Summering Orchids Outside - Orchid Board

jocierk · #1 04-07-2014, 06:07 PM

This will be my first summer as an orchid owner and I was wondering if I could get some opinions on summering your orchids outside. I would probably only want to do it with my Catts, Oncidiums and other such light lovers (Not the phals). I was thinking of investing in one of the smaller portable type green houses to protect them. How many of you use those? Any suggestions or precautions I should be aware of that I might not be considering? I live in Mid-Missouri BTW. Thanks!

shushu45 · #2 04-07-2014, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jocierk

This will be my first summer as an orchid owner and I was wondering if I could get some opinions on summering your orchids outside. I would probably only want to do it with my Catts, Oncidiums and other such light lovers (Not the phals). I was thinking of investing in one of the smaller portable type green houses to protect them. How many of you use those? Any suggestions or precautions I should be aware of that I might not be considering? I live in Mid-Missouri BTW. Thanks!

I just bought another green house at big lots. This one I got was $50 here in my area. It's the walk in one. This will be my first time fr summering my orchids outside as well.

Good luck.

---------- Post added at 05:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:14 PM ----------

Oh the one I have inside my orchids LOVE it. Roots r and new growth r going nuts in there.

cbuchman · #3 04-07-2014, 06:29 PM

I summer outside on a well shaded patio. They love it. You do have to be careful with the monopials as they will get crown rot in a heartbeat. So I often leave my Phals inside. Also, I have a tent that goes over the benches in case of excessive rain.

katrina · #4 04-07-2014, 06:32 PM

I have always Summered my plants outside...orchids and others. I believe the plants really get a boost from the time out in nature. I even put my phals outside...they sit on an East facing porch with a bit of an overhang and they get direct sun early in the morning until about 10am. After that it's just bright. After a heavy rain and/or late day rains you will find me outside tipping phals but it's not that tough and the boost outweighs the risks.

When you move them out...find or create a spot that is protected from any direct afternoon sun. Most can take morning and evening direct but afternoon could burn them pretty badly. Be sure to acclimate them to the higher light levels over a period of a couple of weeks. Meaning...really shady at first and introduce them to more and more light each day...taking it slow so they don't burn.

As for the portable g/h...you don't really need it and in some cases it could do more harm than good. The covering on most of those is a solid plastic that not only doesn't provide much shade but it can end up cooking your plants if it's closed up and it gets really hot. Also, they can be rather light weight and a good strong wind can send it sailing across he yard. Spend the money on a nice shelf that is heavier and won't blow over in a strong gust of wind.

Daethen · #5 04-07-2014, 07:09 PM

I built a cheap shade house and summer mine outside. They really do love it. And with the shade house they get natural rain as well. That makes watering easier and I swear they get a boost from the rain water. My only problem was bringing them back in. Spikes would abort and rot set in. Last year I got a cheap (notice a trend here) greenhouse kit and wintered them in there after some modifications. They are growing like mad!!! And, I am finally getting spikes that bloom!

dounoharm · #6 04-07-2014, 09:56 PM

BUGS! I set out a few a couple years ago, and they were nasty to bring back in the greenhouse....they were epidendrums, and did good in the sun, but I just had to repot them before bringing them back in for the winter as they were just full of bugs!

shushu45 · #7 04-07-2014, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daethen

I built a cheap shade house and summer mine outside. They really do love it. And with the shade house they get natural rain as well. That makes watering easier and I swear they get a boost from the rain water. My only problem was bringing them back in. Spikes would abort and rot set in. Last year I got a cheap (notice a trend here) greenhouse kit and wintered them in there after some modifications. They are growing like mad!!! And, I am finally getting spikes that bloom!

What ere the modifications u made to urs??

Daethen · #8 04-08-2014, 01:10 AM

I had found some 4' x 8' sheets of tempered glass (cheap) and bought a pallet of scratch and dent particle board. Made frames for the glass and painted them then covered the entire outside of the kit with glass. Worked really well. 1 sheet per side, 1 for each side of the roof and one across the back. I made a triangle piece out of lumber and plastic to finish off the back and framed out around the front door and walled it with plastic with a framed 2' x 4' piece of glass for the door. I dug down (well, the hubby did with a skidsteer) about an extr 3 foot and made more head space for shelves before setting the original kit. Kept it 58 at night and set the thermostat to 70 during the day. When it was sunny out it would get up in the 80's.