# My new Vanda's leaves are turning YELLOW!!!



## Susie11 (May 25, 2012)

I have had my lovely new Vanda coerulea for a week only but already I have noticed that it does not look too good anymore. When it arrived after a week in transit it had one yellowing leaf. Now, after it has already lost two yellow leaves, I can see that it is turning yellow at the stem as well!! Is it the end for my new friend?

This is how it looked last week






Turning yellow















These were taken today










I spray once / twice a day depending on weather temp. I have fed it twice since I have had it -once a week using Orchid Focus grow at quarter strength. It sits on a south east facing windowsill and gets lots of bright sun from behind a net curtain. It is obviously growing in a glass vase. And that is all I can think off at the moment. I have had some advice already which said that it is normal for it to drop the older leaves -which it has been doing as the falling yellowing leaves are at the base of the plant, but today I can see that the yellowness is spreading to the main stem of the Vanda and the leaves are looking wrinkled. Oh why is this happening???? Please help me save her. She is very special to me.


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## Shiva (May 25, 2012)

No pics!


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## Susie11 (May 25, 2012)

Really? That is strange because I can see them right now as I type this out. 

Ok then here goes:


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## Shiva (May 25, 2012)

Not enough water and feeding. Vandas need a lot of watering and feeding while growing. A few sprays is not enough. I recommend dunking the plant in a pail of water every morning and let it stand for a while in it. Once you take it out, you could spray with nutrients full strenght.


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## Bob in Albany N.Y. (May 25, 2012)

When I grew inside under lights, I'd summer the single vanda that I had outside under a tree in the summer time. They can take almost if not full light if you get them used to it gradually. When inside I droped it in a 5 gallon pail of water every morning when I got dressed to go to work. Then put it back under the lights until I returned home in the evening. I then would once again put it in a pail of water while I changed out of my work cloths. Then back under the lights. Vadas need lots of water. Twice a day year round is a good target point.


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## orchideya (May 25, 2012)

Susie11, I have read somewhere that for successfull growing vandas have to be watered twice a day by running lukewarm water over their roots for 15 minutes.
I have many vandas, mostly seedlings, and when I had them in vases, I would fill the vases with water for at least 15 minutes twice a day or just once but for more time.
As number of them grew, it became time consuming and I found other way - I put them into clay pots with just a handful of chc making sure the roots are still exposed some. This setup requires watering every couple days(more or less depending on the humidity) by just running tap water for a second - chc absorbs the water quite fast and then roots can drag it from there.
Now only two of my vandas are still in vases, because they roots are too awkwardly high and wide to stick into pot.
Here is the pic of what I mean:


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## Rick (May 25, 2012)

Bob in Albany said:


> When I grew inside under lights, I'd summer the single vanda that I had outside under a tree in the summer time. They can take almost if not full light if you get them used to it gradually. When inside I droped it in a 5 gallon pail of water every morning when I got dressed to go to work. Then put it back under the lights until I returned home in the evening. I then would once again put it in a pail of water while I changed out of my work cloths. Then back under the lights. Vadas need lots of water. Twice a day year round is a good target point.



I agree that most Vandas need a ton of light. If the humidity is high enough they can get away with a single daily watering.

You may consider adding a touch of epsom salt to your irrigation water. The magnesium is good for improving chlorophyl production.

Depending on the species/hybrid, I tend to see some leaf drop of oldest leaves as new ones come in.


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## consettbay2003 (May 25, 2012)

Most vandas prefer warm temperatures. This species is the exception and prefers to be grown cool.


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## Ozpaph (May 26, 2012)

the lower leaves look dehydrated.
Agree, dunk in water until roots turn green.
Mist spray regularly and increase humidity.
Dont leave standing in water.


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## keithrs (May 26, 2012)

I have found with my Vandas that they about died with out humidity. It may just be the conditions I have.


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## Susie11 (May 26, 2012)

Thanks everybody for all of your valuable info. I have now decided to water every morning by filling the vase and leaving it for an hour to soak up all of the moisture. I will feed at a quarter strength once a week using the same method. The humidity is very good in london right now as we approach summer -it was 70 yesterday and it is normally about 40-50. I am so grateful to you all for your advice as this plant is very special. I can't wait for her to bloom but for now I'd rather see new roots!


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## Susie11 (May 26, 2012)

orchideya said:


> Susie11, I have read somewhere that for successfull growing vandas have to be watered twice a day by running lukewarm water over their roots for 15 minutes.
> I have many vandas, mostly seedlings, and when I had them in vases, I would fill the vases with water for at least 15 minutes twice a day or just once but for more time.
> As number of them grew, it became time consuming and I found other way - I put them into clay pots with just a handful of chc making sure the roots are still exposed some. This setup requires watering every couple days(more or less depending on the humidity) by just running tap water for a second - chc absorbs the water quite fast and then roots can drag it from there.
> Now only two of my vandas are still in vases, because they roots are too awkwardly high and wide to stick into pot.
> ...


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## Ozpaph (May 26, 2012)

DONT let them sit in water. Just long enough for the roots to change colour - a few minutes.


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## Susie11 (May 27, 2012)

Ozpaph said:


> the lower leaves look dehydrated.
> Agree, dunk in water until roots turn green.
> Mist spray regularly and increase humidity.
> Dont leave standing in water.





Everybody seems to be telling me to let them soak for about an hour so idk anymore. Since I have been soaking them the leaves have rehydrated somewhat. I thought that keeping them in a glass was the best way to increase humidity? We have had a lot of humidity lately being in the 60- 80's so I would think that that was ok? Oh gosh, this is so challenging -but worth it


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## Shiva (May 27, 2012)

Don't worry so much about humidity. It does vary outside during the day and there is nothing much you can do about it. As long as they are well watered, things will be fine. I have a couple of vandas outside hanging under a tree and humidity went down to 33% yesterday and one is in flower.


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## Susie11 (May 27, 2012)

I can see that my new little leaf is growing at about 3mm a day. Should I be feeding more often? So far I have fed it twice in the two weeks that I have had it and that has been at 1/4 strength using a balanced fert. I left it to soak in the glass vase for about 15 minutes on both occasions.


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## Shiva (May 27, 2012)

This is the growing season for Vandas. Maybe twice a week at this concentration would be better and once every two or three weeks in the winter (if not grown under lights). I grow mostly phrags these days and I usually feed them lightly with every watering.


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## Susie11 (May 27, 2012)

OK then. Thanks Shiva. Out of all of the orchids that I grow this one is proving the most challenging so far. I have been told so many conflicting things about the best care it is quite funny. I shall try everything and see which works for me and my conditions. At the end of the day my main goal now is to keep it alive I am not too concerned with flowers at the moment, more roots would have me ecstatic.


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## Shiva (May 27, 2012)

Susie11 said:


> OK then. Thanks Shiva. Out of all of the orchids that I grow this one is proving the most challenging so far. I have been told so many conflicting things about the best care it is quite funny. I shall try everything and see which works for me and my conditions. At the end of the day my main goal now is to keep it alive I am not too concerned with flowers at the moment, more roots would have me ecstatic.



Vandas are difficult to grow in our climes. Never enough light. enough humidity and those thick roots covered with velamen don't readily absorb water, which is why you have to dunk them in a pail of water to really water them well. I've seen some in greenhouses with roots more than one meter long. In short, they are a challenge for northern growers. Success also depends on where you live, and how you grow them, outside, in a house, a greenhouse or under lights, wich helps explain the different point of views expressed. We all would have no problem with them if we lived in Hawaii...


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## Susie11 (May 27, 2012)

The thing is that before I decided to get one I read alot of posts from Vanda vase growers who lived in Europe and the UK and who had great success with them. That was why I decided to give it a go. I saw thick lush green roots happily growing in vases and photos of the beautiful blooms achieved in the process so I though that if they could do it, then so could I!! I guess that it might still be acclimatising but after two weeks it should really be making some kind of commitment to me. I can see that the leaves are more turgid though and the yellowing has slowed right down. I haven't lost anymore so that only makes two in total that have dropped -so far anyway. I feel confident about it now. I don't mind filling the vase with tepid water twice a day. This one is special so I will do whatever it takes to keep it alive. Aren't the more challenging ones the ones we really love and reward us with the most spectacualr blooms later on?


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## Cochlopetalum (May 27, 2012)

http://tommyljunggren.blogspot.se/
Tommy Ljunggren is a skillfull vanda grower in Sweden. He give you a lot of growing tips if you translate his older bloggposts.


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## Susie11 (May 27, 2012)

Cochlopetalum said:


> http://tommyljunggren.blogspot.se/
> Tommy Ljunggren is a skillfull vanda grower in Sweden. He give you a lot of growing tips if you translate his older bloggposts.




Yes he is a God at growing vandas. I shall have a look at his page. Thanks for the tip Cochlopetalum.


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## Susie11 (May 27, 2012)

Good news!! I have just noticed that there is a new sub-root beginning to form on the longest root!! Yeah, thanks everyone for all of your help. I know that I am not out of the woods yet but it is a start is it not?


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## Rick (May 27, 2012)

Also what is the make up of Orchid Focus fertilizer and the mineral composition of your water that you mix it in?

Most fertilizers on the market have way too much K for orchids if you are mixing it in soft or RO waters.

Vanda's do suck up a fair amount of N when in active growth, but they need very little K, which can be antagonistic to other nutrients when in excess.

All of my vandaceous plants have improved considerably after reducing K in the diet.


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## Susie11 (May 31, 2012)

Sorry it took so long to get back to you. My notification has stopped working for this site! Um, let's see, my water is very hard; 275 ppm, degrees clark 19.3, degress German 15.4, degrees french 27.6, over all raing is HARD. 

Orchid Focus grow has; 2.2-1.2-2.1

I have no idea if it is good or not for my Vanda but it was recommended to me. My Vanda has stopped shedding leaves now and it is working on a new one. Roots are active again as well. I can't thank you guys enough.


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## Ozpaph (Jun 1, 2012)

Glad its doing well in your conditions. Roots are like human hands, they dont like to sit in water, but a nice dunking is fine.


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## Susie11 (Jun 2, 2012)

I get you, I have reduced it now to about five minutes. I can still see healthy green tips growing so I am happy with that.


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