Full & Semi Water Culture Orchid Updates | Vanda & Dendrobium in FWC & SWC

In today’s video I’ll give you an update on my Vanda which I have in Semi Water Culture. It’s doing very well - the roots are growing nicely. It’s done so well I’m upgrading the cup its in!

As for the Dendrobium, I popped it in full water culture to see how it’ll do. So far so good with a few observations - The roots seem to have a jagged patterning - like ridging as it hits the water. It adapted and the water did not kill the orchid, but I found it interesting. Overall this patterning didn’t harm the orchid. I definitely need to experiment more with this grow method. It’s very easy and relatively low maintenance.

IG: @nicoledeannaorchids

Growing Conditions & Climate:
Almost all orchids grown indoors
Eastern Exposures (4-5 hours direct early morning sun) & LED Grow Lights
- Most orchids grow under the lights
- Only cool growers & orchids in bloom grow under my Eastern facing windows
- Grow space doesn’t get any additional sunlight other than the LED’s
Zone 7a - Humid Subtropical

Products I use are linked below
*Disclaimer* I may earn a small commission on any of the Amazon Links that you use. Thanks for your support!

~Pots I use~
Self Watering / Leca:
Inner Pots:
Cheap Swap: 16oz Deli container is the same size as 5” Repotme pot, just shorter
Organic / Non Self Watering:

~Materials I use for Repotting~
Self Watering / Leca:
Organic:

~Fertilizers and Supplements~

~Lights & Equipment~

[michaelmccarthy]

I think vase culture is probably the best way to go in the home environment with Vandas. You don't have to water them every day but the plants stay hydrated. I think you'll find, as the Vanda grows, you can keep a small amount of water in the bottom of the container all the time and the roots will grow into it without complaint. Just be sure to change the water out as it will become oxygen depleted after a couple of days.
For me, I grow all of my Vandaceous potted, because I am lazy and I am not watering them every day. It depends on what is in the cross that determines how and what it is potted in. Vandopsis and Rhynchostylis are greedy little water suckers that really don't appreciate drying fully here, those go in coconut husk in closed pots. Ascocentrum (and primary hybrids) prefer a true wet/dry and plenty of air around the roots so they get bark and perlite in open baskets and I do this for most of the Vanda proper (some are in closed pots but the same mix) and Neofinetia hybrids. I'm still trying to figure out what Dimorphorchis wants to be happy.

[yomairal]

I have been watching your older videos in session with new ones corresponding to appropriate month and date in real time. You answers questions in detailing your process with the vanda, amount of time left soakin, what you did when lost roots to start. Excellent teaching for us strugglers in concise do manner with pictures of past results. Keep this up. Thank you.

[nataliez.]

The Vanda has made HUGE HUGE progress. Look at those roots!

[andredumas]

Hi Nicole, I find that interesting about vandas, a bit of water in a transparent pot and that’s it ! On on another subject, I would like to see you do some mounted orchids in an appartement environment. That would be appreciated. Back to vandas, I have a sanderiana and a vandopsis parishii both in 100% large chunks of bark in 6inch hanging slotted pots that I soak everyday and they are doing fine. If they do not flower this summer I will dump them, they are too much trouble and take up way too much space in my appartement. I like the wire maze that you use to control the roots, a brilliant idea I think. Thanks Nicole.

[daniellesorchidranch]

Beautiful roots on that Vanda 😍
My vanda aborted her spike when I tried to switch from FWC to SWC but I keep the water level quite low in my FWC set up so that may be why her roots have thrived and not rotted.
My nobiles prefer SWC. They are ok in FWC but prefer a few dry days in between. But that’s in my environment which I keep quite humid for an indoor growing space.
Thanks for the update!

[FernandaNascimentoOrchids]

Your Vanda is doing great !!!! Very Nice roots. I have my Vanda seedlings potted in bark in mesh pots and doing excelent. My large Vandas are bare rooted and I soak them for a few hours every day in the summer, every two or three days in winter, depending on how much direct sun they get. They are doing great.
I have my Phals in wc, mostly fwc, I will do an update on the near future.

[reyreysgarden]

I'm going to have to give this a try... your babies look great!!!!

[marshavongrimmenstein]

My Vanda was losing leaves. It was not getting enough hydration even though I was soaking it in water one to two times a week. I cut off the roots leaving only three nubs. I put it in water full time. It is growing new roots out of the nubs, and it is growing taller. It has been growing in water full time for about 5 months now. I do fertilize it and change the water every week. I live in the high desert, which is very arid most of the year, but has a heavy rainy season.

[maggiecaceres]

For me never worked! And I been try for several years! Good luck sweetie 🍀🤗🤗🤩😍😍

[andredumas]

Hi again, I reread my previous message about this video and see that I misunderstood you. I do something similar with my vanda sanderiana it’s in a 6inch slotted pot filled with very large chunks of bark, I sit the entire pot in a pail of water for a few hours then repeat the process 3 days later. The problem is that it doesn’t want to be confined inside a pot, it counter attack by shooting several aerial roots out of the pot.

[kathleenross]

Thanks for replying you've given me hope I am going to keep her in water culture should I fertilize it and how much

[kathleenross]

Hi I wanted to give you an update on my rootless phalaenopsis I put in a glass of water no new roots yet but it seems to be growing a new leaf can they grow new leaves without a good root system thank you