Greetings from Bay Area

[Macleania]

A brief summary of my plant interest:
Started with Japanese maples, then conifers since Japanese maples aren't evergreen and I wanted something to look at all year. After going to hawaii, I got into proteaceae, such as queen protea and leucadendrons. This got me interested in australian natives so I obtained banksia, then hakea. Purchased a brugmansia online after seeing a few grown near me. Then from the same website I purchased other plants including a macleania insignis, which got me collecting neotropical blueberries. Epiphytic blueberries led to potting materials which are also used for orchids, which is how I started looking at orchids.
I use a small grow tent, with an ultrasonic humidification system I put together and led grow light, for high humidity plants (around 60- 70 percent). I only have a couple orchids growing outside, (dendrobium, stanhopea) since I have way too many plants and not enough space. I have only been looking at orchids that can grow outside for most of the year, anything for my grow tent would have to be high humidity, warm growing, and ultra miniature.
So that's me, hopefully says enough.

[MattWoelfsen]

Welcome to the Board. I am thinking you are from the San Francisco Bay Area? I'm glad you introduced yourself. If you are in the SF Bay Area, you can grow many different kinds of orchids, outside, year round. There are several Bay Area members that could help you with recommendations, if needed.

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

[Macleania]

I live below San Francisco. Closer to the coast than San Jose. Humidity is usually above 40 percent. Temperatures may reach 32 degrees on a few nights of the year although they only got to 35 at the lowest this year. I bring plants inside overnight when it gets that cold. Temperatures may also reach the nineties for a few days as well in the summer.

[RosieC]

Welcome to Orchid Board

[Zoi2]

Welcome!
Joann

[silken]

Welcome to Orchid Board!

[theloyalplum]

Welcome!

-from a fellow Bay Area person

[LizB88]

and welcome!
Your garden sounds amazing.

[WhiteRabbit]

I'm also in the bay area

[tarev]

Welcome to OB! I am more inland, but get Delta influence at times..but typically we get the thermal heat of summer and cold valley inversions in winter. You can certainly grow some Dens, Oncidiums and Maxillarias, in your area. I always haul my orchids indoors during winter since we can dip into 21F sometimes. Zygopetalums do great year round in my growcamp, they like the cold as long as kept dry.