managing rain and cover

[DirtyCoconuts]

i had a rough summer a few years back and lost a lot of new growths on my catts and dens

i was fool hardy about the way the heat would dry them up and i designed my medium to be rainproof so i was ready for anything.....wrong. when it rains for 4 plus days with no break, that heat never has a chance to dry things and tender shoots can only hold water for so long before they succumb to something.

fast forward a few years and i have reached the point where i am still dialing in the plants and locations but based on their needs

the other night i was given a really nice pat on the back for my work


Untitled by J Solo, on Flickr






only 10-12 of the plants on both tables even have one leaf in the falling water they get soaked but not inundated


Untitled by J Solo, on Flickr



not getting my new growths this year Ma nature!


(waits for the lightning bolt)

---------- Post added at 04:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:50 PM ----------

oh, i forgot the point of the thread, D'oh!

what steps have you taken to handle rain? i envisioned a lot of other option from shade cloth to deflect to plants to plastic tarps. i settled on using the house bc it was just the most solid and easiest.

[Diane56Victor]

That is certainly a lot of rain you get DC.

My plants are under a verandah with several translucent panel along its length.
The plant shelves are right up against the retaining wall and were subject to strong wind, rain and sun at times so shadecloth has been used to give the rear (Western) and one side (North) wall to protect from sun and wind which tends to come down from the hills to our North.

I've since added some shadecloth to the top of the shelving as I felt too much rain was getting in during Winter.

[DirtyCoconuts]

lol just a tuesday in summer


do you find the cloth helps to repel the rain or just kind of cuts it down?

[estación seca]

I run out to make sure the collection containers are turned up so I can catch as much as possible.

[Ray]

DC, I don’t think the rain, per se, is the direct issue, but the constant wetness probably provides lots of “incubators” for pathogens to breed in and overtake the plant.

My plants have undergone a few periods like that this summer, and I have seen no issues. I think my use of probiotics has helped, but I also know we’re not nearly as wet as your part of the world.

[DirtyCoconuts]

this is an very interesting point about the probiotics-

i will look at the timing from the fermentation thread but i think i started my everyday probiotic schedule about a year ago....i bet that has a huge impact as well as the reduce inundation

and you are 100 correct about the pathogens and not the water itself.

[KleeKai]

I’m in zone 10b also. I deal with the rain by mounting most of mine on trees. When I run out of trees, my plan (just a plan so far) is to have Catts bare-root in baskets to help them dry out as fast as possible. My phaleonopsis and oncidium seem to do well in baskets with media even with all the rain.
Keep us posted on your progress!

[Leafmite]

I usually just increase the Calcium and leave them be. Usually, I don't have any problems (unless I haven't kept up with the calcium).

[Diane56Victor]

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

lol just a tuesday in summer


do you find the cloth helps to repel the rain or just kind of cuts it down?

If the rain is what I class as normal the shade cloth does keep most of it off the plants. During really heavy rains with high winds can drive the rain right through.

With reduced watering in the winter I dont find too many problems with standing water as the pots are on a gravel bed in shallow trays that hold about 6 pots. These have a couple of holes in the side so they drain well.

Happily I can store rainwater, we have a 5000 litre (approx 1300 US gallon) tank for watering my plants and the garden.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Wow!! Water goals lol