Vanda Care Basics: Food + Light

How much sun does a Vanda orchid need?

Strap-leaf Vandas want full morning sun from about 7 to 10 a.m. and protection from direct sun in the hottest part of the afternoon. At Lady Vanda Orchids in Ocala, Florida, the Vandas for sale grow in a shade house under 30–50% shade cloth, and Serena Roman's personal collection hangs under a covered deck with 50% shade screen on the northwest side to filter mid-afternoon sun. Light is what lets a Vanda use its fertilizer: feed a plant that cannot photosynthesize enough and it cannot turn that food into growth. Strap-leaf Vandas can be acclimated to full sun, but only slowly — and because the sun's path shifts with the seasons, a spot that works in winter can scorch a plant in summer.

Sunlight provides a means of 'eating food' for the Vanda and if you fertilize (feed) the plant but cannot provide a way to absorb that energy, i.e. sunlight and chlorophyll production, your plant will not grow optimally and may actually suffer in the long term.

We keep most of our personal collection under a covered deck and have 50% shade screen on the northwestern facing side to provide some light filtering from the mid-afternoon sun. This method has worked well for all of our orchids, from Vanda's to Phalaenopsis, Cattleya and Oncidium. It should be noted that as the seasons change so do the patterns of the sun in reference to your property. A position that may work in the winter season may not work for summer. I have seen people cook their Orchids because they have not noticed the change in exposure to sunlight.

Google 'Orchid Fertilizer', How many options come up in the shopping tab? Are you overwhelmed? Confused? Do you want to use liquid or powder fertilizers? Tie a little a bag of osmocote pellets to the basket? Fertilizing orchids is just as personal a topic as asking someone what their favorite orchid is. Once a person finds something that works for them, they do not want to deviate from the proven method. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, but do not be afraid to experiment with different brands and N-P-K (nitrogen- phosphorous- potassium) values.

Most fertilizer labels call to use once per month at a specific rate. However in almost all cases it is better to fertilize at lower doses more frequently so that your orchid is getting consistent 'meals' at all stages of its growth cycle. Unlike some orchids, Vandas are usually in consistent growth cycle and will show blooms, root growth and leaf growth simultaneously. All of this takes enormous energy from the plant to maintain, so consistent feeding improves the process.

How often should you fertilize a Vanda orchid?

Most people can get away with using tap water and a generic orchid fertilizer- their plants do just fine. But why accept just fine when you can achieve "Oh wow!"