I don't know how you'd do it inside but my wife and I found that if we
wanted to travel, we simply had to automate. We spent a year's (+) travel
money to add automated louvers, fans (large and small exhaust and HAF),
pumps for evaporative cooling and mist for watering. Sensors and thermostats
helped instead of just timers (although timers would probably work just fine
for a few weeks). I had an extra computer left over from upgrading my wife's
which I could then program to control most of the sensors. We still hire a
local teen to check out the greenhouse every other day for things that look
too dry (she's a very responsible 14 yr old and learns quickly). This is
just extra insurance that doesn't cost much. Now, for a weekend trip, a week
at the beach or mountains, or a major 2-4 week vacation to visit the folks
or grandkids (and probably collect more orchids along the way) our only loss
is missing a plant in bloom. Now I just need to get that teen to take
pictures of the missed blooms and set up the computer so that I can control
it with my laptop from across the country if necessary.
Besides allowing travel, the automation allows you to enjoy the orchids more
and when you want to, not when you have to.
"Susan Erickson" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 11 May 2003 23:19:18 GMT, "Gene Schurg"
wrote:


Stuart,

There used to be a nursury in the Richmond area that would take out of
bloom
plants from people and board them until they bloomed again. The idea was
that it was cheaper to board that plant than buy new plants in bloom.
Each
year you got a bigger plant and even better if it was a gift from family
member you got the memories.

I think they charged by the month and by the size of the plant but I
don't
recall the cost.

For some well to do folks who always want a blooming plant they would
drop
the plant off and pick up another one in bloom. Sounds like a great
business in a wealthy area.

I don't believe they offer this service any longer.

Good growing,
Gene

I Colorado Springs there is a florist that does hotel flowers and
others. She sells the plant, will take it back for 1/2 credit on
the next bloom you buy. Sounds like a used book store I know. But
the book store sells the used books at 1/2 the cover. The plant
store sells the out of bloom at $5 to 10. But of course they
generally no longer have the name tags.

Some growers that board do it by the square feet of bench space,
others do it by the # of pots and size of pots. Either way it is
very expensive. I have known some AOS judges that kept specimen
size plants with favorite growers. But the pollen was the
growers to use. Most boarded plants I have seen have had a
problem due to lack of personal care.

SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php