On Sun, 3 Aug 2003 19:00:14 -0700, "Wendy"
wrote:

You gotta love it! *g* Wow 400sq ft. will get you a 20 x 20 or 12 x 30 if my
math is working?
They are super expensive Mariana.
Get the biggest size you can afford.
You could try looking for a used one a lot of people upgrade to a bigger
size.
They usually start off with a 8x10.
Try putting an ad in the Unclassifieds
http://www.orchidmall.com/general/unclasfd.htm
Also at your local Ochid Society & favorite Nursery
See Charlies magazine or web site, he has some good tips on location etc.
You want the sun to pass over it, especially in winter. (No big trees in the
way)
You need a good foundation with natural gas & electricity pipe in. Not sure
about NY?
My Southern Burner was $450
My Convair Cooler $900 (the best!) IMHO.
Fans & misters etc.
If I had to do it all over again I would have mine built up on a pony rail
so that
it is higher to hang more stuff! Also would have had it wider with a bench
down
the center.
Thats all I can think of right now.
Cheers Wendy

For your climate I would suggest you dig a foundation pit about
8-9' deep. Fill about 4-5 feet with drainage/heat sink/moisture
balance rock. Then build a lean-to against a wall. Built as
tall as you can. But put the first bench at ground level and you
will find a 12 foot height is not hard to come by. Then use
twin-wall not single pane glass. It will not be a pretty, you can
not see in and out as clearly. But your heat bill with thank
you. We just changed out the end panels and insulated the door
and you could see the difference in the gas bill.
Join your local society - visit all the growers with a gh. Ask
what they would do differently on the next one. Most have a
laundry list.

You can not get one too big or too tall. Good Luck.


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