My Growing Space #2

[solay]

Thanks for the compliments and I love seeing everyone's growing spaces. Such nice plants and unique ideas on where and how to keep them.

[PalmCityOrchid]

Thanks for the compliments! I'm blessed to live in South Florida and be able to grow outside! I'm running out of shaded area though, so I'm on the hunt for some terete Vandas. I read that they can handle some sun. If anyone knows of a good grower that is not too expensive, please let me know!

Thanks again!!!

[butt0n]

Here is the beginning of my set up; I'll take better pictures when I can. I was able to put T5 lights under the top shelf. The desk that its next too will be moved tomorrow and the whole set up will be opened to the sunnier part of the window. I'm hoping this will be enough to kick start the catt hybrids I have. I'll post more pictures once its more cleaned up.

[butt0n]

I finally got my light meter today, and if I'm using it correctly, the set up that my orchids were in originally were only getting under 1000 fc of light varying throughout the day. I'm surprised that I got anything to bloom this year, much less get any growths from every plant, including the high light ones.

The only thing left I have to do is tweak the distance between the lights and the plants in order to get the maximum exposure they need. The funny thing is, I've only had these lights up for a week, and I'm noticing that new roots are growing wayyy faster than the had before. I'm excited!

[solay]

buttOn, looks like you got lots of space to fill. Thant's a plus if you ask me. Good luck with the set up. Looks good to me.

[butt0n]

Originally Posted by solay

buttOn, looks like you got lots of space to fill. Thant's a plus if you ask me. Good luck with the set up. Looks good to me.

Thanks! I'm actually debating on getting rid of my catt hybrids, minus the one mini I have. I'm trying to narrow down my tastes a bit and get the orchids I really want...after reading about so many new orchids on this board, its hard to not be exposed to new things and want to try my hand at them. We'll see...

[PhalPal]

It looks great ButtOn! LOTS of room to grow! I think you might need to move your lights closer to the plants (or rather the plants closer to the light). This is where a light meter really comes in handy. When I got my meter I was shocked that I was growing Phals in about 3-400 fc in what I thought was an extrememly sunny room. They did fine for two years and then one season said 'Nope, no more. Gimme more light!' I too noticed lots of new root growth when I first got my lights. It's not your imagination! You are not going to regret these - I promise!

[fred]

I thought I would do an update of my growing space for you to see the cym house is still a work in progress I have changed the back wall to shade cloth and also moved the shelves forward.
this is also the view from our back door ( a double sliding door )



the other house I have made adjustments to the shelves

right side view
left side view



under the bench

this one is one of our local orchids that is grown in Tasmania

[PhalPal]

Looks great Fred!! I think all of our growing spaces are in a constant state of change! Bigger....Wider.....Taller.......

[Steve B]

Here is my little grow space. This window faces SW. I have been controlling the light by adjusting the shears, open, closed or partially closed. So far everybody is doing well. I have a phal. that is branching for the first time and 4 others are in spike as well. I am having a little difficulty with a species paph, but it has started a new leaf so I am optimistic.

Steve

[Lacerr]

well, here is my growing space in my 1 br apt =D
my photos are too big, just a sec.

[Lacerr]

Ok, here is my growing space in my little apartment =D

[fred]

your space looks nice Lacerr
lol clean floor tooooo hehehehe

thanks for sharing with us

PhalPal
I am always making things bigger, wider and taller
the more orchids the better lol

[Lacerr]

I am not allowed to have any more plants until we get into a real house =D

[norris]

Hi Lacerr, you sure have some nice indoor greenery there.

[Lacerr]

thankya, I am having a horrible problem with gnats though. I am using a spray and they are slowly dwindling, but its just never ending. I am also growing some venus flytraps and all of the traps are closed, so I think its actually eating some of them =D

[kid a]

Hey thats an idea! I used to have a small one of those but it died. I think now the humidity I have going and actually remembering to water things now that would help me out. I have seen about 2 to three a day. I keep killing them but every day when I get home there are just a few of them. I even thought about fly paper! But didn't want to get it stuck to the wall or the plants not to mention how horrible it looks next to beautiful plants, lol! Thanks for the idea!

[solay]

I like the mini Phal. hanging out on the larger plant there. I got gnats too. Good idea with the venus flytrap.

[Tommyr]

Originally Posted by fred

I have just finished building my new Cymbidium House today

NICE I LOVE Cyms! I have 4 now myself!

[fred]

Tommyr
I have made a few changes since I built that one
better air flow and more light

Originally Posted by fred

this is also the view from our back door ( a double sliding door )

[iandaniel]

This is my grow space. well some of it.

[patlee]

That window is just perfect I love your whole set-up. Where else do you grow? Any window you can find with a little light?

[ryanjoe888]

i really enjoy seeing your grow spaces... that makes me want to rearrange everything on my garden...lol...i am posting my humble garden here in bulacan, a province in the outskirts of manila, philippines... i've already posted the pics on the forum but i will post it again on the right thread... hope you like my space... i like to grow cymbidium but don't know where to get one and i am afraid that it won't thrive here in the philippines... i usually mount my strap leafs and vandas on drift woods, and phals on fern slab... i recently purchased 6 pots of phal (noid) in blooming sizes but i will wait for them to flower first and finish flowering before mounting, i also purchased 3 catts, alma keem, white diamond and lucky strife, all of them have buds and i am really excited for the flowers to bloom... please bear with the picture quality because i just used my mobile phone to take the pics

[tizzycat]

Ryanjoe, the pictures are just great, your plants look fine and healthy. i can't advise you on cyms as I don't have any myself, but I'm sure someone will be along shortly to point you in the right direction.

[cloudswinger]

Here's my shady space. It's inside my front porch, so it's open to the outside, and if it rains really hard, the rain comes in the back of the shelves. I started out on the blue thing, and had that black shelf lying around, so I just set it up. There's plenty of room for more plants, if they stay little. This is perfect for the phals, paphs and seedlings. I have another space outside for sun lovers, but the tree above it is a little spotty with the shade, so there's only one plant there right now.

[arleneg]

ryanjoe,

Love the arrangements of drift woods. You have an ideal growing environment for growing vandas and such.

In regards to growing Cyms, I recommend trying the warm-growing types, which is only a few. At the moment, I can remember two...Cym. canaliculatum and Cym. alifolium. I can't remember the other two. Those are the true warm-growing Cyms. They have thicker leaves than the Cyms you see at most nurseries and stores.

[iandaniel]

Originally Posted by patlee

That window is just perfect I love your whole set-up. Where else do you grow? Any window you can find with a little light?

Thank you, I am pretty fortunate for the windows. The other space is another north facing window and I have some under a MH and HPS grow light in a large closet. I have MH grow light for supplemental light in this window but as I am sure you can guess I don't use it much with the large window.

[solay]

Ryanjoe, I have seen one on sale at a mall there but it looked pretty sad and they were asking for 2,500 pesos. When I asked why it was so expensive, I was told it was imported. Also it was not one of the warm types.
I wonder if Baguio or Tagatay could support Cym. culture? It gets cool there right? There must be a reason why they are so hard to find in the Philippines.

Tommyr, I have lots of Cyms. only cause they grow so easily where I am. Can't wait to see it when it's all done and filled.

[butt0n]

Originally Posted by ryanjoe888

i really enjoy seeing your grow spaces... that makes me want to rearrange everything on my garden...lol...i am posting my humble garden here in bulacan, a province in the outskirts of manila, philippines... i've already posted the pics on the forum but i will post it again on the right thread... hope you like my space... i like to grow cymbidium but don't know where to get one and i am afraid that it won't thrive here in the philippines... i usually mount my strap leafs and vandas on drift woods, and phals on fern slab... i recently purchased 6 pots of phal (noid) in blooming sizes but i will wait for them to flower first and finish flowering before mounting, i also purchased 3 catts, alma keem, white diamond and lucky strife, all of them have buds and i am really excited for the flowers to bloom... please bear with the picture quality because i just used my mobile phone to take the pics

Very nice arrangement! Those pictures are great for being taken with a phone! Thanks for sharing with us

[butt0n]

Originally Posted by solay

Ryanjoe, I have seen one on sale at a mall there but it looked pretty sad and they were asking for 2,500 pesos. When I asked why it was so expensive, I was told it was imported. Also it was not one of the warm types.

Geez, I haven't been to the Philippines since I was 18, I can't even remember how much US dollars that is. Doesn't sound cheap though lol...

[psyc1210]

Here's the lastest picture of my growing table. I think it's a bit more full than it was at first, what do you think? hehe

[myorchid]

Looks great! I still see spaces to fill !

[patticake]

O.k.- I finally have some pics. of my growing spaces. The pics that I took wouldn't size to where I could post them. (I'm still pretty computer challenged)
The areas aren't very fancy, but the chids like them!

1st is my dining rm. window (southern exposure)

2nd is my kitchen window (southern exposure)

3rd is my grow-cart in my basement. It's changed a little since I took this picture. I put 2 compact fluorescent bulbs in the top fixture where there used to be spots for incandescent bulbs. (in addition to the T-12's) I have more of my mini Catts atc. there now. The only problem is I need sunglasses to water my plants! You can see on the bottom shelf all the way to the left is my Masd. Roofus! My new Tinkerbelles is now next to her big brother! (this was taken pre- Tinker!)

[Rocinante]

Soon, you will need to find a storage space for the stuff on the bottom shelf! And please don't forget about air circulation...

[psyc1210]

I have a nice ceiling fan that circulates air pretty well

[patticake]

Originally Posted by patticake

O.k.- I finally have some pics. of my growing spaces. The pics that I took wouldn't size to where I could post them. (I'm still pretty computer challenged)
The areas aren't very fancy, but the chids like them!

1st is my dining rm. window (southern exposure)

2nd is my kitchen window (southern exposure)

3rd is my grow-cart in my basement. It's changed a little since I took this picture. I put 2 compact fluorescent bulbs in the top fixture where there used to be spots for incandescent bulbs. (in addition to the T-12's) I have more of my mini Catts atc. there now. The only problem is I need sunglasses to water my plants! You can see on the bottom shelf all the way to the left is my Masd. Roofus! My new Tinkerbelles is now next to her big brother! (this was taken pre- Tinker!)

I have fans on all of my spaces as well.

[tizzycat]

nice going Patti, your plants all look happy.

[Greenhouse Gal]

Your plants all look very happy and healthy. Good Growing!

[butt0n]

Just got another set of lights!

[solay]

ButtOn, I think 2,500 pesos was around $50 at that time for a sad looking Cym.

Iandaniel and Patti, I like your grow areas. I agree there's still a lot of room to grow there.

[kid a]

Since I had gotten the project plants, the Stima. Kelly 'Lea' and the Slc. mem Alvin Beggman Poem I have decided to move some things around to give the seedling the best air flow and lighting I could. The ambient humidity is usually the same in both places of the room though. So here is my updated growing space.
The first and second pictures are the top of my dresser the main growing area. The third picture is the piano growing area. This is where I usually put the new ones for a while until I move them over to the dresser. The piano has a huge window to the left and another one on the right side. The one on the right is east and the one on the left is north. The last picture is one of the frog tanks that I just set up and I moved a branch I had cut off of my ludiscia discolor in there. So I am kind of waiting to see how that does. It is potted in layered medium of hydroton, Schultz orchid mix, peat moss, and chior.

[mdomingz]

Ok, sometime ago i installed a lattice to rid my balcony floor of stuff. Yeah!! it worked, only that i now have a second lattice installed and it's almost full of plants too!. Well this pics show, how my plants are doing (someone said in another thread that weather this year was kind of weird). This is my second and third blooming spike of sharry baby this year, this started in march. The spikes have been supported by my papilionanthe miss joaquim, which is just beside the lattice and not behind it as most of the plants. And on top you can se my gongora powellii which 17 flowers opened this very morning!! and right over the sharry baby is a mini den hybrid with two spikes out of a keiki that i'm waiting to do it's thing before tranfering to another pot.

The weather is been super humid, lots of rain, no wind as right now (hot as hell) and still overcast.

oh by the way. can someone please describe me the fragrance of this gongora. just to make sure. to me it smells something like fresh blood and just very slightly sweet. (maybe it's just me!)

hope you like the pics
manuel
panama

[brookn]

Nice set-up Manual, everybody looks happy. Kortney, looks like you are running out of space!

I thought I would post a pic of my outdoor space now that I finally got everyone outside, and acclimated to higher light. Some of them are still adjusting and in the process of moving to higher light. I have my Dends hanging from a Paw Paw tree (a Missouri native) it is full of fruit this year. My Cyms with the exception of my Cym eberneum are underneath the tree on a plant stand (I am getting ready to move them to higher light). It's funny, the big Cyms leaves got darker with more light, so I figure that it is wanting more. Thanks for looking!

[NancyG]

Nice set ups. I love the idea of a lattice trellis holding all those orchids. It is amazing the creativity shown here and variety.

NancyG

[hera]

I'm so impressed with the response to this thread. I decided to show my humble arrangements. The first is the setup for winter in the south window, the second is the summer setup as it looks right now. I think I need more orchids.

[NancyG]

You can always use more! You've got nice healthy looking ones.

NancyG

[butt0n]

So I've had my T5 lights for about a month now, if not longer and all I have to say is WOW! My phals are a lot happier, growing new roots and leaves at the same time. My dends and catts are growing more canes/bulbs as well as a ton more roots. Its amazing! I got my 2nd set of lights recently too and I'm just waiting on the replacement bulbs (the ones that came w/ it were broken ) Anyways, I hope to add a few more plants in the future once the I can get everything set up.

[psyc1210]

Update on my growing space...I think I filled *most* of the spaces on the top three shelves...time to start on the bottom.

[patticake]

Oh, JoBeth, If you invert some small pots for height, you can fit several miniatures in there, yet!!! It looks good, seriously....

[karenk]

pics of my place

[made4engineering]

Your place is beautiful The Laelia (purpurata?) or something in the second pic, how tall is that?

[kid a]

Wow what a nice outdoor space Karenk

[arleneg]

That's a nice growing area.

[Sharyn]

Love your outdoor space. And also, such nice baskets!

[missann]

Here is my greenhouse. I have a humidifier, a fan that is for putting in a window that I fashioned into a makeshift swamp cooler, a 3 inch fan from the dollar store that fits perfectly into the ventilation hole at the top to suck the hot air out, and another little fan (hard to see) hanging off the top to blow the humidifier mist around, 3 lights, two from the top and one on the second shelf. And, of course, my plants. The greenhouse is 2' deep, 5/12 or 6' tall, and 4' wide. It is very lightweight and is moved from indoors to out very easily. The fabric that you may see draped on top of it is what I use to slightly shade the entire deck, but I had to take it down today because it was too windy and kept blowing all around, as I have not yet finished that project.
Also, is my terrarium without orchids in it yet, and two clear tupperware containers stacked top to top and taped together to make a nice isolation for new arrivals, or a hospital for sick plants.

[lynda]

Well its taken me two days to just read this topic and I got such wonderful ideas. Having about 6 or 8 amaryllis (that have finished blooming) in the bow window in the dining room, I went ahead and cut all the leaves off and retired them to the dark closet in our cold bedroom.
I then cleaned the windows, blinds, etc to make room for my lovely orchids, two African violets and two tiny carnivorous plants ............... changed the entire look of my dining room. The 3-panel window faces North - Northeast w/blinds.
I sure hope they like their new home.

[solay]

Missann, I like the moss aquarium you have. Looks cool.

Lynda, post a pic. when you get a chance of your new growing space. I like amaryllis. Such big pretty flowers. I've never grown them though.

[mgfree]

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to say a big thank you for all the inspiration I'm getting from this thread.

My current set up is only a temporary so won't be posting any pics at this stage I am just buying a block of land ATM and this thread has really got the ideas going, so a big thank you from me

[fred]

hi mgfree
I am pleased that you have found this thread so helpful.
please feel free to go to our Introduction Section and Introduce yourself to all of our orchidgeeks

[mgfree]

Thanks Fred, Will do!

[PhalPal]

We can be inspirational, influencial and corrupting!

[lynda]

Originally Posted by PhalPal

We can be inspirational, influencial and corrupting!

Well said, its habit forming

[Vivienne]

Hi ya!

Thought it was time to update the pictures of my Orchid Atrium. Things are really growing well altho very little in bloom right now. Have several plants spiking so won't be long before I can add more bloom pics! YEAH!

Here (not included on my website) is my updated and improved high humidity case for Pleurothallids (and some assorted others). I was fortunate to adopt several new plants from an Orchid Society friend... thus the need to increase the size. LOL



You can view the other atrium pics at Vivienne's Orchid Atrium

[mayres]

Excellent! I enjoyed taking a "tour" of your atrium and orchids. Looks like you are continuing to do very good growing. Nice pics of your blooms as well.

[jay]

I absolutely love what you have done in there. You have you created an indoor greenhouse. Thanks for the tour. I think I need to go back and look at some more of your pictures.

[Rocinante]

Holy Green Thumb, Batman! Vivienne that is a beautiful indoor greenhouse you've got there!

[kmarch]

Excellent Viv! It's official now...you're out of control.

I'm going to copy this thread into the "Growing Spaces" thread because I thik people will find this useful.

[fred]

just an update of my side orchid house for you all to see.





Left Side

[solay]

Fred, I like the benches. I've been trying to figure out how to add additional benches to the bottom of my GH. I figured I'll most likely need additional space soon. Your pics. gives me a good idea and I can show my husband so he can make them for me. Thanks. Oh, and your plants looks great too.

[patticake]

Wow Fred, That looks fantastic! I sure wish I could have that much growing area! You've done a great job. The wire shelves are just right. Did you do the designing of the shelves? I wish I could drag the whole thing-(plants included of course!) to my house!

[fred]

yep Patti i built all of that by myself

plants and all Patti lol you can have my wife before my plants
shhhh don't tell her I said that shhhhh

[Vivienne]

WOW fred - everything is growing so nicely! Well Done!!

[donnas_orchids]

I live in North Idaho USA. Warm Summers with long days & longer cold Winter days. My husband and I built a 500 sq. ft. addition to our home It has very lrg. windows on the North & East side. & 3 large skylights for natural light & floresent lights on 15hr. a day to supplement. There is a seperate heating & Humitistat and a Bromine Jacuzzi with an Ozinater. It houses about 300 plants. It has Italian Porcyln tiles that don't crack if I drop a pot on them and are very easy to keep clean. here is an image of an awarded plant grown in my room. Gongora fulva "Donna's Dream" AM/AOS.
Donna

[donnas_orchids]

I forgot to post an image of the Orchid room. OOPS I can't get one to download?
Donna

[lynda]

What wonderful ideas all of you have. And yes, I'm going to borrow some of these ideas. A picture is worth a million words.