Vanda Thonglorsand X Tawesuksa won't flower
 

Hello All Vanda Lovers,

I bought my first Vanda last year in bloom. I moved it outside and hung it in a tree during the short summer we have here in Toronto. It loved it and grew four new leaves and lots of roots. I was surprised that it didn't send up a spike this winter.

I mist it everyday, and dunk it in the tub for a minute or so every night after my son takes his bath.

I think one problem might be a lack of fertilization. This fall/winter I have been fertilizing about once a month with a bloom booster. I just let the Vanda's roots sit in the watering can that has the fertilizer in it for about five minutes.

Should I be putting fertilizer in the misting bottle? What kind? Any other hints or tips?

Thanks,

M

If your vanda is crossed with vanda sanderiana chances that it will bloom once a year will be high (just like my vanda sanderiana x tawesuksa which I bought last march 2010 and it bloomed again this month only). I hang my vanda in our terrace and it gets sun from noon till dusk with one layer of shade.

It sounds is if you aren't fertilizing enough. I fertilize mine with every watering during the summer, and flush with just water once a month. Give it as much light as it can handle without burning, summer and winter. It may very well be the cross. It our climate, try something with vanda coerula, or an ascocenda. I fertilize once a week in winter also.

What I learned from one of the Vanda growers in FL last October is to fertilize Vandas once a week without watering it first. In that way, the plants absorb the nutrition better. Since then, my Vandas/Ascdas have seemed to be doing much better with lots of roots. One of reluctant plants, V. Mimi palmer x V. tessellata is now in spike.

Absolutely right! That's what I do, even though some growers tell you to never fertilize a dry plant. I grew mine this way for a long time before I found out I was wrong.

Me also I fertilize my vandas every time I water them. I use a pinch of bloom booster (high P) in a bucket of water (about 15 liters+) and spray to them. Plants keeps on progressing and roots are growing vigorously.