean it was just no longer in bloom, and the roots were starting to be really dry because of no care...

The first few months, I kept it hanging in front of a north window, giving it a bath 30 minutes every 2 days in water + fertilizer (concentration N 150 PPM), and spraying it every day (leaves and roots). It took a few weeks to start showing signs of growth (but it was winter, so not so warm in my place). Then a new leaf came out, then another, then the roots started to grow (it was spring then). For the summer, I moved it to a south east facing window, and put it in a big vase with live sphagnum moss in the bottom (there is no water in the vase, just the moss growing, and only the roots fit in the vase, the rest of the plant is above the rim, suspended by a wire. Since then, it started to grow a lot of new roots, and most of the old ones grew longer. 2 keiki started to grow at the base of the plant, they are now getting bigger.
And finally a spike started to grow a month and half ago, and it is currently growing 6 big flower buds on the spike !!!

Hope you find a good way to grow yours ! I think your western exposure could be enough (unless you have a big tree in front !!!)

stefpix · #16 10-09-2009, 02:39 AM

i like the idea of the sphagnum and vase. do you just use distilled water for live sphagnum? would drops of fertilized water from the vanda roots kill it?

anyway where do you get live sphagnum?
i have some carnivorous plants i may want to grow in some live sphagnum, as long as it does not outgrow and suffocate them...
somehow seems easier to water Vandas than potted Phalaenopsis and Cattleyas. you just need to do it everyday...

I wake up and i can do it while waiting for the coffee to brew on the stove.

wonder if heavy handed misting is enough or the soaking in the bucket has to be done more than once a week

cambridgestephen · #17 10-09-2009, 05:15 AM

The thinner roots tend to die but the thicker ones like it and tend to curl around the outside of the media in the pot where they can get light, they do not need to be heavily watered or root rot will ocurr

Suresh Kalyanpur · #18 10-09-2009, 08:08 AM

You are absolutely right, vandas like their roots exposed as they demand a lot of air circulation. All my vandas are in insmall baskets without any medium in them - this means you need to water themeveryday, either misting or a good dunking.

cambridgestephen · #19 10-09-2009, 09:21 AM

I find clay works better than bark as it is easier to get it part wet, bark gets a bit too sodden and can kill the roots, they seem to like the clay beads and roots stick to them, I believe it helps keep the air circulating as well, and you can go on holiday and not water them for a week to two without them drying out too much, also you don't need to keep the humidity up, which can be hard inside the house. I often put a small basket inside the pot, so the air circulates around and underneath the basket inside the clear pot, and put a bit of moss in the bottom to provide humidity.

Brenda Aarts · #20 10-09-2009, 10:24 AM

A little bit of an unorthodox set up, but my vandas are hanging over my jacuzzi tub in my bathroom. Makes for very easy watering/misting. I mist 1 or 2 times a day and soak once a week in water & fert for about 30 mins or so each. The windows are a SW exposure, so lots of afternoon sun for them. Not everyone likes Vandas in their bathrooms, but I am aware of a few other "nuts" that do. It works for me anyways. Good luck.