My livingroom grow area
 

This week I was busy modifying my orchid set-up, and realized that I never shared it here, in all my years on OB.

Since moving to this apartment 4 years ago, I just had one shelving unit in front of one of the many windows the room has. Space was getting tight, and I had orchids all over the floor around it. So last weekend I cleared all the junk off the second identical unit in the back bedroom, and moved it to the living room. I was able to organize the plants a bit better. The window behind them faces south, but I don't need sheer curtains this far north.

On the lower level I placed the Paphs, Catt, and large Phals. On the one above there are my Neos and smaller Phals. Above that is more of the same as well as some various minis. Top shelf is the Psycopsis, Catasetums, Oncs, and non-orchids.

In case anyone asks, the shelves are LEBERG from Ikea, purchased 10 years ago. I like them because they go well in a living space.

https://preview.ibb.co/kZ31JU/IMG_Or..._08_25_001.jpg

https://preview.ibb.co/mo1z59/IMG_Or..._08_25_004.jpg

Very nice, clean looking set-up, Camille. The racks do have nice lines rather than being so industrial looking. Are your windows the type that tilt open or swing out depending on how you open then? I fell in love with that functionality when I did a job in Germany back in 2001.

Yes, they're those sort of windows, and I really like them. In the summer nearly all of them are constantly in the tilted position, so it's always nice and airy inside, even if it may still be quite hot.

Nice! I like the shelves, they are quite attractive. It seems like you have quite a good amount of light from that southern exposure. Do you use supplemental lighting at all?

They do get a lot of light there, and despite the dreary winters with often little sun, I'm satisfied with the blooms I get. Last year I got my first Neofinetia plants, and those are the only ones that I supplement with a LED strip, since in habitat they get more light in winter. I'm quite happy with that fixture, so I might get a few more for some of the other high light orchids.

Very neat and clean, Camille! But I always imagined you owned more orchids that that....

You're not imagining things, I used to have a lot more than that! 5-6 years ago I had around 110 or 120 orchids. Then they got too much to handle towards the end of my PhD and so I neglected them for 2 years, I had a massive outbreak of mealies which also brought in a disease, and the end results was that most of my collection was wiped out. I had about 20 survivors, and 2 years ago I started rebuilding the collection.

I now have 60, and space on the racks for about 20 small/mini plants (if I remove the non orchids). I'm much more picky about what I buy now, so that space will probably take a few years to fill up, especially since I plan to sell/trade/give away a few duplicates and plants I don't like so much anymore.

Lovely! Everything looks stylish and clean! Your Psychopsis flower stalks are huge, are they difficult to manage when they get that long?

What a great set up! :)
But what about the other window?

I am very sorry what happened to your orchids. I know from the past years I have seen you post some beautiful flowers.

My Psychopsis is a big pain. The plant only fits on the top shelf, and if I left the spikes staked, they the blooms were nearly in the ceiling and I could barely see them. So I unclipped them and let them arch over, but then there's only 1 specific way to place the plant... But I still want to get an alba Psychopsis!


I don't think my boyfriend would appreciate me blocking another window, and I'm afraid it would be too bright. The other one is smaller, so as the angle of the sun changes throughout the afternoon, the walls provide shade on one side of the rack and then the other, if you see what I mean. I've learned over the years which areas are generally brightest and place the orchids accordingly.

Man, I miss those style of windows. What a nice bright (and clean!!) area you have :)