any ideas how to cover orchids outside?

[Cinderella]

I moved several orchids outside under a shady tree and sort of fashioned a very makeshift little area out of closet shelving and egg crates. No it is not pretty but no one sees it in the backyard. Anyway, we are expecting some t-storms this week and it will be too much rain at once.

Any ideas of how to make a cover for the orchids? There is a tree over the stand but no really large branch. I have a tarp but nothing to hang it on. Has anybody rigged something up that has worked?

Thanks!

[uncasteeb]

In the UK we have had some of the worst thunderstorms i can remember this year.A dozen or so of my 'chids have been out through all of it without no ill effects , in fact they seem to like it .What i would suggest is some small meshed plastic/nylon sheeting which is UV stable.I use geenhouse shading(maybe called something wlse in the US).This has many beneifits.It does give shading , keeps the critters off , stops the 'chids from being to battered by the heavy rain & it doesn,t get blown about by the wind , it also allows excellent airflow so the 'chids dry off quickly.
For a makeshift 'chid house you could use some stout garden canes , use garden wire to lash them together & cover them in the plastic sheeting.Just make sure you leave enough of the plastic sheeting draped onto the floor so that you can weigh it down with some bricks/large stones.

http://www.gothicarchgreenhouses.com...h_supplies.htm

[Máire]

I have 80-90 outside. They're in clay, baskets or mounted and hanging from the trees. We had a storm in May that dumped 10" and another in June that dumped 8". The orchids loved it...

Máire

[cattlover]

so even the ones that like to dry out liked being all drenched and everything?

[uncasteeb]

so even the ones that like to dry out liked being all drenched and everything?

Yep it seems so.
I,ve got Oncs,Paphs,Milts,Burg,Phals,Odonto,Vukls & all seem fine , i have sprayed them once with a product for roses that stops blackspot , mildew etc
just in case.My largish Odontoglossum(8" pot) "Rawdon Jester" didn,t need watering for about 6 weeks as well as a Onc Sphacelatum , these are my only plants in bark but they do have polystyrene "peanuts" @ the bottom of the pot for extra drainage.

[Cinderella]

don't the phals get crown rot with water sitting there?

[uncasteeb]

don't the phals get crown rot with water sitting there?

Nope.
They have actually been filled for days without problems.
My Paph Roth seedling being @ the top of the mini orchid house gets all the weather and seeing as it,s growing a new leaf the water stays in the crown for ages.I,ve stoppd worrying about it.
Same thing as why don,t Phals get root rot in s/h , a couple of mine have actually got roots sitting in the res @ the bottom , the tips of these are still red/brown.
It may be down to the purity of the water I.E. rainwater has little or no chemicals in it , where as the water we feed to our 'chids has fertiliser in it + loads of trace elements.these may burn the crown & this allows the rot to get a hold.