Advice regarding young(ish) Vanda and Cattleya

[trishorton]

Hi there. I am new to the Orchid Forum, and would like a little advice.

My brother gave me a Vanda and 4 Cattleya orchids about 2 years ago as very young plants. They are growing, but to date none of them have flowered. I repotted them all about 12 months ago as they had filled their little pots and were pushing the compost out of the top. The Vanda I moved into an orchid basket about 2 months ago, thinking it may prefer that. They are in a south-facing sun room at the back so they do not sit in direct sunlight all day long. I water them all weekly and they sit on a bed of wet pebbles to increase humidity. I feed them about once a month with a proprietory orchid fertilizer.

I also grow phalaenopsis and dendrobium which are constantly in flower.

Do I need to do anything differently or am I being impatient?

Any advice will be gratefully received.

trishorton

[tucker85]

Most cattleyas will not bloom as much as your phals and dendrobioms. You say that your cattleyas are getting larger, so when they get mature enough and it's the blooming season for that particular plant, you will probably get some blooms. It sounds like you're giving them good care. All it takes is some patience now. If you have large cattleyas that fail to bloom, they usually need more light.
Vandas are a whole different ballgame. I think it may be difficult to grow a vanda indoors in an open orchid basket. Generally vandas need a lot light, water, humidity and fertilizer. That's hard to provide indoors. I know there are some people on this forum that have had some succes growing them indoors and hopefully they can give you some tips for growing them that way. Good luck.

[trishorton]

Thanks for the advice. I obviously need to stock up on patience!

[justme58]

SOUNDS like you are doing everything right, but the catts may be another 6 months or a year from bloom depending on summer or fall bloom . Unless they are minis most orchid types like to begin bloom at 3 or 4 yrs old and my brother has one 5 yrs old and it is now spiking. I live in Florida and love vandas = they take heat, light and Water. Vanda have to begin alot of root growth and reach a size to bloom. MY 5 YEAR OLD VANDA ARE BOOMING LIKE CRAZY AND MY 3.5 YRS OLD are just beginning to put a bud out. If you can put the orchids outside in not so sunny time of day for more light, heat and things that minic nature , it helps growth. mY MINNI CATTS LIKE JUNE BUG are blooming well, but the mature ones like my Susan Fenders have not. Time and age counts, but it is hard to wait. I keep mine under a carport,except the vanda. Vands hang in cedar baskets or on wire. By the way, I use my carport for flowers only - orchids, bromeliads and b'nana trees. Good luck waiting.

[catttan]

Welcome to OT. Very sound advice from both Jeff and Justme58.

[Halloamey]

Welcome to OT ! I second all the great advice. I would also like to add that if possible try and upload a few photos of the orchids in concern. Big, small are all very relative terms, if possible also let us know if the plants have tags with names, it might help because small plants are minis or compacts and will bloom on very small compact plants whereas some might need to get quite big to mature and flower. It all depends on the species heritage of the orchid.

[trishorton]

Thank you all for your advice. I don't have a carport, but I do have a pergola where I can hang the cattleyas. I will have to give some thought as to where I can put the vanda. I have two cymbidium that I put under the pergola from May through to October each year (the last 3 years anyway) and they reward me with flowers around Christmas each year.

I will take some photos of the cattleyas and the vanda, but there are no name tags. I don't know where my brother obtained the plants - he just showed up with them as he knows I love them. Most of my orchids do not have name tags as they are usually purchased for me by family.

[trishorton]

Hi there

Here are some photos of the cattleyas and the vanda. Some of the vanda's leaves seem to be going yellow. I have no why. I have been putting it out in the warm but not direct sun. The trouble is I am in England and we have had some shockingly wet times this year!

Trish

[zainal abidin]

Hi Trish your plant looks so healthy but your vanda need to apply more organic fertilizer seem it's lacking some nutrient.

[trishorton]

Thanks for your message. How often should I feed it?
Trish