greenhouse newbie in Florida - Orchid Board

jen · #1 10-10-2007, 07:59 PM

Hi everyone, It seems that my disease progressed from an interest to a full blown addiction over the summer and now I've collected so many plants that it would be impossible to bring them all inside. I've decided that I'm going to have to put up a green house and I have alot of questions. I want to decide on the structure itself and ventilation issues first, then I'll think about heating. First, I need to know just how substantial it needs to be. I live in Florida and the coldest it has gotten since I have lived here is low thirties,and even then that is only one or two nights. Normal winter temps are 60-70 day and 40-50 at night with an occasional drop to low 30's. It does not get that cold until Jan and Feb. I would like the GH to be somewhat portable or at least easy to assemble and disassemble as I don't plan on staying in my present home longer than a year or two. I have seen some that are almost like a tent the way they go up...would that be ok for my needs? Do I have to have vents that pop up on the roof or would lots of screened side windows be ok? or do I neeed those kind of vents with the fan in them....I have seen the kind of GH (tent-like) I am thinking of with one or the other of these but not both. I am thinking that the "tent-like" GH's with the fabric/plastic covers would be easier to move than the polycarbonate panels. I have also seen a Solexx model that looked easy. I am concerned about ventilation because it does get quite warm some days, even in winter and I'm not sure if it would be feasible for me to be zippering windows open and shut every morning and night. I primarily am concerned about my Phals and Vandas. I grow Cattleyas and Dendrobiums also but I think they are a little more tolerant, but I do want to move everybody to one location for the winter...except for who-ever is blooming get's to come in the house

. Any Florida greenhouse growers....I need all the input I can get!
Thanks, Jen

cb977 · #2 10-10-2007, 08:58 PM

Hi Jen

I'm in Spring Hill, a bit north of where you are. We get basically the same temps you've described. I don't have a greenhouse but we did add a sunroom (The Orchid Room

) to the side of the lanai. We did not have any heating system installed as it would be used so infrequently. We have a portable electric heater with a thermostat. On the nights the temps are going to dip down low, I set the temp that I want and the heater switches on to keep it at that level.

michael_exler · #3 10-10-2007, 09:15 PM

Hi Jennifer,
You can drop a lot of money in a very elaborate GH or you can inprovise with what you have, both will work.
Since you are not planning on staying long where you are i would go as cheap as possible and save for when you settle more permanently.
When i lived in florida, (just north of you) i built a lathe (shade) house that i was able to cover with bisqueen or plastic in the winter.
it was cheap and did the job very well.
As far as heating, a small space heater worked on very cold nights, while a 55 gal black plastic drum of rain water maintained temps evenly the rest of the time.
The drum was also my watering source for the orchids, that was filled by rain runoff from the top of the lathe house.
Good luck

jen · #4 10-11-2007, 02:09 AM

Thank you both for responding.

Micheal, that is exactly what I was hoping to hear!

I already have an elec space heater (actually have 2) and they give the big rain barrels away at the county extension.

Since I already have the perfect shade/sun setup with my existing pool birdcage, I think buying one of the cheap visqueen tent-like jobs would be the least expensive - I'd love to accomplish this whole deal for around $500-$800. My only question then is how did you handle the ventilation issue?

dougd · #5 10-11-2007, 03:46 PM

You can built a very inexpensive sprinkler misting system as well. Go to HomeDepot and get misting heads and 1/4 tubing. Run the tubing overtop the orchids and back to a spigout timer. Done. Works great for my mom in Punta Gorda, FL. She leave her plants outside unmanagement for weeks while traveling with just a shade cloth and misting system. Many awards have been won.

Charles · #6 10-15-2007, 12:09 AM

I fully understand your quandary. I live north of you also. Florida is weird. It's freezing one night and in the 80's the next day. If you are prepared for the freeze, you will cook your orchids. Then you must be there around 10AM when the sun begins it's day.
I use the shade cloth in hot weather and cover with clear plastic in winter. I use an attic exhaust fan with a thermostat for venting. A space heater should do well for heat.
You can buy the fan for around $65 at Lowes. Wiring is easy, use an extension cord if you are not running too far.

michael_exler · #7 10-15-2007, 12:16 AM

A cheap window fan will be enough to keep the air moving inside the closure.
Be very careful about using AC power around water or auto watering devices.
Always assume it will get wet, so put it above your watering source as well as heaters, cords and plugs.
Be sure to plug into a Ground Fault Interupt (GFI) power source.
Most elctrical plugs you may have located outside should be GFI rated
Another heating option is to locate the fan and heater away from the watering area, and pipe (Duct) the heat and fanned air to the growing area.
It sounds complicated but can be very simple.
Just be careful and have fun.

Charles · #8 10-15-2007, 09:09 AM

Yes. I forgot to mention. Use common sense when doing these things. Water and electricity do not mix. And too small of a cord for too far a distance can get very hot with a heater load on it.
GFCI outlets are a must. And be ready to reset them if a problem occurs. Sometimes your reset is one of many outlets on the circuit, and sometimes each individual outlet has it's own switch.