Vanda/Neofinetia in pots

[Atalah]

I found several pictures of dwarfish vanda types (neofinetia mostly) which are kept in a pot. I'm not allowed to include an image; a description will have to do. If you type neofinetia in Google images you'll find some examples.

When I look at the pictures I think I see the roots imbedded with very loose spaghnum only. Some pots also contain openings on the side, but certainly not all of them.

My question is: how do they do that? The usual advise is to keep them bare rooted. Has anyone tried this? Is putting them in a pot something temporary, for exhibition only?

[nutgirl]

Not all vanda types are grown bareroot. Neofinitias are usually potted either in sphagnum moss or bark or other mediums.


Maureen

[Raqsharqi]

My neofinetia came to me potted in a loose bark mix, and I just left it there as it seemed to be happy. I did read a bit on another orchid board with instructions on how to wrap the moss around the roots though. That might give you what you want to know. It is a pretty complex manner of planting, so no, it isn't likely to be something done for show only.

[PaphMadMan]

Growing Neofinetia in a wrapped mound of sphagnum is a traditional method going back hundreds of years. They come from a very different climate and conditions than most Vanda relatives. Hybrids might do well either way.

[Atalah]

@Raqsharqi,
Thx. For some reason all of this slipped my attention. Now I look for it it is actually easy to find.

@PaphMadMan, I have two hybrids: ascofinetia twinkle. So that should work too. I also have some japanese pots so I think I'm gonna try (with one). I ain't got mine for long but they seem to do fine in a vase so maybe I try with just one to begin with.

@Nutgirl, my hybrids came in a plastic vanda basket, but... maybe that's because they're hybrids.

[WhiteRabbit]

In my experience, Neos are extremely easygoing. I have, and do, grow them in sphag (both in plastic or clay pots), coconut husk chips (plastic or clay pots), fine bark mix (plastic pot), and mounted with a very small bit of sphag.

I also have, and do, grow Neostylis in sphag, or chc in clay pots, as well as medium fir bark in a plastic pot.

I do also have a Vanda in medium fir bark in a plastic pot, and one in a clay pot.

[Fairorchids]

In Asia (primarily Thailand) Vandas are grown in empty baskets, since they get a lot of rain part of the year. During the drier months they have to water the plants a lot.

You can readily grow Vandas in pots or baskets with either bark or spaghnum/bark mix; aslong as you adjust your watering schedule accordingly. They should be watered like Paphs (= before they dry out).

I have some 80-100 Vandaceous plants grown that way, all in net pots or baskets. In winter I only water them once a week.

[Atzau]

Originally Posted by Atalah

When I look at the pictures I think I see the roots imbedded with very loose spaghnum only. Some pots also contain openings on the side, but certainly not all of them.

My question is: how do they do that? The usual advise is to keep them bare rooted. Has anyone tried this? Is putting them in a pot something temporary, for exhibition only?

I got one of these from my sister for Christmas. The pots that these at grown in generally have a large hole in the bottom where the sphag is "indented" in... So there's lots of drainage and i believe most of the roots are embedded in the sphag mound on top of the pot so there's lots of air flow...

[Atalah]

The past days I've spent at making two pots suitable for neofinetia's and lookalikes. I'm quite pleased with the results. Thank you all for your advise, comments and experience. It really helps