I grew three when I lived in NY. I had an unheated sunroom attached to my house. I left them out there in the winter. They did well and I got growth and flowers. During the summer it was trickier. I put them in the shade of a tree on a deck which had good air flow. They made it through summer but did better when the cool weather came. I kept them outside until the temps got quite cold.

I grew Masdevallias the same way. I always got flowers but these are tricky plants to grow without a greenhouse and controlled temps and light. Masdes were easier for me.

Buy one and give it a try. You are in the same zone I lived in. Depends on how much time you want to give them.

Jane

I ordered the starter set which is 2 small, 2 medium, and 2 large. Now I need 6 cool growers to mount. I have a Coelogyne nitida that I bought last year not realizing it was a cool grower. I will look for one of the Raven type Draculas that Nick was posting and a Masdevallia coccinea.

That leaves 3 more, any suggestions? I want to stay on the small side so Dendrobium lavifolium, Sophronitis cernua, or Pleurothallis linearifolia come to mind.

Perhaps you will post pics as you go along, James? I would very much like to see how this works in "real life." They appear very reasonably priced and I may try some in the spring.

Judy

My order came in yesterday. I haven't mounted anything yet but I did fill one with water a put it in my growing area. I used a infrared thermometer to measure the surface temperature. The Kool log was 10 degrees cooler than the rest of the pots in the room.