| Q We live in McLean, Virginia, just outside of Washington, DC. I am thinking of
adding a room to our home (20x15 or 20x20 feet), specifically for growing cattleyas. I am
leaning toward an air-conditioned sun room (glazed walls and partially or fully glazed
roof), or maybe a more normal room (lots of windows and skylights) in which I would
supplement the natural light with HID lights. I am against a greenhouse because I simply
cannot be there all the time to manage the vents. I am also concerned about freeze-out and
bum-out (I keep hearing about greenhouse owners who lose most of their plants every five
to 10 years). Am I on the right track? What else should I be thinking about? People I
should be talking to? A I would suggest that air conditioning is quite drying and might not be the best alternative for a growing environment. Most growers prefer evaporative cooling, as it not only cools, but keeps humidity up. Also, you will want to maximize light, so try to have overhead light available if at all possible. You should be talking to other hobby growers in your area to see how they have surmounted some of the problems you describe, as well as to greenhouse constructors to see what options they might offer. — Ned Nash, Director of Conservation, American Orchid Society |
Reprinted, with permission, from "Orchids" - The Magazine of the American Orchid Society, Sept. 2000.