I HATE this hot weather...

[abax]

Anybody else with a greenhouse fighting to keep temps. down? My temp. reached over 80F today
with wet wall, fans everywhere and three humidifiers going full blast...also a running fountain and
hosing down floor. I'm thinking through-the-wall air conditioner possibly. Feed back anyone?

 

[Hien]

I know that what I am saying is sidetracking , but this is what I found on the internet, so be happy that you are so blessed with high temperature in Kentucky, I wish I could live in hot area, but my whole family (aka all of my siblings) lives in New Jersey!
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/269266#T-cells-are-more-effective-when-it-is-warmDoes temperature affect cancer?
The team compared cancer progression and metastasis in mice housed at 22°C (72°F) and 30°C (86°F). They found that several types of cancers, including those of the pancreas, colon, skin and breast developed more rapidly and started spreading earlier and more aggressively in the colder environment.

 

[Ray]

Angela, as someone who grows out on my deck, my plants are subject to ambient conditions without recourse.

Yesterday, it was 83F at 7am, and only got worse from there.

 

[NYEric]

No.

 

[Cklinger]

At the grow, we have a hoop house where we do our re-potting and during the summer we put shade cloth over the entire thing. It’s more like black netting so there’s still adequate lighting and lowers the temp inside by several degrees. Might be worth looking into?

 

[abax]

I have shade cloth, but my greenhouse is shaded by lots of trees. I suspect that a
shade cloth might just make the temp situation worse...or maybe not. I've used
the shade cloth in the past. Now trees have shaded the gh and the shade cloth
is no longer needed. Hello Portland!!

 

[Ray]

Angela, shade cloth works in two ways, by reflecting light and by absorbing it, which converts it to heat.

Among pigmented cloths, heating is a significant portion, but varies with color, being the least in white and most in black cloths.

Aluminet, however, being aluminized Mylar film, reflects almost 100% of the blocked light, generating extremely little heat.

 

[tomp]

'On a previous GH 'I was able to suspend my aluminet 12 inches above the roof so I got airflow between cloth and roof. Very effective.

 

[abax]

I have aluminet, but no one brave enough to get it up there. My husband died May 28 and I'm not in any shape to try to do it myself. Actually, my greenhouse doesn't get very
much direct sun, but the extreme temps. and humidity are damaging.

 

[Ray]

Angela, first let me say how sorry I am to hear about your husband’s passing.

Taking a sharp “right turn”, one of the advantages of the reflective nature of Aluminet is that - because there is almost no heat generation - it can be placed inside the greenhouse, which might be easier that outside.

 

[abax]

Thank you Ray. Actually, inside would be harder to do for me and nobody to help.
The attachment points are all outside and waaaaay high by crawling up on one
very steep roof and trying to roll the aluminet down the gh roof. Ain't a job for
the faint hearted.

 

[Phragper]

so sorry to hear of your loss. just know that you have lots of friends here

 

[SuperPaph]

I grow my Paphs in outside, and during july and august, when hotter (83) they feel fantastic, but have them during these months at shadow.

 

[Guldal]

My most heartfelt commiserations, Angela! So sorry to hear of your loss - and that you on top of it have to deal with such challenging practicalities at a time, where the orchids and your other plants should have provided you with solace and support.
Ray's input about the aluminet seems sound, though I see the challenges it rises. If I remember right, you live a bit off the beaten track? Mightn't there be someone you could ask for assistance, anyway: a practical (far away) neighbour; someone trustworthy in one of the local congregations or orchid societies; a friend you could ask for help and Invite to stay over for a couple of days; or ......?
I've often been amazed by the extent to which "the kindness of strangers" has shown, when reaching out for help!
I hope you succeed in solving the problem - or that the weather changes soon!

Most kind regards,
Jens

 

[abax]

Thank you Guldal. The weather has cooled a bit and my greenhouse seems to have
made it through well and blooming...lots of new growth and flowers. I don't understand
"congregations". Church people perhaps? We, of course, have no orchid society within 150 miles and I know no one else who has any interest in orchids. No synagogue here either. I'm totally alone to deal with everything.

 

[Guldal]

Thank you Guldal. The weather has cooled a bit and my greenhouse seems to have
made it through well and blooming...lots of new growth and flowers. I don't understand
"congregations". Church people perhaps? We, of course, have no orchid society within 150 miles and I know no one else who has any interest in orchids. No synagogue here either. I'm totally alone to deal with everything.

I was trying to find a non-denominational term for church, synagogue, temple, etc...but see that I failed or maybe used a British-English word?
If I was totally off the rails, please bear with this non-native speaker - the meaning may not have been clearly expressed, but was indeed well-intended!
Glad to hear, the weather cooled down a bit, Angela - that heatwave sounded awfully and devastatingly hot!

 

[abax]

Ah, I see what you mean. Your English is excellent Jens. American English is constantly
changing and adding new words and discarding old definitions. Language evolution
leaves everybody confused at times. A religious implication is the last language reference I'd think of. (notice the sloppy ending to that sentence ending with a preposition...bad)
You should have heard me murder Danish when visiting your lovely country OMG!!!!
WHAT?????

 

[Guldal]

You should have heard me murder Danish when visiting your lovely country OMG!!!!
WHAT?????

Thank you for your always nice words about Denmark, Angela.
But when it comes to our language:
I've heard Danish characterized not as a language, but a throat disease!
A Finish guy once told me, that it most of all reminded him of 'Klingon' (Star Trek).
And I can to some extent follow both viewpoints: completely idiomatic (for almost every rule, there is a host of exceptions); strange vowels (ø, æ, å); consonants, that chop off the prosodic flow (the melody of the language); a lot of guttural sounds (from the back of the throat - though not as pronounced as in Dutch); completely impossible to pronounce, if you didn't grow up with it (though, even then, younger people, born and bred on our shores, tend to make a meal of it, not articulating properly - said the Scandinavian version of Professor Higgins, anno 2022 )!

Invoking Henry Higgins I just had to check on the 'congregation', and, rightly so, Oxford Languages has it with the meaning, I made use of (and then it probably can't get more British, can it? ):
https://www.google.com/search?q=con...MS4wLjGYAQCgAQGwAQ8&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-hp

 

[abax]

You are correct about the British use of the term. Particularly, Renaissance English
during the upheavals between Catholic, Protestant, extreme Protestant sects. It
seems Elizabeth won out on that one.

 

[GuRu]

...My husband died May 28 and I'm not in any shape to try to do it myself....

Angela, I came across this thread by coincidence and sorry to read this. My deepest condolence .... even if it's belated.