How Do I Care for my Vanda Orchid?

How do I grow Vanda Orchids? Can I grow them outside on my covered porch?

Hi Melissa,

Vanda Orchids need very bright light and warm temperatures to produce their beautiful colorful flowers. In warm climates they can be grown outside in partial shade. If you live in an area where the winters are cold, you can place your Vanda Orchid outside in the summer and bring it indoors to a bright sunny location the rest of the year.

How to identify and care for Vanda Orchid plants

 

Here are some care tips to help you grow a Vanda Orchid.

Light: Vanda Orchids love going outside in the summer as long as temperatures stay above 55F at night. Keep them in an area that gets partial shade. Move them inside as soon as the night temperatures cool down to the sunniest location in your home.

Water: Vanda Orchids like to be watered well when actively growing; but their roots need to dry out quickly. Cut back your water during cool days and when it is cloudy. Wait until the roots have dried before watering again.

Temperature: Vanda Orchids like temperatures between 60-70 F at night and no more than 95F during the day. These orchids grow faster in warmer temperatures and so need more water, fertilizer, and higher humidity.

Soil: Plant your Vanda Orchid in pots with a coarse potting medium. Be sure there are drip holes in the bottom of the pot so the roots can dry out quickly.

Fertilize: Feed your Vanda Orchid  with a balanced plant food weekly during warm weather. You can also dilute your plant food to 1/4 the recommended strength and use it every time you water. Reduce the fertilizer to monthly in cool and cloudy weather. Applying a plant food high in phosphorus (10-30-20) every third time you feed your orchid help the plant flower more.