Orchid Care OrchidTalk Orchid Forum Links Nursery

Welcome to OrchidTalk Orchid Forums


The Friendliest Orchid Community on the Internet!


  •  » Learn to Repot your Orchids
  •  » Learn Orchid Care Tips and Secrets
  •  » Find the perfect Orchid for your Growing Environment
  •  » Chat with Orchid Growing Professionals

OrchidTalk - "Bringing People Together to Grow Orchids Better!"


Let us help you grow your Orchids better; Join our community today.


YES! I want to register an account for free right now!


Register or Login now to remove this advertisement.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 11

Thread: Vanda wine cork question

Click here to increase the font size Click here to reduce the font size
  1. #1
    Real Name
    Traci
    My Grow Area
    Windowsill
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    Phals, Paphs, Vandas and Dracs
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Gender
    Female
    Location
    Lafayette , Louisiana
    Posts
    881
    Member's Country Flag

    Default Vanda wine cork question

    Hi everyone,
    I recently purchased a rescue NOID vanda. It is quite small maybe 12 cm. It doesn't really fit in the vanda basket. I don't have charcoal at the moment. And I can't find my box of packing peanuts. Would it be okay to use wine corks I have been saving to fill the basket? Without it the vanda looks pathetic like a 2 year old wearing their parents' clothing.

  2. #2
    My Grow Area
    Outside 24/7
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    Vanda, Phals & Dendrobium
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Gender
    Male
    Location
    Bangalore,India
    Posts
    7,119
    Member's Country Flag

    Default

    I think you can use anything to fill the vanda basket. Wine corks should be ok. Many times I just put some shards of clay pot or ceramic. do share a picture when you are done

  3. #3
    Real Name
    Bob Hydzik
    My Grow Area
    Under Lights
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    Dendrobium, Phalaenopsis
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Gender
    Male
    Location
    Knoxville, Tennessee
    Posts
    291
    Member's Country Flag

    Default

    A couple of vandas I've purchased arrived with most of the void filled with wine corks... needed something to hold the plant in place. Over the next two years, several of the new roots just grew around them and the plants are fine.
    Posted via Mobile Device

  4. #4
    Real Name
    Traci
    My Grow Area
    Windowsill
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    Phals, Paphs, Vandas and Dracs
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Gender
    Female
    Location
    Lafayette , Louisiana
    Posts
    881
    Member's Country Flag

    Default

    Thank you Sriram and Bob for your responses.
    I only used the white wine corks because the reds are stained. Not that it would matter but just being careful.
    I'm horrible at taking photos and the light was better hanging it off of this ladder for the pictures.
    Since this is my first Vanda and it's a scraggly little Name:  image.jpg
Views: 802
Size:  153.9 KBrescue at that, I would love any critiques or pointers that people may have about how I have the plant in the pot or anything else. My plan is to remove corks as the Vanda grows. Name:  image.jpg
Views: 662
Size:  156.8 KB
    Name:  image.jpg
Views: 811
Size:  152.4 KB
    Name:  image.jpg
Views: 828
Size:  125.5 KB

  5. #5
    Real Name
    Bob Hydzik
    My Grow Area
    Under Lights
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    Dendrobium, Phalaenopsis
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Gender
    Male
    Location
    Knoxville, Tennessee
    Posts
    291
    Member's Country Flag

    Default

    Looks fine Traci. Be sure to keep it watered and it should do well with this set up.
    Posted via Mobile Device

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Gender
    Male
    Posts
    1

    Default

    That looks great...Watch the corks for breakdown over time. They can get crumbly...

  7. #7
    Real Name
    Zainal Abidin Bin Othman
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    Huntleya, Bollea, Cochleanthes
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Melaka, West Malaysia
    Posts
    14,968
    Member's Country Flag

    Default

    Well done Traci make sure water regularly especially during summer.

  8. #8
    My Grow Area
    Outside 24/7
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    Vanda, Phals & Dendrobium
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Gender
    Male
    Location
    Bangalore,India
    Posts
    7,119
    Member's Country Flag

    Default

    Well done Traci. couple of suggestions.

    1. dont remove the corks when the vanda grows. leave it as is. it would look very nice.
    2. I have read people using corks of red wine as well. They say the roots love them.

  9. #9
    Real Name
    Ray Barkalow
    My Grow Area
    Porch/Patio.
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Oak Island NC
    Posts
    2,103

    Default

    Yep, wine corks (assuming they're really cork) make a good medium. Do not break them up though.

    About 30 years ago, ground cork was a new medium that became "all the rage". it was light, airy - the products were really well graded by size - held moisture, was easy to work with, and was cheap.

    What we didn't realize was that the cellular microstructure of the cork was an excellent substrate for microorganisms, so once their populations got to some "critical mass", the cork turned to a "gooey mush" almost overnight.

    I don't know how well thought-out it was at the time, but I imagine that temperature, watering frequency, and amount of applied nitrogen all contributed to the finite life span of the stuff.

  10. #10
    Real Name
    Traci
    My Grow Area
    Windowsill
    Favorite Orchid(s)
    Phals, Paphs, Vandas and Dracs
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Gender
    Female
    Location
    Lafayette , Louisiana
    Posts
    881
    Member's Country Flag

    Default

    Thank you everyone for your suggestions and reassurances. Hopefully the cork won't break down, but I will keep an eye on it. I'm hoping it will fall through the slats in the baskets. Next time I will use red or I might even switch some out today since I was saving the white wine corks to make a cork bulletin board. I also used mostly the newer looking Argentina corks and not the coarser looking German or California ones.
    Today when I went to soak the plant in a bucket of course some of the corks floated. I may get some rhizome clips to stretch across the basket to keep the corks from floating until the roots hold them down.

Similar Threads

  1. Mini-cattleya mounted on cork
    By tucker85 in forum Cattleyas, Vandas, Dendrobiums IN BLOOM
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: August 4th, 2013, 12:04 PM
  2. Mini Cork Gardens
    By cdayinflorida in forum The Jungle
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: December 8th, 2011, 07:55 PM
  3. Cycnodes "Wine Delight" Question
    By Molly Taco in forum Phalaenopsis, Oncidium, & Intergenerics IN BLOOM
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: November 19th, 2006, 11:29 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
OrchidTalk --An Orchid Growers Discussion Forum brought to you by River Valley Orchidworks. A World Community where orchid beginners and experts talk about orchids and share tips on their care, cultivation, and propagation.