Wintering Vandas

[Miller]

so i realize it is still summer but since the enablers of this site (you know who you are) encouraged me to get some Vandas to hang under my arbor, I have a question. If you don't have a greenhouse or any of those other plant houses, how do you over winter your Vandas? I want to prepare early to not be caught with my pants down. Also, what type care do they require in the winter. From what I've read I still should not let them dry out.

Thanks,
Miller

[sand_tiger86]

I would imagine that if you keep them outdoors as long the weather permits (which is almost half the year here in Texas), all you need to do is bring them in, stick them in a window sill and water a little less often (still often in Vanda terms...like once every two days instead of every single day) when it gets too cold to leave them outside.

[Miller]

That was going to be my game plan but was not sure it was the correct course of action. Thanks for confirming.

I would imagine that if you keep them outdoors as long the weather permits (which is almost half the year here in Texas), all you need to do is bring them in, stick them in a window sill and water a little less often (still often in Vanda terms...like once every two days instead of every single day) when it gets too cold to leave them outside.

[sand_tiger86]

Mind you, I'm no expert as this will my first Vanda winter coming up. We'll see how they do, because I absolutely refuse to rig an expensive, complicated lighting system.

[cakedaddy]

Supplemental lighting need not be expensive...the expensive systems are for people who have practically no natural light at all. I use standard flourescent shop light fixtures to supplement the sunlight I get from windows. I alternate warm and cool bulbs. It's not expensive...not very attractive either.Posted via Mobile Device

[stateless]

I grow mine outside all year, when the temps at nite start hitting the 50's I cover the top of the arbor with clear plastic so they can't get rained on at nite, if it is going to be in the 40's I wrap the whole structure in plastic, and open in the am so they won't bake. If it's sunny and going to be in the 70's during the day I water them. My supplemental heating is christmas lights, very scientific, I find I lose more plants moving them inside to outside then letting them weather it outside. Hope this is helpful.

[cdayinflorida]

Anything under 50 and they start will start to loose their lower leaves. There is a great quote from a vanda book..."you can tell when winter is approaching, you hear the tinkle of vanda leaves dropping" I grow mine under plastic in the winter and keep a propane heater in the ready. I don't water but a couple of times a week. I keep up spraying fungicides and sea kelp.

[Miller]

Anyone wanna buy some Vandas! Just kidding, I will make it work...some how! lol

[Kassie]

I hung mine against the glass in a south window in my laundry room last winter. They got hosed in the sink every other day and dunked in a bucket for 20-30 minutes with fertilizer once a week. My mature ascocenda bloomed twice with this routine. My smaller rhyv & vasco are still holding out on me.

[ritjen]

I have a Vanda.....and I am a newbie for sure....but I put mine into a second pot with moss in it...so it wouldn't dry out when it was in the house....seemed to keep it going...I did get new growth...no bloom yet, but it is pretty small....

good idea? bad idea? it seems healty,,,but they do seem to grow slowly.