Fusarium in vandas. Diagnosis and management?

[Ben_in_North_FLA]

just a couple of more cents from long time vanda growing in South Florida.... Under watered vandas will ALWAYS start dropping the older leaves (at bottom of plant). Plant will drop leaves to compensate for lack of moisture and will continue to do so until it reaches the balance of water intake and amount of leaves that the reduced water can support. This frequent phenomenon among new vanda growers generates what we call "palm trees". Imagine a 2 foot tall vanda with 3 pairs of leaves at the top, a long bare trunk and roots at the bottom of the plant, roots will be mostly dried and dead. These palm trees got that way because of not enough moisture,

The point being that vanda DO NOT DROP leaves from lack of water from their middle section unless there is a problem in that area.