ORIGINAL 1994 PLATFORM
(2000 A.D.) My outdoor growing platforms have an open grill bottom and open sides for circulation (though a rim keeps plants from being blown off), with plastic sheeting (double layer in areas for lower-light paphs and phals) and wood lattice for shading, and are about 2 feet above the ground. The plastic also keeps the rain off; I water early in the day and don't have to worry about crown rot. I do have to replace the plastic yearly, as the sun and weather here aren't very kind to it. The tops are hinged (with nails in the ends; nothing fancy here) to allow access for watering and inspection (shown open here for a better view of plants). The front foot (not visible- photos are rear view shots) of the two southmost units is covered only by clear plexiglass, with no shading, for the more sun-loving plants, such as Brassavolas, Vandaceous plants, Schomburgkias, Vandopsis, Ansellia, and a couple of bromeliads. All constructed mostly with scrap and a few bucks for the plastic. I try to save the $ for the plants, not the extras!! :) I hope this encourages those who don't have greenhouses that this sort of thing can be easy and affordable. This is the 5th year I've put them out for the spring/summer/fall and I've had far more flowering than before. Since the plants outside range from the high-light vandas to cattleyas, paphs, phrags, masdevallias, bulbophyllums, etc., I am constsntly experimenting with light levels. I have attempted to position the few which REALLY want the least light under the additional shade of bromeliad leaves. I must say the plants are far stronger and generally hardier than before.
