You can't bring them inside? Ouch!! What's the lowest temp you see there? The problem is the smaller the GH structure, the bigger the temp varience - hot during the days when the sun shines on it, cold at night unless it's well insulated. I think big temp variations are hard on most tropicals.

Denise in Omaha

I'm sorry, but if you live in Charlotte and keep your plants outside this winter they will die, even in a cold box or small greenhouse.

Night time lows often drop down into the 20's (even teens!) in Charlotte. Most hoyas can't tolerate temps lower than 50 degrees for any length of time.

You could keep them in a heated structure of some sort, but that could get expensive.

Why can't you bring them inside?

I don't really have enough room in my new house for plants. I suppose I could bring them inside on the worst evenings and back out during the day when temps warm up a bit.

I do have a shed out back where I keep my mower and gardening items. It's about a 6'x10' wooden structure with a shingle roof. It has a small window on each of the four sides. I keep the wondows open during the summer to vent the structure, so I wonder if I closed them if the temps inside would remain higher than outside. Maybe I could put the plants in there on the coldest days and nights?

Maybe it's time for me to go buy a thermometer so I can test the temps...

I don't really have room for my plants either... I just cram them around every window to the point where my house looks like a jungle all winter long.

I've installed multiple hanging brackets over my windows for the hanging plants, and the larger plants are sitting on pedestals/stands. You can find nice looking stands and hanging brackets at Lowes or Home Depot.

And I've got a bakers rack for the smaller plants.

When it comes time to water them, I simply carry them into the shower and give them a good drink.

I would be very careful with your shed - it may get very cold in there! If it has no insulation, this is why it gets hot in there in the summer - likely as not it'll get cold in the winter.

Maybe it's time to find another house? :)

We just moved in here a few months ago so I'll have to figure out a way to make do for the next couple of years until we can upgrade again.

My smallest plants are in little 4" pots and are arranged on those plastic pallets you get at the gardening stores when you buy a tray of annuals. Those I could bring inside and find a home for.

My hanging plants might be a different story. My fiance doesn't really want my "jungle" in the house :( We bought this house together and she's been very excited to be able to make all of her window treatments and such to add her 'womans touch'. I don't think she'll like me draping hanging baskets from every window... *sigh* maybe it's time for a new fiance too :) (I'm only kidding. I wouldn't trade her in for anything, in fact, we're getting married this Dec. 2nd!)

One last question. How do you folks get all the little critters off of your plants before bringing them inside? I'd like to rid them of any and all pests (spiders, ants, mosquitos, etc...) before bringing them inside. Would some dilute solutions of Ortho Orthenex work or could I try some Seven spray or something? I've never worried about the critters before because the plants have always been outside.

Thanks again for all your help.

Congratulations, Thirston!!!

Now, perhaps, even though much time and effort was spent on treatments, and 'just so' looks, you can get a stay of execution for a set or windows, or even a ROOM.

One of the thoughts that might help is the 'wall of water' concept. I know that lots of growers utilize gallon milk jugs filled with water, and left in full sun. They store and radiate heat back during the lower temp times. As of yet, I haven't translated that thought to your needs, but perhaps just mentioning it will bring a brain storm in? Perhaps a cold box with gallon jugs of water lining the outside? I've never lived in N/SC, and don't deal with those types of temps.

If you installed hooks in your shed, just for Bad Nights, it may help. At least offer a second option! I like the screw in bicycle hooks, but nearly anything will work, as long as you take into consideration size of pot, weight of wet medium, etc.

Good luck with this, and please, come back and tell us what you did, and how it worked.

PS, did you receive an WebPostMail recently? I didn't know how to contact you, so sent through the intra
GW thingie.

What about some shelves with artificial lighting tucked away somewhere? That way you could put it anywhere indoors that's out of the way. To me one of the draws of hoyas is that they do surprisingly well indoors and even under artificial lights.

There are also little heating mats you could look into, but I don't know how they'd work outside (am thinking in the portable greenhouse you mentioned). Seems pretty risky to me.

I hate to use chemicals but do dose my non-edible plants with a systemic and use an insecticidal soap as well before bringing in.

Best of luck in all your new adventures! :) 'Mare

Here is a link that might be useful: Light Garden

I have an idea! Simple really, but should work. I'll post with some pics tomorrow :)

Thanks again for your help. You got my creative juices flowing.

Cena,
I'm not sure about the WebWhateverMail, I'll look into it though. I have moved since we traded, and don't have the same e-mail address either. I forgot to update some of my webforum info on a couple of sites, this one included, so I might have missed a message if you sent one. All of the plants you sent me last year are alive and kicking :) I haven't had an abundance of growth out of them, but that's surely due to my negligence. Try me at acrafts@carolina.rr.com

Take care.

Well, it's your house too... get your fiance to give you a single room, preferably one with lots of windows.

I've got 4 big hanging baskets hanging in front of my sunniest window, and another 3 (HUGE) plants on stands. You don't need to take over the whole house!

As for getting rid of critters, that can be a tough one. But if you've got a cat or dog, they'll take care of most of the larger critters in no time...

Torajima,
I do have two dogs but they don't seem very interested in small critters. They prefer chasing the squirrels in the yard.

Well, I know it's my house too, but I aim to please :) And I know that plants all over the house could be somewhat of an eyesore. Please don't take offense all you "crazy plant ladies and gents" out there :)

Anyway... Being Monday, my fiancee went to work this morning and I stayed home and worked on my "Window treatment" Do you think she'll notice? :)

It's a little crowded but should work through the cold season. It's an East/NorthEast facing window and gets sunny mornings and dappled sun through the afternoon.

{{gwi:990719}}

That looks great to me! But are you sure that pole can hold all the weight?

And you'll have to figure out a way to water them without dripping water everywhere... I water mine in the shower.

You've got some nice plants there, what type is that on the bottom right?

Bottom right is an assortment. The hanging basket is holding 4 smaller 4" pots. I don't know what you can make out from the photo but these four are sitting in it right now.
H. sp. 'nong nooch'
H. archboldiana
H. arnottiana
H. aff. carnosa

Watering will be a pain in the rump I'm sure. I will either have to remove them, water them, let them drip dry, and replace them. Or I will see about just placing a rubbermaid tote of some sort beneath them and having at it on the spot.

The pole is sagging slightly, but it seems to be holding. We'll see what happens after I water them and they gain a few pounds of water weight.

Hey Thirston,

I love it, so much I was gonna invite you over to make me the same set up ;>) !!

But I too noticed the sphag pots & immediately wondered abt watering. Now that you mention it, I do see the pole sagging a tad in the middle, shall we say bowing slightly? Watering should be an interesting experiment on several levels, eh?

But if were my house I sure would like it. Good luck w/ it & let us know how you fared post-watering!

PS: nice plants, I especially like the Obovata on the right!

I think you've done a fine job, Thirston! She should definately appreciate that you are taking her needs into concideration also. I agree too, that watering could be a problem in those style pots. There are many fine and reasonably priced pots for indoor use available at stores like Target, Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, etc. Appealing to her decorating sense, maybe she would enjoy the challenge of finding some nice decorative pots for winter use on those plants. Done up right, plants can actually ADD much to the beauty of a home. If you go to many open houses, you will see that decorators use plants all the time to spruce up the scheme of the rooms. There are all sorts of ways to do it.
Of course, what you have done already is fine and looks very nice also. I think that is a perfect window for plants. I was just thinking of the watering issues.
Did you get them all in? If you have more to deal with, you could also think of a friend that may want to have a plant or two & give some away. Of course...come spring..you will want them all back. Ha Ha
Marcy

Call off the wedding! Tomorrow is Dec.2nd, the day you said you are getting married. You can't do it. Plants are not unsightly, they are beautiful. I wouldn't even date someone who couldn't love my plants. My poor significant other tolerates orchid bark between the couch cushions, Ferocactus in the kitchen and Epiphyllums in the bathroom. You can't sit down without getting perlite up your nose. This is an omen of things to come!

Love me, love my plants.

I know the "pain" of not having your significant other share in your love of plants :(
But my SO is at least tolerating my evergrowing collection. None of my plants are outside, and we live in a one bedroom apt., so I have no more room for plants. But that doesn't stop me! I just buy more, then I tell my SO that I'll take it to my office. But eventually they make their way back home and I really only have to deal with an eye roll or a sigh. I'll take that....it's better than getting kicked out!
Gabi

Fred_Grow: :) I saw your post too late... just now in fact, so I've already done the deed.

My wife (still feels weird saying that) tolerates my plants as much as any wife should have to tolerate her husbands "toys". She sweeps up the fallen leaves from my indoor plants, reminds me when the outdoor temps are getting below 40-50F so I can bring in my hoyas, and scolds the dogs for peeing on my hostas in the yard.

So far so good with the indoor hoya rack above. I'm glad I didn't leave them outdoors because I've seen now what the cooler temps here in NC (vs. the weather I'm used to from FL.) can do to plants. I've left an experimental obovata outside these last few months and I'm afraid it's not doing very well at all, as expected.

I hate having to keep my plants indoors like this and can't wait for spring to roll around. I look forward to getting my greenies back outdoors where I am able to enjoy them much more.

Take care.

Glad things are going well. Happy Holidays. We've made it to the winter soltice.

Congrats on your marriage! My dh tolerates my plant addiction (barely), and I tolerate his train and sports collectibles.

Have you seen these saucers? They clip onto your hanging baskets if they have an attached saucer and catch the overflow. You can just snap on when you get ready to water and dump later at your convenience, or leave them on all the time.

Here is a link that might be useful: hanging saucers

well to anyone wanting a reasonably cheap greenhouse look at walmart they have a 10 -8 greenhouse for about 200 dollars or i found a nice one online at another greenhouse company for about 260.00 there fairly easy to put up and help keep my eppies warm in the winter along with a heater