Vanda Roots and Leave

[Becki687130]

Hi all. I’m a newer Vanda owner and have a concern with my roots and leaves.

Some context: I have two other vandas that I keep inside. They’re very healthy with newly forming roots and healthy leaves.

I recently (about 3 weeks) got the vanda pictured. It’s far too large to stay inside and since I live in South Florida I assumed based on everything I read that it would be quite happy with the sun and humidity outdoors.

Just in the past couple of days, the lower leaves started yellowing and drooping as pictured. A couple are splitting away as well. Now today, some of my roots that showed new growth, the tips have gone from green to brown.

I soak it daily in the morning and allow it to hang. It gets 1/4 strength fertilizer weekly. I’ve sprayed it with Neem twice to combat outdoor pests.

Hoping someone can tell me if this is normal or something to be concerned with. I want to get ahead of it if I need to course correct. Thanks!

[Roberta]

First, Welcome!
The damage in the 3rd picture looks a lot like sunburn. While Vandas are high-light plants, if it was kept in a greenhose by the vendor, and then got a blast of strong light and heat outside without being acclimated, that can happen. Moving it gradually to higher light can avoind that. Also, if you spread it with Neem (or any other oil) in the heat of the day, that can also cause burns on the leaves. (Sort of like a magnifying glass). Use oils only in the early morning, or near evening. And keep it off the roots. The roots look very good to me.

[estación seca]

Yes, that is heat damage, and not enough watering. If you keep it against that metal wall, it will be even hotter. Even with daily soaks there isn't enough time to take up enough water.

Full sun in Florida is too much for Vandas. Hybrids with a lot of the big Renanthera species in them, and plants with a lot of Papilionanthe ancestry (called terete Vandas or quarter-teretes) can take full sun, but not genus Vanda.

Have a look at the Motes Orchids Web site. They are in Homestead. If you sign up for the E-mail newsletter you will get a monthly article on what to do then in Florida. And watch Motes' YouTube videos about growing in Florida. He grows under shade cloth, but I don't recall the density. From my recollection he waters each hanging plant every morning with a water wand, twice for each row. Then he waters again in the afternoon on hot, dry days.

He also fertilizes a lot more than you are.

[gjanick2]

Hi. I live in Chaiyaphum Thailand, and I have the same "too hot" conditions as you. I just lost 3 vandas (true vandas) that couldn't take the intensity of the heat and light. I had a 50% sun cloth above them but they were sitting on the outside edge of the straw hut and the intense afternoon sun burnt them up and dried them up in one day.

We were above 40C to 45C (100F to 113F) every day for the last 45 days or so with no rain. Our lake/reservoir dried up and we had no running water in any house in our village.

So, I guess worrying about three lost plants is very unimportant.

Now we are starting to get a little rain and with that, lower temps too.

It is strange, many of my vandas look very healthy growing in the same area under the same conditions. Good luck!

[Becki687130]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Yes, that is heat damage, and not enough watering. If you keep it against that metal wall, it will be even hotter. Even with daily soaks there isn't enough time to take up enough water.

Full sun in Florida is too much for Vandas. Hybrids with a lot of the big Renanthera species in them, and plants with a lot of Papilionanthe ancestry (called terete Vandas or quarter-teretes) can take full sun, but not genus Vanda.

Have a look at the Motes Orchids Web site. They are in Homestead. If you sign up for the E-mail newsletter you will get a monthly article on what to do then in Florida. And watch Motes' YouTube videos about growing in Florida. He grows under shade cloth, but I don't recall the density. From my recollection he waters each hanging plant every morning with a water wand, twice for each row. Then he waters again in the afternoon on hot, dry days.

He also fertilizes a lot more than you are.

Thanks so much! I’ve subscribed for the monthly newsletter. Very helpful.

---------- Post added at 03:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:14 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Roberta

First, Welcome!
The damage in the 3rd picture looks a lot like sunburn. While Vandas are high-light plants, if it was kept in a greenhose by the vendor, and then got a blast of strong light and heat outside without being acclimated, that can happen. Moving it gradually to higher light can avoind that. Also, if you spread it with Neem (or any other oil) in the heat of the day, that can also cause burns on the leaves. (Sort of like a magnifying glass). Use oils only in the early morning, or near evening. And keep it off the roots. The roots look very good to me.

Thank you! I’ve moved to a shadier spot and increased to watering 2x daily.

I read that some recommend removing the damaged leaves as they say it can expose to infection/pests. Is that true? Don’t want to cut if not necessary.

[Roberta]

I don't see any reason to worry about infection from the heat-damaged parts of the leaves. They're crispy. I suggest leaving them, the plant will drop them when they're no longer needed, and not likely to invite any sort of pests. A cut has a lot more chance of introducing problems the dry leaves.

[Becki687130]

Hi again,

I moved it out of direct sun but the condition seems to be worsening. The stem of the leaves is continuing to brown upwards and the leaves are now splitting. Also, the flowers are shriveling and dying. Roots still looks great.

Any ideas? I’d be heartbroken to lose it.

[Roberta]

Losing flowers prematurely happens when conditions change abruptly. Doesn't hurt the plant. (Flowers will fade eventually anyway, it's not a sign of distress just force of nature) Sun damage won't go away, may appear to progress for a bit. (Like if you get a bruise, it may continue to become more prominent) Most important, keep it well hydrated. A bare-root plant dries out fast, you may need to soak it more than once a day.

[estación seca]

It's not getting enough water.