Sand for extra humidity

[cdayinflorida]

I think I'm going to taken a lesson from the Thai growers and add a thick layer of sand on the floor of the next shadehouse for added humidity. I will probably add a layer of crushed rock over the top so I'm not dragging sand everywhere inside the house. Has anyone done this?

[lanhua]

yes I did it, even the ground in my greehouse is not made of concrete, just soil. From timt to time I let flow water in my grenhouse, so the soil can suck a lot of water. I've put crushed stons on the top, even to avoid, I come back home with dirty shoes.

[Teena]

If you wanted to spend the money or have willing help you could have the ground built like a gravel driveway. Excavate some dirt, compress the soil with one of those nifty machines that the landscape boys use, spread 3 inches sand, tamp the sand down with the compressing machine, then the final layer of the appropriate inches of gravel, also compressed. There should be almost no loose gravel to track and no sand. And a nice layer of sand underneath it all to add humidity.

Just asking, but don't you live in Florida where the humidity is quite high most of the year?

martha

[Brutal_Dreamer]

When we built our greenhouse we dug out the floor and had it compacted, added sand and then a thick layer of rock. It works nicely.

cheers,
BD

[Halloamey]

Cathy when I was last year in Bangkok, I visited quite a few nurseries, and none of them had sand at the bottom of the greenhouses, what they had though was water . All the plants are hanging up above a pool of water less than 2 inches deep. I will see if I can find a photo for you. I do not recommend sand at all, apart from the aesthetics and cleaning problems, soon a layer of algae will grow on top of it, making your greenhouse floor slippery. I like Bruce's idea. I personally would have have grit, over burnt brick pieces or turf or even crushed charcoal at the bottom.

[Halloamey]

Found some for you Cathy

[stateless]

I use lava rock in some areas and crushed terracotta pots in others, under my vandas to help with humidity, seems to help

[Cjcorner]

Our back area had pavers so we continued that for the greenhouse. The humidity right now is 96....and has been over 90 for two days even when the doors are open. It works a little too well...lol. So what do you do with too high humidity? Or is there such a thing?

[catttan]

Amey is quite right about the pools of water under the orchid plants, particularly vandas in Thailand. But I use sand and potted plants like anthuriums in the shade house. Much as I would like to use water under the plants it is impossible here as this would provide a breeding ground for the Aedes egypti mosquito, responsible for the dengue fever here. Our public health department carries out periodic checks for breeding places of the aedes mosquito and hefty fines are levied on culprits caught with providing breeding places for these mosquitoes at the rate of RM 30 ($10 US) for each larva.

Your idea sounds good, Cathy.

[Pindar]

Hi Cathy! Wow, sounds lovely: and I so agree with you, Martha, Bruce and others. That sounds perfect and I wish I was doing it. NOTE: you can also put down paving for a path(s) where you are going to walk so you can stay off the gravel. (Always have a coarse top layer of gravel or crushed rock or whatever: naked sand will be a menace in time- just like Amey says.) OR if you have spare cash- how about just BRICK over the sand- that is the classiest! And is a wow. (Reclaimed brick is even prettier, but here in the UK that is too expensive.)

I think you shouldn't be troubled by excessive humidity since yours is a shade house, so essentially always open to the elements- have I understood that ok? This is where I really wish I had a greenhouse so I can lay down sand and crushed rock... My conservatory is really an extension of the house and communicates with it directly... so it has a tiled floor. In the cooler months that is fine since the natural humidity is never below 70%; but in the warm months the humidifier is a life-saver.

I think I'm going to taken a lesson from the Thai growers and add a thick layer of sand on the floor of the next shadehouse for added humidity. I will probably add a layer of crushed rock over the top so I'm not dragging sand everywhere inside the house. Has anyone done this?