Potting vs Hanging Vandas?

[Charles]

I wonder how many Vandas are growing bare root in the wild? I have a dumb theory. Maybe they do send some roots into the air and some for attaching to whatever they are growing on. Those will find a soft squishy place that gets wet and holds moisture. I have a basket hanger that grows roots into the medium and out. Certain roots stay wet and those provide moisture on demand. Others dry out quickly and exchange gases all day. I don't know. Re potting will mean disassembling the basket and getting a larger one.

[Tindomul]

I am facing a similar dilemma with my Dyakia hendersonianum, formerly an Ascocentrum. I dunk mine in water every morning since its bone dry by then. I wonder if I should leave it there or mount it in my vivarium? Or if I should leave it there and add more sphag? This is my first Vanda type.

[Charles]

Suzanne and I were discussing this and the jury says...
"do whatever works best for you and your climate". I am in a vastly dry hot area of the same county she is in. I don't have a pool for humidity, so I favor some moisture holding medium. It is nearly bone dry each morning.
Experiment for yourself. A wise man once said..."your experience level with orchids is not a matter of how long youo have been doing this, it's a matter of how many orchids you have killed over the years and how much you have learned."
Shriveling Vandas need more moisture. Yellowing leaves, dry them out some.

[talyce66]

I have had better luck with vandas than any other orchid it seems like. I keep a 5 gallon bucket of water around. (preferrably rain water, even though it has been rather dry lately) Some of my vandas are mounted, although they arent too big. Mostly they are in wooden baskets. I dip them everyday, as well as mist them. They do great!

[Don Perusse]

I have aboaut 15 Ascon/Vandas and all of them go outside in a shade house (no walls by the way, just a cover) from Mar thru Aug or Sept. They are [U]all in hanging baskets and are watered, w/hose sprayer everyday while outside. Winter months in grn hse and watered every couple of days. In So. Ga. humidity is high tho infrequent misting is necessary. Two in bloom now and some have just finished, a couple too small to bloom. Happy little campers I would say. Oh yeah, they are heavy feeders and I try to fertilize everytime I water.

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[Cewal]

This may be a silly question, but here goes. When you mist your vanda, do you mist the leaves, roots, or both?

[Charles]

Roots. But I soak with a hose so I make it rain all over. Like rain. All over. On shower setting.

[Buds!]

Originally Posted by Pupka

I've heard some vandas can be grown in vases. To water, they just fill the vase with water for about 20 mins and they drain it out completely. Some put bark inside. I'm also waiting for my vanda to arrive this week, and I don't know should I put it outdoor until fall. Outdoor is great providing good natural light and air movement. But too low humidity...

For addtional humdity you could leave a little water at the base of the vase without the roots touching it, this is according to the 'vanda in vase' experts.

[Charles]

Mist them two times a day. That's all they need. Even in humidity below 50%. A good soaking twice a day will do the trick. As long as they dry before it gets cool. If they don't dry out within an hour or two, it's plenty humid anyway. Or just too cool.