No room for more - what do you do?

[Paul Mc]

While there are probably many things I can do to increase the amount of space for growing orchids, I'm also curious what you guys do. Honestly, there are just so many I want to have but I seriously don't know where else to start putting them, lol...

So I'm curious what you do or have done in the past to increase space. Would love to hear your ideas and perhaps implement something.

BTW, a greenhouse is out of the question at the moment, lol... If it were on option - Credit Card watch out!!!

[Zoi2]

I pull the ones that really are not doing that great for me and give them away. I also use less than ideal spaces such as window sills and tables that don't get the best light and rotate plants. Winter really is the pits when you live in cold areas
Joann

[camille1585]

When my windowsill ran out of space, I put a light over an empty shelf in a bookcase. When that space ran out I bought some shelves, and have so far equiped one tier with lights, and as I get more orchids I'll equip the others. I didn't have the money to buy 4 sets of lights AND the shelves all at once!

But the main way to save space is to buy small orchids!! I'd say that over half the collection is mini/compact growers.

And I moved some orchids over to the nice sunny window at work.

[Paul Mc]

I know, the cold here really bites!!!! And I'd die for a huge greenhouse that was at least 100 times larger than my current needs, lol...

Camille, that's a great idea. I currently use half of my basement to house a few orchids but mostly my 80 some odd tropical plants that come in every winter. I must say that I think my house has the purest air around during the winter, and if I want a tropical vacation I just go to my basement, lol...

[greenbean]

I've started doing the same as Camille. Shelves, lights, and miniatures!

I also grow some of the tougher ones in less than ideal spots and once in a while I "purge" my collection (and my regular houseplants) of the ones that either just don't like my conditions or aren't catching my interest anymore. Then I have "room" for more!!

I'm in a bit of a bind now though. I have one semester of college left and I'm looking at jobs and internships all over the country, so I can't make any major investments like shelves or lights because I have no idea yet where I'll be living!

[camille1585]

I was in the same bind Evan. I was wanting (and needing) shelves for well over a year, but when I first thought about it I was nearly done with my degree and had no clue where I was going next. The less stuff to move around the better! Then I landed a 6 month job (luckily in the same town) that again had the same 'problem' at the end. So it wasn't until early this summer when I finally knew that I was staying put for 4 years that I FINALLY bought the shelves!

[Daethen]

Shelves, lights and mount those you can. That way they can hang at the ends of the shelves or curtain rods. I use my window sills and the upper edge of the lower window for small cool loving plants. I also sneak a couple here and there through the house.

[BikerDoc5968]

Hey Paul, I have to say a greenhouse isn't necessarily the answer to any of our collecting habits. I speak from first hand knowledge as I do have a greenhouse and have no room for anything and yet somehow I push this pot or that one closer to its neighbor and drop in another here or there. And no matter how large the space, somehow it seems to be consumed overnight! If it isn't a new plant then it's the old ones getting larger and taking up more space. I've even started using plastic containers and placing the pots inside and extending them over the shelf to make more room. It's getting to where I almost can't walk into the greenhouse without a plant hitting me in the face or tripping over something on the floor. Good luck finding a place in the sun for your chids... I'd offer to help but oh well you understand. In the end, isn't this part of why many of us do what we do with our chids.... what a wonderful thread... thanks Paul.

[greenbean]

I can't stop laughing reading everyone's posts! Of course it has NOTHING to do with the fact that I've had the exact same thoughts and can tell my future will be filled with trying to sqeeze "just one more" plant onto a shelf or windowsill. Not at all.

Bikerdoc is right, no matter how much space you have, you'll just fill it up and need more!

[Bud]

did you try hanging hooks up the ceiling one foot away from the window at 6 inches interval from right to left?
I also did a second table on top of the fist table and bought from home depot wooden tiers and I can put orchids on the tiers and inside the tiers are hanging ones...I lined the table with plastic picnic table cloth thats water resistant and also put rows of humidity trays below the tiers...to catch the drippings from watering