Vasco. what???

[junieg2]

I bought a Vasco. Viboon Velvet Perfection and would like to know more about it. I've been checking out websites but I'm coming up a little short on info. What exactly does "vascostylis" mean? What is the most important thing I should be providing this little beauty? Her flowers are wilting and she has developed a couple of brown spots on her leaves. Any ideas?
jcg

oops! think I should've read jerry's answer to newbie ? re: nametags first.........

[jerrymeola]

I am sorry I did not see you post earlier. It deserves a more complete answer.

Vasco is an intergenetic hybrid of a vanda, a Rhyncostylis and an ascocenda. Vandas and an ascocendas are very closely related and you would have to be a botanist to understand the differences. They all take the same care.

For a hobbist the biggest difference is that Vandas are larger plants and larger flowers while blooming only once a year. Asconcendas are smaller both in plant size and flower size, but have the big advantage of blooming 2-3 times a year. It makes it easy to see why the growers are crossing the two. Larger flowers on a multiple blooming plant is the desire.

I will use the term vanada to refer to all three classes.

Vandas need a lot of water. Here in hot SW florida I do not think watering once a day is enough. I recommend putting the plant in a bucket of water for 5-6 hours once a week. I have left a stressed plant in the bucket for up to two days. I do not believe you can over water a vanda. I usually add fertilizer (balance 20-20-20) to the bucket at the rate of a teaspoon per gallon and solve the fetilizing at the same time. Watering in a bucket is probably the easiest way indoors for the winter. Once or twice a week soaking will probably be sufficient indoors.

Vandas need very high light levels. In NE Pennsylvania you can probably leave it in full sun all summer. They need 6-8000 foot candles of light to flower. I doubt the summer sun gets much higher in Pennsylvania. 11,000 is the highest I have ever measured in Florida summers (When the sun is lower in the sky like winter I have measured only 4000 in noon sun in January). You might want to consider a little shade from noon to 3. Morning sun and afternoon shade would also work well and probably be easier for you to find a place with these conditions.

In high llight the leaves of the plant will go very yellow. This is good for flowering. The plant is producing less chlorophyll in the leaves since it is getting enough for less in the high sun. Dark green leaves on most (not all) orchids indicate too little sun.

[junieg2]

Jerry,
Thank you for this info. I guess I'm not too far off with its care. I have it hanging in a southeast facing window, but I don't think I'm giving it enough water. I water once a week and mist daily. In the winter I plan on moving it to a south facing window and will have to water more often. Please note brown spots on a couple of the leaves. Also, the blooms are a little brown tinged. Any ideas?

[jerrymeola]

If I only knew how to stop the brown spots and brown leaf tips. I doubt I have a single one without them.

I would give it more water then you are now.

Also I would try to learn exactly how much light is coming through the window. Glass shades the plant and absorbs more light then you might think. I have never been able to get a light reading in florida as our windows are designed to never have direct sun hitting them.

[bobharvey]

I'm glad to get the advice on watering. I am growing one in an Orchidarium. I had a puny little bloom last spring but nothing like I was hoping for.

[fred]

welcome to the forum bobharvey
I hope you enjoy your stay here with us
have you seen our cultivation section yet for some help with watering
http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/orc...e-cultivation/
also see the AOS cultivation sheet,s

do you have any pics of your Orchidarium ?
we would love to see some

[jerrymeola]

Wow two years since the original post and it shows things change.

The requirements are still the same but care in a home is easier now.

I recommend dunking Vandaceous species and hybrids in a worm tea solution. I find a once a week dunking to be almost equivalent to daily watering.

In another post I had a photo of Rene and her Vanda that she waters by dunking only once a month.

http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/orc...ow-up-wow.html