Vanda Repotting Options

[paleofreak]

Hello!

I just started volunteering at a teaching greenhouse at my college. Their orchid collection was in a state of disrepair and neither the director or the assistant director described orchids as "their thing". I figured cycads shouldn't outnumber orchids, so I should help out.

After talking to the director we decided my first job should be re-potting a Vanda hybrid, a plant I have absolutely no experience with. The plant collapsed at some point in its life and now is about 10" tall and has 3 aerial roots (2 basically at the base and 1 further up) each about 6" long.

If it were my own plant I would put it in a basket with a little medium, check it and water it every day, and go from there. Unfortunately that is easier said than done in a teaching greenhouse where almost all the watering is scheduled (twice a week).

I wanted to hear what everyone's thoughts were on what it should be potted in (medium and pot type), how much sun it should get, and how often that setup should be watered. Ideal answers are those that only need to be watered twice a week.

I'm sure this will be the first post of many as I help out taking care of orchids I have never worked with before. Thank you all!

P.S. I'll post a photo of the plant and its hybrid name tomorrow.

[nutgirl]

Mine are in wooden baskets with chunks of lava rock. They are watered daily when temps are warm/hot. They are doing very well.

Maureen

[Vanda lover]

If you don't want to have to water as often, baskets with sphagnum and chunks of charcoal or use chunks of coconut chips. Lava rock also works very well. They love it but it is more difficult to tell when it is dry. In my home environment in lava rock it only needs watering once a week but I mist daily. In a greenhouse where the air is moving, twice a week with mistings should be enough. When mine are outside for the summer they get watered twice a week and do very well.

[paleofreak]

Thanks for the advice. Here's a picture of the plant and it is a Vanda Vasco Red Yen.

[Vanda lover]

That's a nice, healthy vasco. I have vasco Roll on Red, but it hasn't bloomed yet. Another option with a plant that size is to put it in vase culture. I have 2 growing that way, and filling the vase and soaking once or twice a week, then draining the water/ fertilizer off keeps them very happy. I also mist them daily.