Hi
I'm in 10 florida so climates are somewhat similar. The runaway biggest problem is heat. I use a shadehouse with no covering except for open lattice. I have a hot water system for the occasional cold spell. and tough out the heat with extra circulation.
I would check around in your area to see what others are doing. Heat is a lot tougher to handle than cold particularly for short periods of time.
Would think a shadehouse would be far more useful and cheaper in your area. gary

Gary's right, I'm in Florida too, and cold is nada. Heat however is a BIG deal. I use a combo of fans, shade cloth and misters to cool the GH in summer. I spent last summer tweaking and tinkering, but all in all, it worked well. My phals thrived in the GH over summer. Intermediates did well for me also. So I think I had pretty good control over the midday heat. But alas, it is my nature to always try and make it better, so I have some more things I'm going to try out this summer where heat is concerned. More tweaking and tinkering...;0)

I placed my GH in full morning sun and I am shaded (dappled) by tall trees by 1:00/1:30pm or so. My heat problem is then over for the day. I'm REALLY glad I did not place the GH in full day sun. The arbor built on the south wall of my GH serves as a shade house in summer also where I hang dens and catts.

I water overhead (auto sprinkler system) early in the morning, then fans (also automated) comes on to dry the foliage. My exhaust fan comes on at 85 degrees and misters come on at 90 degrees and go off at 85 degrees. So at midday, the system holds the GH at around 85-90 degrees. An osolating fan mounted high in the GH runs 24/7/365. The air is never still.

I grew in the yard for years and between the bugs and squirrels and running around all over the place trying to remember where everything was, I decided on a greenhouse where everything is in one place and very easy to care for. I LOVE my GH!!

My best advice to you is to try and visit GH's in your area to see how they are managed. That's what I did, and it really saved me a lot of mistakes (like not placing the GH in full day sun ;0).

If you would like to have a look around my GH, click on "My Page" and then on the link (photobucket).

Good Luck!!
Pat...

I lived in San Diego for quite awhile so am very familiar with the climate. There are some big variations in just a few miles as you go east away from the coast. Lemon Grove is different from Pacific Beach.

The cymbidiums can go in the greenhouse if you have space, but they will do just as well outside as long as they are sheltered from the rain during blooming season.

You will not really need heat unless you are growing tropicals. A space heater will take care of the two or three nights a year that it gets freezing cold.

Get a light meter. Light is good, but it can also be too much, especially if the NOIDs are Phals. Get some 50% shade cloth and fans. What utilities do you have in the greenhouse? Water, electricity, gas?

And as mentioned above visit other greenhouses. Go to the next meeting of the San Diego Orchid Society which will be February 5, 2008. The meetings are held the first Tuesday of each month at Casa del Prado in Balboa Park. Admission is free - anyone is welcome. Beginners Class: 6:30 p.m., Room 104 and the general Meeting: 7:30 p.m., Room 101.

We lived in Tustin for years and had 2 greenhouses: one twinwalled polycarb and one glass. I had to use heaters in both for a couple of months during the winter, but had lots of warm orchids in there (i.e., vandas). Both 'houses had swamp coolers (much needed in the summers) AND foggers (socal can get quite dry during Santa Ana weather).

My biggest problem was with air movement. The large fans with outflow vents dried the GH out too much, so I resorted to many smaller fans arranged around the corners of the 'houses, to get the air going in a circular direction. After a huge heat/electrical disaster in the poly GH, we installed self-opening hydraulic roof vent openers--a real lifesaver. Both also had shade cloth coverings, denser one for summer (cooler, less sunburn) and a lighter weight for wintertime.

Greenhouses are wonderful, but sure take maintenance!

Sharon

Thanks so much for all your input. I have tropicals in there in the winter, plumerias, epyphilliums and adeniums mostly. I have 50% shade cloth over the whole thing and I can roll up the sides as needed. I probably need automatic vent openers, and some kind of air circulating fan for the summer. I have a small greenhouse heater for the few really cold nights we get and it sems to work well with a small fan at the opposite end of the greenhouse.

richardol, thanks for the info on the orchid society. I will try to make it to the meeting.

Pcan, I remember your greenhouse from the greenhouse forum. It is just beautiful. I showed it to my husband and said "That is what I want" But it will take lots of time. Plus, I still need to put my plumerias in there in the winter. At last count I have 95, mostly small ones. But I'm worried about next year.

I live in very close to the beach in S Cal and cold isn't much of a problem only in the coldest nights. Then I fire up my Southern Burner. Otherwise, I try to save on gas. I have a swamp cooler, but I hardly ever use it in the summer. I have plenty of fans and the vents wide open so my catts don't fry. I grow all catts in my greenhouses. All my L. anceps and cymbidiums grow outside under a shade house. If you live in the valley or inland, you will need supplemental heat in the winter and a cooler in the summer.

Pcan - thanks so much for sharing your photo album... your greenhouse is wonderful! It's an orchid lover's paradise! You have it set up so nicely, and organized so well!

We just purchased a 10' x 12' greenhouse from Harbor Freight, and I can't wait to get it set up and operational this coming spring! With any luck, I should be able to have it plumbed for water and heat, which will make it useful for over wintering plants, as well as getting good use from it the other three seasons.

We mostly wanted it for getting an early start on gardening every year, but also for keeping some things during the colder months.

Anyway... I just wanted to say that yours is spectacular!

jodik congrats on the future greenhouse, you will love it.

Be sure to visit the GW greenhouse forum for many tips on the proper installation of the Harbor Freight. I guess the directions from HF (and some of the parts) are not the best but with all the research the members there have done, you can make them snug as a bug in the rug.

I hope you can get it plumbed for water and heat so you can use it year round.

Brooke

Thanks PelicanHead and Jodik!!

And Jodik, please take Brook's advice and visit the GH forum. My GH is the 10x12 HFGH. I just love it and have not had a single problem with it - but - it does need some reinforcing while you are building. My husband built mine with hurricanes in mind. And, of course, you will have to consider snow load and other things perhaps, that people in that area can help you out with. People on the GH forum are very giving with the info, so check them out before you start to build.

Good Luck - Have Fun!!
Pat......