OK here we go my firsts Vanda crosses

[No-Pro-mwa]

Originally Posted by TOMMYMIAMI

Shannon, do you have or can you order Spanish moss??? If you can, than put it over the roots, this is how we grow Vandas in Florida, and they do fantastic. Spanish moss provides that extra humidity they love!

Tommy, that I don't know. I have never looked into it. Is that the gray long hanging stuff, if it is I can't say I have ever seen it but one can get almost anything on the internet.

It's so dry here however we have had allot of rain lately so humidity is high for us right now. But it is getting warmer and it will go down fast. But we will also put up the swamp cooler and that will help for the summer. If I can get it then maybe put them in a clay pot and set it in a saucer of water so the clay pot stays sort of wet and humid? How does that sound?

The Cherry Blossom I am going to just leave in it's little net pot then put it inside another pot as the roots are all growing out of it and I'm not going to try and get it out of there.

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Shannon, this is Spanish moss. Also, if you have any water feature, or you can hang Vanda above some water, that helps humidity too, but Spanish moss works great. If you can't find any, please, message me, I can hook you up from Florida ;-)

[wintergirl]

I actually found dried Spanish moss from Miracle Gro at Walmart. It is especially for orchids and house plants. I have not used it yet, or even opened the package because I am using the clay pot method right now. I did find some on Amazon, but maybe Lowes or other places in your area may have it. Amazon has a few different choices of Spanish moss.


Amazon.com: spanish moss

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by No-Pro-mwa

...we will also put up the swamp cooler and that will help for the summer.

Are your summers dry enough that your swamp cooler works all summer? Here in Phoenix we get a summer monsoon and they stop cooling sometime in mid July. They still ensure output air is nearly 100% saturated. Growers here use them to keep humidity up and shade greenhouses heavily, but some of us struggle with even intermediate orchids unless inside the house with the air conditioning.

[AnonYMouse]

Colette, you want to get the live stuff. The dried stuff is just top dressing and will decay really fast.

Spanish moss is actually an air plant (Tillandsia usneoides). It's a great humidity insulator but you still have to spray it regularly in dry climates (hence why I no longer have any). Make a curtain of it around the plant and roots and it will create a humidity buffer.

---------- Post added at 11:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:07 PM ----------

I should also mention a couple of my ascocentrums sit bare root in net pots that sit atop vases. There is water at the bottom of the vases.

EDIT: Sorry, I lied. One has LECA and the other has toothpicks. To stabilize the plants.

[wintergirl]

Thanks for the info AnonYMouse. There is some live moss at that link. Here is one:

Amazon.com: Fresh Spanish Moss - 5 Lb. Case: Arts, Crafts & Sewing

[No-Pro-mwa]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Are your summers dry enough that your swamp cooler works all summer? Here in Phoenix we get a summer monsoon and they stop cooling sometime in mid July. They still ensure output air is nearly 100% saturated. Growers here use them to keep humidity up and shade greenhouses heavily, but some of us struggle with even intermediate orchids unless inside the house with the air conditioning.

Yes it works great. A pain to put up and take down every year but we need the moister so we like it better than an air conditioner. We almost always cool down fairly good at night and we hardly ever have to run it all night.

---------- Post added at 01:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:36 PM ----------

Tommy I don't have a water feature. I wonder how hard it would be for me to keep it alive. I'm getting worried that I may have jumped to soon on these kinds. I guess it's to late now.

---------- Post added at 01:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:43 PM ----------

Originally Posted by AnonYMouse

Colette, you want to get the live stuff. The dried stuff is just top dressing and will decay really fast.

Spanish moss is actually an air plant (Tillandsia usneoides). It's a great humidity insulator but you still have to spray it regularly in dry climates (hence why I no longer have any). Make a curtain of it around the plant and roots and it will create a humidity buffer.

---------- Post added at 11:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:07 PM ----------

I should also mention a couple of my ascocentrums sit bare root in net pots that sit atop vases. There is water at the bottom of the vases.

EDIT: Sorry, I lied. One has LECA and the other has toothpicks. To stabilize the plants.

So you had a hard time keeping it alive then?

[wintergirl]

Try the clay pot with chunky bark, I don't think you will be sorry. All my vandas are doing great in this. I spritz the top and roots showing daily. Brad from Brad's greenhouse drenches his after they dry. Here is a video about his vandas in clay pots.

[AnonYMouse]

Originally Posted by No-Pro-mwa

So you had a hard time keeping it alive then?

Yeah. Think where Spanish moss naturally grow. Places like the bayou, warm and humid. You should have an easier time if you leave it near the swamp cooler.

The Ascocentrums haven't been a problem water/humidity-wise. Aside from the two in vases, I have one bare-root mounted and one plastic potted in bark (original vendor potting). Just a matter of how much you want to be involved.

---------- Post added at 04:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:48 PM ----------

After writing the above, I realized I've never gone this long in vendor media (3.5 months) . Thought some roots were goners but they had new tips.

I potted it up in my preferred media (LECA) in a net pot and went with Nat's suggestion of clay outer pot. This won't be a problem 3/4 of the year but when the temps drop, I'll have to remember to heat-mat it.

[No-Pro-mwa]

I may have to put mine on a heat mat in the winter also. I just may put the little one sense it has to stay in the net pot inside a clay pot with Leca or bark and perhaps put Spanish Moss over the roots of the bigger plant. I'm not sure if I am going to re-pot it or not. See how it goes.

Thanks everyone for your help.