Plant Culture
A 48-in L x 48-in W x 80-in H (122-cm L x 122-cm W x 203-cm H) grow tent has been modified for controlled-environment cultivation of Pleurothallidinae and other tropical high elevation orchid species.
The system is modeled after the Tropical High Elevation House (THEH) at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Read about it here.
Unlike the THEH which uses a commercial air washer to lower the temperature, this system uses a portable air conditioner to cool the tent.
The cold air is blown into the tent while the warmer exhaust is directed up toward the ceiling. The intake is on the unit outside the tent, so it doesn't remove humidity from the tent.
It is a self-evaporating unit, so there is no need for a container to catch condensation runoff.
The air conditioner is programmed and monitored through a smart phone app.
The maximum temperature is set at 61F (16C).
Humidity is monitored and controlled using the Aerostream H19 by Vivosun.
The maximum humidity is set at 90%.
This system uses aquarium strip lights by SEAOURA.
1. Aquarium lights are sealed, so they will not be affected if they get wet, and they will last longer than grow lights.
2. Aquarium lights have more options regarding light spectrum. These lights allow spectrum customization, soextra red spectrum is used to promote blooming.
The lights are turned on/off by a smart plug which is controlled through a smart phone app. Unlike analog timers, smart plugs don't have to be reset after power outages.
Plants are watered about every other day with tap water without any modifications except fertilizer using a 2-gal battery-powered sprayer.
The majority of the plants are grown on cedar mounts.
Potted plants are grown in clear plastic pots in live red sphagnum moss (Sphagnum capiliifolia).
1. Live sphagnum only takes as much water as it needs to survive, so it is a loose, free-draining medium that doesn't retain water. Whereas dried sphagnum can become waterlogged and cause the roots of the orchid to rot.
2. Live sphagnum doesn’t break down over time like dried sphagnum, so the plants don’t have to be repotted as often.
2. It's also plausible that as it respires, it might create airflow around the roots and keep the roots cooler. It might also provide moisture to the roots through respiration.
