Spring is here...time to clean!

[shadytrake]

Spring has definitely sprung here in Memphis. We had what I expect was our last cold snap yesterday.

Time to open up the greenhouse...I mean shadehouse.

We took the lights down this week and now it's time to clean and tidy up and hook the misting system back up to the reservoir.

I have so many orchids spiking and blooming! Yay.

I survived my first winter with the makeshift greenhouse.

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[dounoharm]

you had quite a winter for a makeshift greenhouse....you must have done a good job!! i took off my solar pool cover and put on my shade cloth a couple weeks ago, and i have taken out all the non-essential plants....kicked out the philodendron and begonias! i am sure they will be able to take the little bit of cold we have coming.... how did everyone else make out over the winter?? my fuel bill about broke me!!

[shadytrake]

We had 2 months where the electric tipped over $300 but not too bad.

We purchased a few of those 20lb propane tanks as backups and that really saved a little bit of money.

The orchids didn't stay as humid as I wanted, but we had a lot of rain which kept the humidity outside pretty high. We had some condensation issues but really not too bad.

It was really a good learning experience for which chids need to be culled out of my collection.

[fotofashion]

Before the GH gets cleaned, the outside table where my orchids and some other plants will reside, needs to be cleaned and swept free of leaves and potting dirt. We had a very cold winter and I lost almost all the hippeastrum (amaryllis) bulbs in pots on the table. Of course, they should have been planted long ago so my very bad. According to my records, I started taking the plants out of the GH around the middle of April last year so I'm shooting for that this year. We are still having nights in the 40-50 degree range and I consider that a bit cool for the orchids. Practically everything else can start moving out now....hoyas, rhipsalis, ferns, epiphyllums, and whatever else I find in there. Except the desert cactus. They stay inside all year due to our high humidity and rain.
DH is trying to get a decent ventilation system set up for me with shutters controlled thermostatically and a decent exhaust fan. The temps, even now, can get pretty high on a sunny day and I may be obligated to put up the sunscreen soon.
My collection of orchids has grown astronomically since I started putting them in the GH last fall. It is going to be fun finding places for all of them outside but once I do, they will be much happier.
Beverly A.

[Gin]

Tomorrow the top goes on the canopy soon will be moving them out gh needs a good scrubbing and a new roof before I put the Aluminet shade back on ..

[dounoharm]

i am going to have to scrub mine out in july or august...it will have to keep its layer of algae till then, lol...no time right now as i am off traveling again...mom is the new greenhouse keeper for 3 months, she has her list of things to do.....i will miss my gh....

[Connie Star]

Ooooh. I'm so jealous of you greenhouse owners! I want one. But, at least I have a sunny south facing room with a tile floor.

[SOS]

Ive been cleaning all the algae out of the cool cells. The greenhouses need a bit of whitewash after this really wet year. I feel like Im getting sunburned somedays!

[mojomick]

I took my pool cover off about 3 weeks ago. I have lots of spikes but really need to cull some of the herd! Too many plants, too little room. I guess it's a nice problem to have. My friend's thermostat stuck in the on position in Feb. and it cooked all her plants so I am giving her a bunch of divisions to restart. It is still heartbreaking and she can't even talk about it.