Hello from Va suburbs of Wash, DC.

[Dave-in-Virginia]

Hello "Dave in Virginia"!
Welcome to Slippertalk from Kentucky.

Thank you. I've always wanted to visit KY and see firsthand some cypripediums in the wild.

 

[southernbelle]

It looks like fun, and it's only a couple weeks away. I'm still working weekends and am not sure about a drive to Chevy Chase, I'll try to make a decision soon.

It truly is the highlight of the year. Nothing else like it on the Eastern seaboard. Hasn’t been held in person since 2020 because of COVID. We are really psyched. I cone up from 30 minutes outside Fredericksburg for it. Worth every minute of the drive. Speakers and vendors from all all over the country. If it sounds like I’m trying to twist your arm, I am!! You will thank me.

 

[southernbelle]

Hello all, I'll be retiring in a few months and dedicating more time to orchids, orchidariums and vivariums. I'm going to start with some "light boxes" which are just waterproof all white boxes with LED grow lights. I'm looking at the Spider Farmer or Mars grow light LEDs. The orchidarium light boxes are about 8' long, 5' high and 2.5' wide. I've got Paphs and Phrags coming in March/April which hopefully gives me enough time to build the orchidariums, put in misting/ventilation/lights and try to get a controller to automate things. I'm not a very technical person but I like what automated systems can do.

I've grown lots of plants in my life, my favorites have been lilies. I'm relatively handy and will build the orchidariums and vivariums myself. I think people like lots of pics of DIY builds which I am happy to provide. At this point I see slipper orchids in bloom rotating into the lower part of a large vivarium (low Paphs, the Phrags will be closer to the lights), and when blooms are spent the slippers will be rotated back into the orchidariums for recovery/rebloom. I anticipate several different climates in the recovery boxes. Some orchids need cooler nights to simulate seasons, some need drier conditions. That's why several orchidariums will be needed to supply one vivarium. I also think I'll put some high light Cattleya/Vanda types up high and some Phals in the middle. I'll have to see how the foot candles measure up in each box.

Please don't think the above specs mean that I know much about orchids. I don't. I'm pretty much a beginner and would like lots of advice. Growing indoors is relatively new to me, I've mostly been an outdoor flower grower. I have a greenhouse but have been disappointed with it. It gets too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. I have some 275 gallon totes in the greenhouse for rainwater collection. I don't want to house rare or wild plants, or anything that puts more collection pressure on an overstrained world.

I can take a deep breath now because I think I've run out of things to say! Thanks in advance for help and advice from friendly people.

I remembered this post from last June. Carmella.Carey (Patrick) had asking for people to post their growing conditions. You may get some ideas.
https://www.slippertalk.com/threads/a-possibly-interesting-idea-what-do-you-all-think.53601/

 

[Dave-in-Virginia]

Thanks, I liked the looks of some of those light boxes.

 

[Ray]

Thank you. I've always wanted to visit KY and see firsthand some cypripediums in the wild.

Dave,

The most Cyp. acaule I've ever seen were in the mountains of Virginia. My wife and I went with my sister-in-law and her husband to Shrine Mont, near Orkney Springs. Hiking their trails, I must have seen a hundred or so.

 

[Dave-in-Virginia]

I think C. acaule are fairly common in Virginia parks. A number of years ago I looked at an abandoned nursery that was selling as a commercial property. The old plant beds had dozens of acaule. I asked the owner's permission and transplanted 10-15, alas they did not survive.

 

[southernbelle]

Dave,

The most Cyp. acaule I've ever seen were in the mountains of Virginia. My wife and I went with my sister-in-law and her husband to Shrine Mont, near Orkney Springs. Hiking their trails, I must have seen a hundred or so.

There is a lake in Louisa County ‘Orchid Lake’ so named because of the masses of C. acaule surround in it and the area. VOS did a field trip there.

 

[Ray]

Thanks for those photos. It's always a thrill to see orchids in the wild.

 

[Dave-in-Virginia]

There is a lake in Louisa County ‘Orchid Lake’ so named because of the masses of C. acaule surround in it and the area. VOS did a field trip there. View attachment 37739View attachment 37740View attachment 37741

Those are absolutely stunning!

 

[southernbelle]

If you like indigenous wild orchids in VA you might be interested in this post from last summer. I pulled these for a couple of years (before one flowered) thinking they were weeds!! Then one flowered and I recognized an orchid!! Very small flowers.
https://www.slippertalk.com/threads/identification-of-indigenous-wild-flower.53678/

 

[Dave-in-Virginia]

Thanks. I’ve noticed several common local orchids. One persists in the wi yet landscape as a single leaf, another has a beautiful spring bloom or purple and white. In some woods it is fairly thick with these plants.

 

[NYEric]

Welcome from NYC.

 

[Dave-in-Virginia]

I've started building my light boxes and want to start a thread for DIY orchidarium build. I'll have a lot of beginner questions and perhaps a bit of discussion about automation. What category best fits a thread like this?

Thanks in advance.

 

[cnycharles]

Thanks. I’ve noticed several common local orchids. One persists in the wi yet landscape as a single leaf, another has a beautiful spring bloom or purple and white. In some woods it is fairly thick with these plants.

This?

 

[Dave-in-Virginia]

This?

That's it! beautiful to see close up.

 

[Dave-in-Virginia]

Welcome from NYC.

Thank you Eric.

 

[DrLeslieEe]

Retire = buy more orchids

Welcome to the rabbit hole!

 

[Dave-in-Virginia]

Retire = buy more orchids

Welcome to the rabbit hole!

Thanks for the welcome. I'd working on the grow room but this last project before retirement is keeping me busy 7 days a week.