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Marni's Current Cool Greenhouse

Discussion in 'Growing Areas' started by Marni, Mar 14, 2014.

  1. Reyna

    Reyna Orchid Obsessed Supporting Member

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    Wow Marni -- that is very impressive! What an incredible growing space.
     
  2. Seattle Steve

    Seattle Steve Member

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    Pardon my ignorance Marni, but what kind of misting device is that tube above the growing area? I am exploring possiblities for cooling mine. I live in the NW which is mostly gray, but it can go from 60 to 85 to 70 in about 10 minutes this time of year as the weather is unstable until July. If I shade cloth it, then my light goes to 400 fc, so I have to manually pull it off and on to have some light on the overcast days, which is most of the time. I was thinking about a misting system to bring down temps later in the summer.
     
  3. Seattle Steve

    Seattle Steve Member

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    Where did you get it? All I see is some cheesy ebay pond foggers with led lights.
     
  4. s1214215

    s1214215 Member

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    I am so jealous.. I want to do this one day when I have some land to spare LOL
     
    Marni likes this.
  5. fernbrook

    fernbrook Member

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  6. Marni

    Marni Well-Known Member Staff Member Supporting Member

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    I use an injector pump and mix up concentrate in a 10 gallon tank. I fertilize at every watering with dilute fertilizer (about 1/4 tsp per gallon) with MSU fertilizer for pure water. I do have RO so get no nutrients from the water. I have heard both the water before fertilizing and water after fertilizing theories off and on over the years. It seems to me that in the habitat they get nutrients every time there is rain or mist. It may be more important if you are doing it infrequently or at a much stronger rates to wash the fertilzer off by watering after, but this works for me. The only advantage to watering before would be to dilute the fertilizer you are going to put on.
     
  7. fernbrook

    fernbrook Member

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    Excellent, food for thought......will have to speak to my partner (an ideas man) as I am sure I could do something similar which would make my life so much easier. I have just recently moved my shade house up the hill to a sunnier position but sadly the current hose doesn't quite reach inside the shade house but watering and then fertilising with a watering can is a complete drag especially as I need to do it in the morning before work! I used to do it in the afternoon when I have a lot more time but got the message that you should water in the morning :(

    I understand the misting benefits etc. but being in sub-tropical (Queensland, Australia) I just don't think that I need it BUT have been to one very large private Orchid enthusiast/addict and also the couple of nurseries that are in Brisbane and they do have misting but that could be because of the sheer number of shade houses and hence plants! What do you think? Yhanks heaps Marni.
     
  8. Marni

    Marni Well-Known Member Staff Member Supporting Member

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    What do you want the misting to do? A lot of people use misting to raise the humidity around the plants/in the greenhouse. If you have trouble with low humidity, that is something to consider.
     
  9. fernbrook

    fernbrook Member

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    What is an ideal humidity? Mine at present is about 55%. Thanks Marni
     
  10. fernbrook

    fernbrook Member

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    Update: 84% humidity at 8.30 tonight (had to download an app. to see what it is as I had no idea!)
     
  11. Marni

    Marni Well-Known Member Staff Member Supporting Member

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    There is a lot that you can grow with 55% humidity. Some cloud forest plants would like more, but even many of those can grow in that. One day's humidity doesn't give you the whole picture. It would be good to get a sense of what it is over time and at different times of the day/night. I would suggest you visit as many growers as you can and ask them why they have misting systems (or whatever equipment that are using) before you decide if you need it for what you are growing. Also, summer humidity and winter humidity can be very different.
     
  12. Daethen

    Daethen Orchid Mom

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    Just amazing. You are definitely doing them justice. Thanks so much for posting the pics. I am so very jealous now.
     
  13. Marni

    Marni Well-Known Member Staff Member Supporting Member

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    Here is this greenhouse, now empty and about to be torn down so I can rebuild a new house.

    #2.empty.3.jpg
    #2.empty.2.jpg
    #2.empty.1.jpg
     
  14. chicago chad

    chicago chad Active Member

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    It looks sad without all the plants, but I am sure it will be top notch when you are done. So I would imagine your house looks like a jungle at the moment?!
     
  15. KellyW

    KellyW Orchid wonk Staff Member Supporting Member

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    Will it occupy the same footprint? I hope you will post progress pictures.
     
  16. Marni

    Marni Well-Known Member Staff Member Supporting Member

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    Yes, it does look sad and very shabby when not disguised by plants. It will be a square or rectangular shape. I won't be completely sure until this and the small shed it is attached to are gone. And yes, I will be posting images as it goes along.

    Some of the plants went into the intermediate house, but most are crammed into what was the cold house. I put on an extenstion to that that gave another 100 sq ft. It is crowded, but should be fine. I added a swamp cooler and misting system so the plants from the cool house wouldn't suffer in the interim and it will be used later for warmer plants.
     
  17. chicago chad

    chicago chad Active Member

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    That's whole lot a work Marni. Good for you for being proacitve about it.
     
  18. KellyW

    KellyW Orchid wonk Staff Member Supporting Member

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    Marni, how is the project coming along?
     
  19. Marni

    Marni Well-Known Member Staff Member Supporting Member

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    At this point nothing is happening. The carpenter had some health issues and is not returning calls or texts. Unfortunately (or stupidly) I took down the plastic on the walls, took out the benches and hanging poles since he was supposed to be ready to start. Next week I'll start the hunt for a new carpenter. Not a happy prospect since it took forever to find this one.
     
  20. KellyW

    KellyW Orchid wonk Staff Member Supporting Member

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    Dang!!! Good luck finding a new contractor.