Vanda's need help??

[luvmypups]

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum.
We relocated from S. Florida to E. Tennessee last year, and so far my babies are hanging in there. Except...my vanda leaves are funny looking, kind of "shrivel-ly" throughout the entire leaf, horizontally(sp). After reading some posts, I think they're thirsty. What do you guy's think???
Thanks,
Susie

[Orchid_lady]

Do you have any pictures that you would like to share with us?

[captripppp]

They are deffinently lacking from humidity. Making a journey as they have made from Fl to Tenn is qutie drastic for a vanda. You should probably water your vandas everyday in the morning. I live in Fl, and even down here I like to water my vandas once a day. To be honest they may even benefit from 2 waterings a day. One in the morning, and one in the early afternoon. Aaron

[luvmypups]

Thank you for that advice. I have been soaking them 3x/week but will start mist 2x/daily in between, especially with this recent heat wave/global warming event.
Thanks,
Susie

[jerrymeola]

Vandas in Florida can take all the water you can give it. During the winter nothing you do will be enough water and the leaves will look terrible.

Come summer rains and the plant will start to grow again and look good.

I recommend soaking the vandas once a week for 4-5 hours and I have often soaked over night.

[relakii]

Originally Posted by luvmypups

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum.
We relocated from S. Florida to E. Tennessee last year, and so far my babies are hanging in there. Except...my vanda leaves are funny looking, kind of "shrivel-ly" throughout the entire leaf, horizontally(sp). After reading some posts, I think they're thirsty. What do you guy's think???
Thanks,
Susie

I don't think thy are thirsty They are, Vands are easy to look after, just make sure that the velmin is fat and full of water and food at all times, that mean's nice white round root's,

[luvmypups]

Thanks ya'll. My vandas are looking better already, especially the roots.
Susie

[relakii]

Originally Posted by luvmypups

Thanks ya'll. My vandas are looking better already, especially the roots.
Susie

Well we seem to have an interesting problem here,

Vand's are an Air plant and hate to have there root's enclosed in anything, Never ever use a POT plastice or otherwise, you can perchase square Vanda boxes which allow the plant to put out it's root's through the sides or bottom'.-- they have freedom,
These plant's are monopodial which mean's they grow from the centre, good culture is very important when growing Vandeae;s Good air movement at all time is a must, Good Quality water at all times is a must, thy are a hungry plant so a good balanced fertilizer is one of the most important thing's,

Water every morning untill the root's turn green, that is the only way to know if the plant has been watered properly, give plenty of time to dry out because of root rot, fertilizer every week right through the growing season at full strenth and once a fortnight at half strength in the winter, the root's should alway's be fat and heathy, hope that this help's with your VANDEAE Orchid's
good growing ,
Relakii

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Well, I think Vandas like having their roots in pots too. All of my Vands are in plastic pots.
http://www.pbase.com/schnitz/potted_vandas
Cynthia

[FreeSpirit]

I am new to this forum,I have a vanda that is in a plastic pot and its doing great. I did ask a question if I should repot it because its so top heavy.its been in the same pot for 3 yrs, any ideas?
Thank You

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

I hang my pots. This way the wires the hold the pot up also support the plant in an upright position. When I set the pot down, I often set it inside a larger clay pot to hold the plant upright. You never want to have the plant in a large pot. The reason that a pot works for Vandas is that it dries out very fast. Large pots dry out too slowly.

[Lucinda Brown]

I've been wanting to ask you,Cynthia,how often you water your potted vandas and if they're potted in regular bark mix or what medium.I didn't do too well with them potted,have had much better luck bareroot w/corn husk fiber around roots.But I'd like to try them again in pots[may want to vacation some day ] or just get a day off watering them. Mine are in a greenhouse,also.What's your secret?

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

I grow mine in a mix of small perlite and Canadian peat, more perlite than peat, and packed in quite well. I add a small amount of oyster shell these days, but the Vandas have done well without it. The Vandas suck the pot dry in about 3 days, + or - a little, but remember I use very small pots. We have very dry air here in AZ, so I generally have my GH at only 50% humidity, not enough to grow that moss that hangs from trees in Florida. It dies every time I try it. I think you need to try my vacation protocol. I bag up anything that will not last thru my trip away. For a Vanda, you will probably need a bag from a dry cleaners. For my mounties, I water them, then zip them up in a zip-lock bag. If they have no moss on the mount, I will throw some mostly wrung out sphagnum moss into the bag. Those that will almost make the length of time I will be away get put into a bag with the top open to slow down the drying process. Been away about 6 days so far with no unhappy orchids when I returned.