Vandas are difficult but....

[Lovecats]

Originally Posted by natasha

in here sometimes they are planted in wood shavings (as per pet hamster shavings) but i found that too wet for my liking. maybe you can give a try

Wood shaving? Interesting. I will suggest this to a friend of mine. I don't have any Vanda ... for the moment...

[caoquendo]

I have "this" Vanda for almost 4 years. Not only grows "ridiculously" slow, it has not bloomed in all that time! And if you could see it now and compare the size of it when I bought it, you surely say it is frozen in time or something... Yeah... I live mad as hell with that freaking vanda. Almost hate it! >:-(

[kavanaru]

A friend of mine started having success with Vandas after reading a small article in an USAmerican orchids magazine. They suggested to wrap the roots (or better said: to use the Vanda roots as support for) Tillandsia usneoides. Since he grows his Vandas on a windowsill, he have the roots in glass vases (pretty large ones) loosely filled with living spanish moss... He had tried vase culture before, but was not very succesful, as he "had to water too often". Now he waters more or less once a week and the Tillandsia hold the humidity in the vase.

[RosieC]

That's really interesting Ramón, I'm always interested in ways to keep Vanda's and I like the sound of that one.

I'm currently being successful with a Vanda in bark, but I want to try another one next year and I may well try something like this (I already have a good vase I was thinking of using). I have some Tillandsia usneoides hanging in my greenhouse, but would probably need more for using in that way.

[natasha]

that's interesting! i saw some pics of orchids with those stuff in the internet or maybe in orchidboard? i didn't know the purpose though... i have some of those and i think they are much more appealing! i'll put some at the roots tomorrow morning! maybe go and steal some more from my parents!

[Lovecats]

Interesting for my future Vanda! But, please, how can you hang Tillandsie on the roots of Vanda?
Sorry for the silly question....

[kavanaru]

Originally Posted by Lovecats

Interesting for my future Vanda! But, please, how can you hang Tillandsie on the roots of Vanda?
Sorry for the silly question....

Check for Tillandsia usneoides.. it looks like an old wig.. then you will see how easy it would be to hang it around the Vanda roots

File:Starr 080326-3794 Tillandsia usneoides.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

[got ants]

I have spanish moss over the corners of one of my pergolas (That's what we call the Tillandsia usneoides locally) but never thought to wrap it around the Vanda itself. I have blue type that had flowers on it when I bought it two years ago, but has not rebloomed again. Going to have to try it. Thanks Ramon!

[beanluc]

Originally Posted by Angurek

I have a hard time growing them, and I live in a subtropical climate.

Angurek, that's what *I* thought too! Until in the particular case of V. coerulea, it was recently pointed out to me by Ray that that is in fact a cool grower.

I will confess, I have all kinds of humidity where I live... and I feed this more heavily than any other orchid I have.

[Cewal]

My Vanda (I only have one) is planted in osmunda in a teak basket. I've had it about 3 years, and the plant is very healthy. It hasn't bloomed yet but I think that's because it is not getting enough light. I recently purchased T5 lights and have also been giving it some direct sunlight, so hopefully I'll have blooms next year.