If you’re looking for a fun new challenge for your indoor garden, let me introduce you to the stunning blue Vanda orchid. These beauties are unique because they grow without any soil at all! While they’re famous for their trailing air roots, growing them in a glass vase actually makes maintenance a whole lot easier. Here is everything you need to know about watering, pruning, and feeding your Vanda orchid in glass.
How to Water Your Orchid in Glass
Growing a Vanda in a vase is a total game-changer because it helps keep those air roots from drying out too fast. However, getting the watering routine right is key. Here are my top tips:
- Twice a week, take your orchid out and soak it in a bucket of filtered rainwater for about 30 minutes.
- Make sure to let the air roots drip-dry completely before putting the plant back in its vase.
- If you don’t want to move the plant, you can fill the glass vase itself with water.
- Let it sit until you stop seeing air bubbles rising from the roots, then pour all the water out.
- Be careful: never let the “heart” (the center) or the leaf joints sit in water, as this can cause rot.
- On those hot summer days, your orchid will love a light misting to stay hydrated.
When and How to Prune a Vanda Orchid
When it comes to pruning, less is definitely more. Only trim off stems or leaves once they have turned completely yellow. The same goes for those air roots—only snip them if they are clearly dead and dried out. Of course, if you want to use your Vanda as a cut flower for a bouquet, go right ahead! The best time to cut the flower spike is just as the first bud begins to open.
Fertilizing Your Vanda Orchid in Glass
Orchids bloom their best when they have plenty of nutrients. To keep yours happy, feed it every two weeks during the summer and once a month during the winter. The trick is to add a specialized orchid fertilizer directly into your soaking water. With the right nutrients, this blue rarity can produce up to 15 blooms at once, turning your windowsill into a total showstopper!
