Apologize for hijacking this thread. But, thank you for sharing. I am very intrigued. I love those huge vanda hybrid flowers and all those luscious hanging roots. Maybe some small variety might be feasible. I will definitely check out The Orchid Whisperer The only problem is you have to be home every day to mist them.
Maybe once they are established with this method they can handle a few days of drying out? Maybe you will post a few pictures of yours?
lol I don't really believe in thread hijacking. It's all discussion!
You can grow any size of Vanda you want using this semiwater culture method. The hybrids are probably easier; I'm a species snob but the first Vanda I tried using this method was huge purple hybrid I got for $5 after the Chicago Botanic Garden Orchid show closed down and sold off all the orchids; the Vandas were stacked 4 feet high on folding tables, with roots that were 5 to 10 feet long.
Such roots will die during the adaptation process, which will take longer with a big plant than a small one, which is why after I used this plant to experiment and learn on, and then after that I started buying very small plants of my desired species; at this point I have V. coerulea, V. coerulescens, V. sanderiana, Vanda (Neofinetia) falcata and Rhyncostylis gigantea in water culture, all thriving.
You'll learn a lot from The Orchid Whisperer but things to keep in mind are that especially early on, and periodically throughout, you end up trimming a lot of dead roots. You'll know you're winning the battle when most or even all of the original roots are gone, replaced by roots that grew in your care. Vandas do NOT need the abundant, lengthy roots they usually come with from greenhouse/outdoor-Hawaiian/Thai conditions. These roots will die back.
Key is to CLEAN the roots of algae and keep the dead stuff trimmed back. After about 3 months, you should have enough roots that you can leave the bottom of the roots sitting in PURE RO or distilled water for up to 3 weeks. I have left my long-adapted plants up to 5 weeks with. no ill effects.
I am very enthusiastic about this process and excited for you to succeed at it. It did take me a long time to figure out for myself, adapting TOW's methods. I do not do soaks. I tend not to use stakes, though I do for some plants; they can be especially helpful at first. In summer, when it's hot, I tend to mist more than in winter. I do keep "home water" in the bottom of the vessels. I fertilize about once a week or so, by misting thoroughly with the pure RO or distilled, waiting an hour or two, then misting thoroughly with the weak K-lite fertilizer solution. I rarely use the copper fungicide anymore but as TOW shows you, Vandas tend to like it and it's especially helpful at first. Starting in late March here in Chicago, I start misting weekly with KelPak/RO solution, which makes the roots go crazy! KelPak is indispensable in the adaptation process.
Good luck!
