Need Vanda Help
 

Hello-

What a wonderful resource this site is! May I ask some experienced folks to comment and make suggestions about my 6 Vandas? In particular, one I will call the Ribbon Vanda has me concerned.

All 6 Vandas are from Walmart, they were hanging from these little plastic boxes around where the roots meet the leaves and they were obviously in there for quite some time. We had to gently cut the boxes off them. For a couple of weeks before they were cut off, to acclimate them to our patio, they were hung and watered a couple of times per day by soaking in a pail. We have city water, not too hard or soft. I ordered 6 baskets and really did not understand how big they would be so this is their home for life.

I saw a video of someone who glued plastic to the bottom of the basket to help contain the water for a while so the roots could soak up but we felt they were not getting the air they needed so this past Saturday the plastic was removed.

The Ribbon Vanda was damaged by the wire and plastic box. It has lost a leaf since we got it.

All of the roots on all the Vandas seem to be very thin and dark. Some get quite green with water but some do not.

We are in South Florida, temps are going to get into the low 40's so all our plants came inside for the night. These Vandas were watered at about 9am, spritzed a couple of times during the day and allowed to dry before coming in for the night. These pictures were taken at about 6:30. So we have not had them for too long but really we want to know if we are caring for them properly and what can we do to get them super healthy. Thanks so much for any help you can provide!

Allison







Vanda's - Album on Imgur

I will make this post as quick as possible.

Healthy living roots look like so while they are actively growing:

http://www.aboutorchids.com/blog/wp-...ts_1_640px.jpg

The photos in the following link are when roots are not actively growing:

Help about green stuff on Vanda roots? | UBC Botanical Garden Forums

Vandas grow under bright indirect light.

In general, many Vandas grow in intermediate to warm temperatures, (60 F - 90 F). The temperature range I posted is a safe range for pretty much any Vanda.

A relative humidity level of 60% - 90% is tolerated quite well.

If you are growing them in a wood slat basket, (which is what those wooden baskets are called), with no potting media, then you could get away with watering once to twice a day, everyday. Allow the roots to dry out within a day. If the roots stay wet for days, it can be problematic, particularly if they are in cool location.

If I get a Vanda (or other orchid for that matter) in one of those little plastic baskets, and determine that it needs more moisture/humidity than I can give it in my environment I don't try to remove the basket, I just drop the whole thing into a larger basket, add some large bark, and hang it up. Actually, in south Florida, these probably would do just fine bare root... a lot more humid than southern California (and I have some Vandas that are quite happy bare root or nearly so) As for temperatures, most of the year they will be fine with whatever Mother Nature gives them. It sounds like you're getting the edge of the nasty cold system that has been hitting the US southeast... at the moment bringing them in for the night sounds like a good idea. But for most of the time, south Florida has fairly tropical climate that should make the Vandas very happy. Another point... a dry orchid can tolerate much more cold than a wet one. So if there's a chance that there is going to be a cold night, water in the morning (or not at all) so that the plant is dry by nightfall. They can tolerate considerable dryness when it's cold.

Thank you for the replies. I removed the plastic baskets because they seemed to be much too small for how the plant had grown and I thought I was freeing it from its shackles, so to speak. One Vanda had its flower spike staked through one of the leaves so it seemed to me like these were carelessly packaged. But I will think twice if faced with the plastic basket problem. Can they continue to grow healthy with the baskets on them forever?

I viewed the pictures so I think I just need to learn more about the roots and growing cycles. There is so much to Orchid care!!

Allison

Sure. Those baskets mostly serve the purpose of providing a way to hang the plant. Vandas really want to grow bare root, as long as they are given sufficient moisture. The only reason for any medium at all would be to provide extra moisture in a dry environment. And even then, they would want only minimal medium with extremely good drainage. During most of the year south Florida is pretty nearly ideal - lots of rain, and high humidity, with warm temperatures. (They LOVE hot muggy nights...) A happy Vanda can grow lots of long roots in the air.

Seeing how a Vanda grows in the wild should make some sense of what the roots naturally do.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xLc3zCnBzV...0/IMG_0442.JPG

Thanks for this picture, it helps to see them in the wild. I think I worry to much!

I recommend the book, Florida Vanda Growing Month by Month. It has all of the basics you will need.

#1 the roots look very desiccated so you will need to keep them in active growth by keeping them warmer and humid with indirect light until you see new green root tips.

#2 the picture showing the crown with the brown. That is the start of crown rot. You need to treat it with hydrogen peroxide quickly and let it dry in front of a fan.

#3 treat with a mega thrive and a root stimulant.

Get the book...I am 98% a vanda grower with over 400 vandas in my collection.

Also a good treatment of CuPro 5000 will help to control any fungus. The root desiccation is an issue.

Florida Vanda Growing: Month by Month — Motes Orchids

Thank you so much for the advice, I purchased the book and both the CuPro and MegaThrive. I think I am now on the right track with the great advice received here. I will keep you all posted at my progress. Thanks!

Allison

You want roots that look like this. :)