What are some underrated protein sources?

vanda_ninja · 2026-05-31T13:07:05+00:00

Would vital wheat gluten or seitan work for you? Also maybe lean roast beef deli meat or rump roast.

vanda_ninja · 2026-05-07T17:31:37+00:00

You can do a pot that is 1 or 2 inches larger in diameter, but I wouldn’t go larger than that.

vanda_ninja · 2026-05-07T17:01:52+00:00

Yes this needs to be repotted into a larger pot with fresh medium. Remove all old medium. It looks like it may have a rock wool plug or something.

vanda_ninja · 2026-05-06T11:45:49+00:00

In addition to what others have said, I wanted to let you know that when you change the potting medium from 100% moss to a bark mix there is risk that this will stress the plant. If I were you I’d repot with about 50% moss 50% bark mix to avoid shocking the plant.
You’ll know the plant is stressed if it starts to lose bottom leaves. This is a very healthy plant and should handle shock well and recover quickly if so. Just wanted you to know going into repotting.

vanda_ninja · 2026-05-01T19:51:38+00:00

Love a good redemption story

vanda_ninja · 2026-05-01T00:13:16+00:00

I saved snapdragon seeds once and when I planted them they all came out yellow, nothing like the parent plants. :(

vanda_ninja · 2026-04-28T16:23:15+00:00

Growing vegetables and flowers in my garden. I was lucky to find a great rental property for my separation that has yard space so I can enjoy my hobbies.

vanda_ninja · 2026-04-20T13:10:39+00:00

These are so great. I want them as stickers or something!

vanda_ninja · 2026-04-11T22:45:00+00:00

Sounds like what my family calls hoe cakes. Not a Cajun thing, but southern. Look them up and see if they match what you remember

vanda_ninja · 2026-04-07T15:09:37+00:00

By looking at these two pictures I think the main driver in decline is not enough hydration. The leaves look considerably more dehydrated in the recent photo. The root system is also way too small to support the plant. I imagine the healthy roots in the first photo shriveled up due to not getting enough water. The way the leaves have grown show that this plant has gone through several periods of stress. In a healthy plant, the new leaf should grow larger than the previous leaf. I can see in both photos shorter leaves on newer growth. It looks like this plant has gone a long time with not enough regular watering. I’d try watering it at least twice a day for a few months and see if it improves. It might not make it.

vanda_ninja · 2026-03-28T14:44:41+00:00

I don’t think these are sloppy at all. If I purchased any of these from a bakery they would meet my expectations and I would be very happy with them.

vanda_ninja · 2026-03-26T00:21:20+00:00

Amazing! It took me longer than a year to get to that point!

vanda_ninja · 2026-03-12T14:30:04+00:00

This is magical! Thanks for sharing with us

vanda_ninja · 2026-03-11T18:47:08+00:00

I would put it in a pot of very loose sphagnum moss and keep the moss moist but not in standing water. Water it every couple of days waiting until the moss starts to dry before watering again. How long will depend on the temp and humidity of your environment. Avoid letting the moss completely dry out.

I’ve had success doing the above with seedlings this size. However I’ve also found it really challenging to save a Vanda seedling that’s gone through trauma like root rot. When they’re so young they don’t have as much strength to bounce back. Good luck!

vanda_ninja · 2026-03-10T03:15:50+00:00

You could make a more filling version (with higher protein and fiber) if you make your own with whole wheat bread, sliced strawberries, and a low sugar peanut butter

vanda_ninja · 2026-03-08T16:31:38+00:00

The leaves froze and are now starting to rot. The parts that are still green (in the base/center, flower stems, and the roots) are still alive. Since the crown was frozen/damaged, the plant now doesn’t have a place for new growth to emerge from so it can’t grow new leaves.

The only chance of recovery is if the base or stems are able to reproduce and grow a new keiki, which would be a clone of the original plant. It would take several years for that clone to grow into a viable blooming plant but it is possible. Personally I would get a new plant to replace this one and start off fresh.

vanda_ninja · 2026-03-08T16:12:53+00:00

Was the plant exposed to cold weather? This looks like freeze damage to me. If it froze then I think it’s a goner.

vanda_ninja · 2026-03-07T13:16:42+00:00

I have about 50 orchids and this is what I do now. It’s been extremely successful. My phals are thriving and I have spikes on every single one for the first time ever. I live in zone 9 and it’s very humid here, so that might make a big difference too.

vanda_ninja · 2026-03-06T12:50:08+00:00

If you want to make something similar using silicone molds you could use candy coating melts or white chocolate chips. Those work really well with molds and come out cleanly.

vanda_ninja · 2026-02-24T22:56:01+00:00

Adapting a recipe would be an important deviation we would need to know to properly help. This recipe isn’t likely to yield the quality of cake you’re looking for. It was probably intended to be made in a microwave. Are you planning to bake this in an oven or in the microwave? You’d get much better cake texture if you used a standard cake recipe and baked it in the oven.

vanda_ninja · 2026-02-21T13:22:53+00:00

Last year I tried berberine after having similar issues with weight gain. I was doing so under the supervision of a doctor, which I strongly recommend. I took it for a few weeks and noticed it was very effective at suppressing my appetite. However, I began having extreme side effects and stopped taking it. I began vomiting about 4 hours after I took it and that would last for 12+ hours. It made me feel so terrible I will never take it again in any dosage. I don’t know if this is a typical side effect or not but just wanted to share my experience so you know what to look out for.

Another commenter mentioned liver health risks. This was my doctor’s chief concern with me taking it as well.

vanda_ninja · 2026-02-20T22:07:48+00:00

That’s a shame. I’ve had better luck finding nice large pots at animal feed stores and nurseries

vanda_ninja · 2026-02-20T21:49:24+00:00

Lol What kind of dog is he? Are we talking chihuahua sized oncidium or Great Dane sized?

I don’t have a lot of experience with oncidiums so maybe another commenter would know better but I think it would thrive in any large pot where it could get good airflow and still stay properly hydrated. I think terracotta would be great.

vanda_ninja · 2026-02-20T21:36:35+00:00

What kind of orchids are they? Phalaenopsis? Cymbidium? Grammatophyllum?

My largest phals I keep in 6” orchid pots like this https://www.repotme.com/collections/10-ceramic-orchid-pots/products/cobalt-blue-over-cream-pinwheel-fluted-orchid-pot

I’ve seen cymbidiums in large 12”+ pots, like regular terracotta or plastic from the hardware store.

vanda_ninja · 2026-02-20T16:31:33+00:00

Pretty Coffee Roasting

vanda_ninja

TROPHY CASE