Travis, scroll down this page a ways and find the post "Vanilla Plant". I think this will give you enough information to get started with your new plant.

Bear in mind, the plant you have is a mere baby....has lots of growing up to do.

Bill

That is really creative James, what do you do when its time to bring indoors? and have you had yours flower yet?

I re potted mine today and took a wooden board and cut it to size then wrapped burlap around it for the roots to grab on to. I don't know what i will do with it this winter i have a small greenhouse but it gets too cold for many tropical plants so I don't know we'll have to see what happens? gosh i wish Florida didn't get cold it would make my life so much easier.

I put it in a corner of my sunroom. I bought a shallow bin from Ikea used for storing stuff under the bed and use it as a saucer. I thumb tack clear plastic to the wall behind and use a pump sprayer to mist it.

It has flowered a few times but not this year yet. Every time it has flowered something happened to the end of the vine. The tip was either broken off or the end would brown and fall off like it had crown rot.

i think a few people here grow them in Florida outdoors. I think if you can keep them above 40 they should survive.

I wish I was just a little further south in Florida because I can only grow certain tropicals outdoors year round. I can literally drive about an hour south from my location and its like a whole different world with all these tropical plants planted outdoors it makes me jealous because I'm so close to being able to that as well.

Where is your location Travis?

Travis, there will be unhappiness no matter where you live. No doubt people living in San Francisco would like to grow tropical lowland orchids but have to be content with growing cloud forest orchids.

A little heating in a glass-house would solve your problem with Vanilla but I think it tends to go rampant if happy.

I moved from a zone 10 because I hated the cold to a zone 12/13. And after I acclimatised I'm finding I hate the cold here. Not sure if it's the gardener in me, or I just like complaining!

Travis,

I had to bring mine in too, so I put the orchid bottom part in a pot, like yours, and put it on the ground on top of pine mulch underneath a japanese maple tree, the weeping kind, and it grew unbelievable for me that year. It liked the shade, and also loved climbing up the branches of the tree, and on the pine mulch. I was surprised. It crawled.

You can try that under one of your trees, if there is enough shade. Go buy some pine mulch, and lean the pot sideways, on it's side, and let the orchid crawl by itself. It's MUCH easier to bring it in that way, for the winter. Just a thought. It worked for me.

I have a new plant to, its 3 inches tall and I broke it on a leaf, its not growing but its making a new stem I think

travis

Be careful what you wish for . I grew one in a sh and it took over half the area !! lol I found that it MUST climb and allowed to grow or it will not flower. Even if it does the flower lasts less than a day , if you want the beans they must be hand pollinated and then processed to release the flavor

In the same amount of space you could grow a dozen more productive orchids particularly if you must bring it in for winter.

If interested in vining types check out some of the "Jewel" orchids while the flowers are not much the leaves have incredible varagation and they are VERY civilized. Or you could grow some of the temperates that require cool/cold rest periods should do fantastic in your area.

There are some cultivars of vanilla while having the same habits they have varagated leaves to look at while waiting for those flowers ??lol

I recently bought a variety that has white edges as well as a rose colored stripe down the middle. I put it out in the garden to climb a Cassia tree. It's fighting it out with a split leaf philo and a shingle plantlol Good luck with whatever you decide gary

How is it now?

It looks good, sorry I'm late, has it grown again?