Vanda in basket or pot?

[allla]

Thank you King of Orchid! It's nice to know it can happen, it reduces my anxiety somewhat taht I'm not a first trier.

Please tell us more about your growing technique.

I saw a picture from a lady in the South of France showing a Vanda grown in a glass pot with no holes LECA at the bottom 5cm then the roots in bark and perhaps the base of the plant. She said she did not spray just toppled up the water which never exceeded the LECA level and that the evaporation is enough for the roots. She used rain water and had had the orchid like that for years.

What do you people think? As far as I read common knowledge says that orchid should have been dead so I dared not try with my sick Vanda. But the ease of it is so tempting...

almost because I grow 8 phals in bark in glass vases with a somewhat similar method (I fill up the vase without reaching the first leaves, leave it for a few hours and then empty all water)

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

There's no secret. I give them what they need and they grow.

Depending on the type of Vanda you have, the light levels will be different for certain kinds. Not all Vandas grow in bright indirect light, some grow in moderately bright indirect light just fine, and would burn if they grew any brighter.

Small seedlings will be grown in dimmer light at first, then acclimated to growing in brighter light, slowly. Do not automatically place seedlings in bright light upon first acquiring them thinking that they will take the same intensity of lighting that the adult blooming sized plants do. They cannot and do not handle bright light right off the bat.

Certain Vandas do not need to be grown warm at all times. Depending on the type of Vanda you have, some Vandas can handle cooler temperatures. You gotta know your Vanda.

Regarding temperature; temperature variance is important! There needs to be a differential in temperature between day and night and between seasons. If they do not receive these, they will either suffer in health or not bloom. Do not make the same mistake I made when I first started growing Vandas, where I thought they all needed to be grown in constantly warm temperatures year round. Don't do that. If that was the first impression you got about growing them, lose that train of thought asap or you will fail big time. Again, temperature variance between day and night is important. Some seasonal variance in temperature is important too. Just keep in mind where the orchids come from and you'll get a sense of the temperature ranges. If you're not sure what those temperature ranges are, ask, then do more research to see if the answer(s) you got coincide with what your research says.

All Vandas like lots of air going to their roots. When growing potted, I like to use pots with lots of drainage holes to make sure none of the water sits in the pot and there is lots of air going to the roots.

I prefer to use clear plastic pots to allow the roots to photosynthesize and allow the Vandas to get that extra boost from producing more sugars to feed off of. So, not only are the leaves photosynthesizing and producing sugars, so are the roots.

The potting mix have got to allow lots of air movement too, so only the large grade bark gets used.

Diatomite is a rock that is made up of the silicon based skeletons of microorganisms called diatoms. Be sure that the diatomite is from a freshwater source. This potting medium does not need to be changed out. It is a great resource. It also absorbs lots of water while providing air movement to the roots. This is another alternative to using bark that is reusable.

Moderate humidity levels are ok when growing potted. I've never had a problem with this.

I grow many of my Vandas outdoors year round, but a few will have to be put inside during the cooler months. When growing indoors, adjust your watering schedule. Do not just blindly water your Vandas without paying attention to how wet or dry the potting media is. Allow the potting media to dry out completely before watering again.

Btw, not all Vandas grow large, that is another myth, there are plenty of Vandas that grow to a manageable size. If you don't like to grow large Vandas or you don't have space for the larger Vandas, pick the smaller ones, they exist.

Hope this was meaningful.

I love Vandas. I especially love the species. There was absolutely no need for Vanda species to ever be as difficult to find in the trade as they've been. Vandas are not really all that hard to grow once their needs are fully understood.

[allla]

Thank you very much! I'll look for diatomite.

I have another newbie question - when I rehydrate the roots most of them are brown in colour. Does it mean that I should remove them? The plant stayed in its vase with no water for 2 probably 3 weeks in the florist shop. My only regret is that I didn't buy the other one too because it ended up in the bin.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Please post a pic.

Do not remove anything until a pic is posted.

[tarev]

I also have one vanda, a vanda coerulea and as I have read about its culture, this one prefers it cool. So I have it in its little plastic basket and hanging by my fountain and gets part shade. Sometimes I dunk the plant in the fountain itself especially when I know it is going to be triple digit hot here in my area.

Pretty much you have to understand too what kind of humidity your area has. Most vandas like to be grown without any media, they get all their moisture thru the humidity in the air and the watering they get. In most tropical settings, they get on and off rain showers and then intense humidity so they naturally grow with no media.

California weather is mostly very dry, like our humidity is so low, rains are precious, don't see them a lot here, so it works to grow them in containers like what king of orchid growing is doing.

So know your environment, try to know what type of vanda you are growing, your rainfall and humidity conditions. If it rains a lot and your humidity is high, this plant would gladly grow just in baskets and no media. But if it is too bone dry like in most areas in California, sure go and try vase method or in containers, to help the roots get their moisture, and further augment with frequent watering when needed.

[allla]

Thank you all for your help!

My brown roots on repotting turned out to be just very dark green, thin ones. Only one was really brown and I left it in.

My climate is a bit like Canada extreme weather changes... now it is hot and rather rainy, last month sometimes coldish, sometimes scorching dry, I have no greenhouse and no fountain so I put my only Vanda in a coco thread basket with big bark, charcoal and little therads of moss. It dries in about 3 days in a South facing window - bare roots in a vase it used to dry in 3 hours. I hope it's ok. Only time will tell.

I've done something horrible because I was afraid to loose the plat - before anything I cut the top off (first 8 leaves up) and wrapped it in a wire mesh with 3-4 strands of moss, hung it in the kitchen and I spray it a little when it's really dried out (once a day).

With this little one I want to experiment a different method if it grows roots. There must be a no work method for Vandas as well...

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by allla

There must be a no work method for Vandas as well...

There is.

If you grow a Vanda potted in full moss, and water everyday, then place it in shade, watch how quickly the Vanda dies.

[Bud]

It really depends on the moisture of your environment.
Summers in Manhattan are hot and steamy....we even get heat waves; my Vandas love to be outdoors bare root or in baskets. But in winter its a different scenario....my Vandas get to be indoors in a dry AC/Heater environment, so I either put Vandas in vases, pot them or remain on S/H method.

* Santa Barbara Orchids in California have a very large Vanda almost reaching the ceiling potted in a large pail with lava rocks. And Southern California has high humidity in its atmosphere to be able to sustain Vandas hanging bare root.

---------- Post added at 11:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:04 PM ----------

as for Allla....To 'top' a Vanda: Usually you observe if the roots of the bottom plant is robust and healthy so you will get a keiki or the mother plant will go on and thrive. And make sure that both wounds of the cut plant are waxed or infestation will set in.

[allla]

It is very nice of you to help. I am not trying to become a growwer or anything, just hope to learn to keep my few plants healthy.

I left the cuts open to dry out, I do not spray there or around the wound at all. Hopefully both plants will make it and I won't have to bother people asking questions. The choir basket allows air flow so the inside dries out, I put my firger through the holes I made to check the center of the mixture for humidity. Not sure what more I can do than provide full sun and check for moisture before watering.

Am I really wrong?

With the baby I will try SH because I received very good advice from you on that.

[MattWoelfsen]

Allla, I have had the good fortune to visit your lovely city during this time of year. The weather you have is warm and pleasant. I would recommend you grow your plant in the brightest part of your home outside but protected from direct sun. You can water your plant daily with a garden hose, if the temperature is hot, this will help the plant. I would also mist the roots to keep humidity up at other times between watering. With your plant growing outside, it will be easier to maintain it. Come winter time, put it in a bright, warm space, with plenty of good circulating, humid air--I put a small tray of water and pebbles under my Vanda to help.

Seeking help is a good thing--although it may seem the help or advice received is a little over-the-top in verbiage, the assistance is certainly welcome, no?