Vanilla 'chid leaves are mighty small on this one...

[peeper]

Hello! I'm wondering... is it something that I did or did not do with these two orchids? The origional cuttings that I got from a local orchid nursery have rooted well and started to vine out, one rather rapidly, the other at a slower rate. Both of them have remarkably smaller leaves than the origional cuttings. Are they missing something that I'm unaware of? Here are pics...





So, what's goin on? Could it be lighting? It's rather dim in that room, no direct light, but very bright during the day. Everytime I water it another sprout happens and another leaf emerges...

[Junebug]

Mine grows well outdoors exposed to S/SW sunlight filtered through a trellis. They grow roots along the vine and respond well if the entire length of the vine is misted at least twice a day. The potted roots need to remain damp but not soggy. You'll need a trellis or something to wrap the vines on. They grow very rapidly.

[peeper]

Is that affecting the leaf size you think? I moved them both to S/SW facing windows... I even used a compass lol!

[Junebug]

Originally Posted by peeper

Is that affecting the leaf size you think? I moved them both to S/SW facing windows... I even used a compass lol!

Insufficient sunlight can result in stunted leave size and spindly growth. Please note that my vanilla's exposure is filtered through a trellis. I wouldn't want you to burn your plant by abruptly placing her in the direct path of bright unfiltered light. Make sure you have enough space allocated for future growth. Three years ago my vanilla was an 8" cutting. Now she's well over 30' long. There is such a mass of vines that I can't even measure her anymore.

[peeper]

I didn't place her Right in a window, there are shutters on the windows. It's in the same room it was in, just a little closer to the window. I think it shouldn't be terribly that much brighter. I will watch it closely.

[Junebug]

Originally Posted by peeper

I didn't place her Right in a window, there are shutters on the windows. It's in the same room it was in, just a little closer to the window. I think it shouldn't be terribly that much brighter. I will watch it closely.

Shutters are good. I think you'll see some improvement soon. When it gets cold I bring my vanilla indoors and place her right up against a shuttered window facing west.

[glengary54]

Peeper - I think there are a couple of things that are contributing to the smaller leaves on your vanilla. The original cutting was rather small and vanilla doesn't have much of a root system in the pot to support large new growth. I would expect that the new growth would be smaller until the new growth grow some additional roots and leaves, which it has. Growing it indoors is your biggest problem, they like very high humidity and copius amounts of water on there aerial roots. It is not a plant that I would grow indoors except to protect it from cold weather in the winter.

[Leafmite]

I have a vanilla which spends the summer outdoors and the winter indoors. I give it the same light as I give my cattleyas. As I don't have a tropical environment, I provide the aerial roots with a place to bury themselves so they don't dry out and can support the vine as I figure that the more roots, the healthier the plant will be. I see that these roots are also fertilized.
Good luck,
Leafmite

[Eyebabe]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

I have a vanilla which spends the summer outdoors and the winter indoors. I give it the same light as I give my cattleyas. As I don't have a tropical environment, I provide the aerial roots with a place to bury themselves so they don't dry out and can support the vine as I figure that the more roots, the healthier the plant will be. I see that these roots are also fertilized.
Good luck,
Leafmite

How do you keep the growth manageable so that the plant can be transported back and forth each season?

[peeper]

Originally Posted by glengary54

Peeper - I think there are a couple of things that are contributing to the smaller leaves on your vanilla. The original cutting was rather small and vanilla doesn't have much of a root system in the pot to support large new growth. I would expect that the new growth would be smaller until the new growth grow some additional roots and leaves, which it has. Growing it indoors is your biggest problem, they like very high humidity and copius amounts of water on there aerial roots. It is not a plant that I would grow indoors except to protect it from cold weather in the winter.

Hmmm... Since I'm in texas the humidity outside is pretty thick, I will be moving them out by my Rehab Orchids today. I had read that they needed very filtered and humid conditions, and preffered to be grown inside. Go figure. I thank you all, outside they go!