Growing outdoors

[Orchidgirl83]

I want to grow my orchids outside this summer, but I do not have a greenhouse. I am hoping that you all can give me some suggestions on what will work. I do not have the money or space for a traditional greenhouse.

I want something fairly small (I currently have 13 orchids, and will probably only get a few more), that can be stored away during storms and winter. I am thinking of putting the orchids on my deck, which gets sun in the morning, and evening, and is at least patially shaded by the house midday.

I live in zone 8a/b, near the coast. It is very humid here in the summer, and it does get up near 100*f in July and August.

Thank you all for looking at this!

[billc]

Originally Posted by Orchidgirl83

(I currently have 13 orchids, and will probably only get a few more)

Check back in a year and I'll bet you have 30 or 40.

My orchids love it outside, but you have to be real careful about the sun. Very few we grow indoors want direct outside sunlight.
What kind of orchids do you have and which coast are you on?
I keep mine on a tree shaded deck under an umbrella, mostly paphs. Phals I keep on a breezeway that never gets direct sun.
You can hang them from trees if you have any low branches.

Bill

[Orchidgirl83]

I am on the east coast (VA). I have phals, catts, oncidium, and a paph.
I have one tree with low enough branches, but it is usually full of spiders, and I am deathly afraid of them. I had never thought of using an umbrella!!

[orchidsarefun]

I use wooden broom handles to position/lodge in the trees and I hang paphs, catts and zygos from them. Filtered sun.
All others (some phals, oncids ) are on eggcrate placed under shrubs that also get filtered sun.
Fertilise with dynamite granules.
I water with a hose early morning when it hasn't rained.
There is a lot of air movement....

You really have to be careful about the level of sun. Whichever site you choose, you need to monitor the sun levels at all times of the day and then choose or provide shade cloth.

All the orchids love it. I think that even if temps go over 90f for a few nights, its OK because there is always a degree of wind to cool the plants.....and its Chicago-type weather !

[Orchid126]

Here in New Jersey I hang my catts from the branches of a large evergreen where they get good morning sun and then bright light the rest of the day. This would be too strong for phals. They go on the back screened-in porch.

You don't need anything special to house them in. Just be sure to give each type of orchid the light they need and acclimate them gradually so that they
don't sun burn.

Will they get troubled by critters? Possibly, but a couple of treatments will usually do away with them and then you can bring them back indoors for the colder months.