What do you do in winter Solved

[IainS]

Trying to keep the greenhouse humidity below 99% (my sensor can't handle 100%!) is quite a trial at this time of year. Much easier once it gets colder and clearer, but by then the Pediocactus will need some care.

You might consider investing in a dehumidifier. Mine runs 24/7 and the humidity in the winter sits around the 50% mark regardless of the temperature. I never see condensation or dripping water either, though the latter is probably down to having made the greenhouse completely water tight!

Dehumidifiers are brilliant. We only discovered this almost essential bit of equipment just over ten years ago (for inside the house). The best, by far, is the Ebac 2650e. Shop around for the best price, ask Ebac to price match, and you'll then get a 5-year guarantee (instead of just two years). Our previous one when wrong after four years, ten months; it was replaced with a new one free-of-charge with no fuss.

[IanW]

What can you do in the winter, when its cold and the last Mesems are goin to sleep? The greenhouse is not very inviting, so keep warm, do some re-potting may be and check for reliable seed supliers, I gues? Oh, and check the heater ocasionally! But what else is there to do?

Read and reply to mundane internet posts mostly.

Or sit in awe of the Cattleyas, Vandas, and Paphiopedilums that seem to spread their flowery joy around the house this time of year.

I have two grow tents, so they kind of let me keep growing some things year round anyway though to be fair.

[Lyn]

This time of year I spend catching up with with any reading I can do on our wonderful plants and planning ahead for the Spring :-) What I really feel like doing through is sleeping and waking up in the Spring just like my plants do haha! I am not a Winter person at all :-)

[kamos]

" I am not a Winter person at all ". I feel your pain Lyn! I don't like winter either.

[srboisvert]

I spend my winters in Chicago wondering why I would ever move to Chicago and I spend the other three seasons realizing why I moved to Chicago.

[IainS]

I spend my winters in Chicago wondering why I would ever move to Chicago and I spend the other three seasons realizing why I moved to Chicago.

Stephen: Unfortunately, Becky and I have only spent one night in January experiencing Chicago - the place that is (we're both big fans of the group) - and it was -20C or -4F. And it was Becky's 40th birthday. The frigid temperature was put into perspective when we arrived at Yellowstone the next day for two weeks.....where it was -40C (-40F) - much colder than when I first worked there years before at just -25C. We then had just one day back in the UK before flying to our nature reserves in South Africa. The temperature on arrival? 42C (107F). Vicky always remembers that extreme temperature shift (82C or 147F) that Becky and I went through.

I'm assuming you don't heat your greenhouse in the winter?!

[Aiko]

Winter seems to be coming.

I just finished setting up the safe keeping area in my greenhouse, for all my winter active succulents. Just a small space (well, it is two square meters of crowded little succulents) that I keep frost free with a heater and a precise thermostat.

And I also brought in the last five trays of succulents that have to spend their winter dormancy in an unheated room.

So I am set for frost and snow next week!

[AnTTun]

Repotting, sowing and checking heating bills

[gramps]

Late December and I am still watering !
I have an indoor set up under lights with heating from below
Must rest them soon though
To be sure I get flowers in 2016
Happy New Year

[spinesandrosettes]

Grow Tylecodons. They are dead easy, in leaf in winter, and have an amazing variety of flowers.

Definitely something to appreciate during the winter months. There's not much to do, but water it once in a while, and just enjoy the show.

Here's one of mine... this was 5 years ago, and I'd already had it for several years, but bloomed for a change.

It's been growing nicely since....here are some shots I took today.

2016 01 07 Tylecodon cacaliodes c X700.jpg (230.01 KiB) Viewed 1880 times