Vanilla Small Plant Flower

Vanilla bean orchid is grown as a houseplant by serious enthusiasts who can handle the high demands of a plant that requires carefully controlled conditions and must be pollinated by hand in order to produce seeds. The vanilla orchid is not an easy plant to grow for beginners. Some previous success with orchid growing is beneficial. A greenhouse is also highly desirable, especially for gardeners who don’t live in a frost-free climate.

How to Grow Vanilla Bean Orchid

The vanilla orchid, like most orchids, grows best in bright filtered shade and high humidity. Think of the native jungle habitat of the vanilla orchid; you must replicate that environment as well as possibly using a combination of temperature controls and pampering mists and irrigation.

Light

Vanilla bean orchid prefers bright shade and will tolerate short periods of morning sun.

Soil

Start your vanilla orchid in a mixture of half bark and half potting mix. This is slightly more dense and heavy than most .Your cutting or small starter plant will need this combination of excellent drainage and nutrients to nourish the plant while the vine develops. After the vine develops its epiphytic roots, it will no longer depend on the roots in the potting mix.

Water

Watering a vanilla bean orchid means keeping both the growing medium and the wooden trellis structure damp, because the plant is developing “air roots” that draw moisture from the air. Allow the potting mix to dry out slightly between waterings to prevent root diseases, but maintain high humidity in the environment, because this is where the air roots obtain their moisture.2

Temperature and Humidity

Ideal temperatures are between 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit at night and 80 to 95 degrees during the day. These plants are not frost-tolerant, which means those who don’t live in a tropical climate must grow them in a greenhouse.1

Mist your plant regularly and make every effort to keep an 80 percent humidity level. At the same time, good air circulation is required to prevent fungal rot.2

Fertilizer

Fertilize your vanilla orchid every two weeks during the spring and summer with orchid fertilizer. Light but regular fertilization is recommended.

Propagating Vanilla Bean Orchid

This plant is normally propagated through cuttings:

1. Snip a segment of vine that has at least six growing nodes on it. Remove the two lowest leaves on the cutting.
2. Fill a small flower pot with either moist sphagnum moss or a mixture of equal parts orchid bark, peat moss, and perlite.
3. Bury the plant cutting into the growing medium, covering the lower nodes, press the medium tightly around the base of the cutting.
4. Insert a plant stake into the pot and secure the cutting to it with ties.
5. Keep the growing medium constantly damp for four to six weeks, until new growth appears. Once the cutting begins to vine, you can train the new plant on a larger trellis