Is this Vanda sick ?

[prisana]

I have this Vanda that's not looking very hot right now, it's been that way for a few months now. I don't know if I need to chop it half way off and repot the better part, since the bottom part is almost leafless and the very bottom I think is dead ( it feels kind of dry and the roots in that part are all dried up ) The leaves have funny marks on them , even the new ones. Can anyone tell me what's wrong with it please...?

[prisana]

here are some more pics of the same plant...thanks in advance

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Are you keeping this guy warm enough? Spots look like they may be because the plant is being grown in a lower temp than it likes. If outdoors is the best you can do in winter, you may just have to settle for spots on your plant. Looks to me like another couple of years would be good before trying the topping technique. Your plant is not nearly leggy enough to me. Remember that topping usually sets the plant back a bit while it is getting the remaining roots to do the whole job, and sometimes the topping will cause the loss of a few leaves, and you will be right back where you are now. Are you sure all the lower roots are dead, and not just old looking?

[prisana]

Hi Cynthia, the plant started to look like that since late summer, before the cold set in. And it hasn't been very cold this year, most of the time it's in the upper 60's at night and upper 70's or lowere 80's during the day. My other 3 Vandas, including a seedling are doing fine and one just bloomed. They have been hanging out right next to each other the whole time .
I checked it's stem towards the bottom and I was able to flick away the outer covering of the lower stem with the tip of my finger and with little pressure it's very flaky. The lower stem also has a bunch of small holes that are pretty deep and about the size of a toothpick across , maybe a little smaller..the roots cracked when I bent them ( ones in the very bottom )

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Yes, that part in the picture looks quite dead with that visable hole probably being where a root previously existed and can be cut off. But you do not want to cut off any living part of the stem. So, working from the bottom up and using a sterile tool, start cutting looking for when you reach living tissue. You can also start to cut off clearly dead roots, and work your way up the roots until you see living tissue in the cuts. Those roots coming out of the obviously dead stem can be pulled out of the basket. Looks like, as you pull all the dead stuff out, you may be able to reseat the plant in the basket or put it in a new basket without any set back. Topping is a process where most of the good roots are left with the lower half of the plant, causes a set back because of the loss of this portion of the roots, but this does not apply to your case. However, I don't think there is any relation between the loss of the base of the stem, probably from miscellaneous unimportant causes, and the leaf spotting.

[prisana]

Thank you Cynthia, I'll follow your direction in getting rid of the dead part. About the leaves, as long as you don't suspect a virus or something serious like that I won't worry either . I'm hoping it's the fertilizer overload or something like that because I dumped out left-over fertilizer from the old spray bottle , it was quite a strong solution, but there was only a little bit left in the bottom. The plant may have been too dry at the time. I remember starting to see the change in the leaves a bit after..I hope that's it. Thank you again.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Using fertilizer for misting is a little bit rough on the plant if you do it too often, as misting is additive, and the fertilizer can build up. I can't say one way or another about virus. Could be or not. Most of my plants that came back positive for virus showed no symptoms at all, so I don't think worring or not worring should be the way to look at it. If you really want to know, have it tested. From the high percentage of plants that come back positive for virus, it is a pretty good bet that any collection of orchids that numbers in the tens and higher has infected plants. If a plant continues to give a perspon trouble, one can look at the cost of testing as a way, not of eliminating worry, but of ending all the extra energy spent to baby a plant when there is no hope of making any improvement.

[prisana]

Cynthia, I think the cost of having the test done would be more than buying a new plant, I'm going to move it to the different spot away from other plants, just in case . I don't really baby my Vandas that much, only when they're in spike , just giving them the basic care.. most of the time they seem to do best , left alone. Thanks for your advice, Cynthia. :-)

[NancyG]

Hi Prisana,

I have about 6 vandas hanging in my back yard getting filtered light. I do the same to all of them. Some of them have the same spots your vanda has and some don't. They all bloom more than any of my other orchids. I'm not sure what causes the spots on some and not on others. That is the confusing part of orchids.

NancyG

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Genetics have a lot to do with it, probably more so, and more often, than any exotic desease. Just being a Vanda does not tell you that much about a plants needs. Some come from hot or cool climates, wet/humid and not so wet/not so humid climates. Some take more and some take less light. So, for a mongrel that most are, we can never be sure what they like without experimenting.

[prisana]

NancyG, it's good to know someone out there has similar problem, not that it's a good thing your plants have spots :-) you know what I mean. Sounds like what Cynthia said is most true---it's probably in the genes..thanks for your input.

[jerrymeola]

I grow hundreds of Vanda outside here in Florida. My first opinion when I saw the first picture was excessive heat in the summer.

Your later post confirmed it when you said it started last summer. I have a test Vanda growing in full sun year round (11,000 foot candles and temperatures to 100). It looks like your plant or worst, but Oh dies it flower well and often. The high light turns the leaves yellow since the plant does not need much chlorophyll it reduces the amount in the leaf.

More shade may make the leaves look better, but may reduce flowering. It is your call.

[prisana]

Thank you Jerry I will give it more shade from now, the leaves are very yellow I'm not really sure why the rest of the Vandas are not as yellow when they receive the same amount of light ( only direct morning sun and shaded by the tree the rest of the afternoon ). Maybe it's not a very strong plant to begin with . To the south yard it will go for now until I see some more green on the leaves and less spots. Thanks for your help.