I'd like to pot my new Vanda tessellata, what's the best way?

[Wilder]

Hi orchidboard!

It's been a while since my last post. Back then, I think I was just shy of 5 or 6 orchids, and now my collection stands at a proud 18!

The latest addition is a Vanda tessellata seedling; it just arrived in the mail today. At first glance, it looks to be in exceptionally good condition- turgid, light green leaves with firm, healthy-looking roots. It is currently potted around styrofoam in a teensy germination chamber.

I know most Vandas are typically grown bare-rooted, but I do know that some growers and hobbyists manage to make them thrive in some kind of potting material. I'd like to pot it since I don't have the time to tend to it everyday. This summer is also expected to be slightly drier than usual with humidity skirting around 50%. Perhaps potting might help it withstand the onslaught?

Have any of you had luck with potting your Vandas? If so, what medium did you use? How often did you end up needing to water it?

[Ray]

You might consider baskets of very coarse bark or large LECA, so the roots get a LOT of air flow. Then let your ambient conditions dictate the watering frequency.

[Wilder]

Originally Posted by Ray

You might consider baskets of very coarse bark or large LECA, so the roots get a LOT of air flow. Then let your ambient conditions dictate the watering frequency.

Thank you! Would big coconut husk chunks work? I have a bunch of them sitting around. They've worked wonders for all my Oncidiums, Tolumnias and Dendrobiums.

[WaterWitchin]

As always, a part of it depends on YOUR particular climate, culture, etc. If you have Tolumnia that do well with your culture using big coconut chunk husks, your Vanda will likely also do well. They both like to get wet often and dry quickly. Plus the bonus that you're used to growing them that way, so you already know what to look for.

[Wilder]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

As always, a part of it depends on YOUR particular climate, culture, etc. If you have Tolumnia that do well with your culture using big coconut chunk husks, your Vanda will likely also do well. They both like to get wet often and dry quickly. Plus the bonus that you're used to growing them that way, so you already know what to look for.

Very insightful as always, thank you! I think I'll go in for coconut husk chips then. All 6 of my Tolumnia are thriving in them!

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by Wilder

Very insightful as always, thank you! I think I'll go in for coconut husk chips then. All 6 of my Tolumnia are thriving in them!

I would really like to see a couple of pictures of those Tolumnia potted in the coco husk chips!

[DirtyCoconuts]

Me too!

[Wilder]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

I would really like to see a couple of pictures of those Tolumnia potted in the coco husk chips!

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

Me too!

Sure thing, here you go! They're all potted slightly differently. I have them all by one of my southern windows in my kitchen along with an Oncidium twinkle red girl (photo 1).
My first two are in black, square plastic pots that I made a million holes in (photos 6, 7). These two were my first. I had them in pumice earlier and they just didn't like it one bit. After putting them in a mix of cocohusk and sphagnum, they've rooted very firmly.
Two of them (the largest of them all) are potted directly in cocohusk and sphagnum in large-ish terracotta pots, whereas the remaining two are still in their germination chambers (photos 2, 3). The roots had grown firmly around the plastic pots and there was no way I could remove them without killing all the roots (photo 4). So I just placed the whole chamber into terracotta pots.
From the photos, it might look as though the ones in terracotta might not get any ventilation, but they're all pretty airy from the top. I've had all Tolumnia this way since January and they look happy to me.
Bonus photo (photo 5) of most of my orchids last Sunday during fertilising!

[WaterWitchin]

Interesting. What is your humidity like? How often do you water and how do you water, i.e., water until it drains through bottom, soak, spray? I'm always looking for a new way to do Tolumnia. Some have been more successful than others. I'm gonna try to remember to have you send updated photos in about six or eight months. "Since January" isn't a long enough time period for me to see how they do. I don't mean that in an offensive way at all. Just really interested in longer term to see how they do potted that way.

[Wilder]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

Interesting. What is your humidity like? How often do you water and how do you water, i.e., water until it drains through bottom, soak, spray? I'm always looking for a new way to do Tolumnia. Some have been more successful than others. I'm gonna try to remember to have you send updated photos in about six or eight months. "Since January" isn't a long enough time period for me to see how they do. I don't mean that in an offensive way at all. Just really interested in longer term to see how they do potted that way.

Oh, I completely understand! I thought pumice was working well in the first month but after a while the leaves dried up. So yes, these are all experimental and I, too, am waiting to see how they turn out.

My humidity has been extremely variable this year so far. It ranges between 50 and 70%. Based on an app I have, my kitchen windowsill fluctuates between 2000 and 2800 foot-candles in the daytime.

I water them twice to thrice a week. Once with mild fertiliser, other times with RO drinking water. I dunk them in take-away boxes (like the fertilising photo in my last response) and keep them there for about 10 minutes, which is usually enough for everything to soak up. This way, I can adjust the water level to ensure it never pools in places it shouldn't.

Since you mentioned you like seeing new potting techniques, here's a photo of my friend's Tolumnia from this morning. She's had it for a year or so. She keeps the earthen pot filled with water and sprays the roots outside once a day or so.