hi
I have 4 vanda's.
First a Vanda Coerulea. It's doing oke but I keep it In my mini greenhouse
because of the higher humidity.
Secondly 2 Vanda tricolor var suavis both doing very well. One in my
bedroom and one in my mini greenhouse.
They both grow at about the same rate and one of them has lost only one
leave. That's pretty good for a period of 2 years and there's a lot of rot
activity.
The last vanda is a small one about 4 cm high. The roots are growing and
there's a new leave comming. again I keep it in my little improvised
greenhouse.

How about making a glas cage/box with a small computer ventilator inside.
Put a layer of small stones on the bottom like in an aquarium. Then place
the Vanda inside and any other orchid that might need a higher humidity. It
can be very decorative and inside the cage/box the humidity can get a lot
higher. close the box and leave just a small corner open for fresh air.

I red that you use artificial light. I've been told that it's not a good
thing, and I've also read it a couple of times. It's something about the
changing lightfrequentie needed by the plant to make flowers. I'm not saying
it's a fact but I give all my Orchids only natural light. Untill now all of
them give me flowers although i must admit it took me 10 years to figure out
how to get my dendrobium delicatum to flower. Possibly that plant is even
more pikheaded then I am.

I realy would like the vanda Terres but it needs a few things I can't give
it. High humidity a looot of light, high temperature all year and a lot of
space. It's to high for my mini greenhouse and the day's are not always long
enough here in Belgium. Who knows maybe one day.

Do you have any advice about an Oncidium Papilio and kramerianum. I have one
of each but they're still young. For some reason they always lose there
leaves. While they mature the leaves suddenly get small black spots and fall
off. The bulb still matures and then starts growing again after a short
resting periode.

I know absolutely nothing about ascocendas. I've seen a few but never bought
any.
I don't know if it's a good idea to clog up the pores. I red once that a lot
of orchids can take in nurishment through the leaves as well as the roots.
But good luck, I hope I'm wrong.

Peter


"Geir Harris Hedemark" schreef in bericht
...
(D Cooney) writes:
PS - don't try Vandas - they need a greenhouse.

They do?

My vanda sansai (or was it keeree?) blue (just a small one, probably
won't flower for another two years) is putting forth leaves like
crazy. Since january, there are five new leaves, a 4in new root and
several new growths on old roots. It _is_ getting 25klux of artificial
light 12 hours each day, but apart from that, it is just sitting on a
table in the living room along with two ascocendas, one blc white
diamond, one noname dendrobium (white flowers, getting 10klux and also
thriving) and a number of epidendrums that are all divisions or keikis
off one (noname, labelled as "ballerina") plant. All of them seem to
be doing very well - I have a hope that the blc will start flowering
in july. It has two new bulbs that are maturing right now. All of
these plants are in pots. A lime bush and a tomato plant are also
under the same lights to help keep the moisture a bit higher.

It seems strap-leaved vandas are easier to handle for me than
semi-terete varieties. The ascocendas don't like the 40% humidity I am
able to provide in the summer months, I think. Especially the bottom
leaves wrinkle, and it looks like the plant has a problem keeping
enough moisture. I have tried putting some oil-based product on the
leaves in an attempt to clog up some of the pores in the leaves, they
will probably tell me if that was a good idea in a month or so.

I have a 55-60% indoor humidity during the winter, which seems to be
enough to keep all my orchids in good shape.

Geir