Vanda - blooming/growth

[stauzin]

So, I'm a new orchid grower and I have 4 new-ish Vanda orchids. I have had them for about 2 months now and I think that they are in great condition. when I first bought them, it was an attempt to rescue them from the orchid dungeon that we call Lowe's. They looked absolutely terrible. Their leaves didn't grow in a fan like shaped due to the packaging that the selling company used. The roots were mostly brown and I had to cut away more than 50 percent of them. However, with some fierce love and dedication to watering them and repotting them and a wooden crate they all now have new root growth. They have a beautiful leaf spread. Each one of them also is growing a new leaf. They're not more than 6 inches tall. (I would show you some pictures but im not quite sure how to post those from my phone.) So my question is... how long will it really be before they start to bloom? I'm wondering this because vanda orchids seem like a species that kind of break all of the rules when it comes to growing and blooming seasons and also in terms of watering and sunlight.
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[Christopher]

Could u post pictures of the orchids?

[stateless]

would help to know where you are growing them also, in or outdoors and where you live, growing vandas is different in Florida than say New York, or California

[catttan]

Concur with Ed.

[stauzin]

I'm in Louisiana and they are grown outside in a wooden basket with indirect sun, with an hour or two of direct like in the morning.
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[stauzin]

I'm not sure how to do that on my phone. Is there a way?
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[stateless]

okay that info helps some, but still hard to say, some Ascocendas will bloom when quite small in size as compared to some vandas that need to acquire some size before blooming, I'm a believer in Maxi Crop for getting good roots, I just slow down it's application in fall and cold weather, yes vandas do kind of break the rule when it comes to watering, it's pretty hard to overwater a vanda, but you can water them at the wrong time, like cold weather, sounds like you are doing good if you see new roots and leaves growing. To answer your question correctly would probably need to know the names of your plants as to size and when they would bloom.

[Cjcorner]

If you look, a small white name tag should have come with your vanda. If you paid under eight dollars I am going to guess you bought what we call a baggie baby and it is a seedling. If it was one of the larger baggie babies, you may get flowers in a year or two. Generally, Ascocenda seedlings can take as little as a year, or as long as five to bloom. The full size vanda's can take 10+ years to bloom. I have a Mokara that had never bloomed when I bought it...and it was about four feet tall not counting the roots. I bloomed it, but I live in Florida and they get all but the hottest afternoon sun. There are a few that have bloomed out their vandas by using what is called "Vase Culture". I have been surprised at how well they bloom even up north using that method. I hope you have an Ascocenda so you get flowers in a reasonable amount of time.

[chemist]

Connie, could you please tell more about 'vase culture'? I bought two flowering vandas in glass vase and wonder if people here grow it like that. Well, now mine are not in glass vase but in vanda baskets.
Thank you!
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[Carolla]

I had a Mokara that bloomed nicely while quite small - about 8" tall. However, it continued to grow and was getting to be about twice that height when I potted it wrong and killed it. I'd try again though! I had it in my hot, bright Southern kitchen window and our summers are very dry, no clouds, no rain for a month at a time, so it got a lot of sun.