greenhouses in south florida - Orchid Board

Adela the beginner · #1 11-03-2008, 11:52 PM

Hello,
I am thinking of purchasing a small greehhouse for my orchids to keep them in the back yard. I have gone on several websites searching for one. Most are made of a plastic covering over an aluminum frame. The plastic looks translucent or transparent. Has anyone had any experience with these kinds of greenhouses down here? I'm afraid that it would get too hot inside in the summertime and fry my small orchid collection (which i plan on expanding). Any information is helpful.
Thanks

susiep · #2 11-04-2008, 12:13 AM

I prefer heavy solar screen, because it blocks a lot of the intense Florida sun yet still lets the rain through. It is most like growing in the shade of leafy tree. Also, it allows for more air circulation. I assembled my shade house from wooden arbors from Home Depot and covered them with Solar Screen (in the screen dept). Works great for me. I live in Weston, just west of Ft Lauderdale.

Adela the beginner · #3 11-04-2008, 08:59 AM

I thought about that. I also saw arbor panels at Home Depot and pictured making a small shady area next to the wooden fence. Does Home Depot also sell the solar screen? This would be a great project for my dad since he likes doing this type of work. thanks for the idea.

susiep · #4 11-04-2008, 04:43 PM

Yes, it is at HD. It comes in rolls and is in the dept with the other screen. It is called "solar" screen, thicker and darker. Some people use shade cloth which could be easier and less expensive for a large area, but I don't think it lets in enough air or rain. Maybe some more people will chime in with ideas!

Swamper · #5 11-04-2008, 05:23 PM

I like Susies' idea. Also you might want to go to the greenhouses around here? Im not sure if your here is the same as mine but just ask what they are using and see which one you'd like to copy on a smaller scale.

epiphyte78 · #6 11-04-2008, 06:03 PM

My suggestion is to invest your money in growing orchids that don't require a greenhouse in Southern Florida. Your local orchid society should be a good resource to learn which orchids can be grown outdoors year around.

greg sytch · #7 11-04-2008, 06:40 PM

I live in Tampa Bay, and one of my shadehouses is the "carport" 20X12 that I simply cover in shadecloth at 60%. It creates microclimates of light (higher up is bright etc) and since you are even warmer than me, cold should not be a problem. I just put my orchids on the ground in case of a light freeze and cover with frost cloth. Last year one morning was 29F and there was NO damage at all. Greg in New Port Richey

dgenovese1 · #8 11-05-2008, 12:47 PM

Hi Adela,

What part of South Florida do you live in? On the west coast, I can recommend a company that can build a shade house for you. They actually did mine and the president of my Orchid Society's shade houses...They have pics on their website. here is a link if you are interested:
Hendry Aluminum - Orchid Rooms

The photos at the bottom of the page are of my shade house. The only thing I added afterward was a 40% aluminet shade cloth to the underside of the roofing material. Also, it is built to code and rated for a category 3 hurricane.

Adela the beginner · #9 11-05-2008, 04:35 PM

I live in miami and right now i have the orchids under my patio awning against the house on a small table so they do not get direct sunlight. I don't have mature trees on my property that I can hang the orchids from. I also thought about purchasing some type of shelving unit that can stand the humidity outside in the summer. I'm going to check out the website that you recommended David and see if they can recommend a company here in Miami.

thanks for the suggestions.

The more I read the information in this website, the more excited I get about growing orchids.

Ross · #10 11-05-2008, 04:48 PM

Just my 2 cents. While I don't live in southern Florida (I visited there once

) I have run a greenhouse in southern Oregon where sun shines bright and relentless every day in the dry season. I used a single wall firberglass and Redwood structure and simply removed the ceiling panels and substituted my own custom made slatted panels for shade. Worked great. Nice and cool even in the 104 degree days, and there was no need for overhead protection except sun. Here are a couple links (the company I used is no longer in business):

Greenhouses, Oregon Redwood Greenhouses - Home
Redwood Greenhouses from The Greenhouse Superstore
Sunshine GardenHouse - Redwood Greenhouses

The secret is - the roof panels are removable, and replaceable in summer with slats. I used 65% shade (2" slats spaced 1" apart). You won't need a lot of fancy venting or fans either.