Question
 Howdy Wayne,
I have a vanilla orchid that I got from madagascar as cuttings about four years ago. Well, I promtly killed the first one,but, the second took off and did great and now fills most of a glass window bay in the kitchen. Not only do I forget what I used then,(think it was some store-bought terrestrial mix), but I would like it to do extremely well as it has never bloomed yet. Have any good ideas for a nice zoomy mix that would make it really happy and possibly yield some exceptional results?
                       Thanks,
                            ~Michael (homeland,ca.)


Answer
Michael;  Don't look for your vanilla orchid to bloom anytime soon.  Greenhouse grown vanilla grow to nearly fill the greenhouse before blooming.  When grown outdoors, they are climbers and love the bright sun and heat.  Congratulations on your success thus far.  I would think if you grow in southern California you could keep it outside most of the time in a semishaded location.  It will like to be warm.  It should do well in any well-drained porous terrestrial mix.  I know that Miracle Grow has a terrestrial mix with a slow release fertilizer built in.  On the other hand, the Vanilla orchid may be like some orchids and do not like to be repotted.  My advice: don't mess with success.  I would not repot it until, or unless, it is going downhill. Keep doing what you are doing as long as you have enough growing space.