Advice please: vanda & oncidium SEEDLINGS
 

Hi everyone,
I went to my local Bunnings (like Home Depo) and found boxes relatively fresh orchid seedlings. These are the ones I picked :)
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I know the sarcochilus and the loddigessii (pretty sure that is misspelt on the label?) may not be happy in my warmer climate but I couldn't leave them to rot in their little plastic coffins. I will try them out and if it’s not working I will probably gift them to someone at my orchid society that lives up on the Tablelands (higher altitude/cooler climate).

Anyway, my actual questions…..
What to do with the vandaceous babies??
They have come out of sphag and the roots look very soft and vulnerable (I still need to remove the damages roots).
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Should I ‘harden’ them off before potting into a basket? I was considering laying them on top of some damp sphag and misting periodically until new roots are evident. Or should I pot up in baskets now and just keep them sheltered and damper then mature plants?

Am I on the right track with the sharry baby?
From what I have read they like water but require a quick dry out time (water in the morning should be dry by evening?). I am planning to use a pot just big enough with a mix of very small lava rock, charcoal, bark and possibly a little bit of chopped sphagnum moss. Or should I do something different until rots begin to grow? Also, is it these guys that can get sulky after root disturbance?
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This is not the most outstanding specimen however the other one of offer, although bigger, had a blatant fungal infection. By the way I have already sprayed all of these guys with an antifungal/insecticide as a precaution (also because I found baby snails…).

Any other suggestions or random advice is always welcome.
Cheers,
Lani :)

You got quite a haul....I never imagined orchid seedling sold in sealed plastic and yet they still got snails....trust your instincts ....by the way you told us of precautionary measures you took=you know what to do.
They all look like they will survive, grow into an adult and bloom for you....

I think the ones that doesn't have some roots, you should do the spag and bag method :) (search on youtube:sphag and bag method.watch angel o'gabriel's video...he explains everything well) this process helps them root them selves by allowing full humidity around them. This helped me root my phalaenopsis philippinensis and my aerides lawrenciae to root. Together they're under a bag right now and the phal is producing roots plus leaves!!! And the aerides has so many new roots now. But before you do this,Here's a tip from me:

make sure that crowns,or in between bulbs/leaves are dry. water them but don't get water on foliage just the roots?dry them a little bit by air drying or just placing them next to window so that the air may dry them A LITTLE BIT. This is to prevent rot inside the bag 😉

I wish they would all survive..they are beautiful plants...

That last vanda you have is actually Vanda [V.] Kultana Principal

Are you growing on a patio or GH?

It's common to purchase these babies in Australia hardware shops like Bunnings. I've bought quite a few to grow. Haven't had much luck.

Hi all,
I've put the little fellas in a humidicrib set up for the next few days (on top of damp sphagnum in a partly closed Tupperware container -humid but with air flow as I want to prevent fungal issues). Later in the week I think I will pot them up in baskets but keep them babied for some time (more humid, less light).

Bud - cheers for the vote of confidence! Can't believe a snail had been snacking on the sharry baby grrrr.

Ilikeorchids - you're right, humidity is a key factor. I am still undecided about sphag n bag in my environment tho. I've previously had issues with mould...

Chipmolly - these are the freshest ones I have ever found - they are usually in various stages of decline. Kind of felt like I had to save them from that fate! Hopefully they will be happy with me :)

Aussievanda - hello again! So that means that cross is a registered one and has been given it's own name? That's how it works right? I'm growing on my balcony (2nd floor apartment) so some morning and afternoon light, shaded midday. Rather envious of the splendiferous vanda wonderland you are creating - by the way, what side of town are you on?

:)
Lani

Was registered in 2012....I live Northern Beaches by the way.

The pink is rather sad looking!

Personally I'd just pot up, don't get too carried away with media, just use enough to hold the plant in place, where we live we can get away with it no worries at all. Use a small vanda slotted pot.

Be aware, you're going to be waiting a fair while for spikes from that size.....when I say while I mean years.

if you want to get into vandas I suggest you go for a drive to Gordonvale and see Les at orchids north. Has a massive selection of other orchids as well. otherwise take a drive to Clifton beach who specialise in their own dendrobiums and catt's.

Better than Bunnings!!

They look like very fresh seedlings. As in they appear as if they were just deflasked before selling them to you guys.

Some may need to be hardened off. Some may not need it.

This is probably why "ChipMolly" went through a few of these.

These should not be grown in moss, btw. Grow them in the potting medium that they would grow in as adults, but in a smaller grade.

I've scoped out COC and Orchids North already, what great places. Last time I went to gordonvale I left with this beautiful big V. pachara delight...
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I've got to stay away from that tempting place- I just don't have the room!

I know I'm in for a bit of a wait (I'm thinking at least 5 yrs cause they are puny). I'm thinking of these little guys as an investment, hopefully by the time they flower I will have a house... And a green house :D

Philip: I'm glad they look fresh. I think I will use small bits of charcoal and a bit of fibrous coconut coir in baskets. My other 3 vandaceous orchids are in charcoal and it seems to agree with them in my climate. Do you have any do's or dont's when 'hardening off' seedlings?

I'm off to orchids north on Thursday. Les says he has a couple of my wish list plants in store, not sure which ones though.

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