Vanilla Planifolia not growing!!!

[Luksgloria]

I have a planifolia and it's not growing , i mean, it doesn't die and leaves are not falling or aging but I can't see any new growth for like 3 months. Is it normal for a Vanilla to have some dormency period or something like that? Winter here in my city is so warm, never below 55ºF at night, although the daylight is not so strong as usual. I've tried to repot it to a more humid setup (cause it was just attached to a plain coconut fiber board) and with some roots in contact to a more fertilized regular soil. Have I done right? How do people treat vanillas to make them grow and bloom well ? All my other orchids are growing nicely, not bloooming yet but getting ready for spring I think!
Thanks!!!!
Lucas

[flhiker]

As far as I can tell Yes. Mine stopped growing in the winter and picked back up in spring. I find this in the wild and this year we had a unusually cold winter and it seem to be the most effected orchids out there.

Mine has done much better when I placed it next to a Lilly pond and a couple of the roots stay in the water. not the plant or vine but just a couple roots. I recently lifted the roots out and they had many new roots growing from them. And the new vine is twice as thick as the original. seems very happy. I hear they won't flower till they get 20ft or so.

[Luksgloria]

Hi flhiker,
I see you're in South Florida, that's a lot like my weather . It really needs a lot of humidity in the roots like you said, then... I'm waiting till spring, let's see if it gets bigger!

[Junebug]

My vanilla stops growing during the cooler months. She grows rapidly and sends out aerial roots when the weather warms. My plant receives eastern sun exposure, grows on a trellis and is potted in African Violet mix. I keep the medium damp but not soggy, and mist her stems and leaves twice a day during the warmer months. Blooms are short-lived (about 24 hours) and occur after 3 or 4 years of growth. Pods will be produced only if the flowers are successfully pollinated.

[stefpix]

Does it have terrestrial roots in the AV mix? I had a cutting that was doing ok in a plastic soda bottle terrarium but once out all the leaves wiled - looks now t is growing a new growth but it is really slw and I keep int in a clear box on top of sphag in a net pot... horozontally. no basal roots.

[Luksgloria]

Mine is growing some new root now,look like it's going inside the regular soil vase. but no new leaf yet lol...

[vmijct]

I agree with yall. There is a dormancy period for vanillas in winter.

[Swamper]

David , do you know where I can buy one locally, not online?

[vmijct]

I've had some great buys on ebay. Just make sure you get a US seller and a large(2+ FT), well established plant plant with new growth.

[stefpix]

Oakhill had some really nice Vanilla in pots for 15$ . V planifolia and another. saw them at the Jersey Shore orchid show. if you buy from them shipping is 13 $ up to 50 $ in plants