Some pendant species Catts...

[katrina]

Originally Posted by euplusia

Dedicated growers always find a solution.
And your plants get the proper amount of light to stay healthy and flower well. I am impressed.

Thanks!

[No-Pro-mwa]

Very beautiful plants and your growing area is just great.

[katrina]

Originally Posted by No-Pro-mwa

Very beautiful plants and your growing area is just great.

Thanks so much!

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by katrina

Thanks everyone!!

isurus -- Yep, you see the water catch thingee there. I moved the plant from it's regular spot to get the pic...and I did it while I was watering. Those catch thingees come apart and are kept in the storage room when not in use.

My mount stations are vertical units hung under HO T5s at windows...so natural light AND HO T5. They spend the colder months in these spots and when it warms up all my plants go outside.
Here's a pic...to give you an idea of the area. The L window faces East and the other window is South facing.


This is just one corner of my grow space. Most of my shelving units also have trays that drain into buckets. Hubby built these for me last year and since then...my watering/fert takes SO MUCH less time.

Thanks again for the great comment everyone.

Wow, this is cool! My grow racks look very similar to yours, but I gotta ask: At what point do you get a greenhouse??

[Optimist]

Ingenious set up! Thanks for sharing.

[katrina]

Originally Posted by isurus79

Wow, this is cool! My grow racks look very similar to yours, but I gotta ask: At what point do you get a greenhouse??

You knoooooow....I'm not sure if I'll do a g/h. I know, I know...sacrilege for an orchid grower, right? XD

I used to want a g/h but after hanging out w/some friends who have g/h's, well, quite frankly, the cost to heat and cool those spaces...it freaks me out. Heating in the Winter is bad enough but add in what it cost to keep them from cooking in the Summer...Cha-Ching! Plus, unless I opt to install supp light in the g/h then I deal w/a LOT of gray days and no sun throughout the Winter.

I'm actually leaning more toward a fully equipped/outfitted/tricked out basement grow space. One that will allow me to water in place (proper drainage system) and one that has a water collecting system from the roof to a holding tank in the basement. Of course, w/the proper protection so none of it injures/harms/causes problems in the rest of the house.

I like the "control" I have growing under lights but I'd like to be able to do it in a more water friendly area. None of which will be in this house. We are planning a move...build to suit for my grow space and hubby's woodworking work shop...in a few years. So, whatever I end up doing will be done at the next place.

For now...I just try to make the best of what I have. Some people think I'm nuts...plant people usually think it's great.

Glad you guys like it.

[No-Pro-mwa]

Originally Posted by katrina

You knoooooow....I'm not sure if I'll do a g/h. I know, I know...sacrilege for an orchid grower, right? XD

I used to want a g/h but after hanging out w/some friends who have g/h's, well, quite frankly, the cost to heat and cool those spaces...it freaks me out. Heating in the Winter is bad enough but add in what it cost to keep them from cooking in the Summer...Cha-Ching! Plus, unless I opt to install supp light in the g/h then I deal w/a LOT of gray days and no sun throughout the Winter.

I'm actually leaning more toward a fully equipped/outfitted/tricked out basement grow space. One that will allow me to water in place (proper drainage system) and one that has a water collecting system from the roof to a holding tank in the basement. Of course, w/the proper protection so none of it injures/harms/causes problems in the rest of the house.

I like the "control" I have growing under lights but I'd like to be able to do it in a more water friendly area. None of which will be in this house. We are planning a move...build to suit for my grow space and hubby's woodworking work shop...in a few years. So, whatever I end up doing will be done at the next place.

For now...I just try to make the best of what I have. Some people think I'm nuts...plant people usually think it's great.

Glad you guys like it.

Have to say I agree. Although a green house sounds good it costs me enough to heat this house we could never afford to do a green house also.

I have a good deal of light so I just need to make do with that.

[BettyE]

I LOVE your set-up for your orchids! BettyE.

[katrina]

Originally Posted by No-Pro-mwa

Have to say I agree. Although a green house sounds good it costs me enough to heat this house we could never afford to do a green house also.

Of course, heating in Wyoming would be much more expensive than here but still...most people don't realize just how expensive a g/h can get. I know I didn't...not until I started picking my friends' brains. There were so many things I never even considered. When I first started learning...well...my head was spinning.

Thanks Betty...glad you like the space. It took a few years of tweaking and now I'm pretty satisfied. We redid some things last Summer while the orchids were outside and while it looks better...we aren't pleased w/the flooring so that will be redone (again!) this coming Summer. Here's a few updated pics so you can get a look at the entire space....

It's an L-shaped area and its' the first thing people see when they come into my house. Like I said...some people think I'm nuts.

Entering the house...looking at it from the front door...


Looking back toward the front door from the kitchen area (from the right hand area in the above pic)....



Looking down toward the mount areas again...


Looking back from the mount area...


Looking back toward the front door while standing in front of the dark, free-standing pantry in the last pic...


Lastly, a little alcove area just to the side of the front entrance...visible in the last pic...