I like it, it's a cool little setup you have.

Looks to be well shaded but watch for summer, sometimes it helps to put some extra on there. You must be really happy with it, I would be.

Well, it's about time you got back to more serious orchid growing, CJM! Whatcha growing? You used to have morbid tastes, like Coryanthes species, lol.

CJW: Well, I still like the wierdies, but I'm basing my collection on Cattleyas and their relatives, now. I will, of course, still have the occasional Cory or Stan in the GH, but my most immediate goal is to get all of the unifoliate Cattleyas, again. With just the labiate Catts and section Cattleyodes of Hadrolaelia, I can have lovely things in bloom all year.

I do, however, have an order of Dracs and Masd. coming in, later this month....

Bolero: The shade provided is from tall, open pines. I do expect the sun to be quite strong in summer, but I have a sheet of shadecloth at the ready, should it be too bright. Then again, I've gotten pretty good at stratifying the plants such that they high-light plants hang above and shade the mid-light plants, which will be above the low-light plants. I always end up simulating the tiers of the canopy in a GH.

-Cj

Very nice!
I'd love to have one, but that wouldn't stand up to our winds here...or the hurrycanes...*I can say that word now cause we're pretty much at the end of the season. *phew!

Awesome, CJ!

Looks awesome - I'm thinking about making one of those someday... How much did it cost?

Alex

Great job! Lots of room to fill 'er up!

Sharon

Looks great. I think you are absolutely right to start with the greenhouse. Everyone's is different due to differing locations, climate etc and it's well worth while doing a few studies first before you try and grow stuff. I was quite shocked when I analyzed the data in my old greenhouse as to how variable both the humidity and temperature were. This is a real problem in small growing areas.

Good luck!

Alex: $700, roughly, including shipping, misting system, exhast fan, thermostat (for the fan) and 70% shadecloth. I modified the plans slightly. Instead of buying treated wood and building a foundation, I drove a dozen 4' pieces of rebar into the ground a couple feet and then put all of the outside posts on those rebar posts. Then, I drove short pieces of smaller PVC to stabilize the legs on the inside. I also modified the plans for the shelves, so that they are more open. The plans originally called for just planks the length of the GH, but I decided to construct shelves that come up short, so I can keep taller plants at the west end. Also, the open wire shelving will allow me to grow lower light plants on a second shelf below what will ultimately be a primarily cattleya-centric main collection. I can hang mounted plants from the wire I attached to the west wall, as well, with the extra foot or so of space at the end of the benches.

Incidentally, I bought the kit from a company called The Little Greenhouse. I'm sure a google search will bring it up.

Lellie: The testimonials on the website talk about GH's surviving tropical storms and hurricanes. Maybe look into it...

Ifrasier: Yes, having had a couple greenhouses in the past, I definitely know the value of having the GH now, as opposed to running out of space to stash plants, when it's cold and having to cobble a barely sufficient system together.

-Cj

Lovely, you need a resting spot for yourself to enjoy all the 'chids. Mine grown on trees year around, but I think the GH will look nice and plants would look 'well kept'
Enjoy!

orchidflowerchild

Why not post these pics on the Greenhouse forum? Your GH may just be what someone there is looking for. :)

Is the plastic sheeting all one piece, or do you have to piece it together?

CJW: The long walls and roof are all in one piece, and the end walls are each one piece. You fold around the PVC and tape off the end walls, then pull the roof piece over and clip it all down with these pipe wrap things made of thin PVC that are then screwed down. The plastic is quite heavy... very durable. They rate it for two years on the structure.

Sambac: Having grown outdoors as well, I do agree that greenhouse plants can be much prettier. I don't begrudge a few mechanical injuries, though, if it makes for good flowers. I still plan to summer things like Schomburgkias and Dendrobiums on the back porch, where the sun beats down....

-Cj

That's nice!! And cute as it can be too!! I just got my greenhouse finished up in Feb. this year. I've done nothing but play in there all summer....lol. My orchids have done wonderful things in there too, I just love it. Oh, and Greenhouser is right, there are lots of nice folks over on the GW GH forum that would love to see your GH. Enjoy yourself, and hurry and fill-r-up!!!
Pat.............

CJM, do you think you can double or triple the life of the plastic if you remove it during the summer? Or do you need the higher humidity then.

Wow. Congratulations.

This Minnesota resident is drooling. Yeah, can you put a kick-back chair in there for the lovely fall days, leave space on a nearby shelf for beverage of your choice, some yummy snacks, a good book... Late one summer at Target, we got those fold-up camp chairs w/ a footrest attached for about $10. They go in nylon bags and take up next to no space the rest of the time. I could sleep in the thing - well, have. Whitecat8

CJW: Not sure about the plastic lifespan thing... I actually hadn't considered it because I had planned all along to replace it with rigid panels next fall, anyway. Humidity isn't really a problem here, but falling pine branches are, soooo.... I'm just working with what the kit came with until I can afford a more resilient glazing (which is to say, when I get my financial aid refund, next fall).

WC: I once took a nice, cozy nap in one of my old GH's because it was so warm and lovely in there and the outdoors was cold, blustery, and sleety.

-Cj