Leaf tips turning black on my Vanda

[PleuroPal]

I would post pics, but I've already clipped the affected areas off. This plant is mounted on a piece of driftwood and hung in a relatively sunny NW facing window. Any ideas on what may be causing the discoloration? Thanks in advance for the help!

Also, there is not yet a really substantial root system on the plant. Would it help to put it into a pot for a while until it's more well-established and then re-mount it or put it in a vanda basket?

Ray

P.S. Oh yeah, one more bit of info: I recently detected some new growth appearing at the base of a couple of leaves. Not sure yet if they're spikes or new roots (I'm thinking spike), but that makes me not want to muck with it right now - afraid it will get angry and not bloom. (And this would be it's first.)

[PleuroPal]

Hi again,

Anybody home? I guess I hadn't actually removed all of the affected area and was able to get a couple of pics. Hopefully this will help identify the nature of my problem.
I very much appreciate any input provided.

Thanks,
Ray

[nenella]

I am not an 'expert' but to me it looks like a definite case of sunburn!
Looks 'round' shaped as though it was drops of water on the leaves which with the sun coming in through the glass in the window burnt the leaves.
I would try and put it a bit further back from the window about 50cms.(one and a half foot from the window) I have mine in front of a west facing window with a net curtain 'protecting' it...

[PleuroPal]

nenella,

Thanks for the tip. One thing you can't see from the pics because I've already clipped the ends off, is the "blackness" starting at the leaf tip and working its way down. Might this be the same problem, or something different?

[nenella]

Were the bits of the leaves that are affected a yellow colour first & then turned black?
What do they feel like? Yellow bits & black bits?
dry/mushy/soft/crispy? How long ago did the leaves start discolouring?

[PleuroPal]

Usually not yellow first. Feel dry/crispy. Could it be too many dissolved salts in the water? My tap water is not very good.

[nenella]

Sorry, I can't really help further as am no expert on vandas & have no idea what your tap water or your growing zone etc is like? I'm sure someone with more experience will soon chip in. All I can suggest is that you keep on closely watching it to see how the colour difiguration happens & in what pattern it is happening.
By the way the root system it has at the moment looks ok to me. If it were mine I would give it a soak in a rooting hormone solution to promote more root growth.

[PleuroPal]

Thanks again

[justatypn]

Ray, I do believe Nenella is right in respect to it being sunburn. It's not only in the summer for those leaves to burn. The first photo appears to be hanging along a window which would cause a reflect not to mention heat coming through would be added to the element. Vanda's like a high degree of light; your vanda appears to be a strap leaf type and they prefer protection during the midday hours. With that, good luck, my luck with vanda's indoors just not happenin'

[PleuroPal]

Thank you Cheryl,

There has been no direct sunlight through that window for at least six months, but that will be changing soon. But come to think of it, I've been moving it around a lot trying to find it's happy place and for a while this winter I had it in a south facing window that did receive a lot of light in the mid-morning to mid-day hours, so maybe that is it. The "roundness" of the spots does seem consistent with water droplets magnifying the light, as nanella suggested.

I am encouraged by what appear to be two spikes emerging. Nothing like the excitement of anticipating the first blooms of a plant you've had for a while! Hopefully I'll have reason to post some awesome pictures in the coming months.

BTW, this is my Vascostylis Pine Rivers 'Redland Sky'