Vanda Babies

[dannym4243]

Hi Guys and Gals,
OK I got myself in trouble... Again! I just received 25 baby vandas and don't know what to do with them. I mean should I pot them up or hang them up. They are about 5-6 inches tall and really good root system. Any advice out there? Sure would like to hear something from someone.
Thanks
Danny Medina

[Leafmite]

It probably depends on your climate. I have my three vandas (a noID and two coerulescens) and one aerides in plastic vanda baskets with lava rock. They seem happy with this set up but I have to spray the roots sticking out of the baskets twice a day, sometimes. Someone who grows more vandas can probably give you better advice.
Leafmite

[Gage]

I have a few Vanda seedlings, and I am currently growing them with their roots in mason jars. You can look at posts on "vase culture" for more details and opinions. I have them in an east window. They get their roots misted well every morning, and a good soak in fertilizer once a week or so for a couple of hours. They are growing and love it! Just make sure the roots don't touch the bottom of the jar and you pour out the water after misting the roots. If they have enough roots you could go ahead and put them in baskets with charcoal, or hydroton, or just some Spanish moss hanging for extended humidity. My two cents.

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I have many vanda seedlings and mostly they are in the vases and I water them twice a day:


If they are too small for the vase or divisions with not much roots - I have them in the plastic vanda baskets with a small handful of coconut husk chips and I mist the chc every day :


To handle those baskets easier I often drop them into square plastic pots of the same size, they fit my windowsill perfectly:

Also since you have 25 of them you could do something like this:

This is picture of vanda pumila when I received it.
Mount is hanged against the window and I mist it every morning, each of the plants now grows nice new thick roots, even the smallest one.

[tucker85]

Vandas are good orchids for someone who is retired or works out of the home because they require more attention than orchids with psuedobulbs. I grow my vandas in hanging baskets with no medium but they started growing better for me last year when I retired and was here to mist them once or twice a day. If you're working every day you may need to find some method of growing them that provides humidity or moisture while you're away. Good luck.

[Vanda lover]

I was also going to suggest vase culture. It works very well for seedlings. It doesn't matter if the roots touch the bottom of the vase as long as they aren't sitting in water. Many people have adult vandas that completely fill the vase. My vascos love it.