Most vandas and ascocendas are grown in slatted baskets often with no medium. But that is usually in areas like Florida where there is plenty of warmth and humidity. Unless the roots have outgrown the basket don't disturb the plant. In Mass you probably have trouble maintaining enough humidity and moisture around the roots of plants in baskets but try to grow it in the same basket. You can always put the plant and present basket into a larger basket later on without disturbing the plant at all. Are you growing in the house or inside a greenhouse? I live in NC and have about 6 ascocenda in my small greenhouse where I keep the humidity at 55% and the plants are in baskets to which I have added larger chunks of fir bark and charcoal(real charcoal not brickettes that you barbecue with). I water the roots (not the foliage)everyday as the moisture and humidity I can maintain is not like I used to have in Florida. If your plant has sphagnum moss for the medium that may work out well for you if you are growing inside the house. Don't try to remove the Keiki from the mother plant unless you can see at least three good roots on the keiki and it can be pulled gently away without harming it or the mother. Besides, growing them together will make a grand display when both are in bloom. You can find general care for vandaceous on grower websites like www.rforchids.com and click on their "How we grow vandas". Good luck,Andy

Hi,
I meant to ask you when and where did you get your Asco. Princess Mikasa. I have two of them, but have seen no blossoms as yet but it has been a very dark winter here. Have you seen the Asco. Princess Mikasa that is pink? It is gorgeous, but I couldn't afford both at the same time. Let me know how you make out.
Andy

Greetings Andy,(Joe here, btw) and thanks so much for the reply. I purchased this specimen, as well as quite a few others from orchids.com and can honestly say everything I've purchased from them has been top quality. As for the Princess Mikasa, I bought her in spike (2 actually!) and she is truly amazing! I am growing her in the house,(might move it outside when it gets warmer) in an east facing slider to my deck, and she gets about 5 hours of great morning sun. As for humidity, I try to mist her every couple of days, and have a pebble tray (not in direct contact of the wood planter) under her that I keep moist. Another question: what about fertilizing her?

Half of my vandas are potted in orchid potswith a bark mixture, and half are in baskets with wine corks. The corks don't hold any moisture but they keep everything tight and the roots like to curl around them and I like to watch them do it.
The ones in baskets I water everyday and the potted ones I let get dry. I give mine full western sun. I am not sure that East will cut it.
Oh yeah, and fertililer, they are heavy feeders. I give mine Age Old Bloom and they are happy.
I also keep my keikeis attached, I like the way they look.

Hi Joe,

If you can hang your basket it will allow the roots to get more air and they will grow ,as they should, out of the sides and bottom of the basket. I fertilize weekly with a solution that is half the recommended amount. I use orchid type fertilizer like Better Grow but you can use Peters 20-20-20 as well just make it weaker than normal. Sounds like you get good sun. If you can hang the plant outside in the summer with some protection from direct sun the plant should flourish. Go to RF Orchids web site and see their growing tips.

Andy

Thanks for all of the advice you've given...it is sure appreciated. Hey, anyway of posting pics here? I'd love to show you folks a pic of the vanda we've been chatting about!

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