We have grown our orchids outside in our USDA Zone 5 garden during each summer since 2001. Orchids were placed in our outdoor shadehouse from May 1st through September 30th (150 days).
The shadehouse was 4 feet deep, 19 feet wide, and 7 feet, 3 inches, high. It was built on top of a wooden patio deck. The floor of wooden patio deck was constructed to be 2 feet above ground level. The shadehouse and patio deck were constructed with pressure treated lumber. The vertical frame used twelve 4x4 posts. The roof frame and interior bench area frame used 2x4 lumber. There were five 6 feet by 4 feet expanded metal benchtop panels that formed the benchtop surface. The expanded metal was made from 13 gauge galvinized steel. The benchtop surface was 36 inches above the deck floor. The roof was composed of seven 5 feet by 3 feet white opaque corrugated fiberglass panels. We overlapped the fiberglass panels to avoid drips. The roof was pitched at 1 inch per foot to allow for runoff. The back and sides of the shadehouse were faced with 4 feet by 8 feet cedar lattice panels. The cedar lattice panels reduced the direct sunlight from falling on the plants. The front of the shadehouse were faced with 50% shadecloth. The shadecloth could have been rolled up to expose the plants to direct sunlight.
Starting in 2005, we began leaving half of the shade cloth rolled up and thus exposing half of our orchids to direct morning sunlight. These plants received direct sunlight between 8:30AM to 11:30AM. The rest of the plants received filter light passing through the shadecloth.
Orchids received full direct sunlight between 8:30AM to 11:30AM.
Part of the shadehouse received filtered light and another part recieved full direct sunlight.
| Orchids Outdoors | First Date | Last Date |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 5/7 | 9/28 |
| 2004 | 5/11 | 9/30 |
| 2003 | 5/12 | 9/25 |
| 2002 | 5/18 | 9/19 |
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