| From another floridian let me say that Vandas are probably the most work of any orchid you will find at WalMart.
They have bare roots (which is necessary for most) and dry out very fast. As a result they need tremendous amounds of water. I am a little further south than you in Fort Myers and it is so hard on them that daily watering is not enough.
I recommend to my customers that they water every day and soak the roots in a bucket of water once a week for 4-5 hours. Leaving them overnight is not too much. I do not believe you can over water Vandas.
In Clearwater it will not be quite as hard but give them plenty of water. If you follow the advice of the WalMart person of misting - they will die. They need much more water.
If you are a beginner these are not orchids with which to start.
Try dendrobiums or cattleyas for outdoors in Florida until you get more comfortable with how much effort you are willing to apply to your hobby
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jerry  |