Maybe surround everything with diatomaceous earth?

Regarding the lights, why not just get a reflector (preferably with a socket) and hang it from the ceiling using a hook and some thin steel wire? Or of course you could get a standing lamp like this:

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20110903

Or get an envirolite which seems to come with a reflector.

http://www.1-hydroponics.co.uk/grow-lights/envirolite-cfl-reflector.htm

RP1

Hi calvin,

I know what you mean. Up here, we've been getting nighttime temperatures in the 40s (8C) and the orchid room, where the window gets opened at 7:00 p.m. for the night, had gotten down to 55 (14C) just by 11:00 p.m. last night. Always thought Catts were really warm lovers, but they seem to be loving the huge drops. Ditto for the Phals of course.

Anyways, for your bugs, how about a gold ol' drowning? I seem to remember someone advising to dunk your plant until the media is just below the water level. This will either drown the bugs outright or force them out the media, where they'll be easier to kill.

For the water tub, another option would be to buy a self-starting syphon (under $5 at Canadian Tire) and drain it that way in smaller batches. I recycle 10L RO water jugs for this and, while a little bit heavy, the water does not splash all over the place. I'm also looking at my watering systems and having a permanent tube scares me a little. But that's just me.

As for making it pretty, have you ever thougth of drapes? Close them when you have guests, open them when it's just you, because you know there really is nothing quite so pretty as growing orchids.

Julie

The bugs that don't hurt the plants directly speed up the medium breakdown. I think a nice alcohol/soapy water spray on the plant and soap in the first indoor watering should get them.

They make a granulated bait (similar to snail bait) that's geared toward pillbugs, earwigs and grasshoppers. Works wonders! I used to find mine in local nurseries and even some drug stores. My best earwig control so far are the bunches of little tree frogs in the GH. Man, can those little guys eat!

A good spraying and soaking with Conserve will take care of thrips, probably also spider mites (I'd have to dredge up the container and read the label to find out what all it kills). Smell isn't bad at all.

As for emptying a heavy tub of water in the house, you might try to find a very tiny sump pump thing. My DH used to have several he used to drain our koi breeding tank. Submerse the little pump in the bucket, run a short hose to wherever (sink?) and plug it in and let it do its thing. Emptying using a gallon juice container would also work, but would require several trips to the sink until the tub was empty enough to lift, and if you're like me, the floor would require mopup from all the dribbles and spills.

I also have one of those "bump out" bay windows in the living room where I keep my phals. No lights on them so far, haven't figured out how to do that without ticking my DH off big time. They seem to get just enough light reflected from the white house across the way to grow and bloom, but the growth and blooms are nothing like they used to be in the GH. How about those long grow lights (like fluorescent tubes?) on a stand? Not cheap, but should keep light directed downward enough not to reflect too badly into the room.

You do have a project coming up, for sure!

Sharon

Re: shading. Not sure I'm envisioning this correctly. But the compact fluorescent could be suspended from the underside of the top of the windowframe at the height you want it (choose something understated - fishing line or maybe even silk cord). Between the bulb and the room I see two bamboo stakes, which are anchored IN decorative pots with river rocks (or whatever other attractive way you can come up with) - one on each side of the window ledge. Between the stakes stretch a piece of fabric of appropriate width, like a banner, to shade the CFL. Something that lets some of the light through without the glare. I'm thinking polyester silk, which won't rot. You could swag it a little or make it taut - I think taut might look better. Just wind the fabric around each pole until you have it the way you like it and staple or tack it in from the back. It may not be HGTV gorgeous, but it's a decent place to start.

Re: repotting everything. Too drastic. Find a method that will control the problem for now (if not completetly irradicate it), and refine the process over time.

J

You must face the pill bugs in battle! They are a scourge! Tools of the devil. They will ravenously devour the fresh young growing root tips of your orchids, starting with your favorite Ang. I'm not sure where this myth came from that sow/pill/rolly pollies are harmless. They are anything but, I assure you. The only thing worse might be if squirrels had ten legs and could roll into a ball. Make no mistake...ignore them at your peril. I use orthene and recently got some malathion and Merit/imidocloprid. Sevin is supposed to work well on these horrors.

If you dunk the pots, most if not all will come out where you can squish them. (I would soak things longer than 15 min, by the way) But, there are still the evil eggs and tiny nooks and crannies where these spiteful yard-shrimp will congregate. You should treat more than once, a week or so apart. Diatomaceous earth may work well on snails and slugs but i think it only annoys the cursed root-munchers.

I reuse my soaking water (taboooooo), but I usually add a good shot of peroxide to the water between soakings. And if it gets too dirty I'll pitch it. I spend more time managing waters in one way or another than just about anything else.

As for the light, there are too many variables. My first thought was a ceiling hook. I've also used a board propped up at the front of the grow area and clamped a spotlight to the top of it. It may still be ugly but it would be more stable and the light would be facing away from the room. The light won't matter if you don't kill those bugs though. Happy hunting!
-MB

I once had a 150 gallon salt-water aquarium which required 10% water changes every 2 weeks. I had a small sump pump which I dropped in the tank and emptied into a large, plastic garbage pail with wheels. I'd roll that sucker to the sink with the sump pump.

I collect free, cheap plastic food containers (salad, soup) which I sit under the pots and soak the plants. I will also buy the Zip-Lock food containers (on sale) and use those. Plants are not sharing water and they are easy to dump. I try to soak every couple of weeks.

I do the soak for sow bugs, earwigs a few times before bringing in - it's getting cold, I better start this weekend.

Jane