My growcamp status during its first Winter and as Spring 2013 settles in.
As winter came in, I have put up the plastic foils for the entire season. It was a fairly drier season, though we did have some late Fall season rains, and after that just way longer intervals of no rain. But it was much cooler. I was not sure which of the orchids will survive being in the growcamp as I did not intend to put a heater inside it. And after the season, I did have some cold damage on some, mainly Brassia Rex, Encyclia cordigera, Gram Scriptum 'Hihimanu' but the rest survived well, like some of the dendrobiums, oncidiums, odontoglossum, zygopetalum, miltoniopsis. Just have to really slow down in watering at that time. I did have to put my Wilsonara earlier on indoors, as I already saw just how it hated the cold. Luckily I did, it managed to put out a spike and is now in bloom. What was really interesting is that my oncidium dancing lady really held on to its blooms of late September, and it kept it till end of Feb 2013. Den smilliae, did a big time leaf drop and I think the new growth it gave me last summer just cannot take the cold. So this is also one that will have to be taken in next year during winter. But I think it is still alive as it is normal for this den to drop its leaves.
Now as Spring-like conditions came early, and with the city trees still sleeping, I underestimated the sunlight, so some leaves started to bleach, so I have put up my shade right away in early Feb 2013. It is now clearer as well, which side of the growcamp is getting more sun during late winter/early spring. So have to rearrange the plants once more. The plastic foils went up and down a lot during this time as rains finally came, but again so sporadic, and it still is quite cold at night. For the month of December and January, I made sure the plastic foils are fully closed at night time.
And now it is Spring, I am so glad of the netting that this growcamp has. We are getting littered with catkins and leaf kernels..so it is a good shield from this daily mess. And I got some newer orchids from some orchid shows, so got to give some space to accommodate them. I got a blooming Oncidium Sharry Baby and Maxillaria tenuifolia in Feb 2013. But the best part is, one of my noid orchids that has not bloomed for about 4 years, is now in bloom, spike came in Jan 2013 and is now happily blooming. It looks like an Odontonia samurai, and I just love its deep burgundy color and white lip. My Wilsonara which I sheltered indoors during winter and grew its spike in Jan 2013 continued on to form its buds, and development seems faster as I finally brought it back to the growcamp in late Feb. It is now blooming this March.
There is marked improvement on the pseudobulbs of my orchids inside the growcamp, Since I can freely water them and be assured it will dry well with cross breeze coming in, the pseudobulbs are more plump compared when grown indoors. Also when it comes to insects, my orchids fared well, as the netting was a good barrier to the hungry grasshoppers and katydids..as well as for the nasty snails that often come out when it has rained.
Aside from the orchids, my tillandsias left inside the growcamp are thriving well too. One has grown 2x its former size and the other two had made well growing pups.
And one more thing, in late Fall I adopted some pleurothallids that were in small mounts. At first I was not sure if they will thrive, and as the cold season went on, it actually likes it. Still growing good, just have to put it in a shady corner or shaded by the wider leafed orchids now that warmer weather is setting in. And later on when the fountain is turned on, it will benefit from it as well.
So just sharing how it went. I am so glad we bought this growcamp last year, a real good thing to have. Just right for a small collection and small area that I have. Keeps my small orchid hobby quite manageable.
Just a photo of my little collection this early Spring inside the growcamp..happy to see blooms thriving
If I have more space and get another very good discounted price for an extension of this growcamp I would surely try and get it!
