Growing Vanilla

Alison W

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Has anyone grown VANILLA PLANIFOLIA? They are selling them on Etsy and I thought I might give it a try.
Just curious. I have good success with orchids but the vanilla seems like it might need special care.
Thanks
 

GKW

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That's different and also very interesting. Keen to hear also.
 

ClissAT

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Growing vanilla is VERY different!!

There are so many rules which if broken, result in the death of the plant.
It needs a mate, warmth and humidity, half light, many other special growing conditions, love and LOTS of attention.
It won't flower until the vine is at least 4m long.
Then once you finally get a vanilla bean to maturity, that bean takes even more love and attention for a whole nine months after picking to turn it into the alluring fragrance we call vanilla.
I'm on my third vine and yet to get one to point of flowering.
 

Karen&Luke

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I had one for a year in my bathroom before it succumbed to root rot. They like growing on a host plant.
Im in Victoria so knew we would never get pods but just loved the look of the vine itself.
Now that we have settled in our new place I really would love to get another (from the diggers club) and try it in our green house.
 

Alison W

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I think I will have to wait to try growing vanilla. I plan on moving to a cooler climate in the next 2 years. It sounds temperamental. I will try it in a greenhouse after I move. I'm afraid the move would cause it to go into shock and kill it. But it is definately on my list of plants to grow!!!
 

ClissAT

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I think I will have to wait to try growing vanilla. I plan on moving to a cooler climate in the next 2 years. It sounds temperamental. I will try it in a greenhouse after I move. I'm afraid the move would cause it to go into shock and kill it. But it is definately on my list of plants to grow!!!

Remember you will need two plants or one that is getting lots of flowers.
 

Alison W

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Yes, I found another seller on Amazon that sends 5 stocks/cuttings, they are small but if they respond well you will have multiple plants growing.
 

Cheryl Smyth

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Sounds interesting and challenging, hopefully I can try seeing I live where it is high humidity and warm thanks for sharing
 

reeeen4

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I have a vanilla bean plant in my house in Victoria for about 2 years so far and it’s not quite 2.5m yet! Can’t believe I have to wait till it’s 4m!
 

Tombr

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I have two, not sure if one still has roots in the ground, they are growing on two palm trees and are about 8ft high, no flowers or beans as yet, maybe another 3ft to go :) . do I need to feed them. They seem to want more sun their growing towards it. location Darwin. Above it says" love and LOTS of attention" what sort of attention.
 

Tombr

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This is the spot I planted the Vanilla, two palms and one Vanilla each.
AF1QipO35n42eIQLc0uqCwCOoXr9UTp-BMCPprCMS_jEZicSoHwbb4M1ww8vt725H6eixg

one the right side is the original now almost 9ft tall one them left palm growing
more than I thought, spliting in the middle and throwing a shoot out.
AF1QipO8C6Dw_EZKAhMJJjkM9aqhJE696V9xT6ML0sV8

All those fat leaves are vanilla leaves.

Still trying to find a place for pictures without overloading Marks site. So bear with me.

cheers, tom
 
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