Humidity Tray Shelves
 

Hello all:

I have about 75 orchids of various varieties, many of them being quite wee. I seem to accumulate more every month and at some point in the last year I officially ran out of space.

Now my home is quite dark, I do have some small LED grow lights that I set up during the darker months to assist. For the most part, however, phals aside, I keep my orchids in my bathroom, windowless other than a brilliant skylight that actually makes it the brightest room in the house. Additionally it is a more humid room thanks in part to my steam shower.

The temperature hovers between 65 and 80 degrees and the humidity is typically around 70%. I mist a number of my orchids by hand twice a day (while brushing my teeth).

Because of the ideal conditions in this room, all of my smaller plants began to accumulate on the counter. It also made watering easy and the needier ones got daily attention.

So to reclaim my bathroom I purchased copper humidity trays online (mostly because I like the look of copper and antimicrobial properties are appealing). I had a friend make me iron brackets to support them fashioned after some affordable ones I found on Etsy (until factoring in shipping to Canada).

I think it turned out really lovely. Take a look for yourselves!

P.S. sorry that most of the photos are sideways

Those copper trays are really nice - I hadn’t seen those before.

Like you I prefer to buy my orchids as very small plants - it gives me a greater sense of achieve the when they eventually flower.

Very creative and attractive! You're clearly thinking outside the box.

One consideration is that in a humid environment, iron and copper touching will cause the iron to rust much more rapidly than it otherwise would under the same conditions without copper present, via galvanic action. Coatings such as paint can prevent this, but the slightest flaw in the coating layer between the 2 metals gets the ball rolling. Something to keep an eye on.

No problem!

Most hardware stores carry those little, self-adhesive silicone "dots" meant for cabinet door dampers or "feet" on things to avoid scratching table tops. Placed on the bottom of the copper trays provides the separation without seeing them.

I actually prefer the look of oxidized copper, however the trays came coated on the outside with a thin lacquer film on the outside so I may be stuck with shiny ones for a long while!

Recognize that the galvanic corrosion is not just a surface phenomenon. Given time, you'll find holes in your trays.

The fly in your ointment is that when copper and iron touch, it's the iron that loses and oxidizes at a rapid pace, not the copper. If/when the issue comes to a head, you won't find holes in the copper, rather the iron brackets will fail and the whole works hits the floor.

I love those trays, it's rare for a shelving set up for orchids to be so pleasing to look at.

I think it looks beautiful!

If oxidization starts to happen, you can worry about it then. Until that time, I think it's a beautiful display, so enjoy it!