Vanda Watering Query

[Kerry]

Thanks everyone....

[Kerry]

I am trying to work out the best regime of watering my vanda Gordon Dillon x Bangkok Blue, which I bought from a belgian vendor, who was happily selling all his vandas in this fashion. Unhappily, I didn't really understand his watering instructions!

I would also like to try and keep hope that this plant will be able to flower, and the spike will not abort. I am quite prepared to rearrange this plant's potting arrangements if the plant demonstrates it's unhappiness.

The plant is partially potted, and I have seen watering guidance for Vandas in vases, vandas potted completely and vandas hanging free in baskets. I assume that I should treat it mostly as a potted vanda, and water it when the roots in the basket go silvery, but also spray the hanging roots liberally.



I bought this plant on Sunday, and have sprayed the roots every day. This morning the plant was well and truly dunked in some ex-aquarium water. In the closer picture you can see that the hanging roots are very pale, but that the roots in the basket are quite an emerald green.



I don't want to overwater the parts of the plant in the basket and cause problems. Would anyone out there have any comment as to whether this is a good plan, or have suggestions as to what I should be doing?

Thanks everyone....
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[smartie2000]

I think it would be difficult to overwater something in a basket. The holes will allow it to dry up quickly.

Vanda's do require high light levels. I suggest lowering the basket because that will increase the light on the plant

[Kerry]

I need to sort out something to allow me to hang it lower, but have been getting in late from work, and haven't really had the energy yet. I had planned to lower it about a foot or so.

[Hoa Tony Nguyen]

Hi Kerry,

Well, when you can not provide vandas with sufficient humidity, you can pot the plants just like that. You can water vandas in pot like that every 2-3 days (aka 2 times per week) and mist the roots at leats once or several times a day. You can also wrap some spaghnum moss around the roots to increase humidity (not too tight please!), vanda roots need air! Most vandas also like heat (although I find some of them can also tolerate intermediate temperatures just fine!). For vandas, lot lot of light + heat + humidity = growth and flowering all the times! Maybe some fertilizing as well, vandas are heavy feeders!
Cheers. Hoa.

[ang709]

Something I've done to lower a hanging plant: hang a section of chain from the hook in the ceiling. Then hang the plant from the lowest chain link. Just an idea.

[Kerry]

At the moment it has been lowered with the aid of a wire coat hanger! Not the most attractive sight....

Thanks again for the advice everyone.