Growing Vandas on a wire

[susiep]

Hello fellow vanda lovers! I wanted to share my new way of growing vandas. I grow outside and water them with a hose so this works for me. I can fit more plants with their crazy roots into a smaller space. They don't really need the basket any way (that was just my attempt to control the roots). Now I just let the roots go every where and we are all happy. Cheap too. I just bought the straight wire (35 cents) from Broward Orchid Supply. Then bend a tight u shape hook at the bottom, then fold it out 90 degrees. Trim the stalk of the vanda to a healthy length ( I leave at least 5 good roots). Let the bottom root rest on the hook platform, then attach the stalk to the wire with ties in a few places and bend the wire over at the top to make a hook. They are much easier to move around now. Cleaner too, no medium to deal with. As they grow out you can just trim off the bottom and slide them back down the wire. Tom from Broward Orchid Supply showed me how to do this and I love it! The first pictures are a renanthera and the second plant is a vanda from Bonnett House Museum in Ft Lauderdale. It is off of a plant that is around 75 years old. It was grown by the owner of the house and is named for her. Vanda 'Cindy Banks'. That plant came on a wire as described above. It was shaped like a horseshoe when I got it but the wire is slowly straightening it as it grows.

[susiep]

Hey, no one else has tried this? I would like to hear any opinions or ideas on this method of growing. Thanks!

[cb977]

Sorry Susie...I missed this post

I do have a few of my vandas growing this way

[trinimom]

I saw them growing like this in Orchid World in Barbados.

[cneos]

Many of the vanda nurseries that I've visited grow this way. It's a good way to get more plants into, what could be, limited space and more cost-effective when shipping (baskets are heavy).

A few of the vandae in my collection are grown this way in the greenhouse. Problem arises when I display the plant at shows or even in my house - I need to find a special leg for them to stand on.

[susiep]

Good point! How to display vandas with long roots is always a problem. All you can do is hang them (not so good for displaying at shows). What do you use to display them?

[Don Perusse]

I've seen this method quite a few times. My larger ones are done this way and work fine for me also. As far as display is concerned I spray painted the wire green so that is is hardly noticable and have covered the roots with black cloth or at times with spanish moss if entered in a show.

[lys]

Hey I'm going to try this. I've been messing around with the idea of a glass vase... but to no avail. My vanda looks completely depressed. I'll let you know how this works for me

[susiep]

Don, that is a good idea! I'm going to paint them green, too.

[Mahon]

The vast majority of my Vanda are on these wires. DEFINITELY does save space!

Vanda parviflora on wire


My largest of the Vandae, Vanda roxburghii, is suspended from a telephone cord on an oak tree

-Pat