Vanda roots dry and leaves falling off... - Orchid Board

Robi · #1 01-14-2010, 03:04 PM

I have a vanda and the leaves at the bottom of the plant 4 to be exact have turned yellow and 2 of
the four have fallen off...the only change I can think of is it got really cold here in NY and she's next to the window and
second I wasnt watering (spraying her on a daily basis) her roots look a little dry so I decided to put her in a vase, she was hanging freely before,
(found on the forum and now (like the 2nd day) I water once a day by leaving her in the water & then throwing the water out) but what can I do
so she doesnt die? I also have moved her into a bedroom which has the heater on during the night so it doesnt get too cold for her, the window faces east...Please help I really don't want her to die...

I have posted pictures of the vanda in it's new vase and while it was being soaked in water. I am thinking of trimming off all the dead roots, that don't plump up and turn green after soaking...please advise on what I should do...

Robi · #2 01-14-2010, 03:06 PM

see post

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #3 01-14-2010, 05:04 PM

I suggest getting the plant out of that vase. It shouldn't even be sitting in water like that.

Water culture is done differently than how you're doing it. Even then, it's not a guarantee that it'll work for you.

Normally if the roots are gone, so is the Vanda. It's just a waiting game from here on out.

The only other solution I can think of is using something that contains a group of phytohormones called auxins. Auxins are a family of phytohormones that are known to stimulate root growth in plants.

From what I understand KLN contains auxins.

This is still not a guarantee for your Vanda's survival.

When Vandas are grown bare root in a wooden slat basket. You gotta be on your game and humidity has gotta be high. There's no slacking off.

Perhaps growing in a pot is better for you. I recommend using a clear plastic pot with large grade wood chips, and the roots positioned so they are against the inside surface of the pot.

Blueszz · #4 01-14-2010, 05:08 PM

Hi Robi,
your Vanda looks very dehydrated to me. Is that the greenest the roots become when you water the plant?
Can you tell us exactly how you grew the plant? Temperatures during day/nigh (in the windowsill) humidity, what kind of water you use, if you used fertilizer, how often and how much...
Anything you can think of could be important to help you and this plant.
A good close up of the stem where it's loosing the leafs would be great too.
Another question: does the stem feel soft or does the stem an odour? (Snif it and make sure your neighbors don't see it ;-))

Nicole

Blueszz · #5 01-14-2010, 05:13 PM

PS Robi,
if you use a Vase to water a Vanda and afterwards use the vase to keep humidity up around the roots, it's important the roots don't touch the vase.
The way you do it now damages the roots way to much and the roots don't dry fast enough. Too crowded and touching the bottom of your vase where water (droplets) stay after you emptied the vase.
Nicole

RosieC · #6 01-14-2010, 05:19 PM

The technique of keeping Vanda's in a vase seems quite popular in Europe. Each day you fill the vase, let it sit a couple of minutes then drain, you don't leave them sitting in it for long.

I've never tried it, I don't grow Vanda's (yet) but I've read about the technique several times and they are sold that way on some UK sites.

I agree with Nicole about the colour of the roots in the water. I would expect healthy roots to turn green with only a minute or so in the water.

Is the vase technique something you have started recently to try and solve the problem or has it been growing that way for a while now?

If you were only spraying the roots before you may well have been underwatering. I understand that Vanda's really need a good daily drenching in water when grown bare root.

While I would probably expect the vase technique to be giving it more like the amount of water it needs there may be a problem if the roots are damaged by having been too dry for too long, and/or not adapted correctly to growing that way.

RosieC · #7 01-14-2010, 05:22 PM

Nicole makes a good point about the roots touching the vase. The ones I've seen for sale have a specially designed vase to allow the roots to hang more. Roots are likely to rot if they are left in the droplets of water.

orkie · #8 01-14-2010, 05:49 PM

I grow in NYC and have had fairly good success with my vandaceous (I have Aerides, Vanda, Neofinetia, Ascofinetia, Rhyncostylis, Fuchsara, Parafinetia, Ascovandoritis, Perreiraara, and Paravandrum). A couple things I have noticed while growing in NYC:

1. Having vandaceous bareroot in in my growing conditions (windows in winter, fire escape with full sun and some shade cloth for summer for the full Vandas and Aerides) is a huge pain and if you can't stay on top if it, the plants will suffer and drop leaves. In summer I water pretty much daily by soaking the basket plants in the tub or taking them into the shower with me. It's a hassle when you don't feel like doing it. That being said, I will say I do miss days here and there. If I do at least 5 days a week, soaking at least 15-20 min a plant, they seem happy.
2. In winter I cut the soaking down to 3-4 days a week and some supplemental misting.
3. I've added some medium to most baskets-chunks of cocohusk or rockwool cubes. This really helps I think for days I don't soak and just do a heavy mist.
4. I make sure the straight vandas get the absolute best window spot for sun+supplemental light but don't let them touch the glass in winter, I think it would be too cold. That being said, one reason I try to have so many neo-hybrids is that they deal with coolness better. I let the neo or more cold tolerant plants be closer to the glass.
5. I frequently soak in a superthrive solution and think it really sparks root growth. When I've had ailing plants, I've sprayed them with superthrive daily and had luck getting new roots that way. However, rooting warm loving plants in winter is much tougher than summer. The lack of sun and warmth seems to make them pretty close to dormant at times.
6. Getting a pure Vanda to bloom in NY is not easy and will certainly require either super great lights (HID) or at the very least a summer outdoors (which is what I do) or greenhouse.

You will need to be a great caretaker, but your vanda can make it if you put in the effort. I would soak it for 15 min a day with Superthrive or KLN (I like ST more but it probably doesn't matter much). I would consider potting it in charcoal or course bark or a basket with something chunky to retain a little bit of moisture for a few extra hours. And I would put it somewhere bright and warm (not too warm, you don't want to cook it!).

If you are interested in growing vandas, my fave plant is my Perreiraara Motes Leprechaun ' Haiku Mint' as it puts out 4-5 spikes a year, smells great, it a bit more cold tolerant, and isn't as sun needy as some other vandaceous.

Good luck!

Robi · #9 01-14-2010, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blueszz

Hi Robi,
your Vanda looks very dehydrated to me. Is that the greenest the roots become when you water the plant?
Can you tell us exactly how you grew the plant? Temperatures during day/nigh (in the windowsill) humidity, what kind of water you use, if you used fertilizer, how often and how much...
Anything you can think of could be important to help you and this plant.
A good close up of the stem where it's loosing the leafs would be great too.
Another question: does the stem feel soft or does the stem an odour? (Snif it and make sure your neighbors don't see it ;-))

Nicole

You are probably correct it is dehydrated, yes this is the greenest they become when I water it,I have taken it out of the vase and taken closeups of the stem where its loosing the leafs, it was on a window faceing west never got direct sunlight (especially now since its winter) i live in nyc and the temperatures have been pretty cold, watering my misting it with filtered tap water since I got it in Novemeber havent really fertalized it. Lately because I was sick I didn't really mist it daily so I thought it might be due to that and the fact it has been so cold, it was in my living room which I don;t usually turn the heater on in there, (every room has a seperate unit) so basically the room where the orchid was was the coldest room. It was attached to a metal stand with the roots free falling not touching anything.

There is no smell coming from the stem and it is not soft it is firm, so I assume thats good?

I also uploaded a picture of my Vanda when I first got it wow I just realized how bad the roots really look...

what if I cut all the brown dried roots off?

I hope I can save this beautiful plant

Robi · #10 01-14-2010, 05:58 PM

thank you so much Orkie, I will follow your suggestions to the letter, but I am not sure where I can purchase klm or superthrive (and what is ST?) Thanks again I will keep you posted...