Orchid Vanilla Beans

[girldesign]

I am expecting my first Vanilla orchid in a few days, and am wondering if anyone has successfully grown their own seed pods? I understand it will be difficult, especially catching the flower at the right time, and I am not expecting my plant to flower for a few years. Any advice would be appreciated!!

[Brutal_Dreamer]

I seem to find my vanilla orchid buds and dying flowers, but rarely catch the bloom open and looking healthy. good luck with yours.

cheers,
BD

[cakedaddy]

do you mean to reproduce the plant or to use as flavouring?

[girldesign]

do you mean to reproduce the plant or to use as flavouring?

I want to grow my own beans and cure them for flavoring...some day it would be fun to reproduce them!
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[panam]

Oh, girl! It can take years for the orchid to mature to produce flowers, and then you have only a small window of a few hours to catch it and pollinate it. Then, when the bean is ready for harvest, there is an extensive process of curing it. I wish you luck, but oh, my goodness...

[girldesign]

Oh, girl! It can take years for the orchid to mature to produce flowers, and then you have only a small window of a few hours to catch it and pollinate it. Then, when the bean is ready for harvest, there is an extensive process of curing it. I wish you luck, but oh, my goodness...

Yeah, I know...I'm crazy! I don't have high expectations, but I've been doing a lot of research. So, maybe one day I can accomplish the impossible! wish me luck, and patience!
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[panam]

I'm rooting for you!

[Hoanui]

I believe you have to pollinate the plant two days after the flower has opened but to wait a year and a half for the beans to be ready would be too much for me. I'll stick to buying my fave Tahitian beans even though they are mega expensive lol.

[panam]

I believe you have to pollinate the plant two days after the flower has opened but to wait a year and a half for the beans to be ready would be too much for me. I'll stick to buying my fave Tahitian beans even though they are mega expensive lol.

Aren't the Tahitian beans fabulous?!?! I have always loved vanilla, and now have become so hooked on the Tahitian vanilla that I buy them in bulk. In our grocery stores, you can buy horrendously expensive Bourbon vanilla beans, so it was just a year or so ago that I ordered a bunch of various types of beans. When I got to the Tahitian ones, oh my goodness, was I ever hooked! Now everyone thinks I'm wonderful when I give away the other beans...

[eorchids]

I believe you have to pollinate the plant two days after the flower has opened but...

My Vanilla planifolia flowers only open for 1 day. Each time I tried to pollinate the flowers, I broke them. it's a hard job !
As Kathi, I'm too lazy to try again !!!