Best Greenhouse Poly Color?
 

Hello all! I’ve decided to get a tent greenhouse this summer, to experiment with the best location in my yard before I spend the big bucks on a permanent structure. I’ve got a variety of orchids indoors right now, and I’m trying to decide on a tent with green poly or white for their summer home.

I’m in U.S. Zone 8b, so my summers are very hot, VERY humid, and most of the day has quite strong sunlight. I’ll also put in a misting fan for airflow, no matter what.

I’d love to hear any recommendations for color, brand, or from anyone who has a greenhouse in my zone. I’ve never had even a temporary one and would appreciate any advice or info y’all have. Thanks!

I suggest white/clear. Then add shade cloth, as-needed, to control the light and help reduce heat buildup. Roll-up sides or large zippered windows are helpful to have.

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

I'm not clear on what you mean. Do you mean fully opaque plastic in white or green? Or do you mean something else? Most people us transparent, colorless film for greenhouses.

With your summer conditions, a tent of shade cloth would be sufficient.

Be sure you have enough indoor space for the winter.

The Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) segment of the spectrum is generally accepted as all wavelengths between 400 & 700 nm (blue to red). If you apply a green film to the structure, only the related green wavelengths near the middle of that range will get through.

A white film is better in that regard, but will decrease the light intensity significantly. In the middle of the bright summer day, that might be fine, but when it’s overcast, the light intensity might be entirely too low.