Why Vanda Needs to be Watered Daily - Orchid Board

dianecty · #1 08-07-2008, 11:09 PM

Hi everyone! Why does a vanda need to be watered everyday?

Also, if a phal, dendrobium, oncidium are not in any medium, do they have to be watered everyday too?

Thanks everyone!

cb977 · #2 08-07-2008, 11:13 PM

A vanda needs to be watered everyday because they have no means of holding their own water/nutrient supply...there are no pseudobulbs on them.

My question about the Phal, Den and Oncidium isn't whether they should be watered everyday but rather why they don't have any media...how are you growing them?

gixrj18 · #3 08-07-2008, 11:30 PM

Mounted, I assume. I have some of those mounted, and if that's the case for you, then you should water them daily also (depending on your climate). The Phal and Vanda need it daily (the Phal maybe twice a day) more so than the Onc. and Dendrob., especially if they are not in a greenhouse or high humidity situation. This is due to the fact that they have pseudobulbs (as Susanne mentioned), they can survive without water for a little while. It gets so hot down here during the summer, I usually turn on the misters twice a day (on all my orchids). During the winter, you will want to drastically decrease your watering.

Ray · #4 08-08-2008, 06:05 AM

Susanne and Jason nailed it.

Look at the plant structure, and think in terms of water storage. Vanda leaves are relatively thin, so really cannot store much water. The thick, fleshy leaves of a phalaenopsis are better, but not particularly large, compared to the surface area of them. Pseudobulbs are storage tanks, so the plant can go longer between watering.

dianecty · #5 08-08-2008, 09:26 PM

Thanks guys! I don't use media because I love to water my orchids and I always overwater. They are doing fine, no problem with no media! They are not mounted, they are just sitting in the pot.

I have gotten into the habit of watering my orchids daily becase I water my vandas daily, might as well water the others too. So far, no harm done.

peggypugsmom · #6 08-08-2008, 10:02 PM

Hi Diane (?)...I'm new in the world of orchids, so you guys who know, please correct me if need be, but if your chid is just sitting in the pot, with no medium, and you water daily (or whenever), I wondered do you have a fertilizing regimen that you follow, say once a week..weak solution ? Seems to me that might be necessary?? Thanks Eileen

unhappykat · #7 08-09-2008, 03:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peggypugsmom

Hi Diane (?)...I'm new in the world of orchids, so you guys who know, please correct me if need be, but if your chid is just sitting in the pot, with no medium, and you water daily (or whenever), I wondered do you have a fertilizing regimen that you follow, say once a week..weak solution ? Seems to me that might be necessary?? Thanks Eileen

If you grow without any media you would want to use a weekly solution of fertilizer to supply the necessary nutrients to continue growth. You would also have to be sure to flush the plants at least once a month to keep minerals from the water and fertilizer from building up on the plants. If not this can cause root and leaf burns, especially on new growth.

dianecty · #8 08-09-2008, 12:40 PM

Hi guys! I water daily now, but I always watered every 2 or 3 days before. I even went on a vacation for 1 1/2 weeks and didn't water my media-less orchids and they were still fine when I got back!! Of course, they were a little bit dry but still very ok!!

I do fertilize at least 2x a week. These days, I am very busy so I usually just use plain water. I used to fertilize every time I water. So it is not a life and death situation if I don't water my media-less orchids everyday.

Another advantage is that I can see what's wrong with my orchids right away because I can just peer inside the pot to see what's happening. My orchids also grow a lot of roots because the fertilizer hits them right away, I think.

Thanks!

Diane