"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
news:XQJzi.23$Ah3.18@trndny04...
Watering a large collection is why I finally built a greenhouse.

I used to spend 5 hours a weekend watering plants from a dishpan (and
watching football in the fall).

Could you use shade cloth to make a closed greenhouse that would keep the
grasshoppers out but still allow you to water with a hose?

Both are covered with shade cloths. There are fans. Without shade cloths
they can reach 130+ F. The summers here are in the 90s and this summer has
been over 100F in the daytime for weeks now.

The shade cloth
would help to cut on the sun as well but may raise the heat since it would
trap some heat.

Could you carry the collection outdoors and water with a hose and then
carry back into the house?

There are too many to make that practical twice a week. In the summer I
always kept them outside and hosed them, then dipped once a month in a
dishpan when they were fertilized. I did the pan number in the winter also.
I was just wondering how others watered a nice size collection when kept in
a house or sunroom. I had hoped to make good use of the GHs year round but
never dreamed they'd be so hot witn open doors, vents, fans and
shade-cloths. I looked into misting coolers but we can't get water to the
GHs because of the rock just under the surface. Leaving pressure on a hose
24/7 is out of the question.

If you could "find" some bread trays like they use at McD's for hamburger
rolls you could move more plants at a time in and out.

If you are growing under lights and have a drain nearby could you rig up
some trays that would drain into the drain? I used to get some great
trays for that purpose from the companies that make plant carts. With
some basic plumbing parts and garden hose you could rig up the trays to
drain the excess water away from the plants.

That's not possible in our sun-room. I guess I'm stuck with the "traveling
dishpan." :-))


Good Growing,
Gene



"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...
It's been at or over 100 F for the past 3 weeks now. The severe drought
continues, forcing the grasshoppers to go for anything watered. Today I
started to bring my orchids back inside. I think the heat is getting to
them also as they're getting a lighter green.

How do you guys water your indoor orchids? I've been using a dishpan to
set them in 2 at a time but as the collection grows that takes a long
time. I can't use a watering can as the water runs right through the
orchid mix.