Greenhouse Orchids
If you are lucky enough to own a climate controlled greenhouse, then you have the perfect environment to grow greenhouse orchids directly at your fingertips. However, not all greenhouses will work for all orchids.
The majority of orchids like distilled light and warm, humid climates. This being said, the direct sunlight that can be found in some greenhouses could be too harsh for the average orchid. Ideally, you want to have a greenhouse environment, where you can provide bright, indirect or distilled light. A shade curtain is the perfect solution to create this type of environment.
If you reside in a cooler climate, your greenhouse will need to be equipped with a heater. Although orchids do require a dormant period, anything cooler than 45 degrees will kill your average orchid. In addition, climate control is also necessary during the warmer months. Most orchids like an environment between 60-80 degrees during the day, and at least 15 degrees cooler at night. If your climate does not naturally cool down by 15 degrees, then you may need to artificially simulate this environment.
In the cooler months, orchids only require watering once every two weeks and fertilization once a month. During the warm months, you will need to increase the amount of water that you give your orchids. The average orchid requires watering once or twice a week, however, in a greenhouse environment, this need may increase depending on the amount of sunlight that the orchids are exposed to.
Additional advantages to a greenhouse environment:
- Easy to maintain the humid environment that orchids thrive in. Greenhouses are naturally humid, producing a similar environment to the tropical ones that most orchids thrive in. However, if you find that humidity is lacking, you can wet the floors or mist the plants, without having to worry about the potential wear and tear in your home environment.
- Easy to control air movement: making the ideal situation for the roots to breathe and to avoid harmful toxins
- Roof, side vents, and ceiling fans can also be used to increase air flow
- Grow greenhouse orchids all year round
- Control the climate and light environment without any effect to your personal lifestyle
- Increase flowering
Disadvantages to a greenhouse environment:
Cost is perhaps the largest disadvantage to maintaining a greenhouse environment for orchids. Most orchids require that certain light, temperature and moisture levels are maintained in order for them to thrive. Consequently, this increases the maintenance cost for the greenhouse.
In addition to cost, you need to be very aware of any possible disease or insect infestation. If not caught immediately, an infestation will quickly spread in this type of environment, damaging and perhaps even killing your orchid plants.
Overall, greenhouse orchids are the way to go if you can afford the extra maintenance of a greenhouse, the advantages to growing orchids in this environment far outweigh the negative. A greenhouse environment will not only help your plants grow, but can also create a mini escape where you can watch your incredible plants flourish.
