ng should be avoided but balanced fertilizers of the type 20:20:20 (20 parts of nitrogen, 20 parts of potassium, 20 parts of phosphorus) in doses of 1 should be used. gr per liter of water.
To promote flowering once a month it is advisable to fertilize with a fertilizer with a title of 10:30:20.
Given the frequency of fertilizations it is advisable that once a week the plant is watered abundantly with water only in order to eliminate excess mineral salts.It is essential that fertilizations are carried out with the substrate wet to avoid dangerous concentrations of mineral salts that could damage the roots.
It is important never to let the substrate dry completely as there would be an excessive concentration of mineral salts.
Another important thing for the Vanda is to follow a regular fertilizing regimen.
(For more information on fertilization you can consult the article: "Fertilization of orchids").
TYPE OF SOIL AND REPOT
There Vanda it definitely does not like repottings and as they are plants with monopodial development they do not often require this practice. It repots when the basket or substrate deteriorates or when the plant has grown too large to fit in its container.
Their ideal arrangement are in very hard wood strips baskets such as teak or cedar that do not deteriorate easily or in any case in any support that allows the roots to breathe and stay free, not constrained or soaked in water. The ideal are suspended wooden baskets. They can also be grown on cork bark with the roots dangling in the air.
In order not to create too much stress on the roots and if the container is not deteriorated, it is advisable to put everything in a larger container without removing the plants from their original pot. At the time of repotting, with this solution, charcoal, bark and tree fern fiber are added between one pot and another. In this way the plant is not affected in the least.
However, if we must necessarily change the container because it is damaged or rotten, in this case to minimize stress, it is advisable to immerse the roots with the old support in just warm water in order to make the roots more elastic and remove them with the utmost caution. possibly using clean and disinfected tools (such as hands) and adding a broad spectrum fungicide to the water.
It is essential that the substrate is arranged so that the roots are not tight, that there is good ventilation and that it can retain the necessary moisture. We make sure to leave the roots free to settle and do not force them by wrapping them.
The pots must be hung and the roots must be left free to move in the air. If you place them on a shelf, the roots will stick to it and when you have to move them, they will be damaged.
The best time to repot is late spring and early summer.
After repotting, the plants should be kept in light shade until they have stabilized.
(For more information on repotting you can consult the article: «Type of substrate and repotting of orchids»).
The Vanda being plants that grow continuously, they can bloom up to 3-4 times a year with blooms that last several weeks.
PARASITES AND DISEASES
As for the diseases of the 'Vanda see the chapter: "Diseases and treatments of orchids".
They are grown not only as pot plants but also as a cut flower.
There Vanda Miss Joachim (photo below), by Miss Agnes Joachim who discovered it in 1893, has become the national flower of Singapore.
Some species of Vanda they are very fragrant.
LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS AND PLANTS
See: «Orchids - The language of flowers and plants».
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