My new garden baby

[Catscankim]

I am getting a vanilla plant "vanilla orchid". I was telling my work partner all about it, and he did more research in a few minutes than I did prior to ordering it LOL. In a mere 4 years I might get a vanilla bean out of it LOL.

Anyway, it seems like a complicated plant/vine to keep AND produce vanilla beans, but I am excited, obviously.

Wondering if any of you have any experience growing vanilla?

 

[Tara_H]

Ooh! No experience but I'm very jealous, that sounds awesome! Hope you'll keep us updated

 

[Babyshoes]

That's exciting! I wouldn't attempt it but find it interesting when others do.

 

[lsg]

Give us a picture when it blooms.

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

Exciting'

 

[GemstonePony]

I've looked into it, it remains on my list of things I want to do when I'm rich enough to have space for it. Congrats!

 

[Obsidian]

My mom has had one for probably a decade now, never has bloomed. She doesn't take very good care of it though.

She has rooted a start for me, think I'll get somekind of small grow tent for it, they like the humidity.

 

[cmzaha]

My mom has had one for probably a decade now, never has bloomed. She doesn't take very good care of it though.

She has rooted a start for me, think I'll get somekind of small grow tent for it, they like the humidity.

Is there a possibility I could pay her for a couple of cuttings? I have been trying to get some for my tanks and people want a ridiculous price for short cuttings. A fella in a FB Gecko was supposed to send me a box of cuttings for the cost of shipping but it never happened. Cal Poly Pomona sells potted 1-gallon plants but I do not have time to pick on up. How are your babies, especially your little girl?

 

[Todd Ziegler]

Good luck, orchids are difficult on a good day and horrible on a bad day.

One of the most difficult things when growing orchids is getting the humidity right. They are closely related to Bromeliads (air plants) and the humidity is very important.

 

[The_Emerald_Chicken]

Good luck, orchids are difficult on a good day and horrible on a bad day.

It must depend on the variety. I have around 10 phalaenopsis orchids and they aren't hard to care for. Seven reblooomed this winter. I do think those are supposed to be some of the easiest ones to care for, though.

A vanilla orchid sounds quite exciting, @Catscankim! You'll have to keep us updated on how it does.

 

[Todd Ziegler]

It must depend on the variety. I have around 10 phalaenopsis orchids and they aren't hard to care for. Seven reblooomed this winter. I do think those are supposed to be some of the easiest ones to care for, though.

A vanilla orchid sounds quite exciting, @Catscankim! You'll have to keep us updated on how it does.

Sorry, I was talking just about the vanilla orchid and I got my information from a short documentary about the loss of vanilla orchids in the wild. It was very interesting to learn how much damage is being done by plant collectors.

 

[Catscankim]

Good luck, orchids are difficult on a good day and horrible on a bad day.

One of the most difficult things when growing orchids is getting the humidity right. They are closely related to Bromeliads (air plants) and the humidity is very important.

I keep orchids and bromeliads. I actually just seperated my very large jumble of bromeliads into smaller containers. It started out as a small already in bloom plant that my neighbor gave me three years ago when I moved it. I put it into a big pot...like really big, with some iris. It just kept making more and blooming like crazy. Did a little research and I removed all the pups and replanted them. They seemed to have taken well in their new containers. I gave away two, and I have four left. I probably threw away more than I needed to, I just ran out of room and pots.

I have three orchids right now. They just keep blooming and blooming. I am kinda confused about when to cut the stems back. And I really don't want to because they just spawn off of the old stem, but getting kinda leggy right now. The one in the kitchen just dropped all its spent blooms, but there are new buds forming. The two outside have blooms and buds galore LOL.

Don't get me started on how much aloe I have LOL.

I think the vanilla orchid will like it here (I hope)

It was $34 plus $15 for shipping...so $50 ish total. After I saw the shipping I was going to not order, but in my mind, I was already committed LOL

 

[bluebirdwing]

They are hard to bloom if you are growing them from a cutting. My uncle had a farm of it and he used to grow some hybrid kind(dont know the name, visited only once when I was kid). I tried to grow at home from a cutting I took from there, never bloomed even after 3-4 yrs and my mom cut it down, saying its just waste of space. I guess it needed special care and manure, and as a kid I didnt know that, may be it had bloomed if it was properly cared.

Good luck, hope yours will bloom.

 

[Obsidian]

Is there a possibility I could pay her for a couple of cuttings? I have been trying to get some for my tanks and people want a ridiculous price for short cuttings. A fella in a FB Gecko was supposed to send me a box of cuttings for the cost of shipping but it never happened. Cal Poly Pomona sells potted 1-gallon plants but I do not have time to pick on up. How are your babies, especially your little girl?

I'll ask her about it, if not, I can share my cutting with you. Its much longer then I was expecting or wanting.
I need to get over there and pick it up, see what I'm actually working with.
Snakies are doing well, eating and shedding regularly. Rose is a sweety, fern on the other hand its still a wildling.

 

[AAShillito]

I had a beautiful vanilla orchid vine for several years ( no blooms) until my bird chewed it up. However it opened up orchid keeping for me. It's fun but you have to be patient with something that may bloom once a year. And a bit mad which is why I also taught myself to knit 3 years ago and now learning soap!

 

[cmzaha]

I'll ask her about it, if not, I can share my cutting with you. Its much longer then I was expecting or wanting.
I need to get over there and pick it up, see what I'm actually working with.
Snakies are doing well, eating and shedding regularly. Rose is a sweety, fern on the other hand its still a wildling.

I just saw your answer here, I am glad your snakies are doing well, it is amazing how they have such different personalities. My Gecks are the same way. Some are curious some are shy, but none can be handled, they are display only animals.

At least I do not need the vines to bloom I only need them to grow so my gecks can climb on them and they fill in the tanks. Supposedly they go quite crazy in tanks since the conditions are quite optimal for many orchids. Broms are supposed to grow well too but I have no luck with them but I do not keep my humidity as high as most gecko keepers.

 

[Malleebird]

I haven't been on the forum or made soap for months.... too busy gardening ! Today I decided I've got to get back to it before I run out.... so login... to get back in the mindset, and what's the first thing that pops up....a gardening topic ! Soooo have to have my 2 cents worth here
I'm not an orchid grower so I rolled my eyes when my daughter gave me a little vanilla orchid in a pot four years ago...knowing that that our dry climate and cold winters are definitely not suited to growing vanilla beans ! However gave it my best shot...and put it in the bathroom where I thought it would get some humidity. Four years on you can see the result. It was tiny and only had 3 or 4 leaves to start with.
But...I love it...and love the novelty of having a vanilla plant even though I don't ever expect to see a flower. Good luck with yours @Catskankim Tip - keep it pot bound and don't over water....well that's what works for me.
Now to try and get back to making soap.....☺

 

[Catscankim]

My baby arrived today! It's tiny...smaller than I thought I was getting (for almost $50 incl shipping), but it is really healthy, so I can't complain.

@Malleebird maybe it needs more sun to bloom and/or get bigger. I know you are in Australia, so I guess you get enough sun, just not enough humidity. But it looks pretty happy anyway!!

Here's my new vanilla... I don't know if I should start it off in the bathroom where it is humid, or get it acclimated to the outside right away. Plants LOVE my bathroom because it has a window and it is humid. It's kinda windy and dry right now (for florida). I might actually put it in the shower LOL. I've had two weeks to think about this and I still can't decide...

I included the box in the picture in case anybody else wants one LOL.

 

[Kiti Williams]

Mine is a Madagascar vanilla orchid that was a leaf and part of a stem, I had to get it to grow roots. It is now 16" tall and quite happy. It must grow to 10 feet before it will bloom, but we are both happy.

 

[Malleebird]

You're probably right @Catscankim about mine needing a bit of sun...it gets plenty light and air but no sun. In fact....I've just gone and moved it out into my fernery... . I measured it while I had it unravelled too...nearly 5 feet so hopefully halfway to flowering !!