Humidity Outdoors

[mremensnyder]

My partner and I have recently moved into our first house and though it is in an area we like, it is rather small and I have been informed that we may not have enough space for a large Orchidarium indoors. I have recently purchased some new warm growing species including some leafless, Epidendrum, Maxillaria, Macradenia, Phalaenopsis, and Encyclia. I plan to keep adding similar orchids to my collection. Since the weather conditions here in the Orlando metro area of Central FL are fairly favorable for orchid growing, much/most of the year, I am thinking I can create an outdoor growing area and just augment the local climate a bit during the cool, dry months so that I can succeed with orchid cultivation. I am thinking of eventually setting up a greenhouse for the winter months, but until then, I am most concerned with keeping humidity levels higher while plants are in outside conditions. I currently have the more delicate mounted orchids hanging on the inside wall of some large clear plastic containers with water in the bottom. This works pretty well, but keeping plants humid like this when it gets into the 40s and 50s could be really problematic I think.

Also, any suggestions for the orchids that won't be practical in the plastic containers. How does one increase ambient humidity outside?

I may just need to create a greenhouse with orchid favorable conditions built in for the months of November-March. Thoughts?

[WhiteRabbit]

Drier is fine / good with lower temps.
Honestly, I have a lot of orchids outside in hot, dry summer weather, and most do well and only need water more frequently.

[ollypolly]

I misted my orchids in winter and and lost the growing tip of my vanilla to rot. So I would think during cooler temps the natural outdoor humidity levels should be okay even if they are lower. In the warmer months you can always raise the humidity by wetting the ground around where the orchids are.

[euplusia]

In my old greenhouse I had installed a humidifier. It was switched on by a programmable clock. But a constant high humidity is dangerous as for bacterial and fungus infections. In the end I ran it only in the early morning hours, with the fog raising from the ground.
In my new greenhouse I did not install a humidifier. I grow more on the dry side as mother nature does. It is impossible to attain the air exchange of a tropical mounain forest in a greenhouse.
The purpose is to give the plants what they need and not to copy nature.
But all depends very much upon the plants you grow and your climate and microclimate. Each growing area and each greenhouse has characteristics of their own. I used to visit other greenhouses of orchid lovers in our local area, smell the air, study the growing techniques and discuss results. It is a lot about trial and error.

[mremensnyder]

Thank you for the responses. The more delicate mounted orchids have been kept hanging low in large clear Tupperware containers with 1/2" water in the bottom and this has seemed to help as everything is healthy despite the cooler temperatures. I have been misting all the orchids thoroughly with distilled water mostly earlier in the day so that the orchids aren't wet when it gets dark. Every third day, I add a very dilute fertilizer to the water. When we had a night in the low 40s a couple weeks ago, I brought most everything in one room of the house with a heater and kept this one room toasty. Looks like I will be doing this again next week and until I get a proper greenhouse.

Today is cool and overcast (mid 60s) but the humidity is high so at least I have that going for me. I really enjoy the cooler weather.

I did just notice last night that my Macradenia lutescens had suddenly developed a bad fungal infection as most of the leaves had clear wet spots when held up to the light. I knew if I didn't address this immediately that I would lose the tiny $26 plant I just bought! I had suspected I was keeping this one too wet, so I wasn't that surprised. I think I was able to save the small plant since I separated the one unaffected new growth with healthy roots, soaked it in propaconazole solution and mounted it dry (no sphagnum) onto a piece of oak bark. Lets hope I caught the infection in time.

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[RNCollins]

mremensnyder,

This company sells small greenhouses... Just to give you some ideas to see what you could do for the winter. They are located in Oregon, but I am sure you could find something equilavent in Florida where you live.

Greenhouse Kits and Greenhouse and Garden Supplies