what kind of potting mixture would you use for a vanilla orchid? I bought mine about 6 months ago, and it's potted in regular potting soil.... its doing really good too. i bought it from an actual orchid shop, so i would assume when they told me that it was one of the few orchids that could handle living in regular soil i would trust them. I found out that if you cut off a vine and keep the end under some damp moss, that it will grow new roots and you can get another plant out of it, but i'm unsure if i would plant it in soil?... moss? I also bought a small jewel orchid that is also planted in regular potting soil, and its doing great as well any thought?
Do you know which species of Vanilla you're growing? Some are terrestrial (roots in soil), but most of them are epiphytes (roots in air) If it's doing ok, I'd leave it. If you're propagating, use orchid medium (available in most good gardening stores). Are you hoping to get vanilla beans from it? I assume you've got the Jewel (Ludisia discolor) more for its leaves than its flowers, but they are definite terrestrials so you're fine with the soil. You might want to add a bit of perlite or gravel to make sure you have good drainage for it, but other than that....
About the only incideous problem I have found with Ludisia discolor is that they REALLY don't like to have WET feet. If their feet stay too wet for too long, they will, suddenly and without warning, die. Root rot starts at or below ground level and you won't know until it just falls over, rotted off at the base.
it's the vanilla planifolia type that i have.... actually i just found out that it is both a terrestial and epiphytic type of orchid. what would you recommend that i plant it in? as for the beans, i was told it was years away from flowering, so i guess we'll see when and if it happens also, can all terrestials be planted in regular potting soil?
If the vanilla's doing OK where it is, I wouldn't touch it. Just make sure it has good drainage. Wet feet = grumpy orchids. Terrestrials in standard potting soil? I wouldn't advise it. Natural growing terrestrials here seem to prefer something far spongier - think wet moss and decomposing leaf litter. That's got WAAAAAY more drainage than standard potting soil, which will eventually compact and squoosh the roots, and which tends to get muddy when kept wet, a death-toll for most orchids. If you're set on potting soil, amend with grass clippings or some other spongy material and make sure it drains well.
thank you very much for the info... i'm just curious about about the soil for when i re pot it. also, the type of jewel orchid is the Macodes petola type i think..... has the silvery veins running throught the leaves. it seems to be really happy, just sprout a tiny new growth in the soil. thanks
