vanda 'repotting' questions - Orchid Board

VickiC · #1 (**permalink**) 05-29-2009, 12:41 AM

Hi,
I went to Lowes today to buy landscaping cloth for the foundation of my new greenhouse, and I just couldn't leave the store until I checked out the orchids, of course. They had some new 'bag-babys' so I browsed through them then came home with a vanda (pic attached). I would like to transfer it to a vanda basket, which leads me to.....

Question 1: If I have understood correctly in the past, I should just sit the vanda and it's existing little plastic basket inside my vanda basket. Is this correct, or not? If so, I don't understand what is to be done with the hanging roots ??? If this is not how the 'transfer' should be done, will you please advise me?

Question 2: The plastic basket that I bought the vanda in will not fit inside a 4" vanda basket. If I'm correct in that I should indeed transfer the orchid as I mentioned, should I go up another basket size or try somehow to remove the plant from the basket that it was in at the store?

I would appreciate any advice that you can offer me.
Vicki

buckie · #2 (**permalink**) 05-29-2009, 06:30 PM

Firstly, I would use the basket at the top of your picture, it looks big enough. Soak your plant in a container so all the roots are covered for a couple of hours, this will let the roots softten, they should come away from the plastic without to much damage, any roots that look a bit old just cut off, push down in new basket and put some rock's around it and enjoy. Now to what I would do, same as above but I would cut off all the roots that are about 2 inches below your plastic pot and go from there, vanda's are strong growers and this doesn't seem to worry mine when I have had to do it.

Warren

Suresh Kalyanpur · #3 (**permalink**) 05-30-2009, 04:09 AM

Looking at the size of your vanda I would continue to grow it in the existing plastic vanda pot and hang it i a place where it gets good light, a couple of hours of the morning sun and planty of air circulation. Good luck

Grandma M · #4 (**permalink**) 05-30-2009, 10:11 AM

Vickie, You talk to 10 growers.....you will get 10 different answers. It all depends on your growing conditions.

I'll add my

worth. I just repotted some seedling vandas. With my growing conditions, I prefer wood baskets because when I water my plants I also soak the wood basket. Possibly it's wishfull thinking, but I believe it helps to raise the humidity around the plant.

If it were mine I would put it into a 6" basket. Try to thread the long roots through the slats in the basket. If it has grown to the plastic basket, I just cut out some of the ridges to give the roots more room to spread out, and place the plastic pot into the basket. Yours would possibly need a 6" wood basket.??????

I have had some of my vandas grow fat roots, almost like small cigars, and I'm sure they would not fit through the small holes in the plastic baskets. I only cut off the dead roots but leave the good ones, Vandas don't like to be disturbed any more than necessary.

Just my thoughts, not written in stone. This method works well for my in door conditions. I live in Michigan and growing them outside is not an option.

Marilyn

VickiC · #5 (**permalink**) 06-01-2009, 12:08 AM

Thank you Warren, Suresh Kalyanpur and Marilyn! All of you were helpful to me. I appreciate your advice.

Oh, and Marilyn...yes, indeed..."you talk to 10 growers, you get 10 different answers". And yes, I agree also that most things depend on growing conditions.
Thanks again to all of you,
Vicki

Robi · #6 (**permalink**) 11-02-2009, 10:56 AM

Hello my husband just gave me a beautiful Pat Delight Vanda...it's absolutely gorgeous...the only problem is that it is in the ugliest plastic basket and I really really want to put it into something nicer (like a wooden basket) I have read a lot and many people say not to repot it, until I came across a post on this board saying to soak the entire basket it water and then gently remove the roots from the plastic pot.... can I really do this without harming my vanda? If not PLEASE tell me what my options are!!!

thank you so much,

Robi

I have also attached a picture of the plant and a close up of the basket!

Hirschy · #7 (**permalink**) 11-04-2009, 09:56 AM

like the others have written, i would suggest giving the roots a good soak so that you can work with them more easily (and not worry as much about damage).. you can try to cut the plastic basket away and see how far you get...

i have some vandas in baskets and there is just no way i could ever get them out, they have completely grown over and engulfed the whole things so i just live with it