Vanda advice please

[devonlin]

I'm the lucky recipient of a beautiful Vanda orchid which was a Christmas present. It's my third orchid - I have two phals, which following your expert advice (many thanks) are doing well - one has thrown up a new spike and looks set to flower again - the other is still flowering! However, the phals are in a potting medium but the Vanda came in a vase with its aerial roots coiling inside. My question is this: should I leave it in the vase or should I 'decant' it to another container? I'm in the UK and I think the Vanda will need to be watered more often than the phals, with perhaps less food as it is our winter now. Any advice as far as watering and general care will be appreciated.
Many thanks in anticipation.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

I would be interested to see a picture of the vase portion of your Vanda. Such an arrangement just doesn't computer for me. Is there water in the vase? Continuously?

Vandas need much higher light than Phals. This may be a problem inn the UK. Well, you could probably put it in a window with full sun, when it shines, and as much as is available other times. Just watch the temperature of the leaves facing the sun if the sun actually comes out. Feel the leaves. Luke warm to the touch or a little warmewr is OK, but down right hot to the touch is not. Also be sure it has moisture at the roots if the sun shines on it so it can cool its leaves by evaporation.

Vandas, if grown with high light and warmth, will grow year round, and can be fertilized well, as they like fertilizer. But, if light is a problem, yes, cut back on fertilizer. Plants that are not growiong need far less fertilizer or none. Good luck on this one.

[Ellen]

I currently have an Ascocenda Princess Mikasa in full bud, even with the short days in Seattle, which is about the same level as Paris. It gets full light all day, but nothing supplemental. right now it's getting sun!

[devonlin]

I will try and get a photo to post, but in the meantime .. the vase is a straight sided cylinder 7 inches deep by 4 inches across. there is a small 'basket' about half way down, surrounded by roots, in which the plant is growing but there is no growing medium in it. I have been filling the vase with tepid water every other day for 10 minutes and then emptying the water out. The roots then go a lovely green colour. I have a conservatory which is heated to the same temperature of the rest of the house, and it is quite light having glass to 2 sides of the room and a perspex roof which also lets the light in. At the moment it is on the windowsill to get all the available sunlight - not much!! I'll let you know how I get on with it. Thanks.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Actually, that sounds like a very good system for the Vanda. You mention not much light. Which way do the windows face, and could you update your profile to include your general location, preferably down to city level?

[devonlin]

Hi Cynthia

The windows essentially face south west and west which is good as they get any available sun for a fair amount of the day.

My nearest town is Barnstaple in Devon, England and I will go now and update my profile.

The Vanda is still looking good so, so far so good!

Thanks for the advice

Linda