When & how to water vandas?
 

I couldn't help it, I had the urge to order some blue vandas! A. princess Mikasa, v. sansai blue & v. blue magic... I think I am blue vanda crazy!:blushing:

They were shipped to me in plastic baskets a week ago.

I have been soaking them in water with weak fertilizer for 2-3 hours from 8-10 am, and at night I give them a mist before bed time.

I am not sure if I am doing the right thing?

I also have a few other questions:

1. Do I water a vanda only if the roots are white? Or can they be watered when the roots are pale green?

2. Is dunking/ soaking better than misting?

3. How often do I feed?

4. Is it OK to water at night?

5. Is it possible to over water a bare root vandas?

Humidity is around 65% and I have the fan running in my growing room. There is plenty of light.

Thank you in advance!
Buds!

Buds, I take it that your in Perth Australia ???
If you are try the cultural notes at this website,
Brighton Orchid Nursery
I reckon they are the best I've read. I use it with modifications for my conditions.
Do not water at night or soak the plants for that length of time.

Thanks for the link Roy.
I am still trying to find out what will work for my conditions. I have my vandas indoors.
I have deflasked some vanda coerulea (a gift) seedlings and they are in loose sphag moss and LECA. They are doing great! Growing really fast!
I am a bit nervous about adult bare rooted plants. Not really sure if I want to pot it?
Looks like I have some more reading to do.
Cheers,

Buds, I grow all my Vandas / Ascdas etc in pots with coarse bark, in a heated greenhouse.

When the light's (sun goes down) go out. The plant stops consuming water. Meaning that wattering at night times the roots stay wet. At cold temps this may cause fungi to start growing on your roots. Misting and bathing have their differences depending on the way you mist. If you mist thouroughly it would about as be the same but eventualy the plant simply wants more. In that case you need to soak. When you soak for a long time the plant sucks itself full of water.

You cannot overwater a Vanda but you can cause it to rot. Therefore never mist/soak when the roots are still wet. Avoid the leafs and flowers to get wet or your flowers will get those ugly spots you also see in the garden centres.

Waterring itself is not really an art. The plant itself will show when it needs more. A sign of thirst is when the leafs start shrinking or the roots start cracking. That is serious. Just water as much and as many times as you can and youll be ok.

Congrats on the blue vanda choice. You will certainly not be dissapointed!! Blue vanda's to my experience have a few advantiges for the beginners like me.

-Very good resistance to temperature drops and raises.
-Cold resistant (nearly as resistant as cacti)
-Lower light needs
-Good resistance to deseases

These are the reasons why blue blooming vanda's are the most sold ones over here in the netherlands. We don't have any light and it is 7 months in the year cold.

Last thing on watering. If you soak in fertilizer, don't do it too long. To my experience the fert somehow dehydrates the roots. Always wash the roots with clean water afterwards to remove excess fert.

Take these guidelines as guidelines and not literary and don't worry too much ;) It is a miracle my heart is still in a good shape after all those worries. you will find that everyone else has a different method. Try them all and use what is best for you.

Good luck :)

Thanks Roy,
Two of my vandas are in bark. They have only been in my house for two weeks. I am watering them once a week.
They live in my heated growing room near a east window.

I will pot my bare rooted vandas if they don't behave!:angry: