High temps in new greenhouse - Orchid Board

tmaxwell · #1 05-31-2011, 10:51 PM

Hi all,
Just moved the "large" plants (too big for the terrarium) into a 6x8 greenhouse in the backyard. the plants seem to be responding nicely, good new adventurous roots, and some spikes developing. Leaf color is lightening up a bit on most as well. All was going fine until I came home today, and saw the roof vent had fallen closed in high wind. Temp soared to over 110 f. And it wasn't even warm, or fully clear skies. I *think* the plants will be fine, they're mostly Cattleya species, and don't seem any worse for the wear initially, but we'll see. Most had been watered recently, nothing like bone dry in 110f with full sun. That would be disaster.
Anyone have any experience with temps like that in a greenhouse? I'd love to know what I have to look forward to... unless it's bad!

Anyway, went out and bought the auto vent opener, it's MUCH sturdier than the support supplied, and should make my life a tad easier. Fingers crossed!

I have the Palram corrugated greenhouse, by the way, and while it's certainly small, I think it's pretty good quality for the price. ($350) It's going on a foundation later on in the summer, to increase the height a bit... I don't fit inside very well!

dounoharm · #2 05-31-2011, 11:13 PM

my hot spot in my greenhouse reaches 100 degrees regularly....but it is a spot where there are no orchids usually....i moved a big den and epi in that corner today, i fig they could take the heat....the rest of the gh maintains about 95...due to the shadecloth, the under bench plantings and watering,...

silken · #3 05-31-2011, 11:16 PM

I've had our greenhouse hit 100F occasionally. I do have good air movement in there and I've never seen anything suffer from it. I try not to let it happen, and if it does, it's only for a couple of hours. If my milts and masdies got that too often, they wouldn't be happy, but they are in a cooler spot. Mine are mostly catts, dends, phals, paphs and oncids.

DavidCampen · #4 06-09-2011, 12:17 PM

I like the Bayliss brand "MK7 Triple Spring" vent openers.
Automatic Greenhouse Vent Openers & Circulation Fans
I have 4 of them installed on roof vents of my greenhouse. They seem very sturdy and I have expectations that they will surivive strong winds.

Actually, 2 of the 4 are the MK7 Triple Spring Orchid vent opener which open at a higher temperature.
Charley's Greenhouse & Garden Bayliss MK7 Orchid Vent Opener C3505
I have purchased them from Charlie's Greenhouse who seems to be the only U.S. source for these.

RJSquirrel · #5 06-10-2011, 03:56 AM

small greenhouses are prone to high heat bec they dont have any headroom for the heat to escape and why you dont fit so well. you dont need just a foundation, a foundation with 4 ft walls around it to pick the house up in the air. You need the head room in a small greenhouse even more so bec of the fact the air gets so hot so fast and has no where to escape. vents will help but you have found the trouble with small hobby greenhouses already..They are freeeking too hot if left on the ground. you have to raise them up as high as you can off the ground

Orchidflowerchild · #6 06-10-2011, 10:30 AM

yeah, i deal with a hot spot....it's called the state of texas lol. Our ambient temperatures can get up to the 110's. I keep a constant gale going in the GH with fans to prevent heat pockets, and i sometimes will water the plants heavily during the peak heat hours. All of my plants are either mounted or in clay pots, to facilitate being able to water a lot to offset the brutal summer temps.

-Cj

shadytrake · #7 06-10-2011, 02:39 PM

I'm building a DIY swamp cooler for mine. We are having a hell of a summer already. We are breaking records daily with heat indices over 100s!! Aack!

Ericst38 · #8 08-13-2011, 11:06 PM

How did you make the swamp cooler and does it keep the temps down.

dounoharm · #9 08-14-2011, 11:38 AM

with the heat wave we have had the past few months my hot spot in the gh reaches over 100 degrees now....the den and epi that are there are doing well tho, the flowers arent lasting quite as well as in a cooler position, but all in all i am pleased with how well they are tolerating the increase in temp....they are both honking big butt plants over 3' tall and stocky ans stout....i dont think little plants would tolerate the heat as well...but the gh is crowded and i need all the space....so far no plant losses in the gh, but the flowers are fading fast as they bloom, and i have lost quite a few buds, all due to the heat...a swamp cooler would solve my problem i think, but i just cant afford one right now...usually we only have heat to these degrees for a few weeks a year! i have a 12x 24 gh, and it is hard to manage, i cant imagine one smaller not coooking the plants.....elevate your little gh and maybe that will help....

silken · #10 08-14-2011, 12:46 PM

You could try buying one of those inexpensive misting lines. We bought several from Home Depot a few years back. Just string them along the ceiling of the greenhouse and connect to a water line that is on a timer. The mist is so fine that it won't settle on the plants or cause crown rot at all. We had a deck party on a day when our temps were close to 100 and I was so worried no-one would come. No air conditioning in our cabin either. But we strung these misters up and it made a world of difference. They just ran non-stop for the afternoon. No-one even got wet and when a breeze wafted a bit of mist closer to us it was like heaven! It could get you by until you get a swamp cooler. Or just a fairly inexpensive permanent set-up.