Hi! I'm sorry that I don't have a vanilla orchid (sounds delicious), but if you have any tea plants to spare, can we work something out? Thanks for your consideration. Maureen

Hi Jcm55, Welcome to The Plant Exchange. Just a little note...you have no email link on your member page, thus no one can email you. Here are instructions for getting it set up...addressing newbie and newer member issues Happy Gardening and Trading! Sue

They are pretty much weeds if given the right conditions If you get a chance to get to the everglades and canoe through the mangroves, wou wil notice lots of vanillas, a few different species In the wild they climb on the mangrove trees but their roots grow very long and hang directly into the water and get their water and most of their nutrients that way, really a sight to see I have my species of vanilla, planifolia, barbellata, and pompona potted in 14" pots in pure sphagnum with some nutricote time released fertilizer, becareful using osmocote, it releases too quickly Nutricotwe is comercially sold as dynamite, use balanced 13-13-13 Flowers are the size of a midsized flowering Cattleya and the 3 I have have really nice and striking flowers with nice markings Some planifolia varieties are extremely fragrant, while others have none. They need plenty of room to grow and wander Mine grow about 10 - 15 feet per year, per lead. so you can see how they need room. Good Luck John

No, if it has been long. You can add potting soil on top and it will fill in fine after watering. Yes if you just done it.