This post is to help dispel any fears that fellow Vanda growers might have about dividing or taking cuttings from a large plant.
I am by no means an expert, but I decided to take a risk and take a division, or cutting, or whatever it is called, from a massive plant.
I selected a very long (nearly 1 meter) piece that had roots growing out of it in such a way that it could be removed from the mother plant without tearing them off.
At first I tried using a sharp knife. Ha! This Vanda laughed at that. After a fair amount of futile sawing, I stepped things up a notch. I got out the loppers. I ran a lighter up and down the blades for several moments to do my best at sterilizing them. I sprayed them with fungicide/insecticide, then went to it.
One chop, and the piece was cut.
The wounds were sprayed with fungicide/insecticide, and the cutting was tied into a wooden basket and hung near the parent plant.
Within a couple of weeks, new roots started to form. By the dozens. There are new root tips everywhere, and three new growths have emerged from the base.
I am encouraged. I was half-expecting the cutting to shrivel and die; however, the opposite has been true. There has been no special care from me other than a daily hosing down and weakly weekly fertilizing.
The plants hang under a small willow tree receiving bright light and lightly filtered afternoon sun.
Conclusion: If you are worried about hurting your Vanda by removing a piece, do not fret. As long as the cutting has a couple of good roots, you should be good to go.
Photos:
The cut on the mother plant.
Mother plant on left, cutting in basket at right.
Cutting in basket in foreground; mother plant in bloom in background.
Root growth on cutting.
At least 12 new root tips emerging from one old root section.
New roots and growths at base of cutting.
Took a very large division from the massive specimen Vanda
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