New kid/Vanda roots

[LuaLu]

Hi! I'm a new kid! Happy to be here. I've been reading threads from you guys for a while now...I wouldn't really consider myself a novice, but I am a "self-taught" orchid grower so I definitely have some questions...especially on things that I really can't find a straight answer on.

Right now, I have a Vanda that I got at Lowes, it was my first vanda. It had a copious root system when I purchased it (although many turned out to be dead) and I keep it hanging on my porch in a slatted basket in the shade of a river birch. There are a few white roots but they are mostly brown and seem to be cracked looking...but the cracked light brown ones have green "branches" down at the end and they turn green when I water them...so they are obviously not dead although I have not seen any new growth in some time. The foliage doesn't look too bad, but I think it could be happier. Some of the leaves are cracked and it just doesn't look as vibrant as my others. I water twice a day with an atomizer until the roots turn green and fertilize twice a week, weakly, with Schultz high nitrogen and rotate in high P every 3 weeks or so.

If anyone has any thoughts I would LOVE to hear them! Thanks!

[quiltingwacko]

I don't know what kind of vanda you have but mine like lots of water and good drainage. What do you have it planted in, fir bark or ? I would think it needs more than atomizing though I am sure it enjoys that. Mine are in coconut husk and a coconut pot too. I water every day with about a half cup of water per plant. They sit on a tray with gravel in it and it usually has water standing in it. However, I have to grow indoors.

[LuaLu]

I just have it in a slatted basket...no media. It is pretty humid here and since it's outside I don't think it needs a humidity tray. Should I put something in the slatted basket around the roots to help hold in moisture?

[orchidexpress]

I do not think you should fertilize it twice a week. Please cut back to once a week. Whenever you fertilize weekly, the motto is 'weekly-weakly'
Get some KLN...it puts roots on a shovel. It's a Duna-Gro Product.