Need advice to rescue vandas

[Acharn]

Lorraine, thanks. These are the kind of tips I was hoping for. The comments from everyone else were a boost to my confidence, but the details are good to have. sugar water? I've never seen that mentioned, but I'll give it a try. Up until last week they were still attached to the dead base of the parent, at the bottom of a small, rectangular plastic pot. I thought they might respond well if I gave them room to grow in. It's really amazing to me that they aren't dead -- they weren't getting much water in the tangled brush where I had left them (well, it wasn't tangled brush when I hung them there, but stuff grows so fast here).

I spoke to my nephew this evening and he said he'll look for baskets for me. I remember when I was living in Phanat Nikhom thirty years ago I was able to get small wooden baskets at a garden supply shop -- Nakhorn Sawan is a much larger town, I should be able to find them here.

[Lorraine]

Originally Posted by Acharn

Lorraine, thanks. These are the kind of tips I was hoping for. The comments from everyone else were a boost to my confidence, but the details are good to have. sugar water? I've never seen that mentioned, but I'll give it a try. Up until last week they were still attached to the dead base of the parent, at the bottom of a small, rectangular plastic pot. I thought they might respond well if I gave them room to grow in. It's really amazing to me that they aren't dead -- they weren't getting much water in the tangled brush where I had left them (well, it wasn't tangled brush when I hung them there, but stuff grows so fast here).

I spoke to my nephew this evening and he said he'll look for baskets for me. I remember when I was living in Phanat Nikhom thirty years ago I was able to get small wooden baskets at a garden supply shop -- Nakhorn Sawan is a much larger town, I should be able to find them here.

A lot of people use Superthrive. It might be hard for you to find it there. I have used it but somewhere I heard of the sugar water. I worked for me. Don't know exactly why but success is success!

[Acharn]

I admit my first reaction to the sugar water was skepticism. "How can a plant respond to a purified extract of another plant?" But then I got to thinking about mulch and "green manure" (plowing alfalfa under to increase nitrogen in the soil), and realized I don't need to know how it works, it's nearly free and doesn't seem like it could hurt. They're soaking now.

[Lorraine]

Originally Posted by Acharn

Lorraine, thanks. These are the kind of tips I was hoping for. The comments from everyone else were a boost to my confidence, but the details are good to have. sugar water? I've never seen that mentioned, but I'll give it a try. Up until last week they were still attached to the dead base of the parent, at the bottom of a small, rectangular plastic pot. I thought they might respond well if I gave them room to grow in. It's really amazing to me that they aren't dead -- they weren't getting much water in the tangled brush where I had left them (well, it wasn't tangled brush when I hung them there, but stuff grows so fast here).

I spoke to my nephew this evening and he said he'll look for baskets for me. I remember when I was living in Phanat Nikhom thirty years ago I was able to get small wooden baskets at a garden supply shop -- Nakhorn Sawan is a much larger town, I should be able to find them here.

I found a website to show you how to make an orchid basket. I would totally try it if I was not able to buy them locally using hard wood. I have seen some here made with bamboo strips. Roots cover up mistakes for sure! how to make a wooden slat orchid basket

[Acharn]

Originally Posted by Lorraine

I found a website to show you how to make an orchid basket. I would totally try it if I was not able to buy them locally using hard wood. I have seen some here made with bamboo strips. Roots cover up mistakes for sure! how to make a wooden slat orchid basket

Oh, thanks. Gee, that's quite big! I don't think that's what I need for these little guys. When my niece and nephew brought the new orchids three weeks ago my niece was talking about taking me to visit an orchid farm they know. It seems to be owned by friends or relatives, so I expect I could pick up some new plants there, although they probably don't normally sell in lots of less than fifty. So I'm hoping I can maybe pick up some materials there.

When I was living in Phanat Nikhom about thirty years ago there was a garden supply shop in town that had everything: clay pots, plastic pots, wooden baskets of all sizes, potting soil (not for orchids). I was able to buy some wooden slatted baskets about three inches on a side. That's what I hope to find now. Trouble is, I have to depend on the kids to drive me anywhere, and they have to work, so scheduling shopping expeditions is not easy.