Southern Heat Wave

[vmax3000]

Originally Posted by Ross

Remeber the older posts with the snow? Now we have a heat wave here of high 70s low 80s. I'm dieing Humidity is like in the 50s or 60s and temps are peaking like 80. Man it's hot here! OK, so sue me! I'll be moaning and groaning in November when it gets down below 40.

So, last night, at 11:17 pm, I noted the temp and humidity for you....I am sure Debs can relate! It was 90 degrees F and 66 % humidity....I was thinking "how pleasant, finally"...
I am so looking forward to a swamp cooler. An orchid friend from Austin, Tx keeps encouraging me to get one. He's been keeping his temps in the high 80's when the blast furnace is blowing outside! Currently, my fan, which is the fan and motor stripped out of a rugged box fan, runs 24/7 and has for quite some time. My "sprinkler" is just that, a lawn sprinkler. High tech, I am not..yet! Debs, do you like your Jaybird? I was eyeing one of those just to add humidity without so much water and repotting (that was my hope/thought, at least).

[DebsC]

Originally Posted by vmax3000

So, last night, at 11:17 pm, I noted the temp and humidity for you....I am sure Debs can relate! It was 90 degrees F and 66 % humidity....I was thinking "how pleasant, finally"...
I am so looking forward to a swamp cooler. An orchid friend from Austin, Tx keeps encouraging me to get one. He's been keeping his temps in the high 80's when the blast furnace is blowing outside! Currently, my fan, which is the fan and motor stripped out of a rugged box fan, runs 24/7 and has for quite some time. My "sprinkler" is just that, a lawn sprinkler. High tech, I am not..yet! Debs, do you like your Jaybird? I was eyeing one of those just to add humidity without so much water and repotting (that was my hope/thought, at least).

It's funny how fast we become conditioned to think 90 or even 95 is a cold front!!!

Yes, I have a friend in Austin, TX that keeps encouraging me to get a swamp cooler, too. ( Of course I won't mention Geoff's name )

But I'm wondering how good a job it would do. I read what Gin had to say about using one in Mo.

I know that's what the chicken industry around here uses...so maybe it would work. It would have to be cheaper to run than A/C!!!!

Yes, I do love my Jay Bird!! It does exactly what it says it will do and you can't say that about many things.

So you have a sprinkler inside your greenhouse? Doesn't it get your plants too wet?

[quiltingwacko]

Friends were renting a mobile home one hot summer. They had a sprinkler on the roof to cool it down. Being invited over for dinner we could listen to the "rain" on the roof. It was so hot that summer I am sure their horses wanted a sprinkler on the barn too. Wonder if a sprinkler on a greenhouse roof would help cool it down?

[Royal]

I grow outdoors in Texas, pretty exclusively hot and warm growers. No g/h here -- yet! I am really lobbying my wife for one. I'm going to have to do something this winter (first indoor migration since joining the OB and having my collection explode). So this thread has really caught my eye, as my major consideration for a g/h would be the ability to keep it cool enough.

I've thought about building a convertible - g/h in the winter, shade house in the summer. What do you all think? Should I just go for the full on g/h? I've also thought about building one in the shade of a deciduous tree, but that's just asking for trouble. Hmmm...

Oh, by the way, It has cooled into the 90's today as we are getting the outer rain-bands from Edourd. We really need it, but our good fortune comes, unfortunately, at the expense of others' misfortune. Stay safe all you down on the coast!

[vmax3000]

Originally Posted by DebsC

Yes, I have a friend in Austin, TX that keeps encouraging me to get a swamp cooler, too. ( Of course I won't mention Geoff's name )
So you have a sprinkler inside your greenhouse? Doesn't it get your plants too wet?

Ok, I won't mention his name, either!! I thought you might be THAT Deb....the famous and beloved friend of Geoff's! I had wanted to go with him to the SWROGA show, but my schedule has become inundated with projects and demands on my time. I would have enjoyed the opportunity to meet you! Geoff's friend, Scott keeps pressing me to try a swamp cooler. He said even on the nastiest of days, when the gates of hell were open, that the greenhouse was reasonable. I am gunning for one...because, as your second question implies....YES!!! I can expect to repot a couple of plants a couple of times over the summer. It's a pain, because, as you well know, we lose all that humidity over the winter and I run into the opposite problem, so I want some water retention and a little warmth.... This is one of the many reasons why I was looking at a Jaybird and trying to convince my spousal unit that a swamp cooler would work wonders in my greenhouse and pay for itself in the saved cost of media!! Any other cost saving suggestions would be gratefully entertained!

[libby]

Funny you all should bring up this subject. I have a recently installed misting system. With the fans running with it, it seems to blow water all over the plants and keep them too wet (like water standing in the crowns of phals), so I haven't been using it very much. Does anyone else have this problem, and if so, what do you do about it?

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[Ross]

Originally Posted by libby

Funny you all should bring up this subject. I have a recently installed misting system. With the fans running with it, it seems to blow water all over the plants and keep them too wet (like water standing in the crowns of phals), so I haven't been using it very much. Does anyone else have this problem, and if so, what do you do about it?

I think your "mister" system is not working right or is putting out too much water. Texas Greenhouse Company used to market "fogger" nozzles that I used back when - Texas Greenhouse Company, Inc.: Fog Systems. They were great. I gave them to my dad in Florida and the brown rust in the water plugged them up But they just gave off an intense fog. You could actually sit under them and read the paper and not get wet, just cool. Might look those up. Blow some air through them and they would be an effective "swamp cooler".

[libby]

Thanks, Ross! I will check them out.

[vmax3000]

Originally Posted by Ross

I think your "mister" system is not working right or is putting out too much water. Texas Greenhouse Company used to market "fogger" nozzles that I used back when - Texas Greenhouse Company, Inc.: Fog Systems. They were great. I gave them to my dad in Florida and the brown rust in the water plugged them up But they just gave off an intense fog. You could actually sit under them and read the paper and not get wet, just cool. Might look those up. Blow some air through them and they would be an effective "swamp cooler".

OOOO, me too! I have repotted and repotted and orchids don't like that so much.... Maybe this would be a good solution for both the heat and the humidity without so much the "drowned" effect that I struggle with!
Royal, if you do a "convertible", make sure that your windows have a barrier to squirrels....their propensity to bury pecans in orchids is simply amazing. I grew to detest the little "furry-tailed tree rats"... Spousal unit got a wrist rocket launcher (pea shooter) and would practice on them He got pretty good and hitting their little furry butts! No death, but the contest was afoot!

[Royal]

My only issue with the tree-rats is that they antagonize my dog, who in turn, antagonizes me with here constant barking! The convertible is really just an idea I had, I really want a g/h!