My Growing Space #2

[domresvanis]

I am so excited..I just finished the construction of a small shade house and i want to share it.The base is coming from an old table tennis that i had in my back yard.It took to me 2 days to make it.On the top i put 70% shade cloth and on the sides 50% shade cloth.The whole lot cost me less than $100 and i am happy about that.Now my babies have a proper house and i am not worried anymore about the summer sun.For the winter i am going to put an extra clear plastic to protect them from the rain ,the wind and the cold.
I have to do some changes but i was so excited so i could not wait to make them and post the photos later..
I hope you ll enjoy it...

[Julez]

Well done Dom!

[katrina]

I do believe your 'chids will be extremely happy in their new home!! Good job!!

[berniep]

G'Day Dom

Well done !

Cheers
Bernie

[sunshine]

I've been needing to invent some more space So I found set of shelves at a local greenhouse. Just the green plastic type used in portable greenhouse. They weren't what I wanted but would get me buy until I did find what I want. So Saturday I stopped at Lowes and what did I find. The 4 tier shelving I had been looking for I am very pleased with the results and I recalimed my kitchen table I will save the green plastic shelves to put my chids on this summer outside.

My first growing space


New improved growing space

[_cor]

Here it is! Took me over a year to finish and i have never added up how much!

[domresvanis]

cor this is amazing...well done...

[Orlandohobbiest]

Thanks, this is great stuff. As soon as I figure out how to attach and upload a couple of pics, I will post what I just finished from the ideas I have been getting on this thread. What a wonderful community of like-minded folks.

[Overgrown]

Its great to see all these obsessive collections! I'm glad I'm not alone!

[Shannara]

I have no idea where on earth to put any more plants on this porch without either the hangers giving way or a total roof collapse. I re-organized yesterday and tried to make some sanity out of it because there is another orchid show coming up next month and I know I won't be able to control myself!!

I will try and guide you through my space. I will start with the west side of the porch that is protected by a shade cloth:





Close-ups starting at the top:





Giganto pot for the mailman to work around:



Railing:



Ground:



Shade Cloth:




East side now carries most of the large plants:



Close-ups starting at the top:









Railing level:


The eastern outside of the porch:



I hope this outside spot isn't getting too much sun...I will have to watch it closely as summer approaches.



Shann~

[Tommyr]

SWEET! Way to grow!

[Phalcycle]

Shan, That grow spot looks great. I don't think it looks messy at all.
My grow spot is still small, and in front of a window. Not warm enough to bring outside yet. I'll try to upload pics of my grow room

[Anton]

COR, 2 questions, first, what is the orientation of your GH and secondly, is that duct from a heating or cooling system ?

[dillon935]

Originally Posted by Tommyr

SWEET! Way to grow!

Yup it's a great use of space!

[trinigirl]

Nice space!

[lynda]

Originally Posted by ldrhawke

I have already posted a few of these, but I thought I'd post on my Growing Space #2 which seems to be a somewhat different discussion.

How beautiful and oh so very neat. It looks like coffee beans in the three clear glass containers............???????

[lynda]

Originally Posted by ysanabria

This was a plant that was not doing so good and I add my mini phals to the trunk, to my surprise, the plant taking advantage of the love, water and fertilizer from the orchids came back to life!!
I created little pouch with coconut fiber and moss and plant the phals. Very simple and easy!
Thank you

Do you remove your plants to water them, and then reset them back into their little coconut pouch ??? Looks lovely...thank you for sharing.

[lynda]

Originally Posted by Irene

Umm Katrina, how is your floor so clean?!

Beautiful space and beautiful plants (and dog and cat).

How do you water all of those plants without water water everwhere

[Ginnyfer]

Hi

I love my orchids and now have 4 of them but only 2 small windowsills but they seem to be happy. Now if you have check out the pic (if this has worked ok that is) then you can see that when they flower they push the boat out but this year for some reason they are half the size and half the flowers so my question is once they have flowered what am i suposed to do?
Cut them back, leave them......so far i have been cutting them back what have i done wrong?? i dont want to loose them!!

[Forever-mango]

Orchids pretty much occupy most of the space in my house. There are some in the bathroom, some in the toilet, every room has at least one orchid. The backyard is almost full of them. We mainly put our orchids on top of milk crates and bread crates, but we are slowing starting to replace them with DIY orchid stands. So far they are mainly 2 tiers but will make some 3 tiers for my Den speciosums The orchids are divided by the amount of water needed at the moment. The Den nobiles are under the carport which gets morning and afternoon sun, but no water. The Paphs and Oncidiums are under the carport aswell, but they get a little bit of rain and morning and afternoon sun. The Dendrobiums, Cymbs and other orchids are under my shadehouse. The shade house is using 70% shade, and the area has heaps of airmovement. The best grown orchids are under the shade house.

Happy to take some ideas and comments on my growing area.

1. Some of my dad's Paphs.


2. More Paphs.


3. 4 newly planted Vandas


4. Some Paphs, Oncidium & Phrags


5. Paphs, Dendrobiums and Phrags


6. Quaratine area & no water zone (Orchids i dont water during winter)


7. Growing space #1 (mainly Cyms and Dens)


8. More orchids, orchids with coloured tubs underneath are Paph and Phrags


9. Mounts, backbulb shelf and flowering Spiders


10. Cyms and my Speciosum collection


11. Some Vanda


12. Sarcs


13. Dens and crucifix orchid


14. More Vanda


15. More Den specs.


16. Group shot


17. Flasklings and some are this years seedlings


18. Indoor growing area (my room)


19. Bathroom, very high humidity

[Forever-mango]

Part 2.

20. Experiment#1 Dendrobium loddigesii


21. Experiment #1


22. Experiment #2 Dendrobium anosmum (started today)


23. Flowering Zygo


24. Zygo


25. Cym spikes


26. Spider #1


27. Spider #2


28. Backbulbs Cym.


29. Crucifix


30. Crucifix #2


31. Vanda spike


32. Vanda spike 2


33. Jewel


34. Phrag on last bloom (had previous 6 blooms)


35. Top of another fish tank


36. Dead -> Live moss


Thanks for looking.
Stephen

[Julez]

Very nice setup. It certainly agrees with your chids

[sunshine]

Nice set up. Love the Zygo Your chids look very happy

[katrina]

Everything looks great! Quite the variety you have there and they all seem so happy. Good job!

Pic 12 -- the Sarcs. Is that large...uh, huge plant...in the huge black pot...also a Sarc? The one in front of the cym.

[Andrew]

Hi Stephen,
I'm not sure whther or not you've mentioned it in another post but what are the experiments you are doing with Den loddigesii and anosmum.

[Forever-mango]

Originally Posted by Julez

Very nice setup. It certainly agrees with your chids

Thanks mate

Originally Posted by sunshine

Nice set up. Love the Zygo Your chids look very happy

That Zygo won best Novice of the night at my local orchid society It smells very nice too

Originally Posted by katrina

Everything looks great! Quite the variety you have there and they all seem so happy. Good job!

Pic 12 -- the Sarcs. Is that large...uh, huge plant...in the huge black pot...also a Sarc? The one in front of the cym.

The big plants is a Den. speciosum, i have the sarc underneath the leaves which provides shade. They seem to love the area

Originally Posted by Andrew

Hi Stephen,
I'm not sure whther or not you've mentioned it in another post but what are the experiments you are doing with Den loddigesii and anosmum.

Basically im growing them from old canes which looks like they are going to die. The Den loddigesii seems to be growing very well. Now im trying with the anosmum

[sunshine]

Here's a some new pics since I changed my growing space. As you can tell I'm gonna need to start inventing, again

This is the window I use for my cool growers and paphs

This window gets very high light and catts are very happy there

This is the living room window and gets very high light in the morning. Then indirect bright light in the pm when the sun goes over behind the trees, Usually about noon time. I thought for awhile I was gonna have to add some light. But they did just fine this winter

[dillon935]

Just sharing my small collection of orchids. I grow under lights and at my deck windows...no greenhouse and can't grow outside.

The deck area was getting really crowded so I got this new shelving online and now I have space and it looks neater..I guess..who cares. I love it

[amersault]

very nice set-up, Ginger! everything looks so healthy. and when everything is in bloom, it really puts on a show well done!

[dillon935]

Thanks much it's such a joy. I have the plants that aren't in bloom under lights in the laundry room and I rotate them around. : )

[Shannara]

I just love that setup...it really is a cheerful place.

Your containers are so decorative...it just add's to the beauty.

Keep up the good work!

Shann~

[zaeem]

Thank you all,
wonderfull sites and very neat. i have summer 85f-95f winter down to 65f/75f.humidity summer 60%+ winter Hum.40%.
Media coconutchips all sizes,charcoal,styrafoam Tap water presence of chlorine little not killed plants.Fert NPK (SHULTZ) Rooter powder For keikis at early stage and Bottle babies(experimenting IS this OK?) Allout door shaded50 % Summer Winter have to cover for cold draught Day or night.

weekly watering.daily misting somedays twice daily.fert weekly weakly. winter misting alternate day no soaking.DENSmostly drop some leaves if they get: no sun during day.

Any suggestions?Most welcomed particularly on inducing frequent flowering!Thanks
zaeem

[kid a]

I love your growing area! I wish I could have someplace like that outside here year round! I am totally jealous. I need to move somewhere warm all year round lol!

[Forever-mango]

I am cleaning up the other side of my house to expand my orchid collection. Making some room for my growing up Den specs

[tangers40]

hooray! finally got my lights hung and plants more or less arranged how i want them. here's the "under lights" arrangement:



it has 3 dens and 9 (i think?) assorted catts. i still have one more catt (B. Little Stars) that will go somewhere under here when it's finished blooming. picture is deceptive...taken at a slight angle, so it looks like i have lots of room on the right side under the lights when i really don't. big catt on the right (Rlc. Little Toshie 'H&R') is also about to bloom, yay!

and here's the "east window, natural light" arrangement:



here we've got 2 masdies (1 in spike), 1 paph, 6 phals (3 in spike), and 1 unhappy milt. oh yes, and the ridiculous african violet.

ha, unfortunately, this isn't my entire collection. i have some random plants still scattered around the house. some are on the "bloom table" in the living room, others are still in the west windows cuz i ran out of room under the new lights lol.

[BluPeaches]

I live in Oceanside CA so we have pretty nice weather year round. All of my orchids are indoors and I am using a baby changing table to display them lol.

We went to the beach and got sand all over our camera so now it doesn't work and I don't have pictures.

7 phals
1 Paph. Ho Chi Minh (it's blooming :P)
1 Paph. ciliolare
1 Vuyl. Aloha Sparks 'Ruby Eyes'
1 Colm. Catatante

The last two listed I got at Ralph's for $4.99 because they had all spent blooms.
I brought the home removed a rotting pseudobulb from one of them and repotted them. Now hopefully they will like their new home.
I'm waiting on and order of Phrags.
Lynn Evans-Goldner ('Full Circle' HCC/AOS x 'Glow' HCC/AOS)
Bullseye (Hanne Popow 'Woodstream' HCC/AOS x Lynn Evans-Goldner 'Full Circle' HCC/AOS)
Spot On (Lynn Evans-Goldner 'Full Circle' HCC/AOS x Pink Panther 'Tony')

I can't wait for these! Phrags are my new favorite orchid.

[zaeem]

some spaces outside my home.
Thanks
zaeem

[berniep]

G'Day zaeem

Very happy looking plants, thanks for showing us.

Cheers
Bernie

[ysanabria]

Originally Posted by Julez

Hi ysanabria, I would like to know more about your 4 & 5 pictures.
Did you design the orchid stand? What is the stand? Are there other plants? I really like what you have done with your chids. Thanks for showing us

Yes! It's a tree that wasn't doing so good so I made some pockets with moss and put my mini orchids there. With the water and fertilizer the plant is coming alive again

[ysanabria]

My new Orchid house!

Coco & Leo Happy with the new house too!

[sunshine]

OMG. Your project came out perfect Still lots of room and I love your 2 little helpers

[zaeem]

ysanabaria
Wow! WHAT a place .I am sure your plants will love them!Thanks for showing.
zaeem

[Onleme]

Well this is our space!!
6.5m long x 4.5m wide x 3.2m high. It was open on 1-1/2 sides and overgrown with weeds with no shelving when we bought the place in January this year, Its not finished yet as the shadecloth on the western wall (where the Bromelaids are is to be replaced with 75% Shadecloth and the slats removed before summer and also more shelving around the outside under the one thats there and a centre bench over the centre fern garden are to be done as well as a sheet of galvanized mesh hanging from the roof over the centre bench for hanging mounted orchids. A fogging/misting system is also going in before summer to reduce the heat and up the humidty. The floor is covered with pine bark which soaks up the water well aiding in humidity. We removed the shade cloth from the roof and added bronze coragated polycarbonate roof sheeting. We thought it might have been too dark but it's till very light in there.
Lots of room for orchids here. I think it will take some time to fill it and a hell of a lot of money too.
Not the flashest Shadehouse around but very solid, airy and roomy.
Don't know why the last pic wants to be seperate, has a mind of it's own lol.

[Onleme]

These are the orchids we have so far, most are seedlings, the pic name is what they are, there are a few odd ones mixed in with them, a loooooong way to go yet

[maria1971]

Sonia, your space is awesome!!!! Thanks for sharing.

[Onleme]

Thanks Maria

[zaeem]

onleme!
Wow! Well organised.thanks.
zaeem

[salaite]

now I've decided to show my little collection too. I do grow indoors on a window sill, only one Pleione tongariro is outside. My house is perfectly positioned for orchid growing, not very big though.

[berniep]

G'Day salaite

Very happy looking plants obviously well grown.

Cheers
Bernie

[refu]

Hello everybody,
I grow 15 orchids under lights, I have Phalaenopsis, Oncidiums, and a Dendrobium.

I use 2 lights setup as following:
I have 2 x 18W fluorescent lights, 1 is an cool white and has about 1150 lm, the other is a Osram Fluora that has the blue and red part of the lightspectrum and has 550 lm.
The second steup is an 36W Osram Fluora that has 1400 lm
There are links in the Tubes name to the data sheets.
I use a 50 W fan for ventilation.
What do you think about the lights is this enought ??? And what do you think shouls I do to improve this???

Here are some picturesc of my setup:




Here are some pictures taken a week ago:





WHat do you think the Phalas have bloomed under this lights I also use reflective foil.

Feedback much appreciated

[zygofan]

i saw the Portagrow system set up at the Denver Colorado Botanic Gardens Fall orchid show and was very impressed. Their combination of an indoor greenhouse and the plant stands that include T5 fluorescent grow lights and Humidi-grow trays was something that I think a lot of orchid growers would find interesting. The 24" 4 bulb T5's use red and blue spectrum bulbs and produce a lot of light. The stands and the greenhouse frame were all built with bright white recycled PVC pipe and looked sturdy and durable. The humidity distribution system was very interesting the way it places the humidity right in the plants growing area. Check out their website at portagrow.com.
I grow all my plants indoors due to my location and I have grown some of my plants under lights for about 4 years and have good success as long as I replace the bulbs every 6 months or so. I recently changed some of my lights to more efficient T5 fluorescents and they seem to work better than my old ones. I also grow over trays filled with water to help with the humidity in my dry climate. I thought it was great that Portagrow combined several difficult to achieve aspects for growing indoors if your climate requires it.

[whalloper]

I just upgraded one of my growing windows. I put in the metal shelves today... now more orchids get really strong lighting Plus I have more space for other plants like african violets, I love it thus far!!

[sunshine]

Nice set up. I like the hanging baskets with the phals in them. I am getting spaced challenged and those hanging baskets are giving me ideas

[John NH]

Great thread - great forum! So much so - I registered as a "newbie" earlier today...

Anyway - there are some mind-boggling growing areas posted up in this thread, and it's interesting to see what others are doing in climates similar to mine. For that, here is my area:

It's a room on the second floor with 3 large North facing windows (you can make out one to the left of the ming aralia in the second picture), 5 large East windows, two smaller southern exposure windows, two skylights and one ceiling fan. The room is just off our informal living area room (which has a wet sink to make things really handy....). I guess there are about 40 or Orchids in there with a couple of Bonsai, a passion flower and various houseplants..

My best to all,

John

[Tommyr]

WOW john! That is one AWESOME growing area! It's like a greenhouse!

[koshki]

John NH...you're making me jealous! North, east and south windows, with a sink nearby??!! You lucky duck!

I see you also have lots of unused vertical space!

[John NH]

Originally Posted by Tommyr

WOW john! That is one AWESOME growing area! It's like a greenhouse!

Hi TommyR..! Many thanks!! We actually spend quite a bit of time in this room (as you can imagine) - and during the winter up here, it's a little bit of "paradise" with warm temps in the room, flowering orchids, plants and a few of my Bonsai that are not in dormancy... In the summer - with all the windows open - it's like being outside with breezes that come through all the windows... When we designed this room, it actually ended up better than we'd imagined..?

Anyway - many thanks!!

Originally Posted by koshki

... North, east and south windows, with a sink nearby??!!.....I see you also have lots of unused vertical space!

HAH!!!!! Yea - you noticed all the extra space as well..??!!! HAH!!!

Actually - I'm working as hard as I can to fill that, but, you ever try to purchase orchids in NH at the onset of winter??!! On that note, my wife & I did return from a much needed Florida vacation recently - and when we returned - had four orchids we'd purchased while down there.. These were in spike, got x-rayed by airport security, spent 3.5 hours on a plane in a bag, waiting for the bus (in freezing weather), a one hour bus trip, walking to the car (in freezing weather), driving home, blah, blah... I figured they had all died... However - last night - one decided to tell me it liked it's new home (see attached - Miltassia C.M. Fitch 'Izumi' from Jade Orchids in FL).... It's NOT my bloom, as Jade had set the spike, so no credit on my end...

Many thanks for the warm welcome!

John

[koshki]

John, I got bit by the orchid bug late last summer, so I spent most of the winter acquiring orchids via eBay and elsewhere. Didn't lose a one to the weather. That said, others have, so you know your delivery situation best. I probably won't be ordering as many this year, but that is a space and (watering) time issue, not a weather one!

[Ladyofthelakes]

What a beautiful room to enjoy.

I see the Ming Arilia there. I saw my first one last January. I was immediately smitten with the beautiful lacy leaves.

Are you in a zone 3 or 4 over there. I am in zone 4, with a heavy dose of zone 3.

I really enjoyed your growing space. Hopefully you will share more photos and your successful blooming orchids.

[John NH]

Originally Posted by koshki

..... I probably won't be ordering as many this year, but that is a space and (watering) time issue, not a weather one!

Hi Katherine..!

Yea - I know. I keep telling myself that as well..??!! But, like a Lay's potato chip - "You know you can't just have just one.."..?? And so more orchids follow, and the requisite excuses to my much better half as to why "I need this variation" - or - "I would like to try that variation.." - or.. well, you know..??!!

Fortunately, my wife is wonderfully supportive and she is known locally for her gardening (outdoor gardening - dahlias specifically where she has quite the following amongst the local gardeners)... So - going from an "interest in orchids" to an "addiction to orchids" isn't all that far apart - especially when your spouse is supportive??

Originally Posted by Ladyofthelakes

What a beautiful room to enjoy....I see the Ming Arilia there. I saw my first one last January. I was immediately smitten with the beautiful lacy leaves....Are you in a zone 3 or 4 over there. I am in zone 4....

Hi Vivienne..!

I'm actually in zone 5B - along the coastline in NH, so it's not as severe as 4 (and THREE?! YIKES!!! ) As for our Ming Aralia - yes, I like that for the same reasons you do - and it seems to fill up the room with it's green, delicate foliage.. I think we've had that for about 10 years or so? It used to be much smaller - so I keep moving it around the room during the winter - and it "summers" on our deck outdoors - which is when it really goes through growth spurts..

As well - thank you so much for your thoughts and comments! To your wish of posting some of my orchid blooms, the one below is one of mine from a few weeks ago. It's a Phal (sogo gotris) which came up a month or so ago...

My thanks again to all for the wonderful welcome to this forum....

John

[whalloper]

Originally Posted by John NH

To your wish of posting some of my orchid blooms, the one below is one of mine from a few weeks ago. It's a Phal (sogo gotris) which came up a month or so ago...

My thanks again to all for the wonderful welcome to this forum....

John

I love this little guy! I got one last year and it is a great grower, mine just double spiked, I cant wait to see those blooms! I would recommend it for someone who likes artshades and doesnt have much space.

[VEEKTOR]

After I took these photos I posted it's own thread to show them but now that this thread has come back to life I will post them here as well.
My Girlfriend Susan and I live in a tiny apartment in the "Highland Park" neighborhood of Los Angeles California.
I believe this building was built in the Nineteen Twenties.
Our place has a lovely large window that faces South East.
Don't be impressed with all the plant labels... All but a few are NOids,
I have just given them pet names for documentation purposes.

[cydo]

oh boy what a nice, pretty and cleeeaaan shelf
i love it
dont see a lot of those
thanks for the wonderful view
what a relief for the eyes
wish you lots of flower spikes : - )

[John NH]

Really - a great and clean space, VEEKTOR!!

That being said - ummm....??

You do realize that with your shelf on casters - you could probably have another set ready to "roll in"??? And as someone said to me in my post above.. : "...you also have lots of unused space!.."

Anyway - great post - and I really like your growing space.. Simple & clean...

Best to you!

John

[VEEKTOR]

Originally Posted by cydo

oh boy what a nice, pretty and cleeeaaan shelf
i love it
dont see a lot of those
thanks for the wonderful view
what a relief for the eyes
wish you lots of flower spikes : - )

Thanks and WELCOME!
IT seems your comment was your first post here on the forum.
Thanks

[VEEKTOR]

Originally Posted by John NH

Really - a great and clean space, VEEKTOR!!

That being said - ummm....??

You do realize that with your shelf on casters - you could probably have another set ready to "roll in"??? And as someone said to me in my post above.. : "...you also have lots of unused space!.."

Anyway - great post - and I really like your growing space.. Simple & clean...

Best to you!

John

Indeed! I have lots of room still.
I'm pretty new to this, just past the 6 month mark
I get overwhelmed with keeping up with the 40 or so plants I have now
so I've slowed down on acquisitions.
I really want to be picky from now on so all the plants in my collection
are loved and not just liked!~

[sunshine]

Some of you all know I have mentioned lately that I am space challenged.With the NH Orchid Show coming up in February I decided to make some space. What a work out. My kitchen and living room qualified as a disaster area and the cleaning fairy quit So here are some before and after pictures.













I still have catts on the kitchen table I am a lot happier with this set up. Got looking my chids over and found Masdie. Maui Jewel with 4 new spikes.

[John NH]

Very nice!!! I guess you did a little cleaning!!! Also, sure looks like you made a LOT of extra room! How many are you intending to adopt from the NH show???

Also - PM me when you are thinking about going, OK? Jen & I are trying to make it to the NH show as well, but I'm not sure about my work schedule?

Best to you!

John

[mermaidsea]

Hi all,

I live in NJ and am lucky enough to have a greenhouse, which serves as a mini-vaction in the dead of winter, as well as a play yard for my grandchildren, to whom I am trying to teach the concept of roots, without which plants don't grow. I keep most of my orchids on one side of the greenhouse and other, large plants on the left -- bird of paradise which hits the roof, camelias, fox tail fern and others. In the winter, I generally keep the grow lights on until late in the evening. When an orchid blooms in winter, I bring it inside to my "kitchen island garden," where we can fully enjoy its beauty and scent.

mermaid

[berniep]

G'Day mermaid

Great looking growing space, thanks for showing us. Also hope you are enjoying the forum, I sure do.

Cheers
Bernie

[mermaidsea]

Thanks Bernie. Wish I were retired and not so tired. I also wish I could spend more time here. Haven't checked in more than a few times since I joined, but I plan to do so more often.

Cheers!

mermaid

[zdawgnight]

I dont know if this really counts so much as a growing space but it works. I am planning on tripling my collection this weekend!

[Lady Tottington]

Wow, I really loved looking at all the growing spaces everyone has! Lots of ideas that I filed away, I'd really love to get a greenhouse some day, but heating it in the winter could be outrageous.

Anyway, posted in my ablum on this site, are the places I have orchids tucked away inside. Our house faces west, so I have either east window to work with, or west facing. The black metal shelving that is first is in our dining room with a west window in front of it. The other black shelving unit is in a bedroom that has a huge wall window facing East, that pretty much gets light all day. I'm not sure if the rack is too far in the room to have those catts get light, so I've been rotating them to the table spot. Then I have the windowsills.

Anyway, thanks for looking. I tried to post them in this thread, but I haven't posted 5 times yet before I can post links! My bad.

smiles!

[Anton]

zdawgnight, if you grow orchids there, it counts.

[raokat]

wonderful orchids. thank you for sharing.