WHOA!!!!!!!

"My family asks me from time to time why I don't put up a greenhouse" AND
YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE SO!?!?!?!

Gee. I wish that was what I hear on the subject.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies. Books, Artwork, and lots of Free Info!


"C. Berlin" wrote in message
news:LK4Xj.7701$0h.4097@trnddc02...
My back "porch" is really a deck with a railing. I've put up some lattice
work above where the orchids go, but there's no framework to further
enclose this. My family asks me from time to time why I don't put up a
greenhouse. I know that I'll never get to the next level of orchid growing
without doing this, but it seems like this would then take a very large
amount of time, energy, and expense to go forward with and maintain.
While the rewards would be potentially great, I think that at this point
I'm at about the right homeostasis for energy expended vs. enjoyment
gleaned.
Thanks for your suggestion.
Chuck Berlin

"v_coerulea" wrote in message
...
Could you look into adding some polycarbonate sheets onto your back
porch? They can be made removeable and cut to any size to fit the
openings you have. That way you can have an unheated sun room in the
winter, move your plants out in Spring without worry and then remove them
for the summer. Here in SC, plants like amaryllis, cymbidiums, azaleas,
and primulas bloom all winter on the back porch visible through the
sliding glass doors. If the temps go below 20 outdoors (a few times a
winter) then we either move the plants in or crack the door to circulate
some heat to the porch. Twinwall holds in the heat very well and has been
a great investment.
Gary

"C. Berlin" wrote in message
news:KANUj.24551$qW.13459@trnddc06...
I have a small collection with a lot of phals, and a few dendrobiums,
paphs, cymbidiums, masdevalias, oncidiums, lc, and a brassia,
odontoglossum, angraecum, and a vanda.
They spend all winter on shelves in front of patio door windows, and
all summer on my back porch.
My question is when is a good point to move them outside? I live in
Pittsburgh, PA, and nights here are now mostly in the 50's, occasionally
in the high 40's. I know of course that different species have
different requirements here. I've put the masdevalias out already but
none of the rest yet. What I've read would seem to suggest that the
cymbidiums could also probably go out now, maybe I should wait another
week or two on the phals, and hold back the vanda and agraecum awhile
later. I will appreciate any suggestions from the amazing collective
experience that you all bring to this newsgroup.
Thanks,
Chuck Berlin