Viewing post #570805 by drdawg

We are hotter and just as humid. We don't benefit from an ocean on one side and the gulf on the other.

Other than my "baby" orchids, all my tropical plants go outside, including orchids. It is a real chore, since I think I now have perhaps 800 plants now (I can't count that high! ). Last fall I got a bright idea that hopefully will help some with my outside plants. I only have eight trees, six oaks and two cedar. I hang the orchids, sometimes in individual baskets and also grouping the "teen" orchids in cedar lattice baskets that I make myself, 16"x16", 20"x20", and 24"x24". So all the orchids are hanging. My other tropical plants - bromeliads (about 175 of them), fiddle leaf ficus (my 25 year old "Mother" plant, several of her divisions, and about 90 "baby" ones), rubber trees, jade, aloe vera, staghorn ferns (90 "baby" ones and a handful of larger ones), and schefflera are in pots and go on the ground. I also hang my tillandsia and mounted staghorn ferns under branches or attach them to the trunks, up high enough so that they can get a few hours of morning and/or late afternoon sun, but not mid-day sun. The pots on the ground are positioned so that some can get very limited sunlight and some can get more sunlight. None get sun between 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM though.

My idea was to build platforms between some of the trees, those who's trunk were 6-8' apart (measuring 8-10' off the ground). I used run-of-the-mill wire shelves, those used in pantries and closets. They were all white when bought but I spray painted them sort of a camo color so that they would blend in with the trees. I'm picky! I attached them to the trees and then supported the outside edges by attaching aluminum wire to the shelves and then to the tree trunks 3-4' higher up. I ended up with three 8-10' ones and two 3' ones. They are either 18" or 24" deep. I figure I can put 50 or so potted plants on the long ones and a couple of dozen on the short ones. That's where I will now put my "teen" orchids (3 3/4" - 5" mesh-pots), and my small bromeliads, fiddle leaf ficus, and staghorn ferns (4" pots). That's my plan anyway. When I run out of room on these "shelves", I will put the overflow back into those custom-built lattice baskets.

I will take some pictures, perhaps before the plants go on and then after they are all loaded with plants.