I've seen the one that you are going to "top" this summer. That is too exciting Elaine, you will have "grandkids" Vanda. I read online that once you top the Vanda, it will encourage the Momma plant to produce more keikis. And for as long as you keep both the Momma plant and the new plant large enough with plenty of roots, both may still bloom after a year.

Oh! that is so cool Gigi!!! Looking forward to more photos!

It will be a fun experiment, for sure. That one is in bloom now, and may very well bloom again before I cut it. It's been a great bloomer this year.

It gets dragged in and out of the house for the weather changes, and it's now so tall that I literally have to drag most of the roots on the floor to get it in through the doorways to our "orchid spa" in the master bathroom.

Tarev. My Vandas took off when I followed Ellaine's advice to get it out of the vase. I've also been feeding them more often after reading all the experts advice here. And I must admit, I mix superthrive on my food fert not sure if it helps but psychologically I think it does. I bought a quart from Amazon so it will not cost me a fortune buying the small ones.

I also followed Dr Motes advice to feed it well (blooming food) before the cold snap and after the cold snap.

Elaine, you must have the patience of a saint to haul them back and forth.

Good Growing Gigi. Mine is still in it's vase but I put a glass in there to sit the plant on and hold it up. There is water in the bottom of the vase providing humidity. The plant is on the small side so it works until the weather is warm enough for me to leave it outside.

That's good Alice. Just watch the roots closely, mine took off when the roots had good air circulation. I was also able to buy a tall candle base holder, with plenty of holes so when they bloom, I might stick the blooming ones in there.

Vanda Pachara Delight pink (2 spikes) and Blue (1 spike)...still looking good! I have to bring them in tonight the forecast is below 40s.

Wonderful, Gigi. Looks like you'll have flowers tomorrow to show us, if you give them the warm spa night.

All mine are in the house tonight too, let's hope this is the last cold blast, huh?

I hope so too Ellaine. I am not good in hauling plants in.

I'm pretty tired of it, too, but at least the Vandas are very light since there is no pot or basket. They're my most tender ones, so I bring them in first, keep them in if the days aren't warm (they stayed indoors yesterday and today) and take them out last so they are actually the least trouble of all my collection.

no dirt no orchid bark yaaaay! Glad to know you are keeping your big Vanda in their plastic pots. I was looking at those cider baskets because I like the look but am worried it is going to be too heavy to bring in and out of the house later when it gets big.

Also, I wasn't sure if my Vandas will get upset if I wil put the roots in the basket instead of letting them hang loose.

Mine don't even have a plastic pot. Most of them are just hanging there from the wire/hook thing, roots waving around in the breeze. Oh, there's one of the little ones that has a tiny 2in. wide plastic basket that the roots go through, but I really can't see what good it does anyway.

I've seen pictures of them in Singapore mounted to stakes with moss and burlap on them, and the roots do attach to those things eventually. But for here, where I need to be able to move them around, the hanger method works just great.

glad to know!

I was wondering about very carefully cutting apart the little 2" plastic pot. I can see where some of the roots have attached to it and I would leave those pieces but much of the basket is superfluous and unattractive. I think, with teeny tiny shears and some careful surgery, it could be done. I would like to see the roots swinging in the breeze this summer without any plastic - assuming I can keep the plant alive that long.

My thoughts exactly, Alice. Just be sure that the basket isn't the only thing attaching the hanger to the plant . . . if you can find a wide twist tie, or even some of that velcro tape that would hold it much more inconspicuously. My other Vandas are just twist tied to the bottom of the wire attached to the hook.

I've been buying stretchy elastic lace at the fabric store lately for plant ties. It's pretty, nice and gentle and lasts a long time. Comes in green, brown and black to blend in too.

my thought was that basket is what the growers attach the hanging wire hook to...or maybe that's how they start the tiny seedlings before they have any real long roots?

Elaine, I like your elastic lace idea!

Thanks, I am going to attempt the surgery as soon as the nights are reliably warm. Looks like we have another night in the 40's toward the end of this coming week but after that things look good. My plant is one from Publix and it is still in the glass cylinder although I have it raised up so it is sitting mostly out of the glass with just the roots hanging down. Several times a week it come out and goes for a swim in my bathroom sink.

Several months ago I put two of my sdly Vandas in plastic Coke bottles with the ancient osmunda still entwined around roots. Water about 2 inches and roots dangle long just above water line. Only the tips of the leaves are out, so humidity is better finally and they have taken off.