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07-26-2007, 03:01 PM
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| Adaptation? Michigan to Virginia In a bit over a week, I'm moving to northern Virginia, from Michigan. I'm not worried about my orchids during the move, as I'll have them boxed up in the car with me. However, I'm worried about them adapting to the new environment. It is MUCH hotter there then on the shores of Lake Michigan. We have a fairly large balcony that I plan to keep them on when I'm there, and it faces south, but I feel very wary about putting them out in the heat right away. Now, I know, the orchids I have come from where it's pretty hot, but at least they have the humidity there. In addition, I'm not sure if the balcony gets much shade, as it faces south and there are no trees right around it. I think the smartest thing to do would be to keep them inside for a bit... we have a second bedroom, which has sliding glass doors to the balcony. I was thinking that I could keep them just inside, on one of my benches, with the door open so they could get used to the heat, while being a little bit shaded by the house. I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to start watering them more. Right now, with it so hot in the summer, they get watered probably 3 times a week or more (not included the vandas, which get watered multiple times a day). Has anybody had experience with moving a bunch of plants to a different climate? Any tips?      |
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07-26-2007, 03:46 PM
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| hi Snowballs: I can't help much since I'm new (and I've never moved to a different climate with my orchids) but I do live in Virginia close to the area that you are moving to. I cannot keep anything besides my brassavolas in S/SW exposure during the afternoon from 2pm onwards so I would recommend looking into something to give the orchids some shade. Also I don't know what the summers are like in Michigan but this summer we have been avg 80-85F days and 65-70 nights with 50-70% humidity (and it's been a very mild summer so far). Hopefully some more experienced people will be able to give you more info! Kelly |
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07-26-2007, 04:52 PM
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| I think your move is similar to my buying orchids all over the country and moving them to Florida. Even a reasonably similar move from Hawaii to Florida is a shock to the plants. My greenhouses are much warmer than my Hawaiian suppliers. It is always better to slowly acclimate your plants to the new environment. I can have problems moving plants from one greenhouse to another only 40 feet apart. Air flow is my biggest difference. Plants that do bad in one shade house with minimal air flow do excellent in another with good breezes. Take it slow and watch your plants.
__________________ jerry  |
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07-26-2007, 08:38 PM
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| I recently drove through Virginia (flying out of DC) and I don't think having enough humidity will be a problem!! It was very hot but most of all terrible humidity. Beautiful state you are moving to; I was surprised that a lot of the flowering trees along the freeways grow here also. Good luck on your journey and have a safe trip. 
__________________ "If Nothing Ever Changed, We Wouldn't Have Butterflies." |
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08-05-2007, 11:18 PM
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| I'm located in the Piedmont area of VA (east of the Shenandoah valley), and I tried putting my Cattleyas on our deck in a spot with shade in the afternoon, and they still got somewhat burnt. I would suggest using some shade cloth over them if there is no natural shade. It would also be a way to help them acclimate without much risk of frying them. Welcome to the friendliest state I've lived in! |
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08-09-2007, 09:14 PM
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| Hey all, thanks for the advice. I'm all moved in now. The apartment is lovely. Unfortunately the weather is dreadful. It has been nearly 100 F for the last few days. We'll see how the orchids like it. They spent a couple days inside next to an open sliding door. Now I've got some (phals, a small max, and a Brassada) inside in a south window, and I've got the rest outside on the balcony, but I have to keep an eye on them and keep them well shaded, which is kind of inconvenient. I'm going to have to figure out some sort of shade cloth for them, whether we hang it from the gutter or do something else. So far, I've sunburnt one plant, LC Ken Battle "Gold Crown". One little spot on it is all though, on the oldest leaf. THe rest seem fine, but I notice the leaves get quite warm during the day, which I don't like. It's supposed to cool down next week, high 80's to mid 90's. HAHAHAHA "cool down".  The move went well, the orchids spent two days in the back of my Grand Am, and we were cruising along at 70 mph with the windows wide open for the most part. It's really humid here of course, so they like that. It was humid in Michigan too...we weren't too far from Lake Mich, so that kept it pretty damp. It's just the sun is so much more intense here. I think the orchids will survive but I don't know if I will!  |
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08-10-2007, 08:41 AM
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| congratulations on your move snowballs. Very nice to hear that you are getting settled in nicely! |
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08-10-2007, 09:38 AM
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| Has the move to Florida got anything to do with your user name ??? 
__________________ Anton On the box it said Windows XP or better so I bought a Mac. |
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08-10-2007, 10:26 AM
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| Haha, no! It's been a user name since high school, when my friends and I would get into snowball fights in between classes. The cold can be dreadful, but so can this heat! Oh, and I guess I'd better update my location, too! |
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08-10-2007, 10:33 AM
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| I am so pleased the move went so well plus its good to have you back safe and well |
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08-10-2007, 04:00 PM
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| Thanks Fred! |
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08-10-2007, 06:31 PM
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| Do you think hanging a white bed sheet between your orchids and the sun would tone down the sunlight enough? If that's too much, maybe you could try sheer curtains. It may take some adjusting to get the placement just right. I have the opposite problem. I installed mirrors inside a window to direct as much light on my "catts" as possible.
__________________ DonkeyMom West Virginia Equine/Canine Therapeutic Massage Therapist |
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08-10-2007, 07:40 PM
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| Well, with them outside, I'm not sure yet what we can hang out on our balcony, with the apartment rules and all. I definitely thought of getting shade cloth or something of the like, and hanging it from the gutter to shade them. I could easily shade them inside, by letting the light filter through the blinds, and working with the shade provided by the room. But... I don't really want to keep them inside during the summer, as we have the air on in the room they would be in, since we also have our computers in there. We don't have a lot of room here...it's tough finding space in this small apartment after living in such a large house. For now, I've got them on the lower level of one of my plant stands, in a corner of the balcony. The top is slatted, which seems to be providing them with enough shade for now. |
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08-10-2007, 10:34 PM
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| Congrats on your new apartment and I'm glad the move went well. I just drove 2,000+ miles to VA, DC and MD and back and the heat was unbearable , I hope it will be over soon. It's beautiful up in VA, I wish I could live there myself. I'm sure your 'chids will adapt well ..keep us posted. |
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08-11-2007, 12:41 PM
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| Nancy, I had my mother in law watering them for me. I didn't have my house shuttered but the blinds were all closed and only the Paphs were inside. I came home to a few surprises good and bad. There were a lot of orchids to water and they are all around the yard. My mother in law has a bad foot so I didn't want her to have to water them anymore than once a week. No irreversable damage tho, a few heavy watering should get them back to normal soon. It's the heat that's to blame I didn't know it would get so hot. My husband said I'd have to hire an orchid sitter next time we take a long trip. Last edited by prisana; 08-12-2007 at 08:03 PM. |
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08-12-2007, 06:44 PM
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| Orchid Sitter - I actually found one. I was stomping around on Google and found a place in northern Virginia that offers orchid sitting. They also offer to pick up the orchids, "board" them until they are about to flower, then return them so you can enjoy the flowers. Of course, they sell orchids and supplies, and have orchid-a-month subscriptions. One of these days I'll have to stop by and visit this shop.
__________________ DonkeyMom West Virginia Equine/Canine Therapeutic Massage Therapist |
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