Vanda roots- thick or thin

[silverstoli]

I have acquired 7 Vandas in the last few months. Each one arrived with thin long roots.

I have them outside on the northeast side of my house, morning sun, bright but indirect light the rest of the day.. I spray them in the morning and evening every day. Once a week I soak them in a fertilizer solution and for the first three weeks after arrival, I add some KelpMax with the weekly fertilizer.

All of them tend to have some of the old skinny roots die off. However, they are all putting out tons of new roots that are very thick. Some of the old skinny roots get "sprouts" of fat roots off of them. Why is this? Are the thick roots (about 4 - 5 times larger in diameter than the roots they came with) ok?

Why would they have thicker roots than where they grew previously? Should I soak them in a bucket, rather than spray or just accept that the thick roots are happy and keep doing what I am doing?

Just curious as to what determines the diameter of the roots.

Thanks,
MK

[ksriramkumar]

Good question Mary. I have always been thinking that fat roots in vanda is always a sign of good culture. may be i am wrong. Soaking the full vanda is much better than spraying them.

[silverstoli]

Thanks. When I spray them twice daily, I mist for about 3- 5 minutes, then I water other plants and then come back with a "shower" for another 3-5 minutes.

I'll get some pictures later today.

[zainal abidin]

I agreed with Sriram when they are happy always I can see the thick roots so you done a good job Mary.However species from Indochina especially bensonii, brunnea again tendency to produce thick and long roots make the basket so unstable at one point.

[wolf71758]

Helpful information. My thanks to each of you.
Posted via Mobile Device

[silverstoli]

Thank you Zainal. I appreciate your help.

[stateless]

I have also wondered about this, as my new root growth is usually thicker than previous, this time of the year I water my vandas 3 or 4 times a day, when we're close to the 90's

[k_andreev]

You're not alone and do the right thing.my Vanda Manuvadee is growing thick root but not flower yet.

[raybark]

Thicker roots on a plant that has thinner roots originally, is often an indication that the new conditions are better for the plant.

I am always very pleased when I see nice, thick roots on a plant.

[clintdawley]

I've noticed on the vandas I get from Hawaii. Some of the roots are very small and they die off on me in a month or so...soon to be replaced by fatter roots. I think vanda roots are very sensitive to the environment in which they are grown...