New member here

[Walter Meshaka]

Howdy Community,

I'm a hobbyist for about 25yrs. I belong to the Susquehannah Orchid Soc. in S-C Pennsylvania. I grow a lot of vandas but other sorts, too. My paph collection is at about 12 plants under grow lights and semi-hydro. It's fun.

Nice to meet you all and Happy Holidays to all.

Walt

 

[mrhappyrotter]

Welcome and Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays.

What kind of lighting and conditions do you provide the Vandas? I've got a small number of them, but I stick to ones that are a little more cold tolerant and small enough that I can fit them under standard LED shoplights on wire shelves and/or things like Vanda falcata that can stay out in the cold greenhouse in the winter. Having said that, I've always wanted to get a Vanda Mimi Palmer or similar hybrid. Just figured I don't have the space, lights, or temps to be super successful with that.

 

[NYEric]

Welcome from NYC

 

[big923cattleya]

Welcome from Michigan!
Cattleya, Phrags, Paph. grower, under lights 7 months, out side for 5. Growing for 5+ decades.

 

[Skoester]

Welcome from Oregon!

 

[Walter Meshaka]

Welcome and Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays.

What kind of lighting and conditions do you provide the Vandas? I've got a small number of them, but I stick to ones that are a little more cold tolerant and small enough that I can fit them under standard LED shoplights on wire shelves and/or things like Vanda falcata that can stay out in the cold greenhouse in the winter. Having said that, I've always wanted to get a Vanda Mimi Palmer or similar hybrid. Just figured I don't have the space, lights, or temps to be super successful with that.

Happy to help. Lights are 48" Sunblasters in an unfinished basement that opens to outside where they summer. Water is caught on heavy-duty plastic droocloth and funneled to drain. Timed oscellating fans and a heate timed to lights. Winter 78/70F high/low. Warmth and high light make all the difference. If you have a light cart in a room whose winter lows are 60F or better, maybe consider Motes Orchids. Great minis and not quite minis, many fragrant, most frequent bloomers. Set them in clear plastic containers to assist humidity after roots dry quickly from daily watering. I recommend them. Can you modify a light cart to skip a shelf and fit with Sunblaster for a Mimi Palmer??

 

[Roots]

Welcome from the cold, wet, dark PNW. I am a new grower this year and trying to figure out S/H. I am also transitioning my plants to grow lights in a basement. I'll look forward to hearing more about your experience with paphs in S/H and under lights.

 

[Ray]

Welcome aboard, Walt.

 

[Walter Meshaka]

Welcome aboard, Walt.

Thanks, Ray!

 

[mrhappyrotter]

Happy to help. Lights are 48" Sunblasters in an unfinished basement that opens to outside where they summer. Water is caught on heavy-duty plastic droocloth and funneled to drain. Timed oscellating fans and a heate timed to lights. Winter 78/70F high/low. Warmth and high light make all the difference. If you have a light cart in a room whose winter lows are 60F or better, maybe consider Motes Orchids. Great minis and not quite minis, many fragrant, most frequent bloomers. Set them in clear plastic containers to assist humidity after roots dry quickly from daily watering. I recommend them. Can you modify a light cart to skip a shelf and fit with Sunblaster for a Mimi Palmer??

Thanks for the tips! I figured Mimi Palmer was a pipe dream with my current conditions (not enough space, light, or warm enough temps in winter). I enjoy looking at Mote's website and window shopping. They have some really stunning things for sale.

 

[Walter Meshaka]

Thanks for the tips! I figured Mimi Palmer was a pipe dream with my current conditions (not enough space, light, or warm enough temps in winter). I enjoy looking at Mote's website and window shopping. They have some really stunning things for sale.

 

[Weaver]

Welcome from Seattle area!

 

[Duck Slipper]

Welcome from Kentucky!

 

[lori.b]

Hi Walt. Welcome from British Columbia.

 

[Paphman910]

Welcome from Victoria, BC Canada

 

[Sky7Bear]

Welcome from the cold, wet, dark PNW. I am a new grower this year and trying to figure out S/H. I am also transitioning my plants to grow lights in a basement. I'll look forward to hearing more about your experience with paphs in S/H and under lights.

I’m in Sedro Woolley. I grow Paphs in semi hydroponic in a greenhouse with supplemental lighting for the cool, wet winter you mentioned. Envious of the basement, as I’ve grown that way in the past. I also have under bench lights now.

 

[Roots]

Envious of the greenhouse. And now with under bench lights did you double your space? Do you also heat the greenhouse? I have to share the basement with many other hobbies. I am wondering if I am going to get enough of a night time temp drop down there. If I may ask about your s/h practices. How often do you water in the winter vs summer? I know that many paphs want a cooler drier winter but I don't know how that translates to s/h culture.

 

[Sky7Bear]

Envious of the greenhouse. And now with under bench lights did you double your space? Do you also heat the greenhouse? I have to share the basement with many other hobbies. I am wondering if I am going to get enough of a night time temp drop down there. If I may ask about your s/h practices. How often do you water in the winter vs summer? I know that many paphs want a cooler drier winter but I don't know how that translates to s/h culture.

You may email me at [email protected]. Doubled space. Heat it. Double frequency of watering by summer. No change at least for me. Harvey

 

[BrucherT]

Welcome and Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays.

What kind of lighting and conditions do you provide the Vandas? I've got a small number of them, but I stick to ones that are a little more cold tolerant and small enough that I can fit them under standard LED shoplights on wire shelves and/or things like Vanda falcata that can stay out in the cold greenhouse in the winter. Having said that, I've always wanted to get a Vanda Mimi Palmer or similar hybrid. Just figured I don't have the space, lights, or temps to be super successful with that.

Have you considered or attempted semiwater culture a la The Orchid Whisperer on YouTube? Adapting her methods, I have grown a few Vanda coerulea from flask to bloom as well as V. sanderiana (2 plants purchased as small seedlings and grown in a greenhouse for 4 years before I took them on, now approaching 2 years in my care), Rhyncostilis and Neofinetia all using thus bare-root-glass-vase method.

Grew in south windows for some years but now they’re in east windows, in Chicago, smack against the window. Roots are uncapped and growing lushly. The basic regimen is thoroughly spraying down all root surfaces daily with pure RO or distilled water, then once a week on top of that (AFTER the pure RO spraying) I follow up with 1/8 tsp K-lite per gallon, thoroughly spraying down roots. I find it important to hydrate with pure water first to avoid burning root tips.

Some water gathers in the bottom of the vase; I empty this when it gets algae or in summer when humidity is high. I can leave for up to 6 weeks leaving the bottom 3rd of the roots soaking in pure water with just a splash of fertilizer mixture with no noticeable ill effects.

Note that this is a DAILY regimen. It is my first task in the morning and I feel badly if I forget because although it requires committed consistency, it takes me less than 5 minutes per day and at least one of the V. coerulea has rewarded me with up to 4 inflorescences in one calendar year. Wild-type V. coerulea is a dream plant for me and I cherish mine. I see no reason why, if I can grow these species in my windows in Chicago winters, you would fail with Mimi Palmer. Start with a small one and follow the Orchid Whisperer’s stuff and I think you will succeed. Note that I don’t do her 20-minute soaking stuff anymore, it’s all done with misting bottles.