Temporary greenhouse

Well, it looks like the rainy season is upon us here, a bit earlier than normal.  So, the greenhouse went up this afternoon.  If it rains and temps drop I can get everything in there pronto.  I still have some work to do to get ready for the winter, including anchoring the greenhouse and setting up a few purlins to hang baskets.  The first pic is the top.  After assembling the top, the cover went on and then the legs went in.  The last step was pulling the cover down and installing a few braces.

Winter plans

John asked what my plans were for winter.  Last winter (and the one before) I had a temporary greenhouse on the patio.  It worked, but as you might expect, there were problems.  There were leaks and it was crowded.  In fact, I lost a specimen Blc Copper Queen because it got soaked and it was cool and all the roots rotted.  Pathogens spread because the plants were too close together and I couldn't easily examine them.  I had to build benches that specifically fit into the greenhouse.


This year I'm trying a King Canopy 10 x 10 x 8 temporary greenhouse.  It is much bigger than last year's space, my benches will fit it, and I should be able to rig up plenty of space for hanging baskets.  The greenhouse will go against one of the south walls of the house and I will have to figure out how to anchor it to the ground - probably with some greenhouse anchors I'll buy from Farmtek.

If all goes well I will put up the greenhouse in two weeks or so and get the plants in the week after.  I probably won't have to start heating it until Thanksgiving.

Cattleya Landate

A cross between C. guttata and C. aclandiae.

Two C. maximas

This gives you an idea of the different in stature between lowland and upland forms.

Cattleya maxima 'Hercules'