Vanda Culture Notes

[fred]

Temperature & Humidity: Vandas are basically warm growers. Daytime temperature should range from 65 to 95 degrees; nighttime from 60 to 65 degrees. It is important to provide good humidity, especially on warm sunny days.
Light & Shade: It is important to give Vandas a high degree of light. Terete leaf Vandas can adapt to full sun while strap leaf types do better with some protection during the mid-day hours. We do not recommend Vandas for artificial light culture as there is not enough light intensity for successful blooming. If Vandas are grown in the home, a bright south exposre is best.

Watering: During the spring and summer months when Vandas are kept outdoors in bright warm areas, frequent watering is needed. Vandas shoud not be kept dry or moist over an extended period. Misting on warm sunny days is very beneficial.

Feeding: Vandas require a rather constant feeding during the spring and summer months. We recommend a balanced fertilizer (18-18-18) for best results. When feeding with every watering, a half-strength or less solution is best.

Potting: A coarse grade of potting material is best suited for Vandas. Chunks of coarse bark or tree fern mixed with a general orcid mix will do well. Redwood baskets or slotted clay pots are ideal containers for Vandas. As Vandas become larger, they tend to get somewhat leggy. As the roots develop on the upper portion of the plant, you may remove the upper half and repot it as a separate plant. After this is done, the lower portion generaly develops offshoots. When these offshoots develop roots, they too, may be removed and repotted on their own.

Outdoor Growing: If Vandas are grown in the home, it is highly recommended to summer them outdoors. Vandas should be hung up outside where they receive nearly full sunlight.

[Aleksa]

Is it possible to make small rootless vanda creates roots and continue growing? This plant is firm and shows no signs of drying for more than 2 weeks...

[tom499]

I would rest the base on the some damp moss, So then its at least got a solid way of getting moisture. Damp moss is good for inducing root growth.

Good luck

[Aleksa]

It worked! My little Vanda is starting new root. it is only about 3 cm, and very young.

Should i take it off from the moss? I'm afraid that root will rot in wet moss! i thought to pot it! What do you think?

[Charles]

You might try wetting the roots three or four times a day indstead of constant contact with the moss.
Vandas are what I do best. I have brought many seedlings back from the brink after a torturous drying and shipping procedure carried out by an E-bay seller. Try the bag-n-sphag trick for the really needy ones.
I wet my others often during the warmer months here in Fl. With the garden hose. Water directly from the well. Two, three even four times a day in the mid summer. But let them dry between wetting. And do not wet the leaves late in the day. They really want to be dry before it cools down for the night. Lots of light. Slowly introduce them to brightest light. They will burn if too much is given too fast. It can take two or more weeks to introduce them to high sun light conditions. Don't be fooled either. Sunburn can take a week or more to visibly show on the plant.
Be patient.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Charles, could your update your profile with your location? I know you mention above that you are in Florida, but no one is going to remember that for future posts.

[waldobrits]

Just to ad to the question.....I have a New Vanda and is is planted in a hanging tray....the tray itself has no bark ....just the plastic tray....the roots is the Orchid are nive and strong...i would like to know if it is better to place it in a pot or let it be as it is.....?
there is also 3 small plant-lets growing under and between the main root-system... how would you go...getting them out...those bigger motherplant roots are all around then and as you know rather hard to move without damaging them...

[Priscilla]

My son sent me an email today to tell me "to get ready for Mother's Day." He is sending a blue Vance orchid, and I've never had one before, so I'll need lots of help telling me how to care for it. I have a south facing window, although during the hot months of the summer the sun doesn't come in except in the early morning. It gets full sun most of the year. We live in Northern Virginia in a retirement home. My neighbor has a balcony out from her apartment. She could put it there for me if it really needs full sun. Any help will be appreciated! Priscilla

sorry, I'm a total newbie, whats the bag-n-sphag trick?

[fred]

please see Orchid Data Information For Newbies
lots of good information is in that section
here is a link to your question
http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/orc...tructions.html

Thanks for the heads up


Edit] just for those wondering a guest can not post without registering.
there was a problem with the members account and the member has a new account of the same user name.
thanks
fred

[euktar]

Hi there

My vanda seems to be very happy with the place I put her in (she's indoors but with a lot of light and humidity, it's quite warm as well). The problem I have is that I don't know how often I have to mist it. I tried to do it every day, but I think it's too much water. Now I do it once a week and the plant seems to be perfectly ok, besides, I think it was starting to rot when I misted it that often. What do you think?

thxx!!! ^^

[ryanjoe888]

with vanda, if it doesn't have any potting medium as on my case because it is mounted on a drift wood, i water them everyday (early morning) and if the sun is really shining or it is really hot i mist them twice or thrice a day....

[peeweelovesbooks]

Hi there everyone. I just came from an orchid shopping trip and one of the nurseries I went to had vandas growing in pots. She put a wire cylinder in the middle and attached the plant with tie twists. The plants reached the ceiling. The medium was just lava rocks and the lady informed me that she watered them every day and fertilized once a week. They were awesome.

It was interesting because I'd always thought that you could only grow vandas in hanging pots.

[coffeecup]

What's the standard procedure for the winter months? It can get as low as 35 deg. (F) here.

[LadyV]

Originally Posted by peeweelovesbooks

Hi there everyone. I just came from an orchid shopping trip and one of the nurseries I went to had vandas growing in pots. She put a wire cylinder in the middle and attached the plant with tie twists. The plants reached the ceiling. The medium was just lava rocks and the lady informed me that she watered them every day and fertilized once a week. They were awesome.

It was interesting because I'd always thought that you could only grow vandas in hanging pots.

Very interesting indeed! If the Vandas were as awesome as you say, they must each have had many aerial roots, too big and many for their pots. Did the roots hang over the sides of each pot, or dangle down through the drainage holes under the pots? I grow my Vandas in cork and sphagnum moss filled baskets attached to wire supports, allowing the roots to hang down.

LadyV.

[frostychic]

"As Vandas become larger, they tend to get somewhat leggy. As the roots develop on the upper portion of the plant, you may remove the upper half and repot it as a separate plant. After this is done, the lower portion generaly develops offshoots. When these offshoots develop roots, they too, may be removed and repotted on their own."

~

I would really love to know what this is procedure is called so I can research it more.

Also, how can you tell the difference between the two types of Vandas mentioned?

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by frostychic

I would really love to know what this is procedure is called so I can research it more.

It's called propigation.

Originally Posted by frostychic

Also, how can you tell the difference between the two types of Vandas mentioned?

Terete leaf vandas have pencil shaped leaves. The other vandas have flat narrow leaves.

[frostychic]

Thank you kmarch. That was so easy ... that I feel dizzy!
Oh well... it won't be the first or the last time, lol.

I will research propogation of strap vandas per the above method ... as that is the variety I have.

Would you or someone else mind clarifying something about strap vandas & when their leaves are "v" shaped vs. clamped tightly together.



I read somewhere that if your vandas leaves are tightly clamped together this shows that the plant needs more hydration. Is this true? I have 2 vandas that have been that way ever since they arrived in the mail (eBay) and both have shown great root growth and also leaf growth. These (as well as the others displaying their leaves in a "v") are all in hanging plastic baskets. During the summer I had them outside under a shade tree that got late day sun but dappled during the hot/heat of the day. I sprayed/misted them daily... sometimes 2-3 times daily if it was an exceptionally hot day. Now our days are too cool for them to be outside so they are in a South facing windo and still continuing to show leaf growth. I continue to mist/spray them daily although I use a hand held now instead of my garden hose/sprayer/mister. Still no change and this that I just described has taken place over a period of 5 months or so.

I have even taken the two vandas in question and soaked their roots for a couple of hours and saw no real change in them relaxing their leaves. Is this truley a sign of want for hydration?

[articuno75]

Frostychic~ I just got my first Vanda the beginning of Oct. I've been spraying mine daily and soaking it for hours. Not just a couple either. Sometimes as long as the whole day 8 hours plus! It really helps, especially when the house is super dry.

I don't understand the "V" that you're talking about. Are you talking about the leaves themselves, or the plant as a whole looking like a "V"?

[kmarch]

Jenny I think Frostychic is referring ot he cross section of the leaf, if you cut a leaf in half and look at the end it has a V-shape.

[articuno75]

When mine started to dehydrate the leaves started to twist into a spiral and wrinkle a bit. That's when I knew there was some drying going on.

[frostychic]

Hi Jenny... kmarch was correct... I was referring to the cross section of the leaf.

If mine hadn't shown root growth and leaf growth too all summer long without a change in the way the leaves are clamped together (rather than in a nice healthy V) then I'd have thought there was a problem ... so I assumed this was showing some other issue.

Plus, they arrived that way...

I will try some additional soaking for those 2... the others are not/have not displaying the same look.

[Jonsberg]

I live in thetropics, where vandas are grown in pots (on rocks) or simply hung on wire hangers - no pots, no anything. They do really well!

[Joe Geoffroy]

Does anyone know the reason my Vandas leaves are turning yellow? we have had some cold weather here but they are protected at night in my portable greenhouse with the temp inside staying at 60 to 70 degrees.

Is it fertilization or water?, I have read that some folks fertilize when they water every day. I water every day then put them under a fan to help with the drying, I don't like to put them wet at night.I ferilize once a week.

Thanks Joe

[Jonsberg]

I think it might be one of two things: either dehydration (you'd see wrinkling as well) or underfeeding. Here in Darwin, we add epsom salts (half a teaspoon in around nine litres of feed) once a month, which helps orchids to make chlorophyll.

[jerrymeola]

Winter temperatures and age cause a lot of yellowing and leaf drop.

Even in your greenhouse the temperature fluctuates as the heaters seldom can keep it constant.

I just accept it as normal growth.

[robyasmt]

If the Vanda leaves are getting yellow spots on the leaves then the leaves dye?

[robyasmt]

How do you separate a baby Vanda from the main Vanda?

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by robyasmt

How do you separate a baby Vanda from the main Vanda?

You don't. You should leave them together.

[robyasmt]

Even tho the babies are blooming size?

[kmarch]

Yes. I wouldn't remove them. They probably depend n the mother plant for nutrient support and larger plants certainly flower better.

[robyasmt]

I am glad i checked i could have killed them all. the whole group together is 6 smaller ones and one large one. The large one is very leggy. I got it from a friend who almost killed them. I have a lot of work to get her better she has a lot of wind damage and she is very dehydrated.

[shalymere]

Vanda really needs some extra care and attention for it to have enough nutrients to grow healthier and to have more beautiful flowers soon.

[NewGrower]

Hey everyone! When my vanda is done flowering do you trim off the spike (similiar to a Phal or Oncidium) or do you leave it?

Thanks

[Brisbanite]

Just so you get an answer to your question.

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by NewGrower

Hey everyone! When my vanda is done flowering do you trim off the spike (similiar to a Phal or Oncidium) or do you leave it?

Thanks

You can trim it. They won't reflower off the same spike. Actually most ondiciums can be cut too as they'll not reflower off the same inflorescence either BUT some will, so you have to know which is which.

[lbatto]

I just received a vanda orchid. It is currently sitting in a plastic basket with no medium at all. The roots are just hanging down. Should I put it in a wood basket? Do I put any medium in it so it can be a bit more forgiving in that I don't have to water it every day...it would be great if I can water it every other day or even better, once every three days?

[zaeem]

Ibatto hi!

Yes slated wood basket with coco nuggets is good.Keep spraying when hot and low humidity.This should help.Dont forget weekly fertalizing.

[Mira-Claude]

I keep mine in plastic vanda baskets.
As the air in my home can get really dry, for added humidity, I add sparse sphag moss in it.
So far it as given good results.
I literally dump my vanda in a sink full of water everyday for half an hour to an hour, when it gets dry to soon during a hot I spray once or twice in the afternoon.
I was fearing rot, but I got flowers instead!

[squishy69]

I'm feeding my vandas every day at a lower concentration, is this ok? And, when should i start using bloom food.? The package says every fourth feeding. .

[longshuen]

Squishy, if your Vanda has no potting medium or has only large chunks of bark as potting medium, you can never over feed it. Any extra will wash right out. Vanda needs to be watered very frequently if potted this way. I used to give mine a shower for a few minutes everyday. (I know a lot of work!)

[BradGC]

A local market near me has about 20+ vandas hanging around and they have a really good idea, they just have irrigation tubes hanging from the roof, and a vanda strapped right onto the tube like a stake. Then I guess the irrigation is set to go once or twice a day

[Paul Mc]

I've got mine in CHC, but I don't soak. I water them 2 to 3 times away by sprayer hose until the roots turn green then stop. I've been told CHC holds water more than one would think. Am I doing right or should I buy a large bucket to fill with water and soak them?

[Brisbanite]

Originally Posted by BradGC

A local market near me has about 20+ vandas hanging around

How about a photo of this, so we can get the drift.

[BradGC]

Sure, I'll post some later today

[Susie11]

I have mine in a glass vase and I water every day by filling up the vase with water and leaving it for about ten minutes. I feed twice a week using a weak fertiliser. Should I be fertilising it weakly every day instead then?

[mandali12]

Hello everyone:

Fairly new collector, so please forgive me if I don't use correct terminology.
I have a Vanda who started to grow a spike and all of a sudden the tip of what would be the flower has turned brown.
What could cause this?

[Brisbanite]

Still waiting for the photos, Brad.

[BradGC]

Mandali: you'll probably need pictures to help diagnose the problem.

Brisbanite: yes sorry, I haven't had a chance lately to go past there, I'll post them soon!

[mandali12]

Yes, Brad.
I must take pics. I am hoping to get a camera soon. When I do, I shall post them.
Thanks.

[orchidwiz]

has anyone tried the glass vase culturing techniques for Vanda species? If so, could you outline the basics for this culturing technique.
thanks

[BradGC]

Basically you have a small vanda basket that fits nicely into the top of a vase or jar (or a wine carafe works well because of the spout opening can hold the basket at the top) then basically you fill the jar with water for about half an hour each day then empty the jar.
The basic idea is that you can keep a bit of humidity around the roots and also have airflow

[aloha52]

I purchased a Vanda in May. It was outdoors for the summer but brought indoors in late September. It's kept under 4 T5 HO fluorescent bulbs with a HPS light on for 2 hrs/day. It's soaked every AM for 30-45 minutes in water with very, very weak fertilizer (Jack's 20-20-20). It's been blooming since early November and absolutely gorgeous! My pride and joy!! Enjoy your Vanda!

[BradGC]

Sounds great, I'd love to see some pictures of it!
I've got about 15 vandas all that I've collected in the last few months, none of them have properly flowered yet (its early summer here at the moment).

I guess they usually spike in late summer or fall?

[Pukeko]

Hi Everyone! So today i Recieved my very first Vanda, its a Gordon Dillon x Mini Palmer. im ummming and errrrrrrring about how to out it. I live in a very temperate part of New Zealand so its doesnt get rediculously hot. ive been worried that perhaps it wouldnt grow very well due to the climate but thought id give it a go anyway! i have a sun room and green house, both get very warm in the summer, but pretty chilli in winter! i keep all my other orchids in the sun room 95 percent of the time, they are mostly phals, catts, sarchs, odonts and some paphs. i use heating on the colder nights and dont let it get to far below 10 degrees c. so how will my new vanda do? what is the best culture to adopt ? any advice would be appreciated

[artem]

Pukeko, i think, you'd better keep your vanda bare-rooted. Vanda is prone to root rot in such conditions as yours in winter