Help growing in baskets in a dry climate?

[amandarenee]

I have 4 vanda coeruleas that I have been trying to do vase culture on, but it is not working out for me. I keep having issues with water collecting on the ends of the roots and creating root rot. :P

I live in West Texas, where it is pretty dry and hot. In June I'm moving to the Phoenix area, where it is very dry and very hot. I just bought some cedar hanging baskets for the vandas, but I'm not sure if I should put some sort of medium in there to help hold in a little moisture/humidity, or if I should just let them go bare root and soak them every morning. I would really appreciate some input, even if you aren't in my growing region!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Try growing 2 individuals in a clear plastic pot with medium to large grade bark, and 2 individuals in the basket with medium to large grade bark.

See which ones do better.

After finding out which method works best, change over the ones that are not doing so well into the method that works the best.

[tucker85]

There's an old post here on Orchid Board from a couple of years ago called "secret for 365 days vanda bloom" posted by a member named Karate Kid. Even thought he's growing in Florida he has an interesting method for growing vandas that he broght from Thailand. He has a large plastic bucket, maybe five gallons. He puts some cement in the bottom of the bucket with a five foot high peice of wood in the center. He hangs his orchids on the wood. He says he waters once a day in the morning but that water builds up in the buckets because they're only half full of cement. My theory is that the water in the bucket below the plant probably supplies some humidity to the orchid. It's just a theory. I was thinking you could accomplish the same thing by hanging a basket close above a bucket of water. Do a search for his post. He has amazing results but, of course, it's already humid in Florida. Good luck.