Cool and warm together

tenman* · #1 03-19-2009, 12:22 AM

I was pleased to note a small success in the GH the last couple of days. I spent the better part of my nonworking time more or less sealing the cooler-growers (most of them, which take lower light) into their own 'tunnel' of a sort. The trichopilias, masdevallias, most of the paphs, the few odonts, the disas, etc., all are now partially enclosed in plexiglass. The waist-high bench above them is sealed off from them by plexiglass drainpans and now the cool plants below are also behind sliding plexiglass doors. This is up against the outer wall of the gh in an L-shape 24 feet by 14 with another 6" tacked on for the upturned end of the "L". This imprisons the output of the evap cooler, forcing it over these plants before it exits to the main part of the gh and then pushes out the hotter drier air through the open window vents at the top corners.

No shadecloth on yet here in Ohio at 40'N and 83'W as we're in the in-between season with cold nights and cool/warm days when the sun can heat an unvented gh to 125F easily, but on the cooler days when it's overcast I still have to heat and need all the additional sun I can get to help heat.

So I was pleased that after all the hard work when it was 88F in the GH proper, the cooler growers in the 'tunnel' were at 70f!! It worked!! And now I'm hoping it will carry over into summer; I expect the GH proper to go no higher than 82F-85F, which the catts, vandas, bulbos, catasetums, and vandas won't mind at all, while I keep the cooler ones at 70-72F.

The biggest challenge I've always faced in growing orchids is that I'm unreasonable and insist on growing orchids I like regardless of their widely varying cultural needs. The challenge lies in making that all work - together.

kiwigirl · #2 03-21-2009, 05:18 PM

I think my Odonts would like that. My downfall too - insisting on growing stuff that I shouldn't even think of!
I have divided my g/h into two - theoretically one end warm the other cool - but we have VERY hot summer days and it doesn't work - they all get to put up with heat - but it works well in winter.

martine4161 · #3 05-31-2010, 01:09 AM

I think I have to appreciate that what you have done for the best planting and for orchid. Actually orchid is one of the best brand of the flowers I have seen till date and I also know that it is not easy to care that and grow that. So for that reason I am impressed by you.