The greenhouse is kept at about 40F during the cold months.

I know that Cymbidiums, Zygopetalums, Cypripediums can take these temps. I am looking for perhaps cold growing Dends, or other species.

Does anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks!

Nick

Funny you mention D. kingianum, that is one i plan on growing. a friend has that species in a greenhouse with the same setup I have. It does great in the cold winters. I am also growing Diuris, Pterostylis and as you can see a BIG Aussie tree fern.

orchidnick,

Greenhouse will be close to ambient outdoor temps in the summer. It's partly under a tree and will have shade cloth on it. humidity is between 70 and 90% now and I expect it will be similar in the summer. The Disa plants have done really well in the greenhosue so far and I will be growing many plants (orchids & non orchids)that are summer dormant

Keep humidity at 80%, summer temps below 80F daytime, 55F night time and you can grow Dracula, Pleurothallis, Masdevallia (many of the Masdies which will grow in your current set-up), Stelis, Dryadella Scaphsepalum and many more. Odontoglossums are fabulous, will survive in your current set-up but not bloom properly, in cloud forest conditions they are spectacular.

Many of the Cloud Forrest plants do not have spectacular flowers, some are not practicable because you cannot share them. Dracula will not survive a trip to your society unless you bring them in an ice cooler, the flowers will wilt otherwise. To do something different and spectacular I would gather a collection of outstanding Masdevallia coccinea and Odontoglossum. If you should be able to go to the San Francisco show in Feb, the displays will blow you away. With your set-up, you can duplicate this with a little effort. Just a thought.

I also noticed the large aisle you have, with a wide house like yours optimum bench area is achieved by imaginative arrangement. 2 benches result in wasted center space, not enough room for 3 benches. One straight bench and one zipper like bench with protruding islands gives you maximum use of available square footage. A bench should be across the end. That fern uses up the space of 100 orchids and causes a lot of shade.

planning on a swamp cooler before summer hits (the cost to add it to the original setup was outrageous!).I also suspected that cloud forest species would do fairly well, the affirmation of this is helpful. A former employer (who taught me flasking) has Rossioglossum Grande and has offered a plant. I knew that one would be a good choice.

What do you think of the Aussie Dend. cucumerinum? not much to look at but I've always been fascinated by it.

Other things in the works: More Disa, Ophrys, Anacamptis, Bipinnula, Serapias, Bonatea,(some in Flask others soon to arrive) and a load of Southern hemisphere plants many of which are summer dormant. Can you tell I am not fond of the ordinary???

Where do you get your Ophrys? I could go for some of these.

Nick

I like this because there is no fire in the greenhouse with exhaust that needs to be vented. It's a clean effortless way to heat if the water heater is close enough to be practical.

Car radiators don't work, the city water pressure is too high. I got a used industrial copper radiator for $50 15 years ago which has worked well. They also make copper lines with fins that rest on the floor but they are much more expensive.

Nick

Nick, I have Ophrys that I grew from seed and from Ebay. There is a seller Med_orchids who grows them and when they are dormant sells a few tubers to pay for her hobby. She also sells seeds that seem to be of good quality, I have some in flask now.