Just thinking

We have been debating on getting a greenhouse for some time. The location we ended up picking out for it would receive morning afternoon sun until about 1:30. It would have been way to hot. Mean while waiting on our HOA to approve the site I started carrying hoya out of the house and placing them under the deck. So then my brain got to clicking, which is always dangerous.. What I came up with is keeping them under the deck and enclosing it with double wall panels. My question is do you think that this is going to be enough light for them? It receives morning sun from about 5:45 to about 9:00. My lacunosa bloomed while it was under there and my krimson queen is budding up to. Common sense tells me that it should be enough, but I wanted to get some input.

Tami I think that's an awesome ideal and it should be enough sun. That is a really kewl location, I love it!!

Blessings,
Awanda

Another thought and then I have to walk the dog. When reading the temperature tolerance guide from DL. When it says these hoya's listed here ( Intermediate ) can tolerate a continual exposure to a lower temperature above 10 C but intolerant to temp above 35C. Do you think that the intermediate hoya's would be able to withstand a 10 C for a couple of hours without hurting them? I don't dare put my warm ones outside as I am sure they would not be happy. Thanks everyone, need to go walk the dog...

Thanks Awanda...

Tami...I think your idea is GREAT. There ARE some that like less light - could go in the back - and you could always put lights in there....be sure you get good air circulation...the Swamp Cooler idea is great. Could you extend out from there...with like 'dormers'?

Carol

I probably could Carol. I will still have to bring them inside for the winter, as there is no way to winterize it with the the decking. I got the misters up today and it is staying at 53% humidity with no enclosure. There all sucking that right in. I got a new water barrel from Flagstaff Water Conservation this weekend so I am ready to catch some rain. That is right after I get the gutter taken apart and re-routed. It's so nice to get them outside, and to get my windows washed .....

If you are going to have to bring them back in in the winter anyway, why inclose that place at all? I think it is a perfect summer place the way it is. I would just be adding tables, plant racks, shelves, and hooks all over the place and voila...a plant paradise.
Marcy

I agree with Marcy. Since you have to move them indoors for winter, there is no need to enclose that space. Just turn that spot into a funky little picnic area for when the sun is too hot to hang on the deck and you can gaze at your beautiful green pets.
Ann

I was thinking that maybe I could get them out earlier in the spring and later in the winter. It is so nice to water, clip dead stems, spill dirt, and play plants without having to clean it up. We are working on shelves tomorrow, and I hung about 10 more out today. I agree Ann, it is so much cooler down there to hang out. O.K. now we just got our first monsoon storm of the season. My plants are all soaking wet and it is 60 down under the porch. Do you think it is going to be to cold for my intermediate hoya? I know I'm freaking out, but I love my babies.... Oh yea, 92% humidity YEEHAH getty up little hoya........

If it hits 60 no problem...just so long as it doesn't stay there for days! Our temps here were in the 60's a lot this winter...especially down to 58-60 at night...no problem. I only had heat mats for the babies propagating. And, remember...the ambient air in a covered space is not going to be as cold as outside.....

Tammy, what kind of dog? -joanne

Tami...do you have any sunlight that comes into that area during the day? I am thinking of creating some passive solar: jugs of water the sun can warm that will then radiate the warmth during the cool hours....altho lots of hoyas enjoy a change from day temps and lower night temps...some passive solar heat could prolong their time there...

Joanne, I have a yellow lab, her name is Frankie. Well her full registered name is Savers gift Franchesca. Eww la la. She was a gift for me from my sister Sandy when my chocolate lab died.

Carol it does get sunlight from up above through the decking, but I don't think that would be enough. I guess I could put all my walls of water back up for them. This morning under there at 5:30 it was 58 and 92% humidity. The darn wind knocked off my first peduncle on H. merrellii... Rats anyway, so I'm going to go down and clip all my stems to there pots. Thanks for the idea.

And no I don't beat my dog, she just got up from her nap.. Sandy called and told me it looked like I had just beat my dog. She just has sleepy eyes.