Vandopsis parishii X Mariottiana Seedling
 

Hi Everyone!

I am not a complete novice, but I've never grown Vandas as I do not have a greenhouse. All my orchids grow throughout my home and overall, enjoy it. This year was a very tough winter and my poor orchids were not at their happiest. Late last summer, I was given a Vanda seedling by someone at a show I attended. It wasn't doing much, but seemed to hang in OK during the winter. It came in a two inch plastic pot with just a few pieces of medium bark. The seedling only has three small leaves. Today I noticed a couple of black spots on it. Might be fungal. It doesn't have much root. Only a couple of short nubs. In general, can anyone give me good instructions on how to grow a Vanda seedling. How often show I water? Should it go dry in between or not? How high a light level? This one has been under a plant grow light. Anything would be appreciated.

Vandas like to dry out bettween watering, but not bone dry. You might want to try vase culture, which is when you put the top of the plant in a vase, so that the roots dangle free. You fill the vase with the water/fertilizer mix and let it soak, then drain the water off, leaviing just a little dribble of water. The humidity in the vase keeps the roots moist. When you notice that the vase is going dry, water again.
If you prefer to pot it, be sure that it has complete drainage. Mine are in hanging baskets with a little sphagnum and large lumps of charcoal, just so I don't have to water every day, because I also grow them in the house. I fertilize about once a week year round.
Give it as much light as you can, without burning it.