Drooping leaves after buying

[Johnml]

Serious question. I’ve been into orchids many years ago and an getting the bug. Anyway, I’ve actually bought two vandas at Lowes with small decent root systems and easy had a spike. Within a week of getting home the bottom leaves droop. I water frequently throughout the day and have them hanging under a small oak tree.


I just visited Vandamaniacs orchid and spent the most I’ve ever spent on a vanda and don’t want it to follow. Seems under my tree should be ideal with a lot of filtered sun. The tree is on the west side of my house so it gets sun pretty much all day. Is it possible the leaves aren’t blocking the sun enough?


What am I doing wrong?

[Shadeflower]

Hi John welcome to Orchidboard.
We have some great outdoor growers that can help you out more but I think it looks in great shape, still dropping leaves is worrying.
Always try to water only the roots, trying to keep the stem dry if possible.

Use Rain water if you can. Not all tap water is suited for vanda's. Just collect some Rain water. Don't forget to fertilize it.

[Roberta]

How about water? Sounds like you are giving enough, though. It does need a good daily soaking. As long as it doesn't get cold (like below 50-55 deg F), I would not worry about overhead watering, especially if bright during the day. If it's cold, don't water... a dry orchid can tolerate a lot more cold than a wet one. (In winter, water in the morning so it can dry out by nightfall) But Vandas (especially bare root ones) are really thirsty. If they sense "drought" they may drop older leaves. That's a gorgeous plant!

Several members of the Orchid Board are in Florida, so you should hear from folks who live closer to you.

[estación seca]

Go to Motes Orchids and subscribe to their newsletter. You'll get monthly instructions of what to do.

[Johnml]

Never checked Motes out. I’ve only been to RF Orchids. I haven’t been there in years and don’t remember the vandals having such big root systems. Really spiking my interest in orchids again. Will check out some places and hopefully find a few Christmas/New Year sales?

[birdwomn]

I too picked up a Vanda recently and accidentally allowed some of the lower leaves to get into the soaking bucket and they started drooping.

This is my first Vanda so I am not sure if this is an epic fail on my part or if the plant can recover. There are still several good leaves on either side and it is a mature plant with a good root system that recently finished blooming.

I am on the Gulf Coast of Florida and I too currently have it hung in a live oak.

Is there anything I can do other than wait and see and be more careful in the future?

[Roberta]

I think just wait and see. Don't worry too much about the lower leaves - the growth point is at the top, the crown., that's where new leaves will emerge. Your outdoor conditions (humid, hot, rainy) are likely exactly what a Vanda needs and wants. Mother Nature is likely to provide plenty of soaking.

[estación seca]

How often are you watering it? Motes says he waters every morning, then again in early afternoon on hot days.

[birdwomn]

If it is not raining, which is not often, I water in the early morning and again in the afternoon, provided it looks dry.

The issue was that when I brought it home it was pretty dehydrated (as they are from big box stores frequently) so I soaked it and some of the leaves got into the bucket - I think that is what started the lower leaves drooping. Make sense?

---------- Post added at 12:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:19 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Roberta

I think just wait and see. Don't worry too much about the lower leaves - the growth point is at the top, the crown., that's where new leaves will emerge. Your outdoor conditions (humid, hot, rainy) are likely exactly what a Vanda needs and wants. Mother Nature is likely to provide plenty of soaking.

Thanks for the reassurance - you always take a risk when you buy from the big box stores, but this guy looked very healthy and had clearly just lost all its blooms so I figured "why not?"

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by birdwomn

If it is not raining, which is not often, I water in the early morning and again in the afternoon, provided it looks dry.

The issue was that when I brought it home it was pretty dehydrated (as they are from big box stores frequently) so I soaked it and some of the leaves got into the bucket - I think that is what started the lower leaves drooping. Make sense?[COLOR="Silver"]

Totally makes sense. Very likely it was already suffering from dehydration... the soaking likely didn't even cause the problem, it sometimes takes awhile for problems to show themselves. I think the plant will be fine in your tree, you live in pretty much the perfect climate for it.