Shelving Units & "Mini Greenhouses" for growing indoors. Advice?

[emmajs243]

Alright guys. I really am not trying to totally overthink this. Just looking for problems one might encounter when trying to grow orchids on a shelving unit in front of a window. I would like to do a slightly lighter shelving unit so I can move it slightly away and towards the window during the seasons to ensure they don't get too cold during winter in idaho!

Here are my thoughts on shelving units. Costco has a black metal made one on sale right now, deep shelves, lots of space between shelves, the shelves are just solid pieces of metal (no uniform thick slits) which I kinda like because it helps prevents water from dropping off one plant to the ones underneath IF a spill or accident happens. I am not saying it still might happen but it will be less likely to hit my ENTIRE collection underneath like it would If the shelves had inch thick gaps all throughout.

My concerns, if the shelves are deep And solid (even with them having about two feet between shelf heightwise, will the sun still hit the lower shelves? I guess my thought is that the shelves with the gaps throughout will allow more sun to flow below...maybe not if my shelves are packed with plants?

My second concern is the metal heating up. This would probably be great during winter and still not a problem since they are all on seedling heat mats anyways. During summer however, has anyone had issues with shelves overheating?

Basically, has anyone bought shelving units they wish they didn't? If yes, what made you regret the purchase? Has anyone bought shelving units they absolutely loved in comparison to others? If so, what made them a favorite?

Lastly, I have seen these mini greenhouses (shelves with a clear cover basically. People have then hung clip fans in the top area to keep air flow, there's is a door you can open for more airflow. Has anyone tried these with their orchids? My thought is in my dry climate, it would be a lot easier to keep humidity higher in one of those then an entire house. I don't expect it to do too much in the way of temp besides maybe ever so slightly protecting against a draft here and there but they aren't built THAT nicely.

Thoughts? Recommendations? Ideas or worries I haven't thought of? Regrets? Just looking to avoid buying a large shelving unit then getting it home to find it really doesn't work as nicely as thought!

[Ray]

When I sold my greenhouse and had to keep my remining plants indoors in winter, I acquired a chrome "Bakers Rack" from Home Depot and added a wheel set so it's movable.


I then ordered a humidity tent that fit perfectly over it.


In my case, I only had plants on two shelves, and attached lighting under the shelf above, but with window lighting, I'm sure you'll have more space.

Add a clear plant tray under each plant to catch runoff.

[emmajs243]

Ray!!!! These shelves are my other option on sale at Costco right now! Thank you SO much! I believe the ones on sale come with wheels already and and I am more then willing to add lights if I need to. Or keep seedlings on the lower lighting shelves.

Now what I didn't know is that I could buy a humidity tent that would fit over the shelves I purchase! THAT is an awesome piece of information! That's basically all the "mini greenhouses" are except they come with crappy shelving units!

I did like these shelves, they were sturdier, had the wheels and the shelves do allow for better airflow, to also help keep temp and humidity even throughout (especially if a humidity tent is used) I think they may have been taller and not quite as deep which I figured, deep shelves are great but the sun probably wouldn't hit all the way to the front of the shelf anyways and more to the halfway point leaving me not able to use the entire surface area of the shelf!

Now if I were you, I would pull out a pen and paper and do the exact math to figure out how deep the sun should be able to hit based on the height between shelves BUT! There is a reason I am studying Bio/Chem and not engineering! One word, Math! Hate it! I know, Chemistry has tons of math, that's what everyone tells me But it's science math and my brain is more then willing to do science math and love it all day!

Thank you so much for the help! I'll have to now go explore humidity tents! Oh and you're totally right on the plant tray.

[Leafmite]

I have the same shelves but used S-hooks to fit the lights snug under the shelves to have more room for my plants. I lined each shelve with part of a clear plastic table cloth to protect the lights. I really like the trays and will need to look for some.

[Dollythehun]

We zip tied the lights to the shelves.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

We zip tied the lights to the shelves.

That's what I did with LED strips

[Dollythehun]

Ditto. Cords run to back, ganged together into timer.

[Ray]

Pass on the dimensions of your shelving unit, and I'll get you a price on an appropriate humidity tent.

The company that manufactures and distributes them in the US is wholesale only, but I am a discount retailer of their stuff.

[emmajs243]

Thank you everybody!!! GREAT help and ideas! AND Thank you so much Ray! I am picking it up tomorrow and will let you know ASAP after!

[estación seca]

PS Ray is a chemist.