Updates on a few Vandas and their keikeis

[Cjcorner]

This past year I've been given and bought several very large Vanda plants. I thought I would show a few pictures of the keikeis i've removed and in one case, a top cut I recently did. I'm usually very timid about cutting into a vanda, but this past summer I jumped in and removed two keikeis from my Vasco. Praprin Blue.



As you can see, the entire top of this plant is a keikei that needs to be removed. The top has begun to grow again finally. I'm thinking if I cut the last keikei off the top the parent plant should begin growing nicely again.



Since these two keikei had done so well, I decided to try my hand at a top cut this week. The Vanda tessellata that is so huge needed some growing room as it's bumping the top of the greenhouse and roots still were laying on the ground.



As you can see I tied the roots up, after the advice of a couple other vanda growers. I looked the big thing over and decided where to make my cut. I had already steralized a sharp pair of cutters and my cinnamon and when I was done you can see I put my top cut into a metal basket.



I treated the cuts with cinnamon and placed them where the cuts could dry out for awhile before rehanging them into the misting area. I then went and grabbed my Coerulea hybrid and started looking at the keikeis growing on that large one.

[Cjcorner]

This is my Vanda coerulea hybrid with a mess in the basket. I had previously shown the keikei that looked like an accordian I had to pull out. This is that same plant. I decided while I was doing some cutting i'd get a couple of the large keikeis off if I could. I was able to get a couple out, and while I was at it I cut the basket in a few places where it was choking the roots badly.

As you can see in this first picture, the top of the accordian keikei is growing nicely now.



This is the plant...



And my newly "mounted" keikeis. After the mess of a basket I thought I would try this method in an effort to keep the roots from making a choking ball inside a basket.



...I have one more post for this one.

[Cjcorner]

One of the things I had worried about was growing new roots on Vanda. I had picked up three Mokara at the October orchid show. Here are the roots growing on a couple. I will not be so hesitant about cuttings anymore. They always look sad for awhile, but sooner or later you get new roots.





This last plant looks sad at the bottom, but above the new root growth the plant looks fine. It is a little dehydrated, but time and more roots will fix that i'm sure.



Since I switched to misting my vandas and mounted plants, the difference is incredible. The roots just do better with misting.

[k_andreev]

nice growing Connie.i wish to have such a big vanda in my collection.

[pavel]

The vandas really seem to like you, Connie.

[Clivedude]

Awesome Connie..you have some beautiful Vanda...i would just love to have a vanda one day...not sure if it will survive in my home and the weather...but i can dream away

[Teena]

Wow, these are such incredible orchids and clearly do a lot better in the appropriate outdoor climate or in a greenhouse. I do not have the room or the sunshine to build a greenhouse, sigh.

martha

[sherene]

can't wait to see them bloom.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Nice vanda orchid growing Connie! Good for you!

cheers,
BD

[Naoki]

Good looking Vandas, Connie.

Those lil babies have left their mother and going to live by themselves.