Adding a Web Server (coming soon…)
Flask/Python web server
Author Archives: simonpdesai
Controller Computer (coming soon…)
components schematics source code (I have to clean this up first, otherwise I will embarrass myself with co-workers)
Lighting
You could purchase a pre-made lighting system, but there is usually no way to automatically control the amount of light, choose the frequencies of light being used, or be able to adjust the location of the LEDs. Adjusting the light levels will be important in experimentation to see what the orchids like. I opted to… Read More »
Watering and Fertilization
I found a misting system from MistKing that sprays a very fine 50 micron mist. I needed as fine a mist as possible, so that as little water as possible collects at the bottom of the orchidarium. The water in my area is hard and will clog the sprayers, so I decided to get a… Read More »
Temperature, and Living Dangerously
I experimented with heat pads on the outside of the orchidarium, but the heat transfer was not good enough, and the amount of heat too small. I still used heat pads stuck to the bottom of the orchidarium, but this was to add humidity, not to raise the temperature in the orchidarium. I also looked… Read More »
Earthquake proofing
Yes, I live in California! Although we don’t have earthquakes very often, there are other disasters like me tripping headlong into a working orchidarium. I know you have that “Oh No!” look on your face just like McCauley Culkin in Home Alone. So off to Home Depot to buy some heavy duty steel L-bars and… Read More »
Choosing a glass enclosure
Since I am growing vanda orchids, I needed an enclosure that was at least 36″ tall. I have seen a vanda coerulea that was 9 feet long. Ideally an enclosure of 5 feet height would work best, but I could not find anything so tall off-the-shelf. Vandas like air flow to prevent fungus from growing,… Read More »
Why build an orchidarium?
Ever since visiting Singapore and stopping by the Orchid Show, I have wanted to try growing vanda orchids, especially vanda coerulea hybrids. However, I live in California where humidity is 50% and nights are cold. Even growing grocery store-bought orchids is a challenge for me; their leaves fall off, turning brown, or their roots grow… Read More »
Air Flow
Vanda orchids do not like stagnant air. They are used to growing at the top of trees in the jungle, where the wind is blowing hardest and light is plentiful (this is especially true for the Vanda Coerulea). Vandas are very susceptible to fungus, so it is important that air flow is given so that… Read More »
Mounting the Orchids
Vanda orchids are epiphytes; they grow attached to the tree trunks or branches in a tropical rain forest. Many of their roots hang down without touching the forest floor. The orchidarium is too small to grow trees in, so I used cork rounds, cork show grade and ghostwood. I attached the ghostwood branch to a… Read More »