Silly as it's 80 here today, but the hoya babies are all tucked into the greenhouse. I just got shade cloth as I almost cooked them last winter. Dave is going to search out a couple of fans for me tomorrow. Until then the door is open to keep some air moving.
Nothing but hoya and assorted orchids in here. Dave just put in the floor and gravel a month or so ago. We didn't get it done last year as the greenhouse wasn't finished until December.
The statue in the middle that you can barely see is Quan Yen, the Thai goddess of compassion. I need all the help I can get keeping the hoya happy during the winter. Sissy, aren't I? Just spoiled with the sub tropical climate that allows me to grow outdoors a majority of the year.
This is my shade house, still with roof damage from the hurricane we didn't get. All of my big tropicals are going in here. I think the new Wiggle Wire system I found is going to do the trick this year.
Close up of the Wiggle Wire setup
This message was edited Nov 24, 2005 4:33 PM
And it's not the photo I meant to post.....
This message was edited Nov 24, 2005 4:34 PM
Oh, I likey..... Looks nice and toasty in there. How big is your green house? I could spend all day in there. What is a wiggle wire? Geeze I would even take the shade house. Needing that for sure here...
What an awesome setup!!! I'm impressed! It's toooooo tidy. When are you taking orders....lol.
:) Donna
Your greenhouse looks great. All your hoyas look so nice and healthy. You're so lucky to be able to grow them outside most of the year.
Sandy
Ohm'gosh!!! How fabulous is that! And your plants look absolutely perfect. What a great place you have.
Barb
VERY very cool, Susan!!! I like the floor!!
You have an awesome set up, Susan! The Greenhouse looks great!
Susan I love your greenhouse and the walk-way is really kewl!
Blessings,
Awanda
I had noooo idea you had such a large collection! Impressive. I love your greenhouse! Looks so inviting. Do you have the shade cloth over it already? That's it, I'm comin for a visit, ha ha! Will work for hoyas! J/K, well kind of.
Heather
Thanks for the kind comments everyone!
To answer questions:
It's about 10 x 16 with 8ft walls. The roof is too high to suit me, but DH thinks the taller the better as he's 6'3'. Built by hand with the help of two friends with lots of whining and arguing. Design by Sundance Supply and ad libed by us as we built.
Wiggle Wire is just long a system of long metal channels that can be screwed onto wood. You stretch your shade cloth or poly between two channels and use this wire insert to pull the material tight and hold it in the channel. In previous years we covered it with tarps and held the bottoms down with brick, or one year we stapled plastic between the posts which blew off in the wind.
It's only tidy because I finally got shelves, kicked out most of the non-hoya, and had to un-'man thing' it after DH put buckets and supplies on the shelves.
The plants are not perfect, but I do walk through and feel leaves every other day just to check for signs of trouble.
Shade cloth is on. Now if I could just get a small fridge, an internet connection and a bed in there I could move in.
Heather, that's only about 2/3 of the plants in the pictures and the eriostemma's are inside for the time being. Addicted.....
Susan
Susan don't forget the porta-potty:-).
Blessings,
Awanda
Wow, Susan!
That is a fabulous setup - you are one lucky gal!!!
Ann
Is IZ there?
IZ is always with me. Don't forget the HA, Kalola!
Awesome collection and a plant lover's dream greenhouse.......lookin' very nice Susan. Ü
Oh man, Susan - I loooove your setup!!! The stone walkway is beautiful. Once again, I envy those of you who can grow your plants in a greenhouse during the winter without having to worry about the outside temps getting to -10 and running a heater at full blast just to keep it at 45 degrees.
My sis & I had a bit of unforeseen trouble with our greenhouse & the first day it was cloudy, windy, & below 30 (16 degree wind chill factor), we realized our heater just wasn't big enough. Had it running full blast & non-stop but couldn't get the temp inside the greenhouse to get above 42 degrees. GAH! After much wringing of hands & gnashing of teeth, we decided to shut the greenhouse down temporarily until we could properly address the situation ~ maybe early spring. Our only option? Haul ALL our plants back inside our respective houses. OH MY GOSH!!! It took my DH & I three and a half HOURS of loading/unloading plants, & driving back & forth to bring everything home....and that didn't include my hoyas or African Violets because THEY stay home with me year 'round. So now every room in my house contains a 5-shelf lighted unit (like Awanda's new one) crammed FULL of plants. Ain't an unused window anywhere! Bless my DH heart for putting up with my addiction. =)
SO KaBob & I ENVY THOSE OF YOU WHO CAN PUT UP A GREENHOUSE AND JUST BRING YOUR PLANTS INSIDE....or grown them OUTSIDE year 'round like a few of you can.
I'm with you Betsy! Green with envy! But remember there is always Christina's inside hoyas, and is it David, who has that fantastic set up in his home. Forgive me if I got the wrong name! These two give me such great inspiration for indoor blooming hoyas! Besides, they have paradise inside, what more could you ask for, other than your own outside greenhouse! Whoa is me.....
Heather
Bets....it sounds as if you could cure your 'problem' with better insullation - also some passive heating if you have sun from some quadrant where you could use it to heat bottles of water in the gh. Bubblewrap is something I have heard others use to insullate....
Remember...no problem without a solution...and that solution in turn creates more problems..... oy vey.
Carol
Carol:
Thanks for the encouragement & suggestions! And actually, bubble wrap and insulation is the path we're headed down.....(we read the GH forum as well)...and also a bigger heater. In fact, the bubble wrap & insulation boards are sitting in the gh now. But sis & BIL have also undertaken putting a huge addition on their house (and doing a good part of the work themselves - GAAAH!! bless their hearts) and that has taken priority ~ but it'll be BEAUTIFUL when its done, too! I'm excited for them!!) We're hoping to be able to get back to the gh by January or February.
As you said....no problem without a solution...and that solution in turn creates more problems..... oy vey!!!! =0)
Bets.
