Vandas in a pot - Orchid Board

peeweelovesbooks · #1 07-05-2008, 11:36 PM

Hello there. I took a trip down to homestead today and stopped by some orchid nurseries. Well, I was really surprised to see vandas growing in pots!! Yes, I asked the owner and she grows vandas in pots--the plants reached the greenhouse's ceiling they were so huge. She put a round wire cylinder in the center and she tied the vanda around it, the medium was lava rock. She watered the plants every day and fertilized once a week.

Just thought I'd share because it was so odd and I've never seen such huge plants.

Swamper · #2 07-05-2008, 11:55 PM

Was that at Heavenly Orchids peewee? I recall seeing one like that once and it blew me away, or maybe it was RF Orchids. I don't suppose you have a pic huh?

peeweelovesbooks · #3 07-05-2008, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swamper

Was that at Heavenly Orchids peewee? I recall seeing one like that once and it blew me away, or maybe it was RF Orchids. I don't suppose you have a pic huh?

Nope, it was Soroa orchids. She has some that are truly HUMONGOUS. LOL. They were incredible. Unfortunately, no pics. LOL. I have to go back and buy a cutting from one of them. The vanda had brown spots and was fragrant. It was gorgeous.

She refused to sell a cutting of the other one that she had though.

Swamper · #4 07-06-2008, 12:12 AM

Soroa? Hmmmm. Would you mind telling me where she is? I would love to go see it.

peeweelovesbooks · #5 07-06-2008, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swamper

Soroa? Hmmmm. Would you mind telling me where she is? I would love to go see it.

Sure, no problem.

This is their exact address: 25750 Sw 177 avenue, Homestead.

phone: 305-247-2566.

It's right on Krome to your right, if you are coming down from Kendall Dr. It's sort of out of the way, and you miss it rather easily if you aren't careful. A useful marker that I have figured out is that you pass 248th street and you go just right past this garden statue store that has the biggest and tackiest horse statutes for gardens. So Soroa is right after that store. LOL

I would call ahead though, cause their hours of operation are iffy. The vandas are awesome. I decided I'm going to buy a cutting of the spotted vanda and give the potted method a whirl.

Hers are unbelievable.

Swamper · #6 07-06-2008, 12:40 AM

Thanks a lot peewee. Do you grow Vandas now? If you do, are they in baskets? On trees? What type? I didn't know there were so many types and so many fragrances and colors. The more I learn about them the more addicted I get to them.

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #7 07-06-2008, 05:18 AM

The Vanda you're looking to buy a cutting of is most likely a species called Vanda tesellata.

I grow species Vandas myself. A couple of small non-blooming sized plants and one blooming sized one. Vanda coerulea, Vanda luzonica, and Vanda merilii to be precise. Vanda coerulaea and V. luzonica I've had for over a year. V. merilii I've had for a couple months.

I myself grow them potted as well. Except I use diatomite. All of them are growing well, especially the more established V. coerulea and V. luzonica.

I also grow an Opst Suree potted in diatomite as well. This one's been with me for about 3 to 4 years.

Grandma M · #8 07-06-2008, 09:43 AM

Peewee, you have my attention. Vandas in pots??????

I have lots of questions, starting with where do the roots go? I have several vandas in baskets with lava rock. I have roots hanging out of the baskets, some 24 to 36 inches. It would be nice to contain them in a pot, but I did have a bad experience with a couple which were potted when I bought them. They were planted in bark, which was deteriorating, so I decided to repot one. The roots which were in the pot, in the bark, were all rotted. It required major surgery. A few were growing above the pot and they were OK. Growing in lava rock would at least solve the rotting problem.

Growing in pot would be much more neat, without everything hanging out. How large were the pots, did the roots stay in the pots, were most of the roots growing down or were they growing growing from above the pot? Were they hanging or sitting on a bench?

I know, lots of questions. If you go back will you take pictures? I would love to see them.

I live in Michigan so I have to grow mine indoors. They are in my basement, under lights. I have about 20 full grown, and almost that many seedlings, and I am able to bring them into bloom down there. I had to construct a rack from pipes to hang them on.

Vandas and the crosses have bitten me for sure. They are all so beautiful and vary so much acording to color, form, and size. I wish I could grow them outside here but I tried that one summer. The racks I had them hanging on were not very secure. We had a severe storm and my vandas all ended up in my neighbors yards and only 3 survived the storm. I havent tried that again.

Please take pictures next time.

Marilyn

justatypn · #9 07-06-2008, 09:58 AM

thanks for your imput Marilyn have a friend at work that is bringing in a vanda for me and I am an indoor grower. I had a few I gave a friend because they just seemed to stay in la la land spazzing on me so I did not want to do it with this one...vanda in a pot sounds like my choice of vanda growing.

s please

Swamper · #10 07-06-2008, 10:04 AM

Marilyn, growing them indoors, in a basement? That's quite a feat considering how they love heat.(hey that rhymes) Anyway Mine are all growing either in baskets or on trees, I love to see their roots all over the place, messy maybe but it looks beautifull to me. I would love to get one and grow it inside. How hot do you have to make it for them? How much light? How cold does it get sometimes?