I would be mainly using it for my tropical plants. Here we usually have short cold spells around January and February. Its amazing the temperatures can be that high in a greenhouse in March. Its definitely something I would to do so I don't have to keep bring my plants indoors every winter.

Yes, Sheryl, one greenhouse is dedicated to orchids and seedlings and the other to all my other tropical plants. I have two heaters in each greenhouse, and with our temps getting down into the low 30's the past three mornings, they are running a lot. It will remain in the 30's for low temps for the next few days, so heaters are a necessity. My greenhouses also get hot in the spring-fall and I have two fans, one in each end of my greenhouses. They run automatically from 8:00 AM until dark. I also leave the doors open in each during the warm months and there are vents in the roof as well. Of course, all my tropicals, except the "baby" orchids go outside in March, and remain outside until mid to late October. The orchid greenhouse remains pretty full year-round and the "all other tropicals" greenhouse is pretty much empty from March until November, unless I am growing veggies from seeds.

I will post some pics of the two greenhouses when I have a chance to get outside and photograph them. Ken

I look forward to seeing your greenhouses.

I think I have all the plants I can move indoors. I think? I need to wander through the yard and see which lucky plants get to come inside with us. The rest will have to go into the garage or greenhouse which ever comes first before the first hard cold snap. The large Ti plants/cordyline are in for the first time. I hope they don't go into shock. My house is full up!

Scored a swingset, will pick it up this weekend - yay! But I think I'll probably just put it over my veggie garden. Temp control is a real killer out here.

I thought I had posted these pictures of my two greenhouses, but don't see the post. I have an excuse - I'm old! Ken

non-orchid tropical plant greenhouse
orchid greenhouse
A gift from my wife


a work bench (a mess right now) - I have an identical work bench outside as well
tropical plants on one side
tropical plants on the other side
blooming size orchids
a little older "baby" orchids
"baby" orchids

Very cool, wish I had some luck with orchids. I have two that I've had for two years with not a single bloom, dagnabit.

Several things can be involved when it comes to getting orchids to bloom. The plant has to be old enough. I get many of my plants as plugs, so the are approxomately a yr old when I get them. Some of these will bloom in two years and it will take others three or even four years. That means your plants need to be 3-5 yrs old. Many orchids bloom when days get shorter, and the fewer hours of daylight triggers the sheathing/spiking. Some orchids need to have night temperatures drop down into the 50's to trigger them. These are the fall and winter bloomers. The spring and summer bloomers need just the opposite - longer daylight and warmer night temperatures. It helps to know when your species/variety normally blooms so you can mimic what happens in nature. In any case, you also might want to use a low nitrogen fertilizer 3-4 months before you expect blooming. That stimulates the bloom rather than the foliage. When the plant begins to bloom, switch back to a general purpose fertilizer, and continue with that until switching again to the "blooming" formula. I hope this helps some. Ken