Advice appreciated on new purchase

[elitebettas]

Hi Guys,
Went to my local orchid and bonsai store today and saw this vanda outside. It is one of those plants that you know may not be in prime condition but has potential. There were two other ones inside that were very sorry-the owner wanted to sell one to me and to prove how "healthy" they were he pulled on one of the green leaves on one vanda and it came right off, with barely a tug, go figure. So I looked at the one outside. The only thing i could see besides a few broken leaves was a very very old basket (testament to its age) that had ALOT of mildew I think. I'm not sure. I got a very expensive plant for $15.
I scraped quite a bit of mildew off of the basket-strangely not much on the roots, and sprayed with a fungacide/insecticide neem oil product on the portion of basket with mildew left.
I have one other vanda and a few ascocendas that haven't a spot of any type of ailment and want to keep it that way. How contagious is this mold? I placed it on the opposite side of my patio away from my other orchids.
Also, the tag was missing, the owner couldn't tell me what type it was, but a bystander said it was a Vanda Gu Chai Long X Arides Lorensiai -spelling probably way off as was he, he said it was fragrant and not a fragrance even in the early morning sunshine i purchased it in....
Thanks
Chris

[slippery_biscuit]

That is some nasty looking mold. Sounds like you're on the right track. Any way you could cut the basket away from the plant and hang the vanda in a net basket? With vanda's there isn't any medium for the basket to hold so why not scrap it (if possible) and get creative with a different hanging feature? Good luck with the recovery. The roots look pretty decent to me.

Jeff

[palito]

thats a very nice plant ! the algae/mold you can try to kill it if it bothers you that much but still, it is an old basket and mold etc is everywhere in the air. the wood baskets naturally decay with humidity. There is little one can do about that. But other than that, thats a nice plant ! congratulations!!

[chefatplay]

Elite, you have a nice looking plant. Your roots are plump with a lot of new growth on the tips. I completely agree with Palito on the algae on the basket. Don't worry about it. The last vanda I bought looked like that, too. I just left it outdoors and it looks better. I like the color. My vermillion colored one is a sequential bloomer. Does yours have a lot of old spikes in the leaves?

[orchid_girl]

This is a beautiful plant. If you don't like the basket just cut away as Slippery_biscuit said. It is a really heathy looking plant!

[elitebettas]

Hi guys,
Thanks, and would you believe I stand corrected? I went out this morning to wipe the leaves down and water it for the first time and the flowers really do have a fragrance...i'm debating now whether i should cut off the bent/broken leaves, I think i will leave them on since while bent the rest after the break is still green and firm, plant coud use em

[cupcake]

Gorgeous colour! Keep us posted! Judi

[elitebettas]

chefatplay actually,it doesn't really have much old spikes in the leaves, but my other one sure did. Boy I hope it blooms again soon, Pic attached

[chefatplay]

Oh, Elite, that's beautiful. I hope mine can get that beautiful. I know the flowers won't be that big, but the plant is gorgeous. Tom 499 was asking how to get the roots to hang down like that. What's your secret?

[elitebettas]

Lol, chefatplay
I cannot take credit for the vanda pictured, it was given to me that way as a gift-it's put out a lot of new growth, leaves, and a keiki since I cut the spike, the roots just grow and hang in that manner

[pikevi]

That is a fine looking specimen.

Thanks, elitebettas.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

The blue one looks like it could be Vanda coerulea or a close relation. The petals don't appear twisted, but some of the line bred plants don't do that. I say coerulea because the leaves seem to be a bit short, very much like coerulea

[tom499]

How old is it? I have two Vanda's both were bought as "flowering size". I cant see any past spike marks and neither have flowered this summer. I think there too small, and not very old by the amount of mature aerial roots.

[elitebettas]

The Blue one is V.Dr.Anek 32 Flowers X V.Coerulea
The other orange fragrant one, anyone's guess is as good as mine