Moving into an old greenhouse!

[chrismende]

It's true, Dot! I'm utterly smitten with this whole thing! The space, my relationship with the guys who rent other spaces on the property, with the owner, Jim DiMattei, with getting to know a new community ten minutes and culturally a world away from my home neighborhood! I'm learning so much and having such a positive time with it all. I can hardly wait for all my little seedlings to get big enough to post them for all of you to peruse. Most are in mini-compots. It's such fun growing out babies!

 

[chrismende]

Thanks! I've had lots of fun collecting it! So many of my plants have yet to bloom, since I've only started collecting in 2008! Such excitement as I await many, many flowers...

 

[chrismende]

I think I'll get started measuring for the underbench misters this week. When our real summer comes in Sept, Oct, and Nov. I'll be happy they are in!

 

[chrismende]

Wow - I'm realizing that it's been a very long time since I posted on this thread! The greenhouse has changed quite a bit since last pix and discussion. Probably a good time for a refresher.
I put in a new R/O system a few months ago and an underbench misting system at the same time. The plants immediately thanked me for the clean water with a flush of new root and top growth. I've been busy repotting everything I could since then, to give them clean new bark, too. Or sphag.
Now things are slowing down a bit, though it's been quite warm the last weeks. I will post some pics later. Lots of bloom!

 

[NYEric]

Yes, keep us interested with photos! oke:

 

[SlipperFan]

Sounds great, Chris. I'm looking forward to photos, also.

 

[Shiva]

Are we there yet, with those pics?

 

[annab]

hi chris ,I read carefully every commend on this thread
and I saw beautiful photo ,o sorry I wanted to say beautiful orchids , I am envious of your GH and I would like one day one like this ,full of plants , but is a dream:sob: I want to tell you my dream,but I hope that come true : I was inside my Gh and stay on deckchair than around me thousand of orchid in bloom a nice background of birdsong and light, gently sunlight, a delicate sound of water,and in this paradise while I look enchanted this amazing beauty then come the apotheosis while drink a good cup of coffee (I love so much coffee ,is for me a rite)
I'm very happy to see some update about your GH.
all the best,anna

 

[eggshells]

Wonderful GH Chris, we look forward to the pictures.

As for Anna, i have read your every comment and i really admire your choice of words to express what you feel. Very artistic choice of words to say the least.

 

[bullsie]

Very glad for an update and do look forward to pics. Was wondering how things were. Of course, greenhouse pics are such an envy!

 

[chrismende]

I'll post really soon. Today when I was there is forgot about new pics! So much to do now. I'm "fencing" the 16 ft. long air intake window that also has got to get a new screening over the security fence. I bought and am hesitant to put up real thrips mesh - I know it will really slow the air transfer, but those little beasts have been my sole real problem this year. I've just finished a course of Safari, then Concern, then Botanigard. I guess tomorrow I might spray some Bayer 3 in 1 just to keep up the cycle of defense until the cooler weather arrives. Right now it's been warm and humid - 62 to 85.

 

[chrismende]

Image uploading

OK, I've sat at this computer for quite a while trying sleepily to figure out the easiest way to upload some photos from my Lightroom storage drive. They are all too big. Should I do it through ImageShack? Or? And how can I upload directly from my iPhone? There has got to be a simple way to do this! Help!

 

[likespaphs]

have you thought about introducing beneficials to battle the thrips?

 

[keithrs]

OK, I've sat at this computer for quite a while trying sleepily to figure out the easiest way to upload some photos from my Lightroom storage drive. They are all too big. Should I do it through ImageShack? Or? And how can I upload directly from my iPhone? There has got to be a simple way to do this! Help!

If you have the ImageShack App. on your Iphone then you can upload to ImageShack then copy and paste the Img link.

 

[NYEric]

Use photobucket. Do you have an account?

 

[tomkalina]

Anna,

It's a wonderful dream! As a fellow coffee lover, I think the fragrances of the orchids and the brewing coffee (espresso, I assume) would be a perfect combination.

Thanks, Tom

 

[cnycharles]

thrip are extremely annoying, and very hard to kill. actually, I suggest you buy some of ray's sucrashield, as I think that it's the safest and something that they can't become resistant to. overture and tristar work also, sometimes conserve works if you plaster them with it.. ..... but all of those are expensive except the sucrashield. bug screen works very well, we have it outside some of the greenhouses, and in a warm area you can have local populations coming in and out, so you spray a bunch and then new ones come in. so, having beneficial insects like mentioned before plus some screen may be a good bet (and some sucrasheild)

 

[chrismende]

Wow - I'd forgotten about the Sucrashield! I must get some ASAP. Meanwhile, I have to get the screening up. Shadecloth doesn't do much!

 

[chrismende]

Hey, hey! A big step taken today - relating to culture, since I am finally far enough along in the greenhouse to have a booth selling Paphs at Orchids in The Park here in San Francisco. Had a successful day today and there is tomorrow yet to come. I've been gradually challenging myself more and more and will be renting a second greenhouse space soon for cool growing. The Tiny Jungle is now a full fledged real nursery and I'll be "speaking" to you soon about vending via this forum. For now, though, I just want to make the announcement that the greenhouse venture is a success and remains my favorite place to be, after two and a half years! Hooray!

 

[The Mutant]

Congrats! Sounds like you're having fun.