Vanilla bean orchid, best growing conditions

18 years ago

Hi there guys,

I have a vanilla orchid, the sought that actual vanilla beans come from and I would like to know what the best growing condtions would be or any ideas you could give me to grow this plant under my current circumstances.

We have just moved in to a new home, brand new, and there are no trees in the garden in which to grow this on. we are living in a rental home so I really dont want to go growing this in the garden and would prefer to keep it in a pot, what size pot would you recommend, grow it on lattice work or on a nice tree stump?

Does anybody else have this plant and if so can you give me some good ideas to keep this plant going great for my circumstances.

Cheers guys.

Featured Answer

gatecrasher
Original Author

17 years ago

Hi there aroideana,

Yes I did follow your directions and the support is all set up.

I am growing it in just normal potting mix in about a 40cm pot with orchid bark on top of the soil, I only repotted it last when I followed you instructions.

I have not waterd it for about 2 weeks now however the soil around the drainage holes is absolutely soaked and does not seem to be drying out.

Any suggestions.

Cheers.

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Comments (12)

aroideana
18 years ago
get some plastic mesh and roll it into a tube about 10 cms or smaller dia. fill it with spagnum moss , or use bark in the center to save on sphag [it can be expensive] . you can hang this up. Vanilla will root and grow well in this .. train it back down when it reaches the top , or turn it upside down , and it will cover it in no time .. it will stop growing very soon if you are near Brisbane .
gatecrasher
Original Author
18 years ago
Well we are in noosa, I guess you couyld say that is near brisbane. Will it grow back once the weather warms up again?
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aroideana
18 years ago
yes will sprout a new [or few] new tips come spring
don't be surprised if growing tip dies when it really starts getting cold in a few months , I got worried when I first grew Vanilla in Childers , had it climbing up a Jakfruit tree , it had done very well , lots of roots wrapped around trunk and it had climbed 2m . But tip withered and died , but it came back in spring with 2 shoots . Eventually grew to top of 10m tree and hung down to the ground ..
aroideana
17 years ago
soaking it may have stressed it .. how are you growing it ?
did you follow my directions ?
wanna_run_faster
17 years ago
Repot with more pine bark in a clay or wire pot? I would love to try and grow one of these myself but I don't think I have room for something that grows 10 + meters!
amirassa
15 years ago
Hi there
I could use some help here-
I have a small vanilla shoot.
I have planted it 3 weeks ago and so far I don't see any grows. recently it started to develop brown stain on the leaves and on the stem...

enviromnetal coditions:
20 degrees minus
R.H. - 50% +
Any suggestions?

Thanks a lot,
Amir
orchidguyftl
15 years ago
Best pot culture is to grow in a large pot full of sphagnum moss, supports are good like the one mentioned above, I do not recommend bark at all. During warm conditions, water daily. Here in the everglades they grow at the tops of mangroves with their roots hanging directly into the water....
wanna_run_faster
15 years ago
I ended up getting a couple too despite the fact they can grow 10 meters + lol. One I put in a 12 inch pot with regular potting mix with an upside down tomato cage. I just wrap it around and around. It's growing like crazy. The other I tied to a palm tree with panty hose (knee hi's) and it seems to be slowly beginning to attach itself to the tree. It's in regular, sandy Florida soil (no supplements or fertilizer). If we haven't any had rain for 2 or 3 weeks, I've watered deeply and allowed to completely dry out again. In the summer we have regular rain and that's all they get, lol. Definitely has grown a few feet, but still needs the attachment to the tree. We had a few nights where it was down close to 32 degrees but I don't think ever got to freezing. It's been a couple of weeks, no damage whats so ever. :> They are supposed to be epiphytic (sp?) in nature so I'm starting to think the potting medium is not super critical.
cheshirecat4591
15 years ago
Is there somewhere mailorder that one can get seeds/starts for these orchids? I'd love to have one growing at our retirement lot!Thanks
costaricafinca
15 years ago
While it is relatively easy to grow this orchid and get the pretty blooms, it is much harder to get any vanilla beans!
wanna_run_faster
15 years ago
CheshireCat
Logees and Gardinos have them.

www.logees.com
www.rareflora.com

Gardinos IMHO is the best :)

Vanilla bean orchid, best growing conditions

gatecrasher
Original Author

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Vanilla bean orchid, best growing conditions

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