Curious if anyone is growing Vandas? I have one that over the last year has spiked and flowered 3 times but now seems to have stalled. His leaves are looking a little leathery but I am not sure if I should take any of the lower ones off or wait until they yellow. This is my first Vanda so I’m just flying blind. (See this Vanda blooming in my profile photo.) Observations and suggestions welcome!
I've never grown a vanda specifically, but blooming three separate times in one year is great for an orchid! As long as you're fertilizing in between bloom periods, it should continue to bloom when it's ready. Leathery orchid leaves usually indicate thirst.
0 Likes That’s what I was thinking the leathery leaves meant. I’m at a loss as to how to give it more water. It gets misted several times a day and a lot of nights I put it in a bathtub of water and leave it til morning. It has a couple great air roots but the others are really thin and tiny. Obviously it is getting water otherwise it would be dead but I don’t know what else to do to keep it hydrated. We live in the Nashville area so humidity isn’t really a problem especially in the summer. In winter I move it to a south facing bathroom to make sure it gets plenty of sun and humidity.
1 Like It looks like it's come far with that routine. So many leaves! I'd consider bolstering some of the root ball with sphagnum somehow.
1 Like I’ve been meaning to find a better hanger than the plastic nursery pot it came in so getting one that holds moss sounds like a perfect solution! I grow all my phalaenopsis bare root and Vandas are usually done that way so I had forgotten that adding moss is an option. Thanks for the reminder!
1 Like Looking forward to its progress!
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Three times? Congrats! Sounds like a happy plant to me. I have not had mine as long as you, nor have they rebloomed in my care so do with this as you want 😁 I wouldn’t cut the leaves. My understanding is vandas do not typically shed leaves. They still have chlorophyll so remain a productive part of the plant. And cutting healthy tissue creates an entry point for infection. Vandas’ roots want to dry out so that’s primarily why they are grown in baskets without media. But that requires multiple waterings during the day when it’s hot. I am in Texas so mine will have to endure brutal heat, and my schedule does not allow me to water multiple times a day. I’m experimenting with adding lava rock to the basket to hold onto a little bit of moisture throughout the day. Meh. They seem hydrated with just me watering once daily (usually) but they’ve not rebloomed for me. I’m guessing my lack of consistency is my issue. If you choose to add media, do your research. I believe most sources recommend course media leaning towards inorganic material.
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