SONOMA COUNTY ORCHID SOCIETY

Transcription

1 SONOMA COUNTY ORCHID SOCIETY November 2014 A California Non-Profit 501 (c) (3) Corporation IN THIS ISSUE 1: Scott Collins Bio; Dinner With Speaker 2: Skill Session; President's Corner 3: Refreshment List; Thank You; 2015 Show 4: Membership Welcome; Classifieds 5: AOS Corner 6: Board Highlights 7: October Meeting Pictures 8: November Checklist 9: Events Calendar 10: Holiday Dinner Poster 11: Marie Wascow Ballot Our November meeting is on November 11, 2014 at 6:30 p.m. at the Veteran's Memorial Building, 1351 Maple Avenue, SR GUESTS WELCOME Our November speaker is Scott Collins who will discuss "Lycastes, From The Species to Today's Cutting Edge Hybrids." Scott has been growing orchids for over 30 years. His nursery, Echo Valley Orchids, is in the rolling hills of north Monterey County. There, he grows mainly Odonto-glossums, Lycastes, Cattleyas and Paphiopedilums. Over the years his plants have been granted over 80 AOS quality and culture awards. Scott had a successful Phalaenopsis breeding program in the 1990 s, where many of his hybrids garnered numerous AOS awards. Currently, his breeding efforts are devoted to Odontoglossums and Lycastes. Scott has been involved in the AOS judging system for 28 years and is currently a Senior Judge affiliated with the Pacific Central Judging Region of the AOS. He enjoys traveling throughout California to the numerous orchid shows and seeing the different orchids that are grown in the various California ecosystems. Over the years Scott has lectured at many local societies and at several large shows and events. Some of these include the Greater New York Orchid Show in Manhattan, the World Orchid Congress in Vancouver, BC, and the Phalaenopsis Alliance Show in Los Angeles. When not involved in orchids, Scott enjoys rambling through the deserts of California rock collecting with his son. OPPORTUNITY TABLE TO BE SUPPLIED BY SCOTT! PLEASE JOIN US FOR DINNER WITH THE SPEAKER AT SEA THAI BISTRO, 2323 Sonoma Avenue at corner of Farmers Lane, at 5:00 p.m. RSVP to Angelique Fry at or bfry@pon.net. Page 1

2 AT THE NOVEMBER MEETING, A SKILL SESSION will be presented by Judy Carney, beginning at 6:40 6:45. It will soon be winter and some of our plants need a "dry rest". What is a dry rest? How dry is too dry? How do I know when to start re-watering? Can I overwater? Judy will discuss orchids that need a dry rest in winter for successful blooming and provide care tips. Hello Orchid Friends, President s Corner Fall is in full swing and the leaves on our outdoor trees are changing to red, orange, and yellow hues before falling to the ground. We welcome any rainfall, even morning mist. There is a definite chill in the air. Many orchids have already gotten a needed drop in temperature enabling them to set their spikes. Laelias and Cymbidiums are among the orchids that start rewarding us for the care that we have given them thorough the spring and summer. We certainly love those spikes, don t we? Remember to vote for the person(s) whom you think best deserves the Marie Waskow Award. Ballots are available in your newsletter. Either your vote to Kathie Hile or myself jph.kah@gmail.com or susanaorchids@gmail.com. You can also turn them in at the November meeting. We will have ballots at the November meeting, too. Our next big event is the Holiday Party! It will be at Legends at the Bennett Valley Golf Course. Billie MacCarthy and her merry band of elves are planning a great party! We will have gorgeous blooming orchids that will be table decorations. These will go home with several lucky people. There is a gift exchange that is always a lot of fun! Remember you can bring spouses, significant others or a friend to the festivities! We have a good start on sign ups, but if you haven t already signed up, make sure you do so at the November meeting or send your meal choice and check to Billie MacCarthy. See you at our next meeting on November 11th! Scott Collins is going to give us a fantastic talk on Lycastes. Happy orchid thoughts! Susan Page 2

3 PLEASE CHECK THE SCHEDULE BELOW TO SEE IF YOU ARE SCHEDULED TO BRING A FINGER FOOD TO THE OCTOBER MEETING. (Anyone can bring a refreshment at any time.) REMEMBER, if you bring a refreshment, you receive a raffle ticket to be placed in a special drawing for only those bringing refreshments that evening. Winner gets first choice from the opportunity table. Refreshments Please bring a refreshment if the first letter of your last name corresponds with the monthly meeting. T Z January, 2014 A B February C De March Di Fo April Fr H May J Le June Ice Cream Social July Li M August Bar-B-Q & Auction September No Meeting in September N - R October S November Holiday Dinner December No Meeting in December THANK YOU! Thank you Thank you to Cynthia Battershall and to Debra Atwood for opening their wonderful greenhouses for us to visit in October. I hope that many of you took advantage of the opportunity and were able to visit and purchase some of the special orchids that were offered for sale. Thank you to Ann Possinger for hosting the Spring Show meeting in October. The Show Committee is off to a good running start. Thank you to Kathie Hile, Mel Walsh, Jeanne Van Blarcom, and Ann Possinger for helping at Raley s Orchid Faire in Santa Rosa. This great team signed up 4 new members and talked to even more potential members. Excellent job!!! Change of address, or to unsubscribe to newsletter? To send an address or change, or to unsubscribe from our newsletter, go to our Society website at and use the "contacts" link to send an to the membership chair. SHOW PREPARATIONS HAVE BEGUN Our 2015 Show Committee Chairs met to begin preparations for our 2015 Orchid Show & Sale on March 27 (set-up), 28 and 29. Angelique Fry agreed to chair the SCOS Display a huge responsibility (thank you Angelique!). The theme will be decided soon. Most of our show chairs have graciously agreed to chair their positions again. Please put these dates on your 2015 calendar as we need the help of all of our members to make our Show run smoothly. There is a position for everyone! Remember, if you volunteer to help, you can participate in the pasta party dinner, immediately following the close of the Show on Saturday. There will be much more information to follow as the time draws near. Page 3

4 MEMBERSHIP COLUMN The Raley's Orchid Faire was a huge success. In only 4 hours we had 4 people join our Society as new members. We would like to welcome: Barbara Hoffman Kathleen Homm Loretta May Murleen Ray If you haven't paid your membership dues for the July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015 fiscal year, please do so as soon as possible. If you cannot make it to a meeting, you may mail your check and membership form to Jeanne Van Blarcom, 897 Matsuda Lane, Sebastopol, A membership form may be found in a back issue of the newsletter or on the society website at Thank you for renewing! We presently have 87 paid members. Thank you to all who have brought their memberships current. Don't forget to wear your name badge and sign in! Wear your name badge or make a paper name-tag at the membership table when you enter the meeting room. Then, sign the list at the Membership Table. At each meeting, one name will be drawn and that person will receive a free strip of raffle tickets. Those who would like to order a name badge should Jeanne at jeannevanb@gmail.com. CLASSIFIEDS COLUMN Don't forget you can get orchid supplies from Kris and Jim Foster foster@sonic.net or Small and medium Rexius bark Perlite Sphagnum Orchid labels Stakes Charcoal ORCHIATA BARK ($17 includes tax) AND NUTRICOTE ($3 for 1# bag) FOR SALE BY YOUR SOCIETY! Orchiata: Classic #9 Power #5 Power #5a Super #7 1//4" 3/8" chips 3/8" 1/2" chips 1/2" 3/4" chips 3/4" 1" chips TED PRUDEN'S 10' x 14' GREENHOUSE IS STILL FOR SALE TAKE A LOOK AND MAKE AN OFFER Everything included: Reverse Osmosis water system, holding tanks, benches, misting system, heater, etc. Call Kathleen Pruden to see greenhouse $3, or best offer. DOES ANYONE WANT WINE CORKS?? I have a couple of buckets full of wine corks I would love to give away. If you are interested, please me at jph.kah@gmail.com. K. Hile DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING FOR SALE ADVERTISE HERE FOR FREE!! Angelique bfry@pon.net to Order and arrange for pick-up Page 4

5 AOS CORNER While perusing the American Orchid Society (AOS) website today, I found a link to a video library. Jackpot! Videos with an instructor showing and talking about how to do all kinds of things such as repotting a keiki, recognizing mite damage, and repotting orchids, both healthy and unhealthy. Members (digital membership is only $40 - get yours today!) can discover the gems in the AOS Video Library under the All About Orchids tab on the home page. Quickly becoming a favorite part for me of the AOS website are the monthly checklists. Because plant growth and flowering is in tune with the changing seasons, these monthly checklists will remind you of what needs to be done by type of orchid in your orchid collection throughout the year. Here is an excerpt from a general checklist titled "Things to do in the Fall". Like spring, fall is an important transitional season and orchid growers should be making preparations for the coming winter. As days get shorter and cooler, orchid growth will slow and in some cases, cease altogether. Unless a plant is in a crisis situation, put off any repotting until the lengthening days of spring. For many orchids, it is this change of seasonal conditions that begins flower initiation. As we move into November, be on the lookout for developing inflorescences on Phalaenopsis, Cymbidium and certain hybrids and species in other genera, and begin staking when spikes reach 6-8 inches. If you have been summering some or all of your orchids outside, now is a good time to get your indoor growing area cleaned up and ready to welcome the returning orchids. Whether it is windowsill carts, a basement light setup or greenhouse, use diluted chlorine bleach (1:10) or Physan to clean off any accumulated algae. It is easier to make repairs when there are no plants, so make sure that your growing area is in top condition for the trying conditions of winter. Make sure that heaters are working and that you have plenty of fuel. If you use backup devices or alarms, test them too. Be sure to check plants thoroughly for pests before returning them to the close quarters of your indoor growing area or greenhouse. Once all your orchids are tucked in for the winter, you may find yourself with extra time on your hands (I just blew milk through my nose after writing that). Check out the pre-recorded webinar on Orchid Culture by Greg Allikas on one of these cold fall days. It is free to non-members. The recording is about 45 minutes long.the first two and one half minutes are housekeeping done during the active webinar.the remaining consists of a PowerPoint presentation about identifying orchids and orchid culture. That s it for the American Orchid Society report this month. Maybe I ll see you at the webinar! The California Sierra Nevada web page has been updated with awards through the outreach judging at the Orchid Society of Northern Nevada, Reno. Find at Page 5

6 SCOS Board Meeting Highlights October 21, 2014 All Board members were present to enjoy a chile relleno casserole, salad and dessert before the start of the meeting. Thank you Billie. Vice President, Angelique Fry, reported that Scott Collins will speak on Lycastes at our November meeting. Judy Carney will present a skill session on orchids that need a dry rest. In January, Peter T. Lin will speak about miniature cattleyeas. Treasurer, Ann Possinger, reported that the income from July 1 st to October 21 is $1,764. The new contract for the Veterans Building is due. There has not been a rent increase. Jeanne Van Blarcom reported 85 members, with 29 still unpaid. Several attempts have been made to reach these unpaid members. Angelique, Ann P. and Mel Walsh have been working on designing letterhead to be used to recruit sponsors for the spring show. They hope to find financial support for a separate room for the skill sessions, and for other aspects of the show. Ideas for possible sponsors are welcome. The first show planning meeting will be Sunday, 10/26 at 2:00 p.m., at Ann P. s home. SCOS will have a presence at Raley s Orchid Faire on Saturday from 12 to 4. Kathie, Mary Ellen, Jeanne and Ann P. plan to participate. SCOS decided to make a donation to St. John's Church. They kindly loan tables and chairs for the BBQ each year. The deadline for returning Marie Waskow Award ballots is 11/13. Reservations for the holiday party must be made before 12/3. Our bus trip has been set for May 30, Save the date, so you won t miss the fun. We will visit Alan Koch at Gold Country, and he is helping with more ideas. The board discussed ways to encourage the membership to take advantage of the great resources in our library. The next board meeting will be 11/18, at Mel Walsh s home, at 6:30 p.m. Page 6

7 Liz Charlton discussed mounting orchids Thank you to Ann Possinger for the pictures Liz working with Mary Ann Billie drilling hole in mount WE ALSO HAD SOME LOVELY SHOW AND TELL PLANTS Blc. Cornerstone 'Fine Circle' (Susan Anderson) Phalaenopsis (Judy Carney) Bulbophyllum longissimum (Judy Carney) Page 7 Lc. Blue Angel 'Glove' (Susan Anderson) Potinara Beaufort Gold 'Susan Fender' (Dale Martin) October Sunsets

8 NOVEMBER ORCHID CHECKLIST o Aerangis: Many species of this popular genus prefer to be kept much drier during the winter months, when they are not in active growth. You can determine this by watching the root tips. Generally, the following species do better if mounted, which allows them to be on the dry side: mystacidii, verdickii, Inter-alba, distincta and punctata. o Cattleya: We are well past the Equinox, and the days have shortened noticeably. Summer's growth is complete and ripening. Whatever sheaths you will have for winter and spring bloom are now made. Indeed, some of these sheaths may have been present since as early as July and may be beginning to show signs of senescence (dying), especially if temperature extremes in your growing area have allowed water to condense inside the sheath. Remove yellowing sheaths carefully to prevent further water condensation that can rot the dormant or emerging bud primordia. If the sheath is removed with enough care, the buds will still develop, though they will need additional support as they grow, to compensate for the loss of the support normally provided by the sheath. All potting should be complete for the year, with the exception of cases where it cannot be avoided. In many instances, there is still enough time left before winter's shorter days to allow for some re-establishment. The lengthening nights and cooler temperatures signal a need for reduced watering; the plants won't dry out as quickly and are not growing much, if at all. These seasonal changes also signal winter and spring-flowering plants that it is time to begin bud development from the dormant eyes shielded by the sheath. o Cymbidium: At this time of the year, be diligent in the staking of your plants, so that the plant will look its best when in flower. Watch for slugs and snails and bait as necessary. By now, only low doses of nitrogen are needed and potassium (the middle number on the fertilizer label) should be increased. o Lycaste: Pseudobulbs should be fully formed now. The leaves will begin to degenerate on the deciduous varieties, but don't be concerned; they will soon just drop off. Taper off on the water. Keep plants in a light but airy location as the flower spikes develop. o Paphiopedilum: Reduce nitrogen levels for best flowering. The occasional heat spell or, conversely, wet period, can lead to the sheaths rotting in the leaf axil. Do not allow water to accumulate in the new growths. As the spikes emerge, provide bright light to strengthen them. Do not change the plants' orientation to the main light source during the period, as doing so can lead to misshapen spike development. While paphs never like to dry out entirely, this month marks the beginning of the time when growth, and, hence, water needs slow down dramatically. Observe your plants and do not water if they are not at least partially drying out. The same goes for fertilizer. Paphs are, generally, light feeders, with the exception of the strap-leaved types, so fertilizer can be drastically reduced now. o Phalaenopsis: Phals will also be responding to shortening days with ripening growth and the tendency to spiking. Especially of you are in an area with cooler autumn nights, this month you will be seeing the spikes that will give you early winter bloom. Any spikes that will be ready for Christmas will be at least 50 percent developed and will certainly need attention to staking. Spike initiation for the main spring bloom season is beginning, so you should begin to see the emergence of new spikes. To get more spikes with more flowers, switch to a fertilizer with reduced nitrogen, such as a bloom booster formula as mentioned for cymbidiums. Also, watch for any disease or pest problems that may be beginning to show up with cooler weather and more crowded conditions. Mealybugs, especially, love to live in bracts of emerging spikes, where their population can grow unseen until they are difficult to control without damaging flowers or buds. In humid environments, apply a preventive spraying of a copper-based compound to help control fungal and rot problems before they can get established during the winter. o Vandaceous Genera: A few Ascocendas are blooming. However, this is the time to think more about what you plants will need to grow strongly during the upcoming winter months. Make sure the plants are positioned so they receive as much light as they need during these shorter days. o Zygopetalum: The spikes will now be showing from inside the new growths. Stake them and make sure they get past the mature leaves unobstructed. Do not let plants dry out because they need plenty of water to finish the new growth and develop flowers. Compiled by James Rose and Ned Nash - AOS Page 8

9 UPCOMING EVENTS November 11/1 11/2 Santa Cruz Orchid Society Show & Sale. Saturday 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m.; Sunday 10:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Soquel High School, 401 Old San Jose Road, Soquel. 11/1 11/2 Cal-Orchids Fall Open House Santa Barbara, CA or facebook.com/calorchid. 11/1 11/2 Annual Fall Santa Barbara Orchid Estate Open House Santa Barbara. 11/11 SCOS MEETING. Scott Collins will speak and his topic is "Lycastes, From the Species to Today's Cutting Edge Hybrids." Scott will bring the opportunity table. Speaker's Dinner will be at Sea Thai Restaurant. Also, don't miss the skill session, starting at about 6:45. Judy will talk about orchids that need a dry winter rest. 11/18 SCOS BOARD MEETING at the home of Mary Ellen Walsh, 6425 Meadowridge Drive, Santa Rosa (Oakmont). Any member welcome. RSVP to Mel at melwalsh@sbcglobal.net or December 12/9 SCOS HOLIDAY PARTY. See Flyer on page 10. Please sign up and pay for your dinner at the November meeting or mail your menu choice and check to Billie MacCarthy, 4704 Hillsboro Court, Santa Rosa Don't forget the optional gift exchange of an orchid or orchid related item in price range up to $25. (Please, if you give an orchid as a gift, make sure it is fully named and in good condition). Your wrapped gift will be placed under the holiday tree. January /13 SCOS MEETING. Peter T. Lin from Southern California will speak on miniature Cattleyas. Peter is an accomplished grower and speaker with over 150 AOS awarded plants. February 2/10 SCOS MEETING. Harvey Brenneise from Seattle. Harvey's presentation will be on "Darwin's sexy orchids: First case study On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection". Harvey is a professional librarian, including from 2008 at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, Claremont, CA. Long-time orchid grower in the Midwest, Pacific NW, and Southern California. May 5/12 SCOS MEETING. May's speaker will be Janet Lamborn from Agdia,Inc./Adgia Testing Services. Janet's presentation will be on Orchid viruses and how to test for them. Members are encouraged to bring in plants with suspected symptoms to be tested. 5/30 SCOS BUS TRIP. "Gold and Wine Country Tour". We will be visiting Alan Koch's Gold Country Orchids in Lincoln. Jeff Tyler of Insitu Orchids and Dave Sorokowski of Paph Paradise will also be meeting with us at Alan's Nursery. We will then travel to Lodi for a tour of I-Hsin Nursery and perhaps we will also have an opportunity to visit one of Lodi's many fine wineries during our lunch stop. (Other orchid related stops are still being investigated). This will be a great trip not to be missed. Page 9

10 Sonoma County Orchid Society Holiday Party When: Tuesday, December 9, :00 p.m. No Host Bar 7:00 p.m. Dinner Where: Price: Legends at Bennett Valley 3328 Yulupa Avenue Santa Rosa, CA $36.00 per person, payable in advance Buffet Dinner: Choice of grilled chicken with tomatoes/artichokes; marinated tri tip in burgundy mushroom sauce; or penne ala pesto. All entrees include mediterranean salad, fresh vegetables, rolls, cheesecake medley or chocolate mousse torte with raspberry coulis, coffee & tea. Voluntary gift exchange with orchid related gifts - $25 limit. RESERVATIONS Mail this form back with your dinner selection and your check by November 28, No Cancellations after December 1. Circle One Chicken Tri Tip Pasta Send check Payable to SCOS for $36.00 per person. No reservation is created until your check is received and no refunds after November 28!! Please mail checks to: Page 10 Billie McCarthy 4704 Hillsboro Court Santa Rosa, CA 95405

11 Marie Waskow Award Each year members of our Society vote to honor a member who has given outstanding service to the Sonoma County Orchid Society. This is for an individual or couple who exemplify the ideals of generosity and service to the organization in spreading the joy of growing orchids as practiced by Marie Waskow, a founding member of our Society. The Award will be presented at the Holiday Party. Past recipients of the award are: 1988 Harold Levenson 1989 Yosh and Shiz Sugioka 1990 Austin and Judy Carney 1991 Jim Hamilton 1992 Lowman Whittenburg 1993 Robert and Claudia Pike 1994 Kevin Smith 1995 Earl Rathbun 1996 Marilyn Bucher 1997 Marilyn Dailey 1998 Mitch and Gail McAlpin 1999 Sam and Juanita Spencer 2000 Jim Kennedy 2001 Jim Butts 2002 Bob and Juanita Breckwoldt 2003 Paul Matsushita 2004 Patty Connick 2005 Susan Anderson 2006 Garry Baker 2007 Linda Eggleston 2008 Jim and Kris Foster 2009 Ted Pruden 2010 Jerry and Gerry Smith 2011 Larry Mead 2012 Kathie Hile 2013 Lynne Murrell BALLOT 2014 Marie Waskow Award My vote for the 2014 Marie Waskow Award is: Remember that ALL members can vote for this honor, not just one vote per household. You may turn in your ballot at the November meeting. If you are unable to attend the November meeting, please your ballot to Kathie Hile at jph.kah@gmail.com,or mail it to her at 4800 Pressley Road, Santa Rosa, CA by November 13, All ballots must be received by November 13th in order to be counted. The winner will be announced and the award presented at the Holiday Party on December 9th. Page 11

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