100+ F
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. |
100+ F
I used to use a tall sided baking dish to move my collection from the
window sills to the kitchen sink where I'd run water through them, let them drain in the dish drainer, then carry them back to the windows. Eventually I changed out the baking dish for a taller sided kitty litter pan. (unused.) A friend of mine used to use kitty litter trays with a plastic grate cut such that the plants stayed an inch or two above the bottom of the tray, then he used his wet/dry shop vac to suck up any water that drained out over time. I found watering them at the kitchen sink to be much more effective, and it gave me time to go over the plants and inspect them. I did this until my collection got up to 80 orchids or so. Then I moved to a light set up and got some of those humidity trays (for sale at Charley's Greenhouse) and watered in situ. Less time to inspect orchids. Easier to water plants. By the time I had 100-200 orchids I got one of those greenhouse 'tents' which worked really well (I think Charley's has them and Costco has them). Then I built my GH. K Barrett "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. |
100+ F
"K Barrett" wrote in message . .. I used to use a tall sided baking dish to move my collection from the window sills to the kitchen sink where I'd run water through them, let them drain in the dish drainer, then carry them back to the windows. Eventually I changed out the baking dish for a taller sided kitty litter pan. (unused.) A friend of mine used to use kitty litter trays with a plastic grate cut such that the plants stayed an inch or two above the bottom of the tray, then he used his wet/dry shop vac to suck up any water that drained out over time. I found watering them at the kitchen sink to be much more effective, and it gave me time to go over the plants and inspect them. I have too many to do in the sink. That's why I use the dishpan, soak them until thoroughly watered let them drain for a few minutes and put them back in place. I did this until my collection got up to 80 orchids or so. Then I moved to a light set up and got some of those humidity trays (for sale at Charley's Greenhouse) and watered in situ. Less time to inspect orchids. Easier to water plants. Does the water go up the bark by capillarity and become wet to the top? If the water is low my potting bark stays dry on top where most of the roots are. The water has to come up to the rim. By the time I had 100-200 orchids I got one of those greenhouse 'tents' which worked really well (I think Charley's has them and Costco has them). Then I built my GH. We have two greenhouses, a Rion and a HarborFreight, but they go up to 120F by midday. Much to hot for plants in the summertime. K Barrett "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. |
100+ F
Have you thought about the bathtub? A handheld sprayer from the shower
would be easiest, but you could just fill a watering can. Different situation, but the "guest bath" is what we recommend to our customers for vandas that have to be brought in from cold or hurricanes. Do keep in mind that if you put multiple plants in one "bath," you risk spreading any problems you might have. Kenni "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. |
100+ F
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? 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? 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. 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. |
100+ F
"Kenni Judd" wrote in message . .. Have you thought about the bathtub? It would take all day walking them back and forth from the sunroom to the bathroom tub. They're at the opposite end of the house. A handheld sprayer from the shower would be easiest, but you could just fill a watering can. Different situation, but the "guest bath" is what we recommend to our customers for vandas that have to be brought in from cold or hurricanes. There are too many to carry back and forth. That's only workable if you have a few plants or the bathroom is within a few feet of the windows. Do keep in mind that if you put multiple plants in one "bath," you risk spreading any problems you might have. Kenni Same problem with the deep dishpan method as well. :( "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. |
100+ F
"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. |
100+ F
On Fri, 24 Aug 2007 19:51:33 -0500, "Manelli Family"
wrote: 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. When I grew in Window Sills I took the dish pan to catch the drip - but I watered with a hand pump sprayer that held a gallon or two. We had a good number of plants and a 18 inch deep 8 foot tall gh cut in the end of the living room. During the winter the doors were open to the house and during the summer the plants lived hung on a fence under a tree in the back yard. The water was close to the carpet but with a dishpan to catch the over flow I could water in-situ. If you run the hose on the floor of the gh 2-3 times a day. Early noon and about 3 it should push the humidity up and cool the space off. Our gh has not caused the heat alarm with over a week of 96 degree days. We have had a very hot July in the 95-100 degree range. It is surprising how much cooler it is when the floor is wet. Now I do have a crushed gravel drain bed for a floor in the gh. That allows the excess to drain away. SuE http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/main.php |
100+ F
What do you grow in the greenhouses? I would get swampcoolers for the heat
of summer. Cheers Wendy "Manelli Family" wrote in message ... "K Barrett" wrote in message . .. I used to use a tall sided baking dish to move my collection from the window sills to the kitchen sink where I'd run water through them, let them drain in the dish drainer, then carry them back to the windows. Eventually I changed out the baking dish for a taller sided kitty litter pan. (unused.) A friend of mine used to use kitty litter trays with a plastic grate cut such that the plants stayed an inch or two above the bottom of the tray, then he used his wet/dry shop vac to suck up any water that drained out over time. I found watering them at the kitchen sink to be much more effective, and it gave me time to go over the plants and inspect them. I have too many to do in the sink. That's why I use the dishpan, soak them until thoroughly watered let them drain for a few minutes and put them back in place. I did this until my collection got up to 80 orchids or so. Then I moved to a light set up and got some of those humidity trays (for sale at Charley's Greenhouse) and watered in situ. Less time to inspect orchids. Easier to water plants. Does the water go up the bark by capillarity and become wet to the top? If the water is low my potting bark stays dry on top where most of the roots are. The water has to come up to the rim. By the time I had 100-200 orchids I got one of those greenhouse 'tents' which worked really well (I think Charley's has them and Costco has them). Then I built my GH. We have two greenhouses, a Rion and a HarborFreight, but they go up to 120F by midday. Much to hot for plants in the summertime. K Barrett "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. |
100+ F
Hi,
This is a problem that's been solved many times over - swamp coolers and other devices can be used in hobby greenhouses to get the temps under 100. Who out there has a greenhouse where the days regularly top 100? What do you do? Do you just tailor your collection to grow plants you know can take that level of heat? Do you have a misting system that keeps the humidity really high? Plants can take the heat better with more water in the air. Sorry I can't be of much direct help - San Francisco is the natural cloud forest of America, even in summer. Good luck! -Eric in SF www.orchidphotos.org www.plantworld.org |
100+ F
Hi Eric
I have a greenhouse that regularly gets over 38°C (100°F) during summer. Because of last year's drought we were on water restrictions able to only water the garden between 6 and 8 in the morning two days a week and fixed sprinkler systems were banned. I increased the shade cloth cover for the sensitive plants but the rest of the collection (about 550 species from various growing regions both in pots and mounted) had to survive on what water I could give them 2 days a week. I had a large garbage bin full of water in the greenhouse into which I could dip the mounted plants and the plants that needed more water and the fans were running continuously trying to keep the conditions bearable. The water-dipping got quite tedious due to the considerable number of mounted plants hanging around the collection but it helped keep the humidity higher as the water dripped off onto the floor of the house. (I topped up the bin on days I could water inside the glasshouse.) At the end of summer, I had not lost one plant. The new growth on a few of the more thin-leafed, water/humidity loving species had developed accordion leaves, but all survived the reduced watering and lower humidity. In fact some of the plants did better on a more infrequent watering program. I know I can be a bit heavy-handed on the watering at times so the drought had some hidden benefits. I was amazed by how hardy the plants were in general. I wouldn't recommend these growing conditions but most orchids can tolerate adverse growing conditions far better than most plants. I just hope we get a lot of rain between now and the next summer season as our dams are currently 38.5% full and the prospect of no water restrictions are looking grim. I am currently looking at installing a rainwater tank as insurance. John "Eric Hunt" wrote in message ... Hi, This is a problem that's been solved many times over - swamp coolers and other devices can be used in hobby greenhouses to get the temps under 100. Who out there has a greenhouse where the days regularly top 100? What do you do? Do you just tailor your collection to grow plants you know can take that level of heat? Do you have a misting system that keeps the humidity really high? Plants can take the heat better with more water in the air. Sorry I can't be of much direct help - San Francisco is the natural cloud forest of America, even in summer. Good luck! -Eric in SF www.orchidphotos.org www.plantworld.org |
100+ F
"Wendy7" wrote in message ... What do you grow in the greenhouses? I would get swampcoolers for the heat of summer. The Harbor freight is too small at 6' by 8'. The Rion is 8' by 16' so isn't huge either, and don't swamp coolers need a constant water supply? How much would a swamp cooler cost for a GH that size? |
100+ F
"SuE" wrote in message ... On Fri, 24 Aug 2007 19:51:33 -0500, "Manelli Family" wrote: 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. When I grew in Window Sills I took the dish pan to catch the drip - but I watered with a hand pump sprayer that held a gallon or two. We had a good number of plants and a 18 inch deep 8 foot tall gh cut in the end of the living room. During the winter the doors were open to the house and during the summer the plants lived hung on a fence under a tree in the back yard. The water was close to the carpet but with a dishpan to catch the over flow I could water in-situ. If you run the hose on the floor of the gh 2-3 times a day. Early noon and about 3 it should push the humidity up and cool the space off. Nope. It just makes it a temporary steam bath and only a few degrees cooler. No more than 4 to 5 F cooler. That's nothing when the inside is 120F. Our gh has not caused the heat alarm with over a week of 96 degree days. What is your heat alarm set at? When it's 99 and over I can't see how anything other than a solid cover and real A/C would cool a GH. The heat builds as fast as the fans can remove it. We have had a very hot July in the 95-100 degree range. It is surprising how much cooler it is when the floor is wet. Now I do have a crushed gravel drain bed for a floor in the gh. That allows the excess to drain away. How much cooler than the outside temperature does wetting the floor in your GH make? Gravel is what we have in the Rion. Crushed limestone. The HFGH has a brown gravel. Wetting it down will bring the temp down to 115, maybe 110 for a very short time but the humidity is then unbearable... much too hot for plants - or people. SuE http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/main.php |
100+ F
"Eric Hunt" wrote in message ... Hi, This is a problem that's been solved many times over - swamp coolers and other devices can be used in hobby greenhouses to get the temps under 100. But where do you get a swamp cooler? Are these home made? What do they cost? I'm also under the impression you need a constant water supply to the GH for a SC. Because of the limestone just under the surface it's cost in prohibitive. The GHs are not near the waterline. Leaving the water turned on using a hose on the surface isn't an option. We've ended up with huge water bills several times over the years when the hose split and no one saw it for hours - or we weren't home. Who out there has a greenhouse where the days regularly top 100? What do you do? Do you just tailor your collection to grow plants you know can take that level of heat? Do you have a misting system that keeps the humidity really high? Plants can take the heat better with more water in the air. Misting requires a constant water supply. Sorry I can't be of much direct help - San Francisco is the natural cloud forest of America, even in summer. Good luck! The uncontrollable heat was the reason I took all the plants out of the GH this spring. We though the shade-cloths and fans alone would keep the GHs at least the same temp as it was outside, boy were we ever wrong. -Eric in SF www.orchidphotos.org www.plantworld.org |
100+ F
How about using a water metering device made for watering lawns. Set it for
enough water (in gallons) to handle expected needs in the greenhouse plus 10 or 20 percent. Some of these are battery operated and would reset each day. This would go on the spigot before the hose. Sams club carries a 120 or 125' hose that we have left on for months with no problems. Our water pressure runs 50 to 70 pounds per inch. The hose is priced in the mid 20 dollar range. Bob "Manelli Family" wrote in message ... "Eric Hunt" wrote in message ... Hi, This is a problem that's been solved many times over - swamp coolers and other devices can be used in hobby greenhouses to get the temps under 100. But where do you get a swamp cooler? Are these home made? What do they cost? I'm also under the impression you need a constant water supply to the GH for a SC. Because of the limestone just under the surface it's cost in prohibitive. The GHs are not near the waterline. Leaving the water turned on using a hose on the surface isn't an option. We've ended up with huge water bills several times over the years when the hose split and no one saw it for hours - or we weren't home. Who out there has a greenhouse where the days regularly top 100? What do you do? Do you just tailor your collection to grow plants you know can take that level of heat? Do you have a misting system that keeps the humidity really high? Plants can take the heat better with more water in the air. Misting requires a constant water supply. Sorry I can't be of much direct help - San Francisco is the natural cloud forest of America, even in summer. Good luck! The uncontrollable heat was the reason I took all the plants out of the GH this spring. We though the shade-cloths and fans alone would keep the GHs at least the same temp as it was outside, boy were we ever wrong. -Eric in SF www.orchidphotos.org www.plantworld.org |
100+ F
I used a lot of the advice from Charley's greenhouse when I built my GH.
I've provided a link to their tips page. I used their formulas to calculate how large a swamp cooler (evaporative cooler) I'd need as well as how large a heater. My GH was 8x16 and I put Charley's swamp cooler in it which was over kill, but when I expanded the GH to 8 x 30 I didn't have to get a larger cooler. It still works fine. http://www.charleysgreenhouse.com/index.cfm?page=_tips you can find swamp coolers at Home depot or Lowes or google them online once you've seen what they look like at Charley's. I just went with Charley's because I knew I could get one there and didn't want to search. My friend got one at Home depot 3-4 weeks later for half the price. You will have to develop your shopping skills. If they have Graingers in your area they are a resource for thermostats etc, too. Usually at a cheaper price. graingers.com (I think) |
100+ F
"Bob Walsh" wrote in message . .. How about using a water metering device made for watering lawns. Set it for enough water (in gallons) to handle expected needs in the greenhouse plus 10 or 20 percent. Some of these are battery operated and would reset each day. This would go on the spigot before the hose. I think misters need constant water. The swamp-coolers may not. The SC would take up a lot of space in the Rion. I'll check out Lowe's and Home Depot and see if I can find one of these meters. What I really need is something to cut the water off if the hose splits. Sams club carries a 120 or 125' hose that we have left on for months with no problems. Our water pressure runs 50 to 70 pounds per inch. The hose is priced in the mid 20 dollar range. We can't leave the pressure on them here as they split. We've had it happened at least 5 times since we're living here. The last time was this spring. It was an expensive 50' hose from Lowe's. We just forgot to turn the pressure off when we went in for dinner. Several hours later I heard the sound of water running in the pipes when the TV was shut off............ another large water bill. :( Bob "Manelli Family" wrote in message ... "Eric Hunt" wrote in message ... Hi, This is a problem that's been solved many times over - swamp coolers and other devices can be used in hobby greenhouses to get the temps under 100. But where do you get a swamp cooler? Are these home made? What do they cost? I'm also under the impression you need a constant water supply to the GH for a SC. Because of the limestone just under the surface it's cost in prohibitive. The GHs are not near the waterline. Leaving the water turned on using a hose on the surface isn't an option. We've ended up with huge water bills several times over the years when the hose split and no one saw it for hours - or we weren't home. Who out there has a greenhouse where the days regularly top 100? What do you do? Do you just tailor your collection to grow plants you know can take that level of heat? Do you have a misting system that keeps the humidity really high? Plants can take the heat better with more water in the air. Misting requires a constant water supply. Sorry I can't be of much direct help - San Francisco is the natural cloud forest of America, even in summer. Good luck! The uncontrollable heat was the reason I took all the plants out of the GH this spring. We though the shade-cloths and fans alone would keep the GHs at least the same temp as it was outside, boy were we ever wrong. -Eric in SF www.orchidphotos.org www.plantworld.org |
100+ F
"K Barrett" wrote in message . .. I used a lot of the advice from Charley's greenhouse when I built my GH. I've provided a link to their tips page. I used their formulas to calculate how large a swamp cooler (evaporative cooler) I'd need as well as how large a heater. My GH was 8x16 and I put Charley's swamp cooler in it which was over kill, but when I expanded the GH to 8 x 30 I didn't have to get a larger cooler. It still works fine. http://www.charleysgreenhouse.com/index.cfm?page=_tips you can find swamp coolers at Home depot or Lowes or google them online once you've seen what they look like at Charley's. I just went with Charley's because I knew I could get one there and didn't want to search. My friend got one at Home depot 3-4 weeks later for half the price. You will have to develop your shopping skills. If they have Graingers in your area they are a resource for thermostats etc, too. Usually at a cheaper price. graingers.com (I think) I'm going to check that site out. I did order some bubblewrap insulation and clips from Charleys. They came already. Will check out the coolers now. I have to go to Lowe's this week anyway and will see if they carry SCs. What do people that don't have GHs use these swamp coolers for? |
100+ F
"K Barrett" wrote in message . .. I used a lot of the advice from Charley's greenhouse when I built my GH. I've provided a link to their tips page. I used their formulas to calculate how large a swamp cooler (evaporative cooler) I'd need as well as how large a heater. My GH was 8x16 and I put Charley's swamp cooler in it which was over kill, but when I expanded the GH to 8 x 30 I didn't have to get a larger cooler. It still works fine. http://www.charleysgreenhouse.com/index.cfm?page=_tips OK. I checked them out. The air here is not dry but quite humid from spring to fall. It's only dry in the winter but the plants still thrived even with the 20 to 30% humidity. Wetting the gravel in winter with the hose would bring it up to maybe 40 or 45% for a few hours - when the hose wasn't frozen. Then I'd use a 1g spray bottle. These swamp coolers wouldn't help much as they only drop the temps down 5 to 10F for the affordable one. That's not much when you're dealing with 120/130+ all summer long. Also, I don't know how many sq. feet the Rion is because of the roof shape. The larger SC is $590 and needs a constant water supply. Blasting the limestone to run a line is cost prohibitive as is this cooler. We've already spent a lot more than we figured on on the Rion GH, what with all the gravel, cement, rebar, bubblewrap, shade-cloth, fans, heaters, extra weather stripping etc. etc... etc... ad infinitum................ |
100+ F
Yeah....somehow you never know how much a greenhouse would cost until you
build one! As a point of reference....in the DC area yesterday it was about as humid as it can get and the air temp was 100F. The min/max thermometer in my greenhouse was 86.7 degrees as a high. That is about the hottest the GH has been all summer and we have had a couple of days in the high 90s. I have 50% shade cloth on it right now and use tap water in the Swamp Cooler. Tap water is very warm this time of year so the cool is mostly coming from the air movement and the evaporation. Good growing, Gene "Manelli Family" wrote in message ... "K Barrett" wrote in message . .. I used a lot of the advice from Charley's greenhouse when I built my GH. I've provided a link to their tips page. I used their formulas to calculate how large a swamp cooler (evaporative cooler) I'd need as well as how large a heater. My GH was 8x16 and I put Charley's swamp cooler in it which was over kill, but when I expanded the GH to 8 x 30 I didn't have to get a larger cooler. It still works fine. http://www.charleysgreenhouse.com/index.cfm?page=_tips OK. I checked them out. The air here is not dry but quite humid from spring to fall. It's only dry in the winter but the plants still thrived even with the 20 to 30% humidity. Wetting the gravel in winter with the hose would bring it up to maybe 40 or 45% for a few hours - when the hose wasn't frozen. Then I'd use a 1g spray bottle. These swamp coolers wouldn't help much as they only drop the temps down 5 to 10F for the affordable one. That's not much when you're dealing with 120/130+ all summer long. Also, I don't know how many sq. feet the Rion is because of the roof shape. The larger SC is $590 and needs a constant water supply. Blasting the limestone to run a line is cost prohibitive as is this cooler. We've already spent a lot more than we figured on on the Rion GH, what with all the gravel, cement, rebar, bubblewrap, shade-cloth, fans, heaters, extra weather stripping etc. etc... etc... ad infinitum................ |
100+ F
"Gene Schurg" wrote in message news:R8gAi.4157$yv3.34@trndny01... Yeah....somehow you never know how much a greenhouse would cost until you build one! As a point of reference....in the DC area yesterday it was about as humid as it can get and the air temp was 100F. The min/max thermometer in my greenhouse was 86.7 degrees as a high. That is about the hottest the GH has been all summer and we have had a couple of days in the high 90s. I have 50% shade cloth on it right now and use tap water in the Swamp Cooler. Tap water is very warm this time of year so the cool is mostly coming from the air movement and the evaporation. Can you tell me approximately how many gallons of water a day your SC uses? Good growing, Gene "Manelli Family" wrote in message ... "K Barrett" wrote in message . .. I used a lot of the advice from Charley's greenhouse when I built my GH. I've provided a link to their tips page. I used their formulas to calculate how large a swamp cooler (evaporative cooler) I'd need as well as how large a heater. My GH was 8x16 and I put Charley's swamp cooler in it which was over kill, but when I expanded the GH to 8 x 30 I didn't have to get a larger cooler. It still works fine. http://www.charleysgreenhouse.com/index.cfm?page=_tips OK. I checked them out. The air here is not dry but quite humid from spring to fall. It's only dry in the winter but the plants still thrived even with the 20 to 30% humidity. Wetting the gravel in winter with the hose would bring it up to maybe 40 or 45% for a few hours - when the hose wasn't frozen. Then I'd use a 1g spray bottle. These swamp coolers wouldn't help much as they only drop the temps down 5 to 10F for the affordable one. That's not much when you're dealing with 120/130+ all summer long. Also, I don't know how many sq. feet the Rion is because of the roof shape. The larger SC is $590 and needs a constant water supply. Blasting the limestone to run a line is cost prohibitive as is this cooler. We've already spent a lot more than we figured on on the Rion GH, what with all the gravel, cement, rebar, bubblewrap, shade-cloth, fans, heaters, extra weather stripping etc. etc... etc... ad infinitum................ |
100+ F
I bought a portable Bonaire about three years ago for my third g/h!!! It
worked quite well, has a 3 gal tank so you would have to fill it every day. You will have to do some research on where to purchase near you. I got mine at HomeDepot in S.Cal. & was close to $300 http://www.bonaire.com.au/products/products4.html Just a thought, have you checked with your greenhouse company. Good Luck Cheers Wendy "Manelli Family" wrote in message ... "Gene Schurg" wrote in message news:R8gAi.4157$yv3.34@trndny01... Yeah....somehow you never know how much a greenhouse would cost until you build one! As a point of reference....in the DC area yesterday it was about as humid as it can get and the air temp was 100F. The min/max thermometer in my greenhouse was 86.7 degrees as a high. That is about the hottest the GH has been all summer and we have had a couple of days in the high 90s. I have 50% shade cloth on it right now and use tap water in the Swamp Cooler. Tap water is very warm this time of year so the cool is mostly coming from the air movement and the evaporation. Can you tell me approximately how many gallons of water a day your SC uses? Good growing, Gene "Manelli Family" wrote in message ... "K Barrett" wrote in message . .. I used a lot of the advice from Charley's greenhouse when I built my GH. I've provided a link to their tips page. I used their formulas to calculate how large a swamp cooler (evaporative cooler) I'd need as well as how large a heater. My GH was 8x16 and I put Charley's swamp cooler in it which was over kill, but when I expanded the GH to 8 x 30 I didn't have to get a larger cooler. It still works fine. http://www.charleysgreenhouse.com/index.cfm?page=_tips OK. I checked them out. The air here is not dry but quite humid from spring to fall. It's only dry in the winter but the plants still thrived even with the 20 to 30% humidity. Wetting the gravel in winter with the hose would bring it up to maybe 40 or 45% for a few hours - when the hose wasn't frozen. Then I'd use a 1g spray bottle. These swamp coolers wouldn't help much as they only drop the temps down 5 to 10F for the affordable one. That's not much when you're dealing with 120/130+ all summer long. Also, I don't know how many sq. feet the Rion is because of the roof shape. The larger SC is $590 and needs a constant water supply. Blasting the limestone to run a line is cost prohibitive as is this cooler. We've already spent a lot more than we figured on on the Rion GH, what with all the gravel, cement, rebar, bubblewrap, shade-cloth, fans, heaters, extra weather stripping etc. etc... etc... ad infinitum................ |
100+ F
"Wendy7" wrote in message ... I bought a portable Bonaire about three years ago for my third g/h!!! It worked quite well, has a 3 gal tank so you would have to fill it every day. You will have to do some research on where to purchase near you. I got mine at HomeDepot in S.Cal. & was close to $300 http://www.bonaire.com.au/products/products4.html Just a thought, have you checked with your greenhouse company. Good Luck Cheers Wendy No. They just sell GHs. Plenty of other places carry supplies like swamp coolers or some type of A/C we cannot afford as retired people. We hadn't planned to go over $3000 and passed that a few months ago. I still need another large roll of bubble wrap insulation and more clear tape. It's been one thing after another since we built it last spring. Don't get me wrong, I love the GHs but this larger one entailed a lot more expenses than the small $300 Harbor Freight GH. More than we planned to spend and still there is no end in sight. Coming up with another $300 or $500 for coolers or A/C is out of the question. |
100+ F
I have no way of telling how much water my swamp cooler actually uses. When
it runs it pumps the water back over the aspen wood pads. It pumps a small amount of water out into the drain so there isn't a mineral buildup. When I started the Greenhouse 5 years ago I did not see a big increase in the waterbill. I don't think the water usage is much. Gene "Manelli Family" wrote in message ... "Gene Schurg" wrote in message news:R8gAi.4157$yv3.34@trndny01... Yeah....somehow you never know how much a greenhouse would cost until you build one! As a point of reference....in the DC area yesterday it was about as humid as it can get and the air temp was 100F. The min/max thermometer in my greenhouse was 86.7 degrees as a high. That is about the hottest the GH has been all summer and we have had a couple of days in the high 90s. I have 50% shade cloth on it right now and use tap water in the Swamp Cooler. Tap water is very warm this time of year so the cool is mostly coming from the air movement and the evaporation. Can you tell me approximately how many gallons of water a day your SC uses? Good growing, Gene "Manelli Family" wrote in message ... "K Barrett" wrote in message . .. I used a lot of the advice from Charley's greenhouse when I built my GH. I've provided a link to their tips page. I used their formulas to calculate how large a swamp cooler (evaporative cooler) I'd need as well as how large a heater. My GH was 8x16 and I put Charley's swamp cooler in it which was over kill, but when I expanded the GH to 8 x 30 I didn't have to get a larger cooler. It still works fine. http://www.charleysgreenhouse.com/index.cfm?page=_tips OK. I checked them out. The air here is not dry but quite humid from spring to fall. It's only dry in the winter but the plants still thrived even with the 20 to 30% humidity. Wetting the gravel in winter with the hose would bring it up to maybe 40 or 45% for a few hours - when the hose wasn't frozen. Then I'd use a 1g spray bottle. These swamp coolers wouldn't help much as they only drop the temps down 5 to 10F for the affordable one. That's not much when you're dealing with 120/130+ all summer long. Also, I don't know how many sq. feet the Rion is because of the roof shape. The larger SC is $590 and needs a constant water supply. Blasting the limestone to run a line is cost prohibitive as is this cooler. We've already spent a lot more than we figured on on the Rion GH, what with all the gravel, cement, rebar, bubblewrap, shade-cloth, fans, heaters, extra weather stripping etc. etc... etc... ad infinitum................ |
100+ F
The splitting would be the reason for the metering device.
You could set it for 'X' number of gallons. If it split you would lose 'X' number of gallons and it would shut off. Another option might be getting 'sprinkler' system pipe. Either 3/4 or 1''. It is made for constant pressure in ground .You would need to check about using it above ground. Fittings are available to connect it to your outside spigot as are 'u' shaped wires to hold it down. Bob "Manelli Family" wrote in message ... "Bob Walsh" wrote in message . .. How about using a water metering device made for watering lawns. Set it for enough water (in gallons) to handle expected needs in the greenhouse plus 10 or 20 percent. Some of these are battery operated and would reset each day. This would go on the spigot before the hose. I think misters need constant water. The swamp-coolers may not. The SC would take up a lot of space in the Rion. I'll check out Lowe's and Home Depot and see if I can find one of these meters. What I really need is something to cut the water off if the hose splits. Sams club carries a 120 or 125' hose that we have left on for months with no problems. Our water pressure runs 50 to 70 pounds per inch. The hose is priced in the mid 20 dollar range. We can't leave the pressure on them here as they split. We've had it happened at least 5 times since we're living here. The last time was this spring. It was an expensive 50' hose from Lowe's. We just forgot to turn the pressure off when we went in for dinner. Several hours later I heard the sound of water running in the pipes when the TV was shut off............ another large water bill. :( Bob "Manelli Family" wrote in message ... "Eric Hunt" wrote in message ... Hi, This is a problem that's been solved many times over - swamp coolers and other devices can be used in hobby greenhouses to get the temps under 100. But where do you get a swamp cooler? Are these home made? What do they cost? I'm also under the impression you need a constant water supply to the GH for a SC. Because of the limestone just under the surface it's cost in prohibitive. The GHs are not near the waterline. Leaving the water turned on using a hose on the surface isn't an option. We've ended up with huge water bills several times over the years when the hose split and no one saw it for hours - or we weren't home. Who out there has a greenhouse where the days regularly top 100? What do you do? Do you just tailor your collection to grow plants you know can take that level of heat? Do you have a misting system that keeps the humidity really high? Plants can take the heat better with more water in the air. Misting requires a constant water supply. Sorry I can't be of much direct help - San Francisco is the natural cloud forest of America, even in summer. Good luck! The uncontrollable heat was the reason I took all the plants out of the GH this spring. We though the shade-cloths and fans alone would keep the GHs at least the same temp as it was outside, boy were we ever wrong. -Eric in SF www.orchidphotos.org www.plantworld.org |
100+ F
How far 'under the surface ' is the rock?
Bob "Manelli Family" wrote in message ... "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. |
100+ F
one of my units (I have two swamp coolers) has an 6x5 foot pad that is 8
inches thick and a water reservoir that holds about 15 gallons. If the water intake valve is shut off, this reservoir will go dry within the day. This tells me that in a 24 hour period I use at at least 15 gallons of water times 2. This does not include the bleed off tubes and the miscellaneous drips and spills which dumps out of the system who knows how much water per day so I don't get crusty buildup. "Gene Schurg" wrote in message news:oTpAi.30236$Bv1.3801@trnddc06... I have no way of telling how much water my swamp cooler actually uses. When it runs it pumps the water back over the aspen wood pads. It pumps a small amount of water out into the drain so there isn't a mineral buildup. When I started the Greenhouse 5 years ago I did not see a big increase in the waterbill. I don't think the water usage is much. Gene "Manelli Family" wrote in message ... "Gene Schurg" wrote in message news:R8gAi.4157$yv3.34@trndny01... Yeah....somehow you never know how much a greenhouse would cost until you build one! As a point of reference....in the DC area yesterday it was about as humid as it can get and the air temp was 100F. The min/max thermometer in my greenhouse was 86.7 degrees as a high. That is about the hottest the GH has been all summer and we have had a couple of days in the high 90s. I have 50% shade cloth on it right now and use tap water in the Swamp Cooler. Tap water is very warm this time of year so the cool is mostly coming from the air movement and the evaporation. Can you tell me approximately how many gallons of water a day your SC uses? Good growing, Gene "Manelli Family" wrote in message ... "K Barrett" wrote in message . .. I used a lot of the advice from Charley's greenhouse when I built my GH. I've provided a link to their tips page. I used their formulas to calculate how large a swamp cooler (evaporative cooler) I'd need as well as how large a heater. My GH was 8x16 and I put Charley's swamp cooler in it which was over kill, but when I expanded the GH to 8 x 30 I didn't have to get a larger cooler. It still works fine. http://www.charleysgreenhouse.com/index.cfm?page=_tips OK. I checked them out. The air here is not dry but quite humid from spring to fall. It's only dry in the winter but the plants still thrived even with the 20 to 30% humidity. Wetting the gravel in winter with the hose would bring it up to maybe 40 or 45% for a few hours - when the hose wasn't frozen. Then I'd use a 1g spray bottle. These swamp coolers wouldn't help much as they only drop the temps down 5 to 10F for the affordable one. That's not much when you're dealing with 120/130+ all summer long. Also, I don't know how many sq. feet the Rion is because of the roof shape. The larger SC is $590 and needs a constant water supply. Blasting the limestone to run a line is cost prohibitive as is this cooler. We've already spent a lot more than we figured on on the Rion GH, what with all the gravel, cement, rebar, bubblewrap, shade-cloth, fans, heaters, extra weather stripping etc. etc... etc... ad infinitum................ |
100+ F
"Bob Walsh" wrote in message . .. The splitting would be the reason for the metering device. You could set it for 'X' number of gallons. If it split you would lose 'X' number of gallons and it would shut off. I was to Lowe's today to pick up narrow bubble wrap and some clear tape to seal it..... the guy working there said they don't sell these meters. I drove across the Hwy. to Home Depot. No meters there either; that man said they don't carry water meters of any kind. Maybe their larger stores in the city may have them. I'll be going into the big city in a week or two. BTW, the HD out here doesn't sell orchids anymore. :*( Another option might be getting 'sprinkler' system pipe. Either 3/4 or 1''. It is made for constant pressure in ground .You would need to check about using it above ground. Fittings are available to connect it to your outside spigot as are 'u' shaped wires to hold it down. I can look into these also.... and hope they're easy to move when it's mowed back there. If it weren't for the rock at the surface in most places we could have run a waterline to the GHs. We were lucky with the electric's which were closer... only had to go around one huge rock. Nothing can be left over the ground in winter when humidity is so low and it's needed most, or it freezes. Also there's the cold water factor in winter using a hose to water the plants. I carried water from the house all last winter. It was getting old having to go up and down the deck stairs with the watering cans. I think this winter I'm going to have a large trashcan full of water in the larger green house itself, filled using the hose and warmed by the sun. But that doesn't cure the high temps inside my GHs in the summer......... since I live out in the country and have plenty of space the plants may just spend their summers outside. |
100+ F
"Gene Schurg" wrote in message news:oTpAi.30236$Bv1.3801@trnddc06... I have no way of telling how much water my swamp cooler actually uses. When it runs it pumps the water back over the aspen wood pads. It pumps a small amount of water out into the drain so there isn't a mineral buildup. When I started the Greenhouse 5 years ago I did not see a big increase in the waterbill. I don't think the water usage is much. Thanks Gene. I've been doing some research online and read that they're not very effective in humid climates. It's very humid where I live. Think of a tropical jungle. The humidity drops off when the heat starts to drop, around the middle of Sept. The plants have to come in before the middle of Oct. which is our first frost date here. Is your climate also humid? |
100+ F
"Al" wrote in message news:y%FAi.3596$ku.3125@trnddc03... one of my units (I have two swamp coolers) has an 6x5 foot pad that is 8 inches thick and a water reservoir that holds about 15 gallons. If the water intake valve is shut off, this reservoir will go dry within the day. This tells me that in a 24 hour period I use at at least 15 gallons of water times 2. This does not include the bleed off tubes and the miscellaneous drips and spills which dumps out of the system who knows how much water per day so I don't get crusty buildup. I would think since it uses evaporative cooling it would have to go through some water to be effective. And with fans running that coolness would be sucked out as fast as the swamp cooler cools it. |
100+ F
"Bob Walsh" wrote in message ... How far 'under the surface ' is the rock? It varies from the surface to a foot or more. We'd also have to tear up part of the driveway to get to the main water line, then dig that up. It's about 3' down. You're talking a major job for two seniors. Bob "Manelli Family" wrote in message ... "Gene Schurg" wrote in message news:XQJzi.23$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. |
100+ F
Yes, DC was built on a drained swamp. From mid-July through Labor day it
can be very sticky. We also get that nice hot moist air from our friends from the south. I think when they say that the swamp cooler isn't effective they are refering to places like Houston or NOLA. My swamp cooler has a big squirrel wheel fan that moves lots of air through the greenhouse. I'm sure that's helping a lot too. I've visited Krull Smith near Orlando. They have walls of swamp coolers and I know when I stand near them I can tell the difference than the areas away from the cooler. My greenhouse is often cooler than my house..... Gene "Manelli Family" wrote in message ... "Gene Schurg" wrote in message news:oTpAi.30236$Bv1.3801@trnddc06... I have no way of telling how much water my swamp cooler actually uses. When it runs it pumps the water back over the aspen wood pads. It pumps a small amount of water out into the drain so there isn't a mineral buildup. When I started the Greenhouse 5 years ago I did not see a big increase in the waterbill. I don't think the water usage is much. Thanks Gene. I've been doing some research online and read that they're not very effective in humid climates. It's very humid where I live. Think of a tropical jungle. The humidity drops off when the heat starts to drop, around the middle of Sept. The plants have to come in before the middle of Oct. which is our first frost date here. Is your climate also humid? |
100+ F
Well if it is very humid, you could go with one of those small window air
conditioners & a fan to circulate the cool air. Cheers Wendy "Manelli Family" wrote in message ... "Gene Schurg" wrote in message news:oTpAi.30236$Bv1.3801@trnddc06... I have no way of telling how much water my swamp cooler actually uses. When it runs it pumps the water back over the aspen wood pads. It pumps a small amount of water out into the drain so there isn't a mineral buildup. When I started the Greenhouse 5 years ago I did not see a big increase in the waterbill. I don't think the water usage is much. Thanks Gene. I've been doing some research online and read that they're not very effective in humid climates. It's very humid where I live. Think of a tropical jungle. The humidity drops off when the heat starts to drop, around the middle of Sept. The plants have to come in before the middle of Oct. which is our first frost date here. Is your climate also humid? |
100+ F
On Aug 27, 6:15 pm, "Gene Schurg"
wrote: Yes, DC was built on a drained swamp. From mid-July through Labor day it can be very sticky. they don't call it foggy bottom for nothing--!! We also get that nice hot moist air from our friends from the south. yes, the gift that keeps on giving..... sorry, spent the weekend in an un-air conditioned house in NY and my brain is still frizzled. :0 --j_a |
100+ F
"Wendy7" wrote in message ... Well if it is very humid, you could go with one of those small window air conditioners & a fan to circulate the cool air. Air condition a GH? When I win the lottery........ :-D |
100+ F
Ahhhh.
So were not talking about a lot of water. How about a couple 55 gallon plastic barrells, one for watering with a sump pump and a hose. That's what I use in my basement where I grow my orchids only with a 12 gallon container. The second could have it's own sump pump and hose and be used for filling the reservoir on the swamp cooler. If the barrells are dark in color they will hold some heat for cool nights and days. I'd watch for sales for the pumps. You wouldn't need the expensive types. Bob |
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