Although a humidifex will greatly assist in keeping up the humidity, particularly during the summer months when the humidity is lost through the open ventilators, it is nevertheless no substitute for manual damping-down, which should also be done whenever possible. One humidifex such as illustrated would be sufficient for a To x 8 ft (3 x 2.5 m) greenhouse, or one room indoors.
This encourages their long aerial roots which in the wild hang down from their host trees where they grow as epiphytes. The air in these jungles contains many nutrients in the form of gases given off by decomposing vegetation.
These days of high fuel costs the most expensive item required in determining an orchid collection in the northern hemisphere is the Ming. Prevention of heat loss is the aim of every grower, and insulation of the greenhouse will make a great saving on fuel.
For the grower who is away from home for most of the day, this is difficult and any form of automation that can be introduced to assist in maintaining the moisture in the atmosphere while the greenhouse is unattended is of great value. It is possible to have automatic spray lines fitted to the underside of the staging which can be operated electronically, switching themselves on and off at intervals.
The little plants cannot be knocked off, and the compost will dry out less quickly. Providing that sufficient fall is put on the shelving, there is no danger of excess water collecting in the gutter. As the surplus water will run out of the end it will not harm the plants on the shelf below. Plants housed in this way usually do extremely well as they are easily looked after and there is no danger of the one at the back’ being missed at watering time.
Either north or south ends of the house are suitable, or the guttering can run the full length of the greenhouse at about eye level. Place two thin strips of wood or plastic in the base of the guttering, to raise the pots slightly from the floor and allow a clear run of the surplus water, thus preventing puddles resulting in the plants being saturated.
