How to Grow and Care for a Vanda Orchid
I really want to have Vanda Orchids in my house, but I keep killing them. Could you PLEASE tell me how to grow them. Love your site!
Hi Michelle,
Here are a few care tips on how to grow a Vanda Orchid. The two most important things are not to keep the soil overly moist and provide good light and high humidity.
Light: There are strap leafed, terete and semi-terete types of Vanda Orchids. Terete varieties need bright light and full sun. Strap leaf can handle medium to bright indirect light. Light requirements for semi terate are somewhere in between the two.
Water: Keep the soil of a Vanda Orchid moist but never soggy. Soggy soil causes root rot and the plant dies. Use a chunky bark mixture or orchid soil that drains quickly and doesn’t retain moisture.
Temperature: Temperatures 55F (13C) to 95F (35C) are best
Humidity: Vanda Orchids like high humidity (80%). Placing a small humidifier near the plant or putting it on a wet pebble tray can help if the air in your home is dry.
Fertilizer: Feed a Vanda Orchid weekly when it is actively growing with a well balanced plant food diluted to 1/4 the recommended strength.
Flowering: The flower spikes on a vanda orchid can produce as many as 6-8 flowers at a time. The flowers come in a variety of colors and can be as large as 5″-8″ in size.
Re-Potting: Don’t be in a rush to move your Vanda orchid to a new container. Vanda orchids should be re-potted every 3-5 years during the spring. Re-pot every three to five years in spring.
The interesting thing about these orchids is that they are usually grown in hanging slatted baskets that contain very little soil.