growing vanilla

Discussion in Home & Garden started by JosieP • Apr 27, 2013.

  1. JosieP

    JosiePWell-Known Member

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    Does anyone here grow vanilla? I've only done a quick search a little while ago, but I thought I would ask here before I get back into it. Just wondering how well it does. I know it has to grow up something, I've seen some pretty interesting pictures.. and you have to hand pollinate?
     
  2. maddie

    maddieActive Member

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    I have a tiny little vanilla vine given to me by my friend. I just have it on the trellis of my balcony as I live in an apartment. I have never hand pollinated the flowers myself as mine is yet to flower.. my friend does hers and she get a few beans each year.. She also has hers in a container.
    'Here is a great video on growing vanilla [video=youtube_share;Nhju7wj-LnI]http://youtu.be/Nhju7wj-LnI[/video]
     
  3. ChanellG

    ChanellGActive Member

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    Oooh! I would love to grow my own vanilla beans! Maddie, you must keep us posted on how your vine progresses. If you're growing it I can probably do it here, that's if it could survive all the rain and humidity. I would just have to figure out what to do with it during the winter. Is the plant perennial?
     
  4. JosieP

    JosiePWell-Known Member

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    Thanks Maddie! That was very helpful. I've heard they can take a while to first bloom.. how long have you had yours?
     
  5. maddie

    maddieActive Member

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    Chanell, vanilla vines love humidity and heat, they will thrive in your kind of weather. Winter may be the issue as vanilla doesn't take too well to cold weather. you may have to take it indoors and have a light fixed for it.
    I have had mine only for a couple of months now. I got the plant more for the beauty of the leaves.. they look like plastic leaves , beautiful and pale green. Mine friend's vine is two years old and I think her vine has flowered a couple of times already. I think it is still worth it as the vine looks so pretty all year through.
     
  6. JosieP

    JosiePWell-Known Member

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    Oh I know, I absolutely love the color of them. I'd be happy if they never bloomed. Although, I do love my vanilla, so maybe not lol. I'm going to look more into this. I live in Canada, so my winters are pretty bad.. and I have pets, so the only safe room would be a bathroom. All the hot showers might be good for it, but the lighting might not be enough and I don't want to change it. The only other place it might be safe is in the storage room.. I could get it everything it needs in there, but then nobody would get to enjoy it.
     
  7. ChanellG

    ChanellGActive Member

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    Maddie, is it a perennial plant? If not, maybe I could just grow it seasonally until I get the hang of it. Is this the same plant as the vanilla orchid? I haven't had much lock with orchids, though I have seen some growing outdoors here in front of people's homes. They seem to do well planted in the ground, as opposed to containers.
     
  8. maddie

    maddieActive Member

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    Yes, it is a perennial crop. The vines stay in the ground and thrive until the next fruiting season. Actually it is an orchid. The flowers are not so pretty, but the beans make up for it .. don't they?
    & josieP, the bathroom may be a great place for your vine, have a grow light or even a tube light fixed above it to give your plant sufficient light. It might grow up on to the ceiling if you provide it some wires to twines to hold on and grow.. that might be one of the prettiest things to see while relaxing in your bath.
     
    #8May 6, 2013
    Last edited: May 16, 2013
  9. ChanellG

    ChanellGActive Member

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    I think the flowers are pretty, Maddie. I saw some at a food show a few years ago; they aren't as gorgeous as the phalaenopsis orchids, but those aren't edible either :) I actually ate one at that food show. It didn't taste like vanilla at all, lol.
     
  10. maddie

    maddieActive Member

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    I have never eaten vanilla flowers. I didn't know they were edible. I don't think people here eat the flowers. I have to check this out locally. I may taste a flower when I have one bloom on my plant. I would like to know how it tastes for myself. :)
     
  11. Soliloquy

    SoliloquyMember

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    I don't think growing vanilla would work too well here in New York, but if anyone else tries it definitely make your own vanilla extract from the beans! I did it last year and was pleased with the results. No more artificial vanilla extract for me.
     
  12. JosieP

    JosiePWell-Known Member

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    That's one thing I'm hoping for Soliloquy.. there's so much you can do with it :)

    I'm still thinking on the bathroom.. I really don't want to add any lighting in there, though I would love the plant itself anywhere.
     
  13. ChanellG

    ChanellGActive Member

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    Based on what I just read on About.com the growing conditions here are perfect for growing vanilla orchid - we have plenty of heat and humidity! The instructions for daily care and hand pollination are a bit much though. This is one plant that is high maintenance and not necessarily the ideal thing for busy city life. Then it takes three years to get pods and curing them is even more labor intensive! Don't think I'll be trying these in the garden before I retire.
     
  14. maddie

    maddieActive Member

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    I agree.. once you have tasted the real thing you can never go back to the artificial stuff. I buy the pods and do the extraction myself and god it is heaven on earth. Once I am done with it, I use the skin to make a oil extract for using as a perfume around the house. I love the smell of vanilla in our home.
     
    #14May 16, 2013
    Last edited: Jun 6, 2013
  15. JosieP

    JosiePWell-Known Member

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    I was worried about all that too, but you can buy an established plant. I'm pretty sure anyway, I think I read of others doing that. If not, I might still give it a try.. if nothing else, I love climbers lol.
     
  16. JosieP

    JosiePWell-Known Member

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    I love wearing vanilla. It has to be my most favourite scent in the world. it just makes me happy whenever I smell it lol. As for the empty pods, you can also put them in a jar of sugar to make vanilla sugar. Yummm..
     
  17. maddie

    maddieActive Member

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    I used to make vanilla sugar. But now that I don't use sugar anymore I use the extract in anything I can. I have never worn vanilla perfume. It might just get a bit to cloying for my husband :) lol
     
    #17Jun 4, 2013
    Last edited: Jun 6, 2013
  18. Rzashida

    RzashidaActive Member

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    I wish I could grow a vanilla plant. I know that they are in the orchid family. I love orchids, my only problem is I can never get them to bloom again. I wonder If I can get a vanilla plant to grow from seed if I buy a vanilla pods from "whole foods". Maybe I will try to get a youtube education on how its done. ;)
     
  19. ChanellG

    ChanellGActive Member

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    Maddie, I am envious of your vanilla plants. Even though I am not a huge fan of vanilla as a flavoring anymore, the beans are so expensive it would be nice to have them growing if only to be able to give them as gifts to my foodie friends. Alas, there is only so much growing space in my yard :)
     
  20. maddie

    maddieActive Member

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    LOL, I have to agree with you completely on the space issue.. I have used up all the growing space I have and some of my plants are dying since they are over crowded and don't get sufficient light. I just love the color and the texture of the vanilla leaves that I would keep them even if they didn't flower for a thousand years. :)I love vanilla flavouring so much that I wish I could bake every day :) But then, I have to stay away from anything sweet.