I found the secret to growing vanilla planifolia [in Alabama!]

[CallmeFishmeal]

Good day,

Sometime during the winter, I posted that I needed help with reporting my vanilla bean that was in a hanging pot growing up a bamboo stick. I figured that being summer just started, I would give everyone an update. I repotted my vanilla bean on May 2, 2016 in a tall pot, round at the bottom. I first put about a third perlight at the bottom of the pot, followed by another 1/3 of sphagnum moss. Lastly, I topped that off with some bark off of a tree in my yard. I then got a medium sized PVC pipe and drilled holes going down one side of the pipe, about every 6 inches. I proceeded to fill the PVC pipe with some sphagnum moss and tiny pieces of bark. I took that pipe, then wrapped it in burlap, leaving enough unwrapped at the bottom that you will put in the pot. Wrap some string around the burlap so it will stay on the pipe. Proceed to shove the pipe to the bottom on one side of the pot, you may have to make your pot bottom heavy with some rocks so it doesn't tip over. Lastly, plant the vanilla bean in the middle of the pot and clamp it to the burlap with plant clamps.

Today my vanilla bean is doing amazing! I honestly didn't expect it to do this well. I keep it in my greenhouse with the door open and it has so many root. One root has completely wrapped around the burlap and buried itself into it. It has leaves coming up all over as well as aerial roots that I guide towards the pole. When I water the plants I spray the plant itself and fill the pole up with water so the holes in the pipe get the thick burlap wet on the inside. Hope this helps anyone who wants to grow a vanilla bean. I am in Alabama and haven't heard of anyone else around here having one, except in Georgia. Let me know what you think or if have any questions!

[Subrosa]

One question. What are you going to do when the burlap and the media inside the pipe break down?

[CallmeFishmeal]

Originally Posted by Subrosa

One question. What are you going to do when the burlap and the media inside the pipe break down?

I figured the holes I drilled will allow the breaking down of everything to come out and wash through the burlap, and I would have to fill it up with more fillings eventually. But I'm just going with the flow right now. I've never frown this before. Maybe it will just break down in the pot and help keep the roots humid and wet.

[bil]

It's a nice idea, carefully thought out. Well done.

[Subrosa]

It's working well, no doubt about that. I have a similar set up rattling around in my head, but it uses sections of terra cotta flue pipe filled with leca or possibly rock wool to avoid the problem of media breakdown. But I certainly wasn't thinking of anything anywhere near large enough to grow vanilla!

[No-Pro-mwa]

Wonderful idea.

[CallmeFishmeal]

Originally Posted by bil

It's a nice idea, carefully thought out. Well done.

Thank you

---------- Post added at 09:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:18 PM ----------

Originally Posted by No-Pro-mwa

Wonderful idea.

Thanks much

[CallmeFishmeal]

Originally Posted by Subrosa

It's working well, no doubt about that. I have a similar set up rattling around in my head, but it uses sections of terra cotta flue pipe filled with leca or possibly rock wool to avoid the problem of media breakdown. But I certainly wasn't thinking of anything anywhere near large enough to grow vanilla!

You will have to show some pics of your finished with what you are building. I know vanilla has to be pretty large to flower, and my pipe is only about 6 feet. I will prob just do the same to another pot and put lattice between them . I found some pics of my vanilla bean in its old pit if you are interested in seeing them.