orchid 'cage'/bench design
 

okay, so I think I may have found a solution to my outdoor orchid problem. Since I don't want to keep them inside during the summer ( due to airconditioning (which i love to use:blushing: :biggrin: )), I want to put them outside. However, my backyard is not very well suited for orchids since there is practically no shade, other than locations that recieve shade after about 1 pm. So, I am planning on building the bench to put them in that will be right up against my fence, where they would always get shade, except for a short period where they would get full on MID DAY sun. NOT GOOD. That is where this bench creation comes in!

(mind the bad job done in paint)

http://i30.tinypic.com/v4ylxf.jpg

The top will be covered by a piece of wood that will be slightly larger than the top of the bench, which will prevent the sun from scorching the leaves.
And, in order to prevent pests from biting the leaves, the sides will be covered with screening!!

What do you think? Will it work? There is no direct sun, but It will be bright. Will my oncidiums get enough light there?

ps. the picture is better if you enlarge it
pps. the scribbles in the corner are supposed to be a tree and various shrubs:blushing: lol

Great Idea there!! Hope it works for you too!

But mine might work for you as well ;)

I needed to take my chids out of my GHouse and make them happier :biggrin:

So my hubby put our fence and 2 out 3 pieces of lattice that hung there for yrs already, to good use!

Maybe this would work better for you? As they Hold TONS of chids for me!!

This weekend, we are going to attach rollup blinds on there of some sort. So that the late 5:00 sun falling doesn't get them too much, if I think it's too hot for them.

And you can make the top and sides come out as far as your yard lets you, for more shade. Mine is only out 2' from the fence.

Hope these give you some ideas of putting your fence to use ;)

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...9/Chids065.jpg

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...9/Chids066.jpg

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/k...ShadeHouse.jpg

oooh thats so cool! I will look into this as well!

thanks for the tip!!

that looks so good jkelee. i, sure you,re orchids will be very happy there for the summer.
i have mine under a gazebo on a greenhouse bench. they get morning sun and mostly filtered light for the rest of the day
they are growing like crazy.

U bet cha (..._...)!! Sooooo easy to make!! And soooooo Cheap too!! We paid Only about $25-30 for the wood!! And of course the cost of lattice, about $20 a sheet.

Happy building ;)

Snow, mine a soooooo dang happy out there now!! New PHAT roots like I've never seen!! And soooo much new growth too!!!

I think the idea is sound, but I would go with a double layer of window screen on top rather than wood. This will reduce the overhead sun intensity by maybe 50% or so. A good light meter would help here. I suspect the solid wood top will make it too dark inside for most orchids. Even Phals and Paphs take upwards from 2000 foot-candles (20,000 lux). Cats, Encyclia, Brassia, Dendrobiums, Vandas, etc. all will take nearly 3500-4000 Foot-candles. At your latitude, direct sun is not very intensive compared to the tropics.

the piece of wood is there to mainly keep out rain/ potential hail. Since the fence is there, only 10% of the bench would recieve full sun, and only for a short period. I also want to keep my plants away from rain as much as possible, since my plants are primarily in sphag, and I want to make sure they dry out enough.

a good rainshower does wonders to orchids.
i let them get rained on; and wipe off the water with cleanex. but only in the crowns.

You guys have some very brilliant ideas.