Bonnie's Tropical Greenhouse

[Bonnie]

This is my 8'x12' greenhouse that some of you were asking to see. It has a swamp cooler, and reaches a max temp of 78 degrees, with a min of 60 degrees, vents and heating/cooling is all automated. There is an RO filter hooked up to a float valve on that trash can, with a mist system on a humidistat set to keep it above 75% humidity. There is also a 50' soaker hose buried under the gravel, with the timer set to come on twice a day for ten mins each. No CP's in this one, but I have a 6'x8' with a swamp cooler that I am planning on setting up for some highland Nepenthes and Heliamphoras.





Hoyas, Dischidias, and Orchids



Gesneriads



Epiphytic Blueberries



Huperzias and a big Pyrrosia longifolia





Rhizomatous Begonias







New growth on my Begonia microsperma (it collapsed for a bit after I moved it to the greenhouse)



New growth on the Begonia quadrialata





A funky succulent Columnea that is supposed to have spectacular flowers



More of the Gesneriads







Diastema vexans flower



Hoya lacunosa flower



Dischidia ovata



Hoyas





Dischidia imbricata



Dischidias







Ficus villosa coming back from the dead after a rough adjustment



Part of my Ceropegia collection, there are a lot more in the shade house





Show leftovers



Some rarer Peperomias











And the coolest orchid ever, Pleurothallis marthae, in a 2 gallon bucket



Some of my orchids coming back from the dead after overwintering in the shade house





Alocasia nebula 'Elaine' that my awesome friend Phil got me because he knew I had been looking for one



Under the bench Ferns, Aroids and Begonias

 

[East_to_west]

Awesome Bonnie! Everything looks great! That orchid in the 2 gal bucket is spectacular! I also noticed a few restrepias. That ant plant with the big pod looking things is pretty sweet too! Thanks for posting this!

 

[Api]

I don't even know what that stuff is and I'm impressed (besides the begonias).

 

[Whimgrinder]

What a nice, tidy space! Lots of botanical curiosities in there, I can tell

 

[Brie]

That is one amazing greenhouse.. Good job.. And I love that hardware cloth/LFS idea for climbing plants..

 

[Ambanja]

Wow is that ever nicely done!! Inspirational

 

[jimscott]

Wow... that's incredibly impressive! Did I see a few sundews in there?

 

[corky]

thats the stuff of dreams,love it

 

[DJ57]

Wow, very impressive. Love the Hoyas and the LFS towers for climbing plants. Anticipating pics of the CP greenhouse when you get that going.

 

[lance]

What an incredible setup you have there! I use the same RO trash can misting setup as well to keep the humidity high for my Neps . I would be very curious to see if some Ephite Nepenthes species could root and grow in the sphagnum towers you have there.

 

[Plant Planter]

I cannot begin to describe how awesome your greenhouse and plants are.

...Good job.

 

[Bonnie]

Thanks everyone No sundews, but my friend did just give me a P. gigantea that I need to pot up and stick out there. I love my RO trash can, I'm not sure why I was so afraid of installing a float valve before, that thing is great! The other greenhouse is built and the ac is installed, just need to get a bigger piece of shade cloth and hook up the water to the swamp cooler. Won't be getting my Neps and Heliamphoras until Sept, so I have a bit of time.

 

[jimscott]

What was red?

 

[Bonnie]

There were some red Begonias, a red Aeschynanthus flower, and a red Dischidia

 

[Gates]

Great setup! What brand Swamp cooler do you have and most of all...do you like it? Secondly, any thoughts on heaters as well. I'm near SF so it gets quite cool here and I need to keep it above 55-ish. Thanks, Peter

 

[Bonnie]

The swamp cooler is a Champion 3300 CFM, currently only had to run it on low (got it much bigger than we needed just in case it ever got really hot, we do have odd random heat waves). Running on low it stays 78-80 degrees, the only issue I had with it was I ordered mine from Home Depot and while the small one was manual, the larger sizes are electronic, which means it wouldn't work with the thermostat (every time it turned the power to it back on, it didn't actually turn the fan on). It ended up costing $140 for a new face plate and controls, but I love it a lot now. The smaller one in the second greenhouse was already a manual, so no issues there. The heater is an 800 watt electric 220v, not sure on the brand, it came with the greenhouse.

 

[Oregoncp]

Bonnie, can you give the details on your RO system? I am currently looking at options and would like to know what you have setup and how you like it.

 

[Bonnie]

Hi Oregoncp, I have a http://www.hydrofarm.com/product.php?itemid=7728 and so far it's been working well, it's hooked up to an auto shutoff in the trash can. I wasn't too picky on the RO filter, it just feeds the mist system, curious to see how long until I need to replace the filters.

 

[Bonnie]

New pics from today. It was supposed to hit 100 degrees outside today, always a great time for outdoor pics right >.<

Restrepia trichoglossa



Columnea spathulata, flowers don't look like much, but the leaves have what look like blood streaks towards the underside tip



Episcia 'Suomi'



Diastema vexans



Dischidia cleisanthe



Dischidia species



Peperomia reptans



Begonias













Pearcea abunda



Alsobia flower



Calathea musaica



Diplazium subsinuatum



Peperomia rotundifolia

 

[Bonnie]

New pics from today