My greenhouse

Kelly- looks like you could use a little bigger green house, or a few less plants.. Looks really good and healthy. John

 

Wow, that looks amazing Kelly! When can I move in?

 

Looks really packed but nice like a jungle, does this affect your orchids in anyway as far as their growing habits? I head that if orchids are over crowded they don't do so well, is that true?

 

The reason I asked is because I grow 40 orchids indoors under lights by a west window on a two section rack with three different levels which I can adjust to fit the orchids according to size. The thing is that the whole setup is only 3 x 4 foot big and it is so cramped up that the orchids a touching the leafs. I have great air circulation and no insects to worry about, but do you think that they are competing for growing space because they all seem to want to grow upwards, especially my Paphs & Phals.

 

That's fantastic. So jealous. I want a greenhouse when I grow up. (Meaning that's probably never going to happen.)

 

What is your profession Kelly?

 

The light situation and overcrowding does make sense, so I guess that I will have to invest in more lights and also add 1-2 more humidifiers. I think the major problem is that I live in a small apartment with only 2 windows, a east window in the living room which only gets about 1 hour sunlight in the morning and a west window which gets sunlight from 3:00 in the afternoon to 9:00 in the evening depending on the length of days, so I naturally picked the west window. I guess the only thing I can do is to separate the orchids which need less light and place them by the east window with more lights and a humidifier. Kelly. I will let you know when I am finished with this project.

OK a different story, remember the division of a Maxillaria tenuifolia you gave me last year? Well after almost loosing it, the plant revived and is now on its second pseudo bulb with 2 more new smaller growths. I think that I will have a flower or two on one of the newer bulbs because it is sending out sheaths on each side of the bulb, the other new bulb is catching up quickly with possibly more flowers this year. I rally love that plant. Thanks Kelly for the plant, your time and suggestions.

 

As for humidifiers, I used to have multiples going as well but I realized it was cheaper and easier to use one large console one. I have a 9 gallon one from Lasko and I love it. It easily kept my old 700 sq ft apartment with 9 ft ceilings at 50-60% RH all winter on only the lowest fan speed and I only have to fill it once every two or three days. It recirculates the water so I have no problems with algae build up. It think mine was 80 or 90 on Amazon

 

Kelly, I will post a photo of the Max if and when it blooms, hopefully this year.

 

I live in a 720 sq ft apartment with a 8 ft ceiling using two 1 gal humidifiers which give me 50-100% RH for my orchids at the west window, and on the other side of the apartment by the east window I still get 50-60 RH which I guess is pretty good, they cost 40 bucks each, the only thing is that I have to fill them 2-3 times a day which is ok because I am retired and I can spent time with my orchids all day if I have to. If I move half of my orchids to the east window I will probably still get 1-2 more humidifies to be on the save side. I like the smaller humidifiers because I can adjust them when the fans are running.

 

Kelly thats looks great, some how its remember mine, but your plants are healthier, bigger and older than mine. I hope some day i will have them like that. by the moment i am taken a degree of orchid killer, but i am working hard to learn. Right know, i want to remodel my GH. taller and bigger. Do you know some books i can read?

 

I will make some draft drawings and make a post. Just to get some opinions. It true that I learn a lot this years ...when see other cultivators plants I realize that my collection it's to young