Unless you've been living under a rock for the past week or so you know that
California gets extremely dry. Humidity goes into the teens routinely.
October seems to be dry. This year San Diego County burned, 10 or 12 years
ago it was Oakland/Berkeley. Humidity was 13% for the 3 days Oakland burned.

But I digress.

Of course I'm developing a taste for Masdevallias I've developed a taste for
pleurothallids and live in a dry environment.

I have a greenhouse that I grow a mixed collection in. The pleurothallids I
currently place right in front of the swamp cooler, and they do 'OK'. Not
great but OK.

I'd love to grow some Draculas, Scaphosepalums etc that require light,
humidity coolness - in short everything I can't supply.

I read a wacko idea on the AOS Forum. Get a cheap shower stall from Home
Depot. Comes complete with a glass shower door. Install it in the GH. Cut a
hole in the side for the swamp cooler to blow directly into the shower
stall. Maybe drill some exit holes so the cool air can then exit to the rest
of the GH. Or maybe not. the air would blow up and over the top of the
shower stall and mix throughout the GH from there. Leaving a residue of cool
ait trapped in the shower.

What I'm envisioning is a cold room where I could put a small humidifier for
more intense moisture in the shower. The glass door would allow light in .
The drain would allow condensed water to escape...

Am I nuts? Think it'd work?

K Barrett

Kath,

I'm intrigued! How ingenious can you get? I'm not a GH expert by any
means, but the concept sounds great. Now, if I can talk Frank into putting
that setup out on the lanai, maybe I can grow a few Miltoniopsis. (Right,
in this lifetime there will be a shower stall in the lanai!)

I'll be interested to hear what the GH people have to say.

Diana

On Fri, 31 Oct 2003 22:40:49 GMT, "Diana Kulaga"
wrote:

Now, if I can talk Frank into putting
that setup out on the lanai, maybe I can grow a few Miltoniopsis. (Right,
in this lifetime there will be a shower stall in the lanai!)
Diana

Diana -
You just need to put in the shower as well and down play the
holes to the swamp cooler. "Honey, I just had this put in so you
could rinse off all the chemicals in the pool."
G

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

Susan Erickson wrote:

Diana -
You just need to put in the shower as well and down play the
holes to the swamp cooler. "Honey, I just had this put in so you
could rinse off all the chemicals in the pool."
G


Followed two weeks later by "Well, you didn't seem to be using it much
so I figured I would put some plants in there to get some use out of it."
:-)

Steve

Be sure to take some photo's of Frank's first shower. *G*
Cheers Wendy
"Steve" wrote in message
. ..


Susan Erickson wrote:

Diana -
You just need to put in the shower as well and down play the
holes to the swamp cooler. "Honey, I just had this put in so you
could rinse off all the chemicals in the pool."
G


Followed two weeks later by "Well, you didn't seem to be using it much
so I figured I would put some plants in there to get some use out of it."
:-)

Steve

I think it could work..........but.......

I really believe that it is always better to buy plants that are close to
your natural environmental conditions.

It is always nice to have something different but it takes a lot of work if
they don't fit in or are dramatically different.

But if you are really willing to put the effort in I think it could work.


"K Barrett" wrote in message
news:U4Bob.72527$Tr4.194276@attbi_s03...
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past week or so you know
that
California gets extremely dry. Humidity goes into the teens routinely.
October seems to be dry. This year San Diego County burned, 10 or 12 years
ago it was Oakland/Berkeley. Humidity was 13% for the 3 days Oakland
burned.

But I digress.

Of course I'm developing a taste for Masdevallias I've developed a taste
for
pleurothallids and live in a dry environment.

I have a greenhouse that I grow a mixed collection in. The pleurothallids
I
currently place right in front of the swamp cooler, and they do 'OK'. Not
great but OK.

I'd love to grow some Draculas, Scaphosepalums etc that require light,
humidity coolness - in short everything I can't supply.

I read a wacko idea on the AOS Forum. Get a cheap shower stall from Home
Depot. Comes complete with a glass shower door. Install it in the GH. Cut
a
hole in the side for the swamp cooler to blow directly into the shower
stall. Maybe drill some exit holes so the cool air can then exit to the
rest
of the GH. Or maybe not. the air would blow up and over the top of the
shower stall and mix throughout the GH from there. Leaving a residue of
cool
ait trapped in the shower.

What I'm envisioning is a cold room where I could put a small humidifier
for
more intense moisture in the shower. The glass door would allow light in .
The drain would allow condensed water to escape...

Am I nuts? Think it'd work?

K Barrett

"K Barrett" writes:
Am I nuts? Think it'd work?

No. If you add a small fan that mixes the cold air in the shower with
external, hotter air as needed, you might have something that would
work.

Humid and cold don't go together, by the way. You will get
condensation like you have never seen before.

Geir

Kathy,

There has been an article in some near-recent (last 15 years?) AOS Bulletin
about a guy in Florida who has converted a large floral cooler case to grow
miniature pleurothallids in Florida. He installed a bunch of temp sensors
and fans and lights and whatnot, but the cooling system was already there.
He had a smashing success when it was all completed.

I know this is a big tease - but it at least lets you know people are
actively solving this problem of growing high altitude pleurothallids in a
naturally hot climate.

-Eric in SF

ps. Or you could just move into San Francisco! *giggle*

"K Barrett" wrote in message
news:U4Bob.72527$Tr4.194276@attbi_s03...
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past week or so you know
that
California gets extremely dry. Humidity goes into the teens routinely.
October seems to be dry. This year San Diego County burned, 10 or 12 years
ago it was Oakland/Berkeley. Humidity was 13% for the 3 days Oakland
burned.

But I digress.

Of course I'm developing a taste for Masdevallias I've developed a taste
for
pleurothallids and live in a dry environment.

I have a greenhouse that I grow a mixed collection in. The pleurothallids
I
currently place right in front of the swamp cooler, and they do 'OK'. Not
great but OK.

I'd love to grow some Draculas, Scaphosepalums etc that require light,
humidity coolness - in short everything I can't supply.

I read a wacko idea on the AOS Forum. Get a cheap shower stall from Home
Depot. Comes complete with a glass shower door. Install it in the GH. Cut
a
hole in the side for the swamp cooler to blow directly into the shower
stall. Maybe drill some exit holes so the cool air can then exit to the
rest
of the GH. Or maybe not. the air would blow up and over the top of the
shower stall and mix throughout the GH from there. Leaving a residue of
cool
ait trapped in the shower.

What I'm envisioning is a cold room where I could put a small humidifier
for
more intense moisture in the shower. The glass door would allow light in .
The drain would allow condensed water to escape...

Am I nuts? Think it'd work?

K Barrett

On Sat, 1 Nov 2003 10:25:19 -0800, "Eric Hunt"
wrote:

Kathy,

There has been an article in some near-recent (last 15 years?) AOS Bulletin
about a guy in Florida who has converted a large floral cooler case to grow
miniature pleurothallids in Florida. He installed a bunch of temp sensors
and fans and lights and whatnot, but the cooling system was already there.
He had a smashing success when it was all completed.

I know this is a big tease - but it at least lets you know people are
actively solving this problem of growing high altitude pleurothallids in a
naturally hot climate.

-Eric in SF

Are you suggesting a floral case in place of the office fish
tank. Doesn't that make it tax write off as office decoration?
Hummmmmmm Now there is a thought.

You know the grocery stores redecorate every so often and when
they do they junk all the current equipment - good or not.
Maybe you could pick up such a case reasonably.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

What a group! No wonder I like it here.LOL

Diana

"Wendy" wrote in message
news:EVFob.106495$Ms2.88667@fed1read03...
Be sure to take some photo's of Frank's first shower. *G*
Cheers Wendy
"Steve" wrote in message
. ..


Susan Erickson wrote:

Diana -
You just need to put in the shower as well and down play the
holes to the swamp cooler. "Honey, I just had this put in so you
could rinse off all the chemicals in the pool."
G


Followed two weeks later by "Well, you didn't seem to be using it much
so I figured I would put some plants in there to get some use out of
it."
:-)

Steve

There's a well-known phal grower who maintains a hobby phrag greenhouse
(maybe 10X15') in partial shade right on the Santee River in SC. He runs a
window airconditioner in the house 24/7. You have never seen such large,
lush beautiful phrags. Maybe a small partition in your gh with a small ac
might accomplish the same effect. He said it doesn't cost anywhere near what
you might think, but I didn't ask. Electricity here in the SE is fairly
cheap especially in the electric co-ops. I have no idea what CA prices are
running. Anyway, just a thought from a proven-to-work situation if the
variables are not out of the question.
Gary

"K Barrett" wrote in message
news:U4Bob.72527$Tr4.194276@attbi_s03...
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past week or so you know
that
California gets extremely dry. Humidity goes into the teens routinely.
October seems to be dry. This year San Diego County burned, 10 or 12 years
ago it was Oakland/Berkeley. Humidity was 13% for the 3 days Oakland
burned.

But I digress.

Of course I'm developing a taste for Masdevallias I've developed a taste
for
pleurothallids and live in a dry environment.

I have a greenhouse that I grow a mixed collection in. The pleurothallids
I
currently place right in front of the swamp cooler, and they do 'OK'. Not
great but OK.

I'd love to grow some Draculas, Scaphosepalums etc that require light,
humidity coolness - in short everything I can't supply.

I read a wacko idea on the AOS Forum. Get a cheap shower stall from Home
Depot. Comes complete with a glass shower door. Install it in the GH. Cut
a
hole in the side for the swamp cooler to blow directly into the shower
stall. Maybe drill some exit holes so the cool air can then exit to the
rest
of the GH. Or maybe not. the air would blow up and over the top of the
shower stall and mix throughout the GH from there. Leaving a residue of
cool
ait trapped in the shower.

What I'm envisioning is a cold room where I could put a small humidifier
for
more intense moisture in the shower. The glass door would allow light in .
The drain would allow condensed water to escape...

Am I nuts? Think it'd work?

K Barrett

There's a well-known phal grower who maintains a hobby phrag greenhouse
(maybe 10X15') in partial shade right on the Santee River in SC. He runs a
window airconditioner in the house 24/7. You have never seen such large,
lush beautiful phrags. Maybe a small partition in your gh with a small ac
might accomplish the same effect. He said it doesn't cost anywhere near what
you might think, but I didn't ask. Electricity here in the SE is fairly
cheap especially in the electric co-ops. I have no idea what CA prices are
running. Anyway, just a thought from a proven-to-work situation if the
variables are not out of the question.
Gary

"K Barrett" wrote in message
news:U4Bob.72527$Tr4.194276@attbi_s03...
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past week or so you know
that
California gets extremely dry. Humidity goes into the teens routinely.
October seems to be dry. This year San Diego County burned, 10 or 12 years
ago it was Oakland/Berkeley. Humidity was 13% for the 3 days Oakland
burned.

But I digress.

Of course I'm developing a taste for Masdevallias I've developed a taste
for
pleurothallids and live in a dry environment.

I have a greenhouse that I grow a mixed collection in. The pleurothallids
I
currently place right in front of the swamp cooler, and they do 'OK'. Not
great but OK.

I'd love to grow some Draculas, Scaphosepalums etc that require light,
humidity coolness - in short everything I can't supply.

I read a wacko idea on the AOS Forum. Get a cheap shower stall from Home
Depot. Comes complete with a glass shower door. Install it in the GH. Cut
a
hole in the side for the swamp cooler to blow directly into the shower
stall. Maybe drill some exit holes so the cool air can then exit to the
rest
of the GH. Or maybe not. the air would blow up and over the top of the
shower stall and mix throughout the GH from there. Leaving a residue of
cool
ait trapped in the shower.

What I'm envisioning is a cold room where I could put a small humidifier
for
more intense moisture in the shower. The glass door would allow light in .
The drain would allow condensed water to escape...

Am I nuts? Think it'd work?

K Barrett

There's a well-known phal grower who maintains a hobby phrag greenhouse
(maybe 10X15') in partial shade right on the Santee River in SC. He runs a
window airconditioner in the house 24/7. You have never seen such large,
lush beautiful phrags. Maybe a small partition in your gh with a small ac
might accomplish the same effect. He said it doesn't cost anywhere near what
you might think, but I didn't ask. Electricity here in the SE is fairly
cheap especially in the electric co-ops. I have no idea what CA prices are
running. Anyway, just a thought from a proven-to-work situation if the
variables are not out of the question.
Gary

"K Barrett" wrote in message
news:U4Bob.72527$Tr4.194276@attbi_s03...
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past week or so you know
that
California gets extremely dry. Humidity goes into the teens routinely.
October seems to be dry. This year San Diego County burned, 10 or 12 years
ago it was Oakland/Berkeley. Humidity was 13% for the 3 days Oakland
burned.

But I digress.

Of course I'm developing a taste for Masdevallias I've developed a taste
for
pleurothallids and live in a dry environment.

I have a greenhouse that I grow a mixed collection in. The pleurothallids
I
currently place right in front of the swamp cooler, and they do 'OK'. Not
great but OK.

I'd love to grow some Draculas, Scaphosepalums etc that require light,
humidity coolness - in short everything I can't supply.

I read a wacko idea on the AOS Forum. Get a cheap shower stall from Home
Depot. Comes complete with a glass shower door. Install it in the GH. Cut
a
hole in the side for the swamp cooler to blow directly into the shower
stall. Maybe drill some exit holes so the cool air can then exit to the
rest
of the GH. Or maybe not. the air would blow up and over the top of the
shower stall and mix throughout the GH from there. Leaving a residue of
cool
ait trapped in the shower.

What I'm envisioning is a cold room where I could put a small humidifier
for
more intense moisture in the shower. The glass door would allow light in .
The drain would allow condensed water to escape...

Am I nuts? Think it'd work?

K Barrett

"Bolero" wrote in message ...

I think it could work..........but.......

I really believe that it is always better to buy plants that
are close to
your natural environmental conditions.

Ha.

HaHaHa.

With all due respect, if people were constrained to only
growing plants that grow "naturally", there'd be no orchids in
my house at all. As it is I have an extremely modest
collection but most are happy and blooming for me. They may
not be producing substantial numbers of blooms but I still
enjoy them.

I am a windowsill grower in Canada and we just went through a
bout of -20 where the cold coming off the windows was daunting.
I also have absurdly low humidity in my house. I admit that
there are some plants I dare not try, mostly because I don't
want to accidentally slop water about more than absolutely
necessary, but I think I am doing pretty good for a newbie
hobbyist with horrid conditions.

If there is one thing I have learned about orchids, they are
amazingly tough plants and seem to be able to handle far more
abuse than most would give them credit for.


- Sandy

"Bolero" wrote in message ...

I think it could work..........but.......

I really believe that it is always better to buy plants that
are close to
your natural environmental conditions.

Ha.

HaHaHa.

With all due respect, if people were constrained to only
growing plants that grow "naturally", there'd be no orchids in
my house at all. As it is I have an extremely modest
collection but most are happy and blooming for me. They may
not be producing substantial numbers of blooms but I still
enjoy them.

I am a windowsill grower in Canada and we just went through a
bout of -20 where the cold coming off the windows was daunting.
I also have absurdly low humidity in my house. I admit that
there are some plants I dare not try, mostly because I don't
want to accidentally slop water about more than absolutely
necessary, but I think I am doing pretty good for a newbie
hobbyist with horrid conditions.

If there is one thing I have learned about orchids, they are
amazingly tough plants and seem to be able to handle far more
abuse than most would give them credit for.


- Sandy