Hi from Pennsylvania

[Subrosa]

Welcome! I'm in Schuylkill county now, but I've lived all over PA including a couple years in Pittsburgh. I grow all of my stuff as outdoor plants, but some of them need to vacation indoors for 7 months out of the year. I break my stuff down into categories based upon the lowest temperature I want them to see. My plants that are fine as long as they don't freeze, like Dendrobium kingianum, D. moniliforme and Neofinetia falcata have been outside for a couple weeks now. I've had to cover them a few nights here and there. When night time temps are consistently above 50°F the rest of my stuff comes out. But my real love are my hardy orchids that grow in the ground year round.

[nicc]

Originally Posted by Subrosa

Welcome! I'm in Schuylkill county now, but I've lived all over PA including a couple years in Pittsburgh. I grow all of my stuff as outdoor plants, but some of them need to vacation indoors for 7 months out of the year. I break my stuff down into categories based upon the lowest temperature I want them to see. My plants that are fine as long as they don't freeze, like Dendrobium kingianum, D. moniliforme and Neofinetia falcata have been outside for a couple weeks now. I've had to cover them a few nights here and there. When night time temps are consistently above 50°F the rest of my stuff comes out. But my real love are my hardy orchids that grow in the ground year round.

I've never tried growing outdoors but would love to try hardy orchids.

[Waterdog111]

Here’s a hardy welcome! Hope you all the best with your efforts. If I seem to have any thing helpful to add to your situation you can rest assured I will add my two cents! Anyway seeing as how I live in a totally different type environment it will take an effort, seeing as how I’m barely two years or so in the hobby. I do believe I’ve learned considerably though from the people on this board, and Boy am I grapeful for that. Sure hope you make good choises in your endevors, the best of fortune to you!

[Mountaineer370]

Originally Posted by nicc

Sounds like we have near identical conditions. I agree with needing a light and I'm the same with wanting one that I can live with. Which brand did you go with? I've been looking over the lighting section for ideas.
Also what potting media do you use? I'm considering doing semi-hydro for ease and consistency.

My "plant room" is my kitchen/dining room. I have a good-size oval table which sits in front of a large south-facing window (that has sheer curtains for very sunny days). All twenty of my orchids and my three African violets live there. I have three floor lamps arranged along one of the long sides of the table. Two of them are this one:

Agrobrite Standing CFL Plant Lamp, 27W

That lamp also comes in an LED version if that's your preference. They are a little too short, so I have each one sitting on top of a small box which lifts them up six or seven inches.

My third lamp is a Verilux Heritage, which is made of metal and much more attractive, but unfortunately, they are not made anymore. Originally, they were all that model, but one by one, they gave out as the years went by. The brand I linked above is not as pretty, and I did have one of those give out on me recently after a couple years and had to be replaced. Thankfully, they're not prohibitively expensive, and you can find them cheaper on other sites.

Sorry, I can't help you with any semi-hydro questions, but there's lot of info on that here on the board. I pot all of mine in Orchiata bark.

[estación seca]

One issue with semi-hydro in a home is the work of watering. More frequently is far better. Most people take them to a sink to water, since you should completely fill the container to the rim at each watering, to prevent salt buildup and exchange the air. Another issue is evaporative cooling of the medium during periods of low humidity. This can cause trouble in winter for warmth-loving orchids like Phals. unless you keep your house quite warm.

[nicc]

Originally Posted by Mountaineer370

Agrobrite Standing CFL Plant Lamp, 27W

Thanks. Hydrofarm with Agrobrite T5s were my first light setup. Actually forgot about that brand.
I have several sizes of Orchiata that I mix with other stuff. But I'm so-so at it.

Originally Posted by estación seca

One issue with semi-hydro in a home is the work of watering. More frequently is far better. Most people take them to a sink to water, since you should completely fill the container to the rim at each watering, to prevent salt buildup and exchange the air. Another issue is evaporative cooling of the medium during periods of low humidity. This can cause trouble in winter for warmth-loving orchids like Phals. unless you keep your house quite warm.

I tested semi-hydro way back when I was experimenting with mixes. Did great, better than the bark. But then after a couple years it quickly turned bad. I can only assume it was due to buildup.