Help, four mature Vandas arrive from Motts

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I ordered four vanda's from Motts last yr about the time the weather turned cold. They said they would ship when my area was warmer. And without notice, they arrived the night before I went out of my home to leave for the day yesterday. One was blooming but blooms wilted. I had rushed them in the house, openned and quickly stuck the roots in some water, They have long long roots, look a bit dehydrated , but no rot noted. The fans look very healthy. I had almost forgot that I had ordered them last fall.
Now I live in Arid NM, grow all my other orchids in LECA. It has been a while since I have read about mature vanda care. I have two yr old seedlings, tiny tiny with few buds of root. One that came with an oncidium from a nursery in NC, that is not growing and I just yesterday stuck that one with 5 roots about an inch long in LECA. I remember Ray saying a long time ago, Vandas can grow in LECA. I hope I remembered that right, So my larger seedling is an experiment. I have no memory of what you all have told me and what I have read about Mature Vandas except they like their roots in the air and forgot how ES told me to grow vandas in our arid climates. He is probably drier in southern AZ than I am at 5000 foot Rio River Valley in middle NM south of Albuquerque. And suggestion will be appreciated re growing the lovely health now Vandas appreciated. Meanwhile, I will go back to the sticky and vanda forum to reread what I have read many times but not retained much yet.

[estación seca]

How big are they? How long are the roots measured dangling from the base of the leaves to the root tips?

You have several choices. You can hang them, and dunk the roots in water once a day until they turn dark green.

You can put the roots into a large glass vase and get them wet once a day. If your humidity is under 50% you might be able to soak them for a couple of hours every 2-3 days, the empty the vases.

Kim here on OB (Fairorchids) talks about growing Vandas potted in smallish pots with large chunks of medium. He says he only needs to water every 2-3 days with this method. I have begun putting tiny seedlings into a pot with LECA. These are Vanda seedlings much smaller than the ones Motes sells. So far the tiny ones survive better this way than other methods. I haven't tried the LECA-potted method yet with larger plants. I think it should work.

Try using Advanced Search and look for posts by Fairorchids using the word Vanda.

[early]

Originally Posted by estación seca

How big are they? How long are the roots measured dangling from the base of the leaves to the root tips?

You have several choices. You can hang them, and dunk the roots in water once a day until they turn dark green.

You can put the roots into a large glass vase and get them wet once a day. If your humidity is under 50% you might be able to soak them for a couple of hours every 2-3 days, the empty the vases.

Kim here on OB (Fairorchids) talks about growing Vandas potted in smallish pots with large chunks of medium. He says he only needs to water every 2-3 days with this method. I have begun putting tiny seedlings into a pot with LECA. These are Vanda seedlings much smaller than the ones Motes sells. So far the tiny ones survive better this way than other methods. I haven't tried the LECA-potted method yet with larger plants. I think it should work.

Try using Advanced Search and look for posts by Fairorchids using the word Vanda.

Thanks ES. The three larger ones, two of the blue variety. and one pinkish orange, are abt 10 inches from crown to top, 20 inch wides fan, roots longest are 20+ inches. The collection I ordered last year was on special for around $100+ I ordered that group for the Bancock Sunset was so beautiful I could not resist.

I have found some containers that will do as vases. ie lg bowls, round large water pitchers. and have been soaking all the roots for 15 mins so far no green the ones growing from beneith the crown are as large as most phils roots. The Bancock Sunset is much smaller than the other three Purple blue and soft pinks Ones. I am so happy with them. The one bloom that was wilted, is perking up...purple with spots. I have to get my glasses on to look at and write down all the names of the other three.
I am going to bargan square to look for tall vases. the one I have is only three inches wide at the top and I might be able to fit the black net box of the Bancock into it after I take out my cut flowers.

I appreciate all your advice I alway turn to. I will keep all four in some type of vase. and water and pour everyday for a while. Will order a small sump pump to drain after I get them established.

My tiny vanda seedlings are in a dunk a few hour and then to the air. They have only one tiny green leaf and I have had them over a yr. Speaking of slow growing. My oncidiums are not all looking great. I was about to toss one that had lost it two leaves of the pseudobulbs, and just as I pulled it out of the LECA to toss, I saw a tiny new leaf and start of pseudo at the base of the other bulbs and nearly jumped for joy and potted it back up.
All my phals that are over a year, 8 of them have new blooms and one that I broke the stalk not once but twice, has a new one growing with several buds off the stalk I broke. I have on other mini phal in bud. NOID .

[estación seca]

The Vanda vases don't need to be tall; they just need to hold the roots without breaking. Perriera (or whatever it is now) Bangkok Sunset is a much smaller plant with smaller flowers than the big Vandas.

When you soak the roots they turn from light silvery white or tan to a much darker color. With fresh white roots they turn green. Older roots turn from light tan to dark tan. If they've dried out too much it can take a long time to turn from white to green. If this is happening consider soaking them longer, like overnight. My experience has been they do fine so long as they don't soak for more than 24 hours. Your goal is to make sure all the leaves are smooth, with no fine linear wrinkles. You might need to use a magnifying glass to look for these if your near vision isn't good.

Vanda seedlings - actually, all Vandas - should grow steadily through the year if temperatures and water are appropriate. They produce one leaf after another. You should expect at least 3-4 leaves a year on everything from seedlings to mature plants.

They require a large amount of fertilizer or they just sit there. Are you fertilizing your Vandas, including the seedlings?

Motes has written that he used 1 tablespoon of 20-20-20 per gallon of water for fertilizing his Vandas, at every fifth watering. He has since switched to using MSU at this dilution. I get good results with either at these high concentrations.

Are you growing your Oncidiums in LECA in S/H, or in pots with regular holes? In typical household temperatures they grow all year. Maybe you're not watering enough? Are you fertilizing them?