detaching keikis from vanda

[Acharn]

I have a vanda I bought about six monthe ago. It's been growing new aerial roots really well since I bought it. I water it daily and fertilize weekly, and since the rainy season started I've moved it to where it's in direct sun in the afternoon. I was really worried about noontime sun, because I've had some dendrobiums burned, but there seems to be enough high haze during the rainy season that it hasn't burned. Two or three months ago I noticed a couple of keikis forming from the woody stem at the bottom, between a coupld of the aerial roots. The leaves are about four inches long now, and two of them have started growing their own roots.

I've been wondering. Should I detach the keikis and put them in their own baskets? If so, how long should I let the roots grow before I do? On another thread I saw a recommendation that they be left in place, and when they are old enough they will flower at the same time as the parent plant. Good idea?

[My Green Pets]

Hi!

I posted a thread in the Vanda forum not too long ago about my experience removing a piece of a large Vanda plant.

Here is the link: http://www.orchidboard.com/community...men-vanda.html

If you leave your Vanda alone, it will grow more and more offsets and become a large specimen with several growing points. If several of those bloom at once it will indeed be a beautiful show. However, the plant will become very heavy and rather difficult to move.

If I understand correctly and you live in Thailand, and you have a good place to keep this plant outside year round, then you could let it grow as big as it wants. If you'd like to keep it smaller and remove the new growths as they develop roots, go ahead and give it a shot. As long as the removed portions receive sufficient water, I don't see why they wouldn't take off on their own.

Good luck!

[Acharn]

Well, I guess I'll think about it a while longer. The parent plant is only about 16 inches high now, so it'll be a long time before it gets too heavy for convenience. I'm pretty sure it's a Vanda coerulea or a hybrid based on that. Can't think why I didn't take a picture of it when I bought it. I usually do. Right now all my monopodials are growing roots like crazy. I think they don't have any energy left for flowering.