Vanda issues - non blooming spike
 

Hello everyone,
I posted this question / problem in the Vanda alliance and the majority opinion seems that too much sun is the issue. I keep it on my screened porch facing east. I don't think lack of water is a problem because I really soak it good each morning. Have been using a weak 20-20 20 once a week as well

Was really looking forward to the flower but it is not looking good...roots are growing great so I am confused!

Please help

Thank you

J

I have heard that sometime vandas just won't flower or take a really long time to. Have you had spikes from this plant before?

What type of Vanda is it? That may help us know better what it needs. If I had to guess I would say you got the spike wet when you watered the plant or it could be a problem with your water.

I think your plant looks very healthy. The red freckles probably means that it got more light than it's used to. But the top leaves look like the plant got used to the higher light and is growing well now. I think it will bloom when it wants to. If it's an ascocenda it should bloom more than once a year but if it's a vanda it may only bloom once a year. Good luck.

It is a Darwinia "blue star"....is it not ok to get the spike wet when watering? I usually soak the entire plant.

I bought it from a grower and it never got direct sunlight...now it is definitely getting direct morning sun through my screen....

Vanda details
 

I have only had it for a few months and it has a spike lower down that looks like it did the same thing!

I caught rainwater and that is what I am using to daily water...sometimes I do use the garden hose for watering!

really bummed about the flower...

The water shouldn't hurt the spike. I water my vandas every morning and the spikes haven't been affected.

Nanook - from what I can see of your photo, it appears to me that the spike blasted. There could be a number of explainations for this. It could have been damaged by bugs, it could have been environmental issues, too hot, too wet, a large temp swing, sometimes things just happen. Keep caring for it the way you had been and hope that it will throw out another spike this growing season.

Thanks
 

Thanks everyone.....

I'll just keep on keepin' on! I'll have to work on my patience!

Roots look really good and are growing pretty fast so hopefully it will adjust to the different conditions.

It came from south florida (brandon area) and is now in western GA

Thanks again!

J

Your flower buds are definitely gone.

It is hard to tell from the photo if the stem rooted or if the bud turned black first and then the stem softened as it died.

A black bud with a strong stem would indicate thrip damage, which is very common on Vanda. It would then proceed to the image you posted.

If the whole stem turned this light brown all at once, then rot set in.

More sun light and more air circulation would have helped prevent rot.

Your sun light is minimal and maybe too low to flower properly. I grow in three times the light level you describe. 40-70% sunlight is best 4-7000 foot candles. It is very unlikely that an east porch with screen will be any more than 1500-2000 foot candles. I would not get any higher reading than 2000 here in SW Florida. I only get 4000 outside in full sun under screen. Screen blocks a lot of light. Vanda do not flower well for me in my pool cage which faces south and the Vanda are in the brightest area. The screen just blocks too much light. Higher light in the shadehouse and I get constant flowers.

I have about 300 blooming size Vanda and am currently getting 2-3 setting flower spikes a day. Everyone should flower by the end of the year. Yet anything with lower light never flowers.