Roots on Vandaceous plants

Every time about this time of the year, I have friends bring me their dying vandas and I try to revive them. Usually what happens, like in this instance, the plant got too cold and began losing its leaves and the roots die back to the stem of the plant. As you can see from the 1st pic, the roots have died and the leaves have dropped off. Now what I do, which was taught to me from an old orchid grower, is make a paste to smear on the stem. I use unscented talcum powder and add some KLN or Superthrive to make this paste. You won't need alot but it must be sticky. You smear it on the stem and then spritz the area with water and KLN for the next few days and you will notice that where a leaf was, there will be a node that either bloomed or will make a root. Now if there was a bloom there, it will not make a root. It uses the same node to root or bloom. In about 2 weeks, you will see something like pic#2 with a root starting.

I rather use KLN but I have done it with Superthrive also. In the past, I heard that prolonged use of Superthrive will distort the bloom but personally I have never see that. Superthrive, at least here in Central Florida, can be picked up at WalMart and KLN can be brought from your local supply house. In pic #3, I bought this plant this year at the Trustee show in Orlando in April and now using KLN, you can see the different size of the roots. I use this 1 oz/gal once a month on healthy plants and you can see what happens.

http://www.orchidboard.com/community/vanda-alliance-others/966-roots-vandaceous-plants.html

How to Trigger Reblooming of Your Phalaenopsis Orchid

http://www.justaddiceorchids.com/Just-Add-Ice-Orchid-Blog/bid/81436/How-to-Trigger-Reblooming-of-Your-Phalaenopsis-Orchid


When your Just Add Ice Orchid stops blooming and enters dormancy, it is not dead. You can encourage your orchid to bloom again with just a little TLC. Phalaenopsis orchids rebloom on old spikes with a new stalk emerging from a triangular node along the stalk. To trigger the growth of a new stalk and reblooming, your Just Add Ice Orchid will need a little more attention than these easy-care orchids usually require. The thrill when your Just Add Ice Orchid blooms for a second time, however, makes the small investment in time and effort required to trigger orchid reblooming well worth the effort.
Phalaenopsis orchids expend a lot of energy to create the large, beautiful flowers for which they are prized. Under normal circumstances, your Just Add Ice Orchid will enter a resting period called dormancy once it has finished blooming. Dormancy allows the plant time to rest and replace the nutrients expended during blooming. Nutrients and water are stored in the plant’s leaves until they are needed for growth and blooming. Dormancy typically lasts from 6 to 9 months and your orchid may rebloom on its own as orchids do in nature. However, most display orchids need a little help activating the natural rhythm that leads to blooming.

To trigger orchid reblooming, follow these steps:

1. When your orchid stops blooming, begin fertilizing it every other week with a balanced houseplant fertilizer (20-20-20) mixed at half strength. Do not water your Just Add Ice Orchid with 3 ice cubes on the weeks you fertilize your plant.
2. Move your orchid to a cooler environment where nighttime temperatures are between 55 and 65 degree F. until a new flower spike emerges.
3. Return your plant to its usual location and continue watering with 3 ice cubes once a week.

Check our website and orchid care videos for more detailed instructions on orchid reblooming.