Which is the best place to buy a vanilla orchid? My mom actually suggested it to me and wants one! (It's usually the other way around).
I'm not interested so much in the variegated one... unless they're easier to grow and more tolerant than the non-variegated.
And, what should I know to grow these? Potting soil, humidity, light, food?
Vanilla Orchid
CaptMicha,
I got an vanilla planifolia from Oak Hill Gardens in Illinois. It is very nice and a vining type of orchid. It was doing very well until my bum knocked it off the shelf and split the clay pot in 2 as well as the "stem". (about 2 months ago) Since then, I have been tending to both parts in my makeshift greenhouse (in my garage) until the real greenhouse is finished in the backyard. I can tell you the vanilla plant started going bonkers when I misted it every other day, feeding weakly....weekly, and when it was able to start twining around a power cable/electric cord. As soon as I removed it from the electric cord it's growth really slowed down. I'll get it trellised or something when it goes into the other backyard greenhouse.
Pete
Anyhow, Oak Hill Gardens has vanilla aphylla (leafless orchid), vanilla planifolia, and vanilla lutescens.... Mom's Day is coming.....treat her well **** also known as "buy all 3! ;) "
Lol, buy all three... keep one for me!
V. planifolia is what's usually used for vanilla beans?
I have the green vanilla orchid. I bought it through eBay. They get very large and need to be 8 - 15 feet before they bloom. I have mine in a corner of the greenhouse. I plant to let it grow up the wall and around the greenhouse. It's not very big. I bought it late September. Needs bright indirect light and lots of humidity and water all year. I've never bought orchids from Rick's Tropica, but I like the brief cultural information he provides.
http://www.rickstropica.com/culture.html
I just read a little bit, I like his suggestion of draping them back and around the plant.
Yep, you're right, vanilla planifolia is what is used for vanilla beans. I read some about this plant and it'll take awhile before it blooms (5-7 years or so), and when it blooms, the blooms usually last 1 day and that's about it. It'd be pretty cool to grow a few vanilla beans and end up flavoring your coffee or ice cream with them!
OrchidMan10 said:
"my bum knocked it off the shelf "
Hired help?
Hired help? That's good!
No, just a large posterior from not gardening all winter long ;). I was misting my orchids in my make-shift garage greenhouse, when I turned around to let my 3 year old daughter in and the ole "heinie" knocked off the vanilla plant off the shelf! Broke off a stem with a root growing from it too, so eventually, I'll have 2 plants of vanilla. (hmm, I don't think THAT would be called "budding", so how about "bumming" ?
And when they don't flower for years after that, that would be called a bummer....
ROTFLMAO!!!
editted to say Laughing My Bum off
This message was edited May 2, 2005 9:48 PM