Saving vanda
 

Hi guys, I’m new to this forum and this is my first post. Please help save my Vanda orchid. I purchased it for my wife about two months ago. It was in full bloom and absolutely gorgeous. It came in a tall glass vase. Needless to say, having no clue about orchid care I probably over watered it and got myself a case of root rot. I’ve read a lot about Vanda care since then, discarded the bad roots and vas left with two good roots. Then Fusarium hit...had no alternative than to cut off portion of the stem just below the most upper good root. Noticed a black spot on this root also and begged it was not infested. Tried everything since then: watered it daily on warm days with rain water, hanged it outside in the shade, weak fertilizer, even spag n bag...sadly no new roots and the “good one” blackened also, then the lover portion of the lower leaf...again fusarium so went up and cut the stem above this last root. The remaining portion of the stem is clean, leaves look ok. Drenched it in peroxide, put it in a perforated vase with the stem hanging and put wet microfiber on the bottom of the vase and covered everything lightly with a loose bag. Anything else I can do for it?

Did the vase that it came in have drainage holes in the bottom? If not, and also combined with your overwatering, the plant was doomed from the start.

I feel your best option is to get rid of it and join a local orchid society to gain some knowledge and start over. To attempt to save it from its current condition is going to be an exercise in frustration, and certainly not good for you.

Just my opinion.

I have one of those guys to. the trick I found on them besides how much to water is you need to dump them after watering let it sit for awhile then dump it out again and make sure all the water comes out. if you just dump it once all the water thats on the plant drops down to the bottom of the vase and pools there. the second dump is the critical one to keep the water from pooling on the bottom of the vase.

The roots were in a plastic basket and the whole plant was dunked in a tall glass vase...no holes on the bottom of the vase. The instructions were to fill the vase with water just below the bottom leaf, let it soak for half an hour then drain the water. Can’t say I did it that much differently...maybe I put more water than I should have and it got in between the leaves...or too frequently...don’t know. Anyhow I got it out of the damn vase when the roots were looking pretty bad..a little too late. Then I let it air out and watered it the proper way (in the bucket) but with the fusarium...Anyway thanks for the reply. It’s just that the rest of the plant still looks good and I don’t have the heart to just let it die. And there are some folks out there that claim to have turned them around.

its the puddle of water that causes the issues. but I doubt 1/2 hour is long enough. I found I have to do it overnight twice a week and now my vanda's in vases do well. but you have to get all of the extra water out of the vase.

I’ll keep trying then. Do any of you think that it may benefit from some fertilizer or root growth stimulant at this point? The problem with those in my area is that the only fertilizers I could find are about 5:8:5, 6:6:5, not nearly 20:20:20 recommend for Vandas. Even though it says it’s specifically made for orchids..should I use these? Also sugar water? If it has no roots will it absorb any?

Don't obsess over the plant food percentages. There isn't that much difference between those that you mentioned.

Sugar water? Not unless you desire to attract ants.

Ok, but should I use them on a plant in this stage? Without roots? How often? Do any of you guys ever heard of the “hanging upside down” method that’s supposed to promote root growth?

A plant without roots gets little to no benefit from feeding as little if any nutrition is absorbed thru the stems and leaves.

What you might try doing, with no guarantees of success, is lightly tying some sphagnum moss around the lower leaf axels (where they meet the stem) and spray them lightly in the morning on sunny days with water to encourage root growth from those locations.

This might work.

Hanging the plant upside down does nothing to encourage root growth.

Most Vandas sprawl upwards in nature if the opportunity presents itself. They do not usually hang pendulously. If they are not able to find a nearby branch to cling on to, that portion of the plant may dangle off the tree in mid-air, however, the apical portion of the plant and the leaf tips will point upwards.

Other Vandaeceous orchids do naturally grow pendulously with their leaf tips pointing downwards, but, again, it has nothing to do with encouraging root growth.

Higher humidity will most likely prompt the roots to grow. It will take a very long time though.

Proper lighting may also prompt root growth.

How are your temperatures there?

I don't know what kind of Vanda you have, but many of the Vandas are usually intermediate to warm growing, 15.6℃ - 32.2℃ (60℉ - 90℉). What this means is that, at night, during the coolest part of the year, it can handle temperatures down to 15.6℃ (60℉), and in the day, during the warmest part of the year, it can handle temperatures up to 32.2℃ (90℉).

Some Vandas can handle cooler temperatures, but the majority do not fall in this category.

Thermometers are dirt cheap. There's no excuse anymore to not have one.

How bright is it growing?

Vandas can grow pretty bright. The light should be indirect, but pretty bright. Sorry I can't provide hard values for this parameter, good light meters are expensive.

Relative humidity should be between 50% - 90%.

The roots like lots of air, but the air cannot be below 50% humidity, or you will need to protect the roots from desiccation.

Soaking the plant for about 30 minutes each day is not necessary.

Using peroxide is not necessary and could be detrimental as well. As you can see, it does nothing to help matters anyways.

Watering with rainwater doesn't do anything either. It's just less minerals getting onto the roots, that's all. Some orchids are sensitive to high dissolved mineral content in water, (such as Coelogyne), but Vandas are not one of those.

Watering during warm weather doesn't make roots grow either, it just makes sure that the water is drying off the plant faster.

Sphag and bag is too cumbersome with Vandas. Vandas are just too big. It does not provide a whole lot of air circulation either, which is what Vanda roots love. Vanda roots love good air circulation and light.

Sugar water will not do anything to promote root growth.

Also, if it is possible, it would make a big difference to show a picture of how the plant is looking, there may be some things that might be important to note, but is not being mentioned.