My greenhouse

I see room for a couple Lepanthes in there. What's keepin you?

 

Kelly, did you try to grow outside in summer time?

 

I have a kingianum outside in mostly full afternoon sun. Our temperature maxima are not very different.

 

Its potted.

I'm experimenting with Mystacidium capense on a cedar plank. Thus far into our hottest year on record its still growing well with root tips present. It takes in excess of an hour of late afternoon sun.

There was a centerfold in Orchids Digest of a capense that got an FCC that was grown outdoors in the Santa Barbara hills. It's quite a bit drier up there and I suspect can get slightly colder. I had <500 plants of it so an average one was no loss to experiment. I appreciate doing this so I don't feel like a complete asshole when people ask about culture and I tell them they can be grown outdoors or in a north window (as two extreme orchid locales).

 

This is my first summer I take almost everything out. When the cold season begins I will put everything in again.
My temp here are between 24 c up to 36 c right know. I grow them in cork so I over water to help them with the moist to. I have notice that this 2 months my plants are with new grows and look healthier than other summers. My gh is to hot!
Cheers

 

This is very nice, i hope one day my collection will look like this. I've been wanting to build an outdoor greenhouse for orchids and other plants but the winter in Ohio are very harsh I don't now if I could keep it warm enough. So instead I have made my one room in my attic into a make shift greenhouse the room has a big window that let's in a lot of bright light all year around and no direct so nothing sunburns and I have a rain barrel outside my house that I filter and use for all my plants. I also have fan and things hooked up.

 

I will try later today

 

have you tried a spray solution or carnivorus plants to combat insects?

 

have you tried putting more air vents\exit fans to increase air circulation?

 

A good recipe spray to try is a spray bottle with 50:50 water to rubbing acohol with 2 tsp of blue dawn soap

 

Heres my thread for my grow space https://www.orchidsforum.com/threads/my-grow-area.15585/#post-109692

 

Probably the best thing you can do is to talk to others who have a greenhouse. There are many factors to consider. Probably the most limiting is expense. Secondly is the area you are going to put it in. One thing that I highly reccommend if possible is to include an evaporative cooling system. It increases dramatically the variety of orchids you can grow. Another rule of thumb is the more air movement, the better. Best of luck!

 

I have to disagree with that last statement, Wade - "the more air movement, the better" - up to a point.

Air movement is simply intended to make sure there are no stagnant pockets anywhere in the growing area. Too much, and the "breeze" becomes desiccating to the plants, especially blossoms.