About ten years ago, Sarah Marschall’s kitchen was being overtaken by orchids. “This is what I refer to as the start of my orchid-mania phase”, Sarah said.  So she did some research and decided put a greenhouse in her backyard to manage her little but growing jungle.
‘We decided on an Arrow brand greenhouse, which we special ordered from Home Depot”, Sarah said. Standing at 6′ x 8′ x 8′,  it provided plenty of much needed space.   The green house has a painted aluminum base with semi-opaque fiberglass panels for the sides and roof, plus a sliding door and many shelving options. It came with a huge bag of screws for assembly–which unexpectedly took two days.

Over time, Sarah’s love of orchids has gone from mania to checking in on things and everything in between. “I’d say if you do your homework,  you have a 50% of keeping your orchids alive over a long period of time. Some of mine have been with me for ten years, while others have lasted just a couple of months”  she said,  “and I love being able to bring my orchids and arrangements to friends and family.”

Sarah’s Tips:

• Be prepared. Sarah needed to tinker with the sun/shade conditions.  She found an extra shade cloth helped manage the greenhouse temperature to promote healthy growing.
• Choose wisely. Cool growers like Militonia are not suited for the greenhouse and actually do better inside the home.
• No ferns. Ferns have spores and spread. You will end up with a “fern” house.
• Safety first. Be sure to use outdoor rated electrical cords, since water and electricity don’t mix.
• Experiment. Don’t be afraid to try new varieties. Do your homework first to be sure of the growing conditions needed. Books, online resources and garden shows are a wealth of information.