Vandas Are Like Mermaids

[cneos]

"They like the sun on their face, the wind in their hair and cooling waves lapping their fins" ...
This advice was given by S. Promarug, Siam Orchids, when I bought my first vanda and it hasn't failed. Will enjoy seeing what everyone's doing to make their vandas thrive, especially during winter months in New England.

[justatypn]

I personally do not have vanda's. I live in a condo growing my chids indoors and recently saw a neighbor with one hangin' in a oak tree. The rooting system is magnificant and just 2 days ago bloomed a gorgeous red bloom. Will have to wonder over for a visit, to the vanda and take a picture or two and hopefully see if there is a tag. Apparently they are thrivers of nature and an excellent analogy by S. Promarug.

[Mahon]

Hello,

Glad to hear it is working for you! I must agree that they love sun, water, and air circulation...

Here's what I do with the few Vanda I have left (hahaha)... In the winter time, I tend to water infrequently, as this is their "resting" time... as soon as the first roots start to show their green or purple active tips, then I start to water frequently, but in small quantities... around May to July, they start to bloom for me, so I frequently water heavily... after blooming, my Vanda are still growing root tips and new offshoots, so I water infrequently heavily, and then back off when the root tips stop growing... I do not use fertilizer, I have never seen a difference in the orchids, as you can see by my Vanda...

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j186/pamahon/CCC.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j186/pamahon/C.jpg

Happy growing, what other orchids do you grow?

-Pat

[cneos]

Wow! being able to grow your vandas outdoors, they must get fertilizer naturally. What is the vanda in the photo? Have been growing about fifteen years and usually have 150+/- plants; the collection is mostly vanda and allied genera, the ever-faithful blooming phals, some paphs and phrags, cymbidiums and an assortment of species. Regards, Joanna

[justatypn]

Exceptional growing...you've out done yourself. This is when I wish I had the open outdoors again.

[Mahon]

Joanna,

The Vanda in my photo is my large specimen of Vanda roxburghii, you may also recognize it as Vanda tessellata... this is the uncommon "yellow" form of the species, which is actually orange... hahaha

Well, I use natural things for fertilizer... I notice that fertilizer induces algael growth upon roots, and once you get algae growing and keep them damp, then you have them helping out your plants... =)

Any of your Vandae in bloom now? Thanks for the comments, and actually Cheryl, it has outdone me! It is over 8 feet tall, and towers over me... I'm afraid it may just snatch me by its roots one day... =)

-Pat

[justatypn]

Great growth pattern, you definitely have them figured out. Noting vanda's being a'la natural habitat, is there any in particular that would adapt easily to the indoor enviroment.

[cneos]

Cheryl ... you might try Ascocenda Princess Mikasa. While it loves bright light, a number of folks have grown in successfully on windowsill and even under lights.

[cneos]

Just put some photos of what's in bloom now in the CNEOS gallery. I included the cirrophyllum because it's flourishing alongside the vandae. Enjoy!
Would like to see a photo of tesselata ...

[Mahon]

Joanna,

The two URL references go to the plant and the flower of my Vanda tessellata (V. roxburghii), but here are what typical V. tessellata look like:

http://www.notsogreenthumb.org/contr...lata_plant.jpg

(notice how small this one is... hahaha!)...

Some other Vanda you may want to try out Cheryl would be something like V. limbata, or V. dennisoniana, and if you are really daring, Euanthe sanderiana or even Trudelia alpina or Trudelia pumila... these are exceptionally easy to grow... but the only thing I think of with my Vandae is the watering time... drenching the plants for a while with water, how can you do it inside? =( One draw back to growing Vanda inside...

-Pat