Are my Vandas getting enough light?

[rving87]

Hi Veena,

If you're in the market for a ph meter, wanted to share my experience with them. I ph adjust with a few drops of pre-mixed citric acid and apple cider vinegar that I keep in a bottle. I bought the standard ph up and ph down available in our market, but a couple of uses later, I found the root tips burnt, so moved to the above home made ph down mix. For my ph I do not need ph up.

I own a Hannah pen type ph meter, which I got a couple of years back. I was told it's the most accurate. It busted on me in two years. Readings used to vary 1-1.5 ph every time I just dipped in the same solution. I found a really good alternative that you might check out. This is the traditional glass bulb, and is very very accurate.

Lab Junction pH Meter,Portable Digital pH Meter (Hand Held),Model:LJ-131: Amazon.in: Industrial & Scientific

[Veena Manohar]

Thanks rving87! I’ll look it up.

[estación seca]

pH test kits for swimming pools or aquariums can be used. They generally involve adding a few drops of reagent to a glass tube and comparing color against a standard color card.

[rving87]

My Vanda (Virate X Dr.Anek) answered the question

[rving87]

I'm guessing it's Wirat and not Virate. Local nursery misspelling.

[Veena Manohar]

Is that what I think it is?

[rving87]

My Vanda Bloomed, although I mislabeled it earlier! It is a Nopporn Golden Hill.

[Orchidtinkerer]

rving,
congrats on your flower, i like the transition from white to yellow.
I find it impressive that from asking the question your Vanda produced a bud, grew it out, produced a flower and you are showing it to us a month later already.

Takes mine months to produce a flower spike so I'd say you are doing everything right.

I have read through what Estacion has said, seems a bit over-thought to me. I do have to question feeding any orchid even a Vanda 1000ppm of Nitrogen, that is a big step up from 25-100ppm which is what I have always used.

From what I know you should aim to feed orchids the 5 main macro nutrients N,P,K,Ca and Mg in equal amounts with the calcium and magnesium at a 1:05 ratio.
So if feeding 1000ppm of Nitrogen, you need to add 1000ppm of Potassium, 1000 ppm of Phosphorous, 1000ppm of Calcium and 500 ppm of Magnesium (less the Ca and Mg already in the water).

According to my math this comes to a ppm of 4500, probably more with the micronutrients added, and I honestly don't know a single plant I grow that can handle a concentration of 4500ppm let alone an orchid so I honestly don't see the point if it will burn the roots.

The only other approach would be to feed the Nutrients at 1000ppm separately on each watering to avoid burning the roots but again I honestly don't see the point in such a complicated approach. Am I missing something here? I mean for all I care people can grow theirs however they want but 4500ppm will burn roots.

[Roberta]

I'm not seeing 1000 ppm fertilizer... I think there was mention of making a strong solution, but then using only 1.5 g (1.5 ml or thereabouts) of it in water to end up with 25 ppm N ... which would be about right for using it regularly. Mixing up a concentrate (weigh out the solid once) and then just using a small amount of that (easier to measure liquids than solids, especially in small quantities) seems to me like a good idea.

For blooming, a tropical location helps a lot, especially for a Vanda with a lot of V. sanderiana in its background.)

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by rving87

They grow like weeds in my climate (Mumbai, coastal India)

Some orchids can grow 'relatively' quickly, but 'growing like weeds' hehehe .... well .... that would be hard to believe heheh.

I think I recall reading somewhere - from some other forum, where somebody mentioned their C. aclandiae grew like a weed.

I know what you're meaning though !!! Grows 'relatively' quickly

Fantastic vanda pics you posted!!!! The white top half with the chartreuse down the bottom of it is really nice. Great photos!