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$3 vanda orchids
A couple of months ago, Sammy convinced the garden center at a local big box store that these two Vanda orchids were dying after they finished flowering and ended up getting them for $3 a piece for me. Score, what a deal!
I have never owned Vanda orchids before, but I do know that they can get pretty large and are usually displayed in wooden vanda baskets or bare root, they like their roots exposed and lots of water. The problem is that I am horizontally challenged for space and wanted to mount these to the cedar wall. I also had this great piece of driftwood that I purchased this summer at the annual Bromeliad Show that I kinda wanted to use. So here it goes… not a traditional way to plant Vandas but they seem to be thriving so far (approximately 2 months). When I was watering today, I sprayed the Vandas a few times until their roots were dark green. Looking good!
materials used:
long fibered sphagnum moss
drill with wood bit
wire cutters
multi-purpose wire
scissors
fishing twine
orchids and driftwood
The vanda orchids were in these ugly black plastic hanging baskets and the roots were very white and fragile. I soaked them in room temperature water for a few minutes and then cut the basket and gently unwound the roots and trimmed any dead ones (it is best to use sterilized utensils for each plant).
While I was doing this, Sammy used the drill with the wood bit to drill a hole in the driftwood, using a drill bit slightly larger than the multi-purpose wire. He then ran a piece of cut wire through the hole and bent it into a U shape through the front of the driftwood. This wire will be hidden after the orchid is mounted.
Then I placed the orchid in the natural hole on the driftwood and soaked a small amount of sphagnum moss in water and squeezed the water out so it was just slightly damp, placed it in front of the orchid… but only enough to stabilize it and left the roots loose to do their thing. I figured that since Vandas like to be mounted without medium of any kind, the less moss I used, the better. Using clear fishing twine, I tied a knot around the moss and wound the twine around the driftwood a few times, being careful not to cut any of the roots or the plant itself… there ya go! I then repeated the process on the other orchid, watered well and bent the wire on the back of the driftwood to hand on the cedar slat wall. I hung these where it will recieve bright light but not be burned by the afternoon sun.
vandas used:
Neither of these orchids were in bloom when I got them so I wasn’t really sure what the flower ever looked like on these. Going from the plant markers and my googling on the web, I mounted the following:
ASCDA Meda Arnold
This is a hybrid between a Vanda and a Ascocenda and should resemble a minature Vanda (doesn’t look too mini to me). This variety should have red flowers.
V. Rasri Gold x A. Kultana Spots
Not too much information about this one. I found a picture on an orchid grower’s web album and the flower is kinda an yellow gradient to an orange-coral color with spots of a red with a yellow lip.
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2 comments for “$3 vanda orchids”
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What a great idea! I bet they do well for you. I’ll be watching to see when they bloom….
I will definitely post them when they do.