Vandas - pot or basket?

[Coconutmuffn]

Hello all, I received 3 new vandas in a pot luck shipment this week. One was in a basket with a couple pieces of charcoal in the bottom, and the other 2 were in 2.5" pots (picture).

I've never had vandas before so I have some newbie questions:

Do the potted vandas need to be put into baskets?

How much media should be in the basket plant? More than ~3 quarter-sized charcoal pieces?

Thank you in advance for any help!!

[dounoharm]

i keep my baby vandas in small 2" clay pots with sphagnum to hold them in, and hang them from a chain with single pot hangers....then when they get bigger, i tuck the pot and all in a 4" basket with a couple chunks of lava rock to hold it still....

[britbloke]

I have always put my small Vandas into baskets. Sometimes a plastic basket or even a net pot, but usually a 4" teak basket, which they seem to prefer. I add a couple of large pieces of lava rock or an odd piece of charcoal although they are happy enough with nothing added, as long as they are securely tied into the basket.

[orchidcub]

I agree with Dounoharm. I keep them in Baskets with sphagnum but grow them with Lava Rocks and sometimes even chunks of Clay Pots to keep them held down. You need to choose the best medium to help adapt to your watering methods. Sphagnum is great, especially New Zealand. Just remember to flush when fertilizing.

[tucker85]

I grow mine in a wood basket and no medium. I wire the plant right to the wood. The roots seem to attach themselves to wood better than plastic. Be warned though, in a bare wood basket it's best to water them every morning. For that reason vandas are a lot more work than other orchids.

[kaarthiik]

My Vandas are all in hanging basket without any medium at all the basket is made of plastic, not wood, and they are doing good.

I heard Vandas like there roots to be hanging freely.
Few of my Vandas have the roots of length around 40 Inches..

I am not sure about the medium, I want to give a try, as the summer is approaching.
Its impossible for me to get a lava rock! I can order Sphagaum Moss or Charcoal.
Please provide inputs..

[BobInBonita]

Mine also are in baskets without any medium, but that may not be right for you.

Vandas NEED to dry quickly between waterings in my opinion, but need frequent waterings (or rain) during growing season. Growing with medium slows the drying, especially if you live in a high humidity area. Personally, I would only use bark based media if I were in a pretty dry area. I would only use sphagnum if I were in northern Minnesota during winter and the relative humidity was really low in the growing area., but that's just my opinion.

The medium you choose affects the care you have to give. Baskets mean more frequent watering, adding a few pieces of lava or charcoal doesn't affect watering much except giving more substrate for the roots to grow on. Bark mix decreases the frequency of watering. Sphagnum will decrease it further, but you really have to watch for overwatering and rot.

When you see a Vanda, a typical characteristic is the long hanging roots. Whatever medium you choose (if any), the Vanda will leave behind quickly (if it's happy). You then have a dilema. You have long aerial roots hanging down that need frequent watering, and you have the roots in the basket that need less water because of the medium surrounding them. How will you handle that when it happens.

You can see from the variety of answers you have gotten, that many of us grow differently, and all with enough success to recommend "our way". Now you have to pick "your way" and learn..

[RJSquirrel]

vandas need lots of humidity fresh air bright light..you can put them in what you will as long as you have plenty of all 3 of the above

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

If where you are growing them is too dry, then it should be grown in a pot.

If there is sufficient humidity then it can be grown mounted or in a basket.

The key is humidity. Humidity of 60% - 80% is sufficient. Keep in mind that the humidity of the subtropical and tropical areas where these Vandas come from have a fair amount of humidity.

Mine are in clear plastic pots in medium to large wood chips, and grown outdoors all year round (I've got ones that can tolerate the cooler climate here in Southern California). The humidity here can be too low at times.

Keep in mind where some of the people who have answered your questions are living, where they're growing them (greenhouse? no greenhouse?), and what the humidity is like there.

How often you water or are able to water must also be taken into consideration. If growing them mounted or in a basket, you need to water them more often than if you grew them in a pot - depending on the kind of potting media you have in the pot or the basket, of course.

I highly recommend against growing them in Sphagnum moss, there is a high probability that the moss may be too acidic in pH or may rot the roots out due to retaining too much moisture for too long.

[kaarthiik]

Philip,

Thanks for your reply.

My hygrometer reads the humidity between 50 to 80 over the different times of the day. Night Humidity is around 80%.

I made arrangements like having a small fountain, sponge and bricks to maintain Humidity, I put my Vandas, Catleyas (2) Hanging side by side on a wooden log.

And My Phals are on Stand near to Vandas and Cats

I keep them in east part of my house (terrace), and avoiding direct sun all times.

Suggest me if I am not doing correct..