Vanda coerulea and s/h
 

Hello all--

Was wondering if anyone has any input or experience on putting this vanda species into s/h?

I've been growing it in vase culture but truth-be-told, I'm tired of tending to it. My arid environment requires too much of me already in terms of watering my plants and it would be a relief to plant it out in something more consistently moist and nutritious for this plant.

The plant is doing ok as is but it would be a a relief to plant it out some other way. I have two hybrid vandas-- one was an s/h experiement and it went horribly bad. The other I grow in vase culture and they both love it. I also have a neostylis in vase culture and is doing really well. But my neofinetia resented the vase culture in the end-- and so is in s/h now and seems to be doing really well. So, is the vanda species accommodating enough to enjoy s/h?

Thanks for the input.

I have a Neostylis in S/H and it loves it. As for Vandas in S/H I have not had any luck as of yet.

The only folks I am aware of that are successful with vandas in semi-hydro live in VERY dry environments,(but I also think they are just using the LECA in a standard pot, and not really using a reservoir).

10% RH today, Ray, so I think that may work! I don't have to have a reservoir but the plants won't thrive the way I'm growing them now anyway. I've giving it a go. If nothing else, there will be medium next to the roots that will offer much better humidity at a more consistent basis than what they have now. I can devote the attention the hybrid vandas need to grow them in vase culture but no more than what I have. Plus, with vase culture, I still have to drape a moist microfiber towel about the top of the vase to keep humidity up. The plants enjoy it but the new roots will sometimes grow towards the towels! So I use it sparingly.

I agree that it is better to grow them with no reservoir. Vandas really do like to dry out a lttle. I have mine in a basket with some sphagnum and charcoal lumps. It really helps a lot. Our summers are dry, but indoors in winter our humidity is usually 65 to 75.