Summertime humidity

[WeirdGuySeattle]

Hi - I grow in a greenhouse in the Pacific NW. I get a fair amount of direct sunlight and grow under a shadecloth in the summer months (April thru some of October).

We get about a natural 25-30% humidity in the summer, and this is what my greenhouse ends up (I think) in on a normal summer day (after all the vents open up)

I don't have a hygrometer, but I am pretty sure the humidity gets pretty low in summer. My Catts, Coelogyne, Phal (if they don't get burned) & Oncidiums do well, but I think my other plants suffer from low humidity. I am trying to grow quite a few pleurothallis, and a few mounted orchids.

My greenhouse is freestanding, and I only have a garden hose able to run to it - so preferably I can run something with a resevoir.

Does anybody have any recommendations on a humidity system I could set up? I am not picky about if its fog or mist, but it probably shouldn't be a warming / steam type humidifier.

[Bayard]

I use an Aquafogger from Jaybird Manufacturing. The unit is hung high in the greenhouse. It also helps to cool the house in the Summer.

[naoki]

How about a swamp cooler? It seems to be relatively easy to DIY.

[WeirdGuySeattle]

I like the aqua fogger - I guess my main questions have to do with the water supply - how do you handle the garden hose connection - do you just leave your garden hose 'running' - I could buy a really long one and would have to do some diligence to protect from leaks... but I use that hose sometimes for other things.

A reservoir system would be great - but how often do you refill a tank and do you have to hang it high?

A swamp cooler might be good - but similar questions there. I am not sure how to handle the water supply - I would prefer not to have a hose running to the greenhouse at all times, but I suppose it depends on the answers here.

[naoki]

Can you set up giant rain water barrels collecting water from the greenhouse roof?

[dounoharm]

the jaybird aquafogger is what I used in my greenhouse in nc...I love it very much and it worked excellent for over 5 years...and was still running well when I sold it....I replaced the motor once, as someone had turned off the water supply and it killed the motor....it comes with a small tube to use for a water supply which is very long....I put a brass splitter on my faucet, and ran it across the greenhouse to where I wanted it....I put the tube in a piece of copper pipe to protect it....love love love the jaybird, and would not hesitate to buy another one!

[Gene Quinn]

Originally Posted by WeirdGuySeattle

Hi - I grow in a greenhouse in the Pacific NW. I get a fair amount of direct sunlight and grow under a shadecloth in the summer months (April thru some of October).

We get about a natural 25-30% humidity in the summer, and this is what my greenhouse ends up (I think) in on a normal summer day (after all the vents open up)

I don't have a hygrometer, but I am pretty sure the humidity gets pretty low in summer. My Catts, Coelogyne, Phal (if they don't get burned) & Oncidiums do well, but I think my other plants suffer from low humidity. I am trying to grow quite a few pleurothallis, and a few mounted orchids.

My greenhouse is freestanding, and I only have a garden hose able to run to it - so preferably I can run something with a resevoir.

Does anybody have any recommendations on a humidity system I could set up? I am not picky about if its fog or mist, but it probably shouldn't be a warming / steam type humidifier.

If your greenhouse is small, buy a Hydrofogger (or Two) You plug this device in and it spins humidity-laden mist into the air. It has its own mini reservoir and float valve, to keep the reservoir filled automatically. The problem with an Aquafogger is: unless you have a lot of distance between the Aquafogger and your plants, they will be constantly wet..a problem. Stop obsessing over your garden hose, and get a plumber (or do it yourself) to install a 1/4" OD swamp cooler hose bib (in place of your regular hose bib (that connects to your garden hose. Then you can connect a 1/4" OD poly tube to the small 1/4" outlet on the new hose bib, and run it to your Hydrofogger. Yes, these things can leak, but mine never has...just keep the line out of too much hot sun (i.e., bury it or cover it) and it will function for years.
By the way, you'll need a humidistat to regulate the on-off cycles of the Hydrofogger.