# "As the Greenhouse Turns"



## paphreek (Aug 29, 2010)

As this episode opens, fair Julie has run off with Sven and Teresa to visit Olga in Nebraska, leaving Ross and sons to fend for themselves. Taking advantage of the situation, Ross moves Julie's beloved R/O system from the basement to the greenhouse.







Meanwhile, Ed, the debonair plumber has his way with the R/O system, connecting it to a tank and a series of barrels,





which then are connected to a water pump.






Will Julie be reunited with her beloved R/O System? Will Aric the electrician ever return from chasing contracts in Texas to finish the greenhouse's heating system? Will Mr. Little by Little and his two children from a previous marriage to Mary Zdilla find happiness in their new home or will they be left out in the cold?





Join us next time for another exciting episode of "As the Greenhouse Turns"!


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## SlipperFan (Aug 29, 2010)

Pretty sneaky, Ross!


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## SlipperKing (Aug 30, 2010)

Most interesting story Ross, esp of the last PIC!


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## goldenrose (Aug 30, 2010)

:rollhappy: :clap: can hardly wait for future episodes!


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## fibre (Aug 30, 2010)

:ninja: uuhh! Can't wait for the next episode of "As the Greenhouse Turns"!


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## Kavanaru (Aug 30, 2010)

LOL very nice way to tell the story... looking forward to reading the next episode


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## JeanLux (Aug 30, 2010)

very cool installation and good story  !!! Jean


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## biothanasis (Aug 30, 2010)

I think I'll be watching this series form now on!!! hehe  Nice photo the last one!

(Just a stupid question: what do you do with the bad water getting out of RO system? Can we water outdoor plants with it or it is too saline?? Is there any other system to make ro water or similar without spending much water?)


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## Bob in Albany N.Y. (Aug 30, 2010)

I'm going to disagree with everyone on this one. I don't want to read the rest of the series. I want a conclusion, so we can shut the book and move on to what Ross and Julie do best.....grow orchids!!!


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## paphreek (Aug 30, 2010)

biothanasis said:


> I think I'll be watching this series form now on!!! hehe  Nice photo the last one!
> 
> (Just a stupid question: what do you do with the bad water getting out of RO system? Can we water outdoor plants with it or it is too saline?? Is there any other system to make ro water or similar without spending much water?)



The waste water simply runs into the ground and eventually goes back into the water table I would assume. The water should be usable for other things, but I'm not sure what. I'll get my cheap TDS meter and give you a reading on it.


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## Yoyo_Jo (Aug 30, 2010)

Great story line! :clap::rollhappy:


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## goldenrose (Aug 30, 2010)

Bob in Albany said:


> I'm going to disagree with everyone on this one. I don't want to read the rest of the series. I want a conclusion, so we can shut the book and move on to what Ross and Julie do best.....grow orchids!!!


:rollhappy::rollhappy:


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## paphreek (Aug 30, 2010)

Bob in Albany said:


> I'm going to disagree with everyone on this one. I don't want to read the rest of the series. I want a conclusion, so we can shut the book and move on to what Ross and Julie do best.....grow orchids!!!



thank you, Bob. This is my way of dealing with the frustration of waiting by having a little fun with it.


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## goldenrose (Aug 30, 2010)

It would be fustrating not to have plants in it at this point in time BUT if you've had a hot summer up there then maybe it's a good thing. You're plants will have an adjustment to the light, didn't need heat too! I've got a couple of phrags showing signs of heat stress, we've got a couple more days, then to the 70's!!!


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## Lanmark (Aug 30, 2010)

Bravo!!! :clap: Encore! Encore!
And so are the days of our 'chids, be they bold or be they beautiful, for they have only one life to live, though they may search for tomorrow in another world. All my children, including the young hobbyists and the restless growers, some of whom work at general hospital, shall continue to tune in, stuck like grains of sand to a pane of sticky glass, watching the greenhouse turn through the days of our lives until the edge of night when we'll all need guiding lights to make our way back through the dark shadows to our homes next to our neighbours on Peyton Place, Knots Landing, and Coronation Street.


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## goldenrose (Aug 30, 2010)

It's too early for me to be that clever,
oh heck any time I don't think I'd come up with that, don't tell us how long it took you!


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## etex (Aug 30, 2010)

LOL!! Excellent story line and pics! The last one really cracked me up! BTW- The trio of blooms are gorgeous!!
This forum really has it all-now we have soaps!


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## Candace (Aug 30, 2010)

The waste water can be routed into an evap. cooler or used for lawn and other landscape planting. Just not anything that produces food. I researched this to try and recover some of mine.


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## NYEric (Aug 30, 2010)

Cool, can't wait to see what happens when Julie finds the Greenhouse inhabited by plants!!


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## KyushuCalanthe (Aug 30, 2010)

Yes, this is getting to be like one of those "my malipoense is in sheath" threads :rollhappy: I am VERY eager to see it full of plants. Not too far off I imagine since the cold weather is coming pretty soon I imagine...


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## paphreek (Sep 5, 2010)

The workers came this week and began to install the back up propane heater and connect the back up generator, but couldn't finish because of missing parts. 






They also did not have the two air circulation fans with them. I was told they would finish on Friday, but no one showed. I suppose they decided to take a long holiday weekend. In the meantime, temperatures were scheduled to drop to 38F (about 3C) last night. So yesterday, I took all the plants (except for cymbidiums and the Den. nobile) growing out doors and put them in the greenhouse.


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## goldenrose (Sep 6, 2010)

You got a Hot Dawg! I really like mine!
The Modine plant is in the town next door, funny how I had to go thru an outfit in central WI.! :arrr:


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## Lanmark (Sep 6, 2010)

I hope the workers get their butts in gear and get this finished for you soon. It's really starting to look like a greenhouse! :clap:


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## likespaphs (Sep 6, 2010)

would have been nice if they called, no?

ghouse looks groovy!


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## etex (Sep 6, 2010)

Looking good- that looks like one serious heater! Hope the workers get back to work soon!!


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## SlipperKing (Sep 6, 2010)

Interesting Ross how your heater is mounted on the horizonal rather then like mine (vertical). Does it have an exhaust fan to help pull out the fumes to the chimmy?


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## KyushuCalanthe (Sep 7, 2010)

Looking good, but they better find those parts soon!


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## nikv (Sep 7, 2010)

paphreek said:


> I was told they would finish on Friday, but no one showed. I suppose they decided to take a long holiday weekend.


So you were left with a Friday cliffhanger, as in true soap opera fashion! As the Greenhouse Turns, indeed!


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## paphreek (Sep 16, 2010)

Just a quick note: the propane conversion parts were installed in the Modine. After getting my general contractor involved (right after he gave me bids on two other projects for the house), the electricians arrived on Tuesday and wired the Modine, just in time for 40F(5C) temps. Wednesday and yesterday they were back installing the main in floor heating boiler, which is also now working. The generator is wired into the system and working.


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## goldenrose (Sep 16, 2010)

nothing like taking it to wire, I've got a couple of relatives up there fishing & they've reported expected lows in the 30's!


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## paphreek (Sep 16, 2010)

goldenrose said:


> nothing like taking it to wire, I've got a couple of relatives up there fishing & they've reported expected lows in the 30's!



No worry, I wasn't going to start bringing out plants until they were done. The "scout" plants in there were mostly plants that had "wintered" outside during this summer, routinely braving lows in the 40's. The greenhouse low has also been running around 15 degrees warmer than the outside low.


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## paphreek (Sep 22, 2010)

Here's a picture of the in floor heating system complete with "boiler". This is definitely not your grandfathers boiler!


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## paphreek (Sep 22, 2010)

I'm gradually moving plants in.....maybe a little over half done.


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## paphreek (Sep 22, 2010)

And hopefully, a harbinger of things to come: the first plant to bloom in the greenhouse, Dendrobium thrysiflorum


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## JeanLux (Sep 22, 2010)

Interesting heating system!!! Looks like receiving an important starting population !!!! Jean


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## goldenrose (Sep 22, 2010)

:clap::clap:Taking no time to fill 'her up, just wait til after the weekend!


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## SlipperFan (Sep 22, 2010)

paphreek said:


> Here's a picture of the in floor heating system complete with "boiler". This is definitely not your grandfathers boiler!


Ross, how did you finish the interior of your knee wall? Painted wood?


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## Lanmark (Sep 22, 2010)

Your Dendrobium thrysiflorum, Ross, is divine! :drool:


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## paphreek (Sep 22, 2010)

SlipperFan said:


> Ross, how did you finish the interior of your knee wall? Painted wood?



It's pressure treated plywood, the same as used for basement foundations. The paint is an off white, heavy duty latex exterior stain. The color was chosen to reflect light and prevent absorption of heat in the summer. Latex stain could only be used if the wood was sufficiently dry.


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## tim (Sep 22, 2010)

lolz - all the non-orchids....sorry dude I feel your pain.


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## NYEric (Sep 22, 2010)

Amn that looks fantastic. You GH growers don't know how fortunate you are.


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## papheteer (Sep 22, 2010)

Looking good, Ross! Im sure there will be lots more blooms to come!


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## paphreek (Sep 22, 2010)

tim said:


> lolz - all the non-orchids....sorry dude I feel your pain.



Actually, there's a method to the madness. If Julie's "dirt" plants are in the greenhouse, she'll have to pitch in some bucks for the heating.  The big challenge will be controlling the infestation.:evil:


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## SlipperFan (Sep 22, 2010)

paphreek said:


> It's pressure treated plywood, the same as used for basement foundations. The paint is an off white, heavy duty latex exterior stain. The color was chosen to reflect light and prevent absorption of heat in the summer. Latex stain could only be used if the wood was sufficiently dry.



Thanks, Ross.


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## KyushuCalanthe (Sep 22, 2010)

Looking great, nice and toasty too. I'm sure the cold weather is just around the corner in your neck of the woods.


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## tenman (Sep 22, 2010)

Lanmark said:


> Bravo!!! :clap: Encore! Encore!
> And so are the days of our 'chids, be they bold or be they beautiful, for they have only one life to live, though they may search for tomorrow in another world. All my children, including the young hobbyists and the restless growers, some of whom work at general hospital, shall continue to tune in, stuck like grains of sand to a pane of sticky glass, watching the greenhouse turn through the days of our lives until the edge of night when we'll all need guiding lights to make our way back through the dark shadows to our homes next to our neighbours on Peyton Place, Knots Landing, and Coronation Street.



Fantastic! Thanks for including my favorite, Dark Shadows!

Ross, which one is the plant in on the right in the pic (the 'children by Mary Zdilla' one)? It's exceptional.

I bet you're absolutely thrilled to be moving plants into the GH. I know I was 3 summers ago when I did - had a glass of wine and did a little dance!

BTW, exactly what kind of paph is this 'Dendrobium thrysiflorum'??? ;-}


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## paphreek (Sep 22, 2010)

tenman said:


> Fantastic! Thanks for including my favorite, Dark Shadows!
> 
> Ross, which one is the plant in on the right in the pic (the 'children by Mary Zdilla' one)? It's exceptional.
> 
> ...



That's Paph (Mary Zdilla '#1' x Little by Little 'War Eagle' HCC/AOS) '#2'


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