Greenhouses are a wonderful luxury for avid gardeners and can be an excellent place for growing all sorts of plants, orchids included. They provide a brilliant environment for plant growth that can be varied according to needs. They shelter plants from the harsher aspects of the elements, while still allowing natural sunlight and warmth to filter through. Best of all, greenhouse orchids provide you with a place to escape to and enjoy your plants in tranquility.
Perhaps the greatest advantage of growing greenhouse orchids is that here, it is easier to re-create their native tropical habitat with the high humidity levels that they love best. Extra moisture can be created, if needed, by wetting areas close to the orchids. Some hothouses even have built-in humidity controls which is ideal.
Orchids survive better in warmer climates. During winter months, many varieties do require a restful period in a cooler temperature but this should still be above 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Depending upon the weather in your part of the world, a heater may need to be used during colder periods; the added cost of this needs to be considered if you decide to cultivate your greenhouse orchids. Bear in mind that most types require over-night temperatures to be lower on average by around 15 degrees so you may need to make adjustments to allow for this if it doesn’t happen naturally.
Light levels in a greenhouse are often very high during the day which, again, is a desirable factor for orchid survival. Care needs to be taken to shield this delicate plant from direct sunbeams as it is very prone to scorching. The best way to do this is to fit shades or frosted panels to the area of the greenhouse orchids in which the plants are to be housed.
Air circulation is another important factor to consider when opting to house greenhouse orchids as this can sometimes be a problem in enclosed spaces. If not already present, it may be worthwhile having shutters or air-vents fitted to your hothouse; other plant species will benefit from this too. Another alternative is to install a fan if there isn’t one already built into the windows.
You may find that it is necessary to change the frequency at which you water your greenhouse orchids. With some types, less watering will be required due to the increased humidity; with others it may be necessary to water more due to drying out in the warmer temperature. Always check before you water.
In a confined settings, diseases and infestations can easily be passed between plants. This is quite unlikely but just make sure you are familiar with what constitutes a healthy appearance in your greenhouse orchids, in particular be familiar with their normal leaf appearance so if anything looks odd, you can act immediately and remove them to another place.
Don’t be daunted by the idea of keeping orchids in a greenhouse, you will most likely find that surprisingly few changes need to be made to specifically accommodate them. Revel in the variety and the bursts of colour they will spread amongst your greenhouse, and transform your retreat into a tropical paradise.
Tags: air circulation, delicate plant, greenhouse orchids, high humidity, hothouses, humidity controls, humidity levels, natural sunlight, night temperatures, tropical habitat