Hello Kate, I am too new to the vandas to give much advice but I do feel that when we buy from the nurserys here especially in the vases they are gasping for a drink if they have been there from the suppliers (usually Holland) for some time as the sales staff don't really know much and are just there to sell. I have frequently asked sales staff to water plants which look streesed from lack of water. Hopefully some one will advise you. I have discovered that filling the sink with lukewarm water and dunking the vandas for around 30 mins twicw a week has worked well and also kept the vases clean, I can also inspect the roots. I am pleased to say I have another vanda with a little flower spike coming ( vanda Thongchai X Dr.Anek). do hope it doesn't abort. Good luck and happy growing. Hazel.

Sorry - this probably should have been posted as a follow-up relating to a specific Vanda I have asked about here. It is just beginning to recover from chronic lack of water and has been dormant for about 7 months with no new growth other than roots. I want to give it some "oomph". Others here suggested to my question and to others using fertilizer or some other product in the water or in spag. They were right about the sad lack of water, so now I am seeking "the next step". I water it not quite every day now. It gets a few minutes under the tap or in the shower. But I would like to use the "soak it in a bucket of water" method maybe once or twice a week (because it IS trying to recover from lack of water. It is super dry). The products I have in my arsenal are: Green Light Root Stimulator & Starter Solution Green Light Rooting Hormone Better-Gro Orchid Plus (20-14-13) Dynamite Plant Food (pellets - I use these in my potted stuff) 13-13-13 That really common orchid food that comes in a little blue pouch (blue crystals, can't remember the name, but it is SUPER common). Thanks for the forumula for the water ratio. Would you recommend I try 13-13-13 or other? Perhaps I should move this post?

google. where in the house does it live? It must be living in dry air. And that is why it is unhappy. You need to create an environment it likes or give it to someone that has the right environment. I live in South Florida and I don't grow orchids from the Himalayas and they can't grow orchids from the Everglades. With an effort you can make an artificial environment to survive or thrive depending on how well you do. I can't tell you how to build one. I never needed to. Because I don't have mountain top orchid either, living in low flat lands of Florida. I have been given orchids in the past that I had no chance in creating a culture that would work. I gave them to a grower thad had success and proper culture.

I actually had thrips on my vandals a few months ago. I found a way to get rid of them and now my vandals are flowering again. No, this is not thrips or any insect, because the bud is healthy looking. It just doesn’t grow. i am starting to feed it a fertilizer with a high phosphorus valium. Let’s see what happens.