Vanilla Bean Plant

Size

An orchid collector's delight, Vanilla Bean Plant is grown for thick climbing vines, creamy yellow flowers, and the vanilla pods used in baking and drinks. Vanilla planifolia can be trained around a pole or trellis to about 6 feet tall and 3 feet wide indoors, though outdoor tropical vines may grow much longer with support. With patient care and simple hand-pollination, flowers can set pods that cure into rich vanilla. Let it trail it up a moss pole indoors or ramble along a shaded trellis outside in warm climates for an exotic effect.Vanilla Bean Plant CareIn frost-free zones, plant Vanilla Bean Plant in spring, selecting a spot in filtered sun. Set plants 2436 inches from a fence or arbor and 34 feet apart if planting multiples. Tie vines every 68 inches and keep aerial roots in contact with a moist support. Pot it any time indoors if you can give it warm temperatures and humidity. Set one plant per pot and provide a coco coir pole, slab, or trellis to climb at planting. Use a chunky orchid mix with bark, sphagnum, and organic matter, with excellent drainage and a slightly acidic to neutral pH around 6.0 to 7.0. Give it bright indirect light with a few hours of gentle morning sun, and avoid harsh afternoon rays that can scorch leaves. Trim overlong vines after flowering and keep temperatures above 60 degrees.Growing Vanilla Bean PlantVanilla Bean Plant usually needs several years of strong vine growth before blooming, and mature pods can take about 8 to 9 months to develop after successful hand pollination. Train stems onto a sturdy trellis or moss pole and gently loop mature vines to encourage flowering. Flowers open for only one day, usually in the morning, so pollinate early with a toothpick or small tool by lifting the rostellum and pressing the pollen onto the stigma. Harvest pods when green pods begin yellowing at the tip, then cure, sweat, and dry them over several months before using them for extract, sugar, or baking. Growing Vanilla Bean Plant in ContainersVanilla Bean Plant is best grown in containers for indoor collections, greenhouses, shaded patios, and frost-free tropical gardens. Use a deep 8 to 12 inch pot for a young plant, then move up one pot size at a time once the orchid roots and vine have filled the space. Repot after flowering or in spring, keeping aerial roots attached to their support as much as possible and refreshing the bark mix before it becomes compacted. Place the pot 23 feet from a bright window or 1218 inches beneath a grow light. Keep temperatures between 6585F (1829C) and humidity at 5070% or higher; use a pebble tray or humidifier if air is dry.Watering Vanilla Bean PlantWater by soaking the potting mix thoroughly and allow excess to drain. Let the upper half of the mix approach dryness before watering again. Aerial roots appreciate humidity and mist. Limp leaves suggest dryness and blackened roots or sour-smelling mix can indicate overwatering.Feeding Vanilla Bean PlantFeed during active spring and summer growth with diluted orchid fertilizer every 2 to 4 weeks, using a lighter dose than the label rate for houseplants. Flush with plain water monthly to prevent salt buildup. Reduce feeding in slower winter growth, since excess fertilizer can build up in orchid bark and damage roots.