Soaking vandas - Page 2 - Orchid Board

vmax3000 · #11 03-23-2008, 05:47 PM

Hi guys. Beautiful pic of Mikasa! On my Tiptum velvet vanda, I mist it with a dilute fertilizer solution everytime I mist. I have one of those pump jugs I got at a local big box and I keep a ready mix of dyna gro/dyna bloom. I mix it up once a month and then, just fill with straight water as I use the solution up. At the beginning of next month, I will start with another mix. I mix it up about 1/2 to 1/4 strength. I worry about oversalting my plants. Thus far, it has worked well. I got two huge spikes off the vanda late last spring. We'll see this spring

!

shams · #12 03-23-2008, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grandma M

I have a question.

How do you manage to soak your vandas? Mine have long roots which would be damaged if I set them in a pail. I can only soak a couple of them which do not have long roots. PLEASE, tell me. I would like to soak mine if I knew of a way without damaging anything.

All of mine are still juvenile (but will produce blooms!

) so the roots aren't terribly long. I can soak them in the kitchen sink.

floridaplantlady · #13 03-25-2008, 08:53 PM

I just got my first vanda about 3 weeks agao. So what I gather is they need food/fertilizer everyday. If I feed them everyday am I to assume I am helping them to hold onto the flowers it already has. I have been spraying it everyday with weak fertilizer. But nothing extensive. I have looked up and printed info one the one's I have, but I don't think I'll ever remember the name's of all 12 that I have. So i'll just enjoy what i have. Feed them, chat with them (of course), and enjoy them.

vmax3000 · #14 03-26-2008, 12:22 AM

If the planet doesn't "soak" it's vanda population, why then do we? Just wondering.

Ray · #15 03-26-2008, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vmax3000

If the planet doesn't "soak" it's vanda population, why then do we? Just wondering.

Because in nature, during the rainy season, the plants get watered for as much as 22 hours a day for months on end. I think a periodic soaking is a reasonable substitute.

vmax3000 · #16 03-26-2008, 09:45 AM

Really? Sounds like monsoon season in Asia. As I have heard others mention, the roots on my plant are long enough that soaking does risk damaging the plant's condition. Suggestions? Seriously, a five gallon bucket wouldn't be large enough..

Ray · #17 03-26-2008, 01:15 PM

Personally, I use a "fine mist" Dramm spray head to thoroughly wet the long, dangling roots without resorting to a dunk.

patrickj · #18 03-27-2008, 02:11 AM

I think the goal for growing anything outside of the wild (well at least for me) is to give it unnaturally perfect growing conditions giving the plant every opportunity to succeed.

I think the other phrase of this is "loving plants to death" lol.

Yeah, check him out soaking.

I really don't see myself loving it to death, but I am pretty excited to see my blue flowers in a few weeks!

Just picked up a yellow vanda from a big box today.

Grandma M · #19 03-27-2008, 07:52 AM

I sure wish the big box stores here sold vandas. It is so nice if you can see the plant first. All we ever get is phals.

vmax3000 · #20 03-27-2008, 09:28 AM

OHHH Patrick, that vanda is so pretty

..... I have been monitoring mine for a spike. It puts off several spikes of huge white blossoms with a soft pink splash around the lip....stunning. Grandma, a good way to see many of the plants in bloom is to check out Jay Pfahl's site: Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia. It's one of my favorites when I am researching a potential candidate for addition to my greenhouse collection!