SONOMA COUNTY ORCHID SOCIETY

Transcription

1 SONOMA COUNTY ORCHID SOCIETY February 2014 A California Non-Profit 501 (c) (3) Corporation IN THIS ISSUE 1 February Presentation 2 President's Corner, Thank Yous and Board Highlights 3 Classifieds, Refreshment Schedule 4 Things to Remember About Upcoming Show 5 Membership Column, Board and Show Chairs 6-7 February Checklist, Show & Tell Pictures, Info re POE Pre-Orders 8 Some Orchids that Flower in Winter Months 9-10 Upcoming Events and Show Flyers OUR FEBRUARY PROGRAM IS DIRECTED TOWARDS NEW MEMBERS WHO JOINED AT OUR SHOW AND MEMBERS WHO STILL FEEL THEY ARE "NEW" TO ORCHIDS. Three members will each give a short presentation on an aspect of orchid growing. There is a lot to learn about growing orchids, so three basic subjects will be covered. THE FIRST SEGMENT WILL BE PRESENTED BY MARNI TURKEL. Marni will instruct you on how to read an orchid label and what that label can reveal about your plant. Marni has been growing orchids in Santa Rosa since Her main interest is in cool-growing miniature species, but she also has many larger plants growing in her 3 greenhouses. In the last few years, Marni has expanded her work with orchids to include propagation of orchids from seed and has set up a flasking lab of her own to take the process from start to finish and sell flasks of many of the orchid species in her collection. THE SECOND SEGMENT WILL BE PRESENTED BY JUDY CARNEY. Judy will discuss the basics of orchid growing. Judy began growing orchids in the early 1980s in Petaluma. She grows her plants in a cool greenhouse, an intermediate greenhouse and outdoors under protection. Judy grows mostly species orchids, of all sizes, and some hybrids too. Judy is a suburb grower and has a wealth of information on orchids. Judy has served on the boards of the Marin and Sonoma societies THE THIRD SEGMENT WILL BE PRESENTED BY KATHIE HILE. Kathie will talk about orchid mediums bark and sphagnum moss. Kathie began growing orchids in Oakland in the 1970s. At that time, big box stores were not selling orchids, so cymbidiums were about the only orchids offered locally. Kathie's first non-orchid was an Encyclia. Kathie joined the SCOS in 1990 and grows in a small intermediate-growing greenhouse, as well as outdoors under cover. Kathie has served in many positions on the SCOS Board. PLEASE JOIN US FOR THIS PANEL DISCUSSION AND BRING YOUR QUESTIONS. Page 1

2 President s Corner Hello Orchid Friends, We are soon opening our Annual Spring Show Orchids in the Redwoods. It takes a group effort to put on a big event like this. I hope that by now each and every one of you has signed up to volunteer as much as possible. This Show is our biggest fundraiser of the year. It is a lot of work but it is also a lot of fun. Let s get our beauties ready for the Show! It s time to check spikes, clean leaves and ready you orchids for transport to the Show! Bring your friends and family to see and admire the gorgeous orchids that will be in our display. There will be orchids of all shapes, sizes, scents and colors for sale. You will also find carnivorous plants as well as orchid and gardening related items for sale. See you at the Show and also for our upcoming meeting on February 11 th! We have a great trio of orchid experts lined up for our February meeting to give us advice on how to grow and understand these challenging plants! Happy growing! Susan Thank you in advance to all of our wonderful members who volunteer to help at the Show. Whether you are able to work one shift or many, or work the entire weekend, every effort counts to make the Show a success. Thank you to all the Show Committee Chairs and Co- Chairs for their hard work and dedication. Thank you to Smitty Smith for again taking command of the Society display. I think you will all be awed and amazed when you see what Smitty has created! A huge thank you to our Show Chair, Lynne Murrell. Lynne easily handles every aspect of the show, every challenge with grace and charm. Let's all have a great time this weekend!! SCOS Board of Directors January 21, 2014, Meeting Highlights Jeanne VanBlarcom served a fantastic dinner to those in attendance, thanks so much, Jeanne. The February meeting will be a panel of Orchid Experts: Marni Turkel, Judy Carney, and Kathie Hile. Open Greenhouse in the Spring at Susan Anderson s. One is planned for the Summer and in the Fall. Skill Sessions needed, along with ideas for skills our members want to see. Contact Gerry Smith with ideas. Membership still stands at 98. Membership books are being prepared for the new signups from the Show. There was concern and discussion about using the microphone during the meeting for the speaker. Ann will try to get the Vets bldg. office people to teach or trouble-shoot some of the problems we ve been having. Kathie was congratulated on the fantastic Newsletter she has been producing. Deadline for articles is the 20 th each month. She welcomes everyone to submit interesting items. Billie was thanked for the great job she did on the Holiday Dinner. It was a fun event for all who attended. Kathie would like to set up a new-member mentoring program. Look for that in the near future. And volunteer if you d like to help. Submitted by Becky Jackson, Secretary Page 2

3 CLASSIFIEDS COLUMN Don't forget you can get orchid supplies from Kris and Jim Foster or Small and medium Rexius bark Perlite Sphagnum Orchid labels Stakes Charcoal TED PRUDEN'S 10' x 14' GREENHOUSE FOR SALE Everything included: Reverse Osmosis water system, holding tanks, benches, misting system, heater, etc. Call Kathleen Pruden to see greenhouse $3, or best offer. DO YOU HAVE AN ORCHID OR ORCHID RELATED ITEM YOU WANT TO SELL OR TRADE? ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A PARTICULAR ORCHID? ADVERTISE HERE!! WE ASK THAT MEMBERS BRING REFRESHMENTS ACCORDING TO THE SCHEDULE BELOW. PLEASE CHECK TO SEE IF YOU ARE SCHEDULED TO BRING SOMETHING TO THE FEBRUARY MEETING. (You do not have to be on the schedule to bring a refreshment. 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. You get first choice from the opportunity table. Refreshments We are asking members to bring snacks to the monthly meetings. Please check the following list to find out what month you are asked to participate. Members with last names beginning with the letters: 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 A BEAUTIFUL SONOMA COUNTY SUNSET Page 3

4 We may all feel like this after the Show Blooming in February Den. Nagasaki 'S&W' Jack the Cat This newsletter is coming out in advance of our show. Things to remember or to think about: If you have extra time this weekend, please volunteer for more shifts. If you can come in Friday morning at 9:00 a.m., we could use your help covering tables. The display needs plants!!! Seems this crazy winter weather has played havoc with the blooming of many of our orchids. If any of your plants are blooming, please bring them in. They do not need to be entered for judging to be in the display. The society plant table needs orchids for sale. Maybe you have doubles? Maybe a plant won't bloom for you? Bring your orchids to the Society plant sale table on Friday doors are open until 8:00 p.m. Don't forget to have them marked with Society price slips and accompanied with an inventory control sheet. If it is impossible to bring on Friday, you may bring them Saturday morning between 8:30 a.m. 9:30 a.m. Bring your new or lightly used items and non-orchid plants to the orchid boutique on Friday books, baskets, vases, pots, garden items and art. If you cannot get them there Friday, bring them Saturday between 8:30 a.m 9:30 a.m. Don't forget to have them marked with Society price slips and accompanied with an inventory control sheet. The pasta party on Saturday night NEEDS PASTA DISHES. Guess what, our sign-ups include 3/4 desserts, 1/8 salads and 1/8 pasta dishes. Please help out with food for the hospitality room. We need sanwiches, desserts, hors d'ouvres or whatever else you can bring to share with members and vendors. Page 4

5 MEMBERSHIP COLUMN WE WELCOME ALL OUR NEW 2014 MEMBERS: The Board wants new members to know that we are all here to help. Don't hesitate to ask a question of any society member. We have many expert growers! Or you can call or board members. To , go to our Society webpage click on the "contacts" link and any director or committee chair. Through the website, you can also read back issues of our newsletter. 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 raffle ticket. Those who would like to order a name badge should Jeanne at jeannevanb@gmail.com. Change of address? To send an address or change, go to our Society website at and use the "contacts" link to send an to the membership chair. 2013/2014 Board of Directors and Committee Chairs Board Positions President Susan Anderson President@sonomaorchids.com Vice President Gerry Smith Vicepresident@sonomaorchids.com Secretary Becky Jackson Secretary@sonomaorchids.com Treasurer Ann Possinger Treasurer@sonomaorchids.com Membership Jeanne Van Blarcom Membership@sonomaorchids.com Newsletter Kathie Hile Newsletter@sonomaorchids.com Ways & Means Ann Conger WaysMeans@sonomaorchids.com Meetings Billie MacCarthy Meetings@sonomaorchids.com Past President Susan Anderson PastPresident@sonomaorchids.com Committee Chairs Meeting Setup Vacant Librarian Patty Connick Librarian@sonomaorchids.com Opportunity Table Ann Conger Kathy Thompson Optable1@sonomaorchids.com Optable2@sonomaorchids.com Plant Sales Marilyn Barquero Mariann Hopkins Plantsales1@sonomaorchids.com Plantsales2@sonomaorchids.com Greeter Vacant AOS/Orchid Digest Patty Connick AOSrep@sonomaorchids.com Webmaster Richard Lindberg Webmaster@sonomaorchids.com Page 5

6 Monthly Checklist for February Cattleya trianae 'Mary Fennel' HCC/AOS is a good example of this winter-blooming species. Cattleya: Watering and fertilizing will be at a minimum, as will potting. Be on the lookout for senescing sheaths on your winter-into-spring bloomers. Careful removal of the dying sheaths will still allow buds to develop without the danger of condensation-induced rot. Low light will lead to weak spikes, so, and as noted above, staking is critical. If you have a chance to get out to nurseries, there may still be a chance to acquire good plants in sheath for spring bloom. Getting them now not only ensures that you'll have them, but allows them to acclimate to your conditions and bloom at their best. Cymbidium: We are well into the flowering season now. Outdoor growers should be cautious of freezing temperatures. Damage starts to occur below 30 F. Be diligent about tying the inflorescences for best arrangement of the flowers. Also watch closely for slugs and snails. If weather is quite wet, protect the plants from the rain and this will help to reduce the risk of botrytis spotting. Lycaste: The most glorious of all orchids, Lycaste, will be moving toward their flowering season. Make sure the palm-like leaves do not interfere with the emerging inflorescences. Tying them loosely together often is helpful. Some growers cut the leaves off at the pseudobulb, but this removes part of the attractiveness of this elegant orchid. Resist picking up the plant to inspect those beautiful buds and then setting it down in all different directions as the flower buds will be forced to re-orient themselves to the light source each time and will not open as nicely as they should. Keep plants a little drier during the shorter days. Odontoglossums: Odontoglossums and their intergeneric hybrids offer a great splash of color now. Though once thought of as being difficult to grow and requiring cool temperatures due to the emphasis on odontoglossum breeding, the new intergeneric hybrids made using Oncidium and Brassia, for example, are just the opposite. These plants are quite content in more intermediate conditions. New growths generally emerge in the spring, later forming beautiful plump pseudobulbs. Look for the flower spikes to emerge from the inner sheath of the pseudobulb. If your plant's pseudobulbs are shriveled, then the plants have been kept too dry or too wet. Inspect the roots to determine which condition prevailed. If the lead pseudobulb is large, plump and green (and back bulbs are shriveled) but no flower spike is evident, the plants may have been kept too dry. Paphiopedilum: The standard Paphiopedilum insigne-derived hybrids, which are called "bull dogs" and "toads," are at their peak. Unlike most other orchids, they can even be potted while in bud. There really is no wrong time to pot a paphiopedilum, and no other orchid responds so favorably to fresh mix and a cleanup. Keep an eye on watering until roots begin to grow. Phalaenopsis: Now is the peak of spike development, with the first plants in full flower. Staking and plant preparation is a must for those all-important spring shows. Correct staking now will give a better display and also make it much easier to transport to your society meetings and shows. Care with watering is vital to avoid mechanical damage to the flowers, as well as rot-related problems. Keep spent blooms cleaned up to avoid botrytis inoculation. Do not repot this month. Now you'll be seeing lots of phalaenopsis at orchid shows and sales. Page 6 Zygopetalum: For the most part, the flowering season will have ended for this group, providing the grower a chance to do some repotting. The plants will then have a chance to become well

7 established before the hotter months of summer arrive. Most growers use bark mixes, but some exceptional results have been seen lately using rock-wool blends. You may want to try this mix, but do not change your whole collection over to this new media until you are sure it is right for you. First, experiment with a few plants to see how they respond. The AOS thanks Ned Nash and James Rose for this essay. WOW! LOOK WHAT WAS ON THE SHOW-AND-TELL TABLE AT THE JANUARY MEETING (Thank you Ann Possinger for the photos) Sophronitis shown by Jack Thompson Cattleya shown by Bob Richardson Dendrobium shown by Gordon Knight Paphiopedilum Prime Child shown b Dale Martin Broughtonia sanginea 'Cherry Bates', shown by Earl Rathbun Shown by Jack Thompson A Note about pre-orders from POE vendors: I understand that the website for the San Francisco Orchid Society (SFOS) provides a listing of the vendors that will participate in their Pacific Orchid Expo POE) on February The listing also indicates those vendors who have online price lists. This allows you to place "pre-orders" and request the vendor to bring your purchase to the POE for your personal pick-up. Doing so will avoid plants lost to bad weather, damage in transit, or CITES problems at remote airports, as well as potential financial loss. The website for SFOS with POE info is Page 7

8 Some Orchids That Flower in the Winter Months The names below are derived from the Latin and Greek languages and can, at first, be daunting to pronounce. It's easier if you remember that, with few exceptions all letters are pronounced. You will often hear names pronounced somewhat differently than indicated below as a result of regional differences. There are also pronunciations that are not technically correct but have found their way into common usage. The common pronunciation, stan-hope-ee-ah rather than the technically correct stan-hope-ah for Stanhopea is an example. This pronunciation has no doubt evolved because of the "pronounce every letter rule" although that would sound more like stan-hope-ay-ah. C= 50F minimum, I = 55F minimum, W = 60-65F minimum Cattleya percivaliana (KAT-lee-ah purr-sih-val-ee-an-ah) and many of its hybrids (I) Coelogyne cristata (see-loh-guy-nee KRIS-tah-tah) (C) Laelia superbiens (LAY-lee-ah sue-purr-bee-enz) [also known as Schomburgkia superbiens] Lycaste skinneri (lye-cass-tee SKIN-er-eye) and many of its hybrids (I) Trichocentrum cavendishianum (try-koe-sent-rum cav-en-dish-ee-an-um) [also long known as Oncidium - Oncidium is pronounced as on-sid-ee-um] (C) Phaius tankervilleae (FAY-us tan-ker-vill-eye) [the Nun's Orchid] (I) Many Phalaenopsis (fail-en-nop-sis) species and their hybrids (W) Angraecum eburneum (W) Angraecum sesquipedale (an-gray-kum sess-kwih-ped-ah-lee) (W) Brassavola nodosa (bra-sah-voe-lah NOE-dose-ah) (I) Early flowering Cymbidium (sim-bid-ee-um) species and hybrids (C) Dendrobium nobile (den-dro-bee-um NOE-bee-lee) and its hybrids (C winter) Epidendrum ciliare (I) Laelia anceps (LAY-lee-ah an-seps) (I-C) Many Masdevallia (maz-dee-vahl-ee-ah) species and hybrids (C-I) Rhynchostylis gigantea (rink-oh-sty-liss jye-gan-tee-ah) (W) Cattleya coccinea (KAT-lee-ah COCK-sinn-ee-ah) (C) and many of the miniature cattleyas developed from this species. Epidendrum ciliare 'Puddle Jumper; FCC/AOS Grower: Ken & Judy Russ Rhynchostylis gigantea 'Annie', AM/AOS Grower: Jessie Stanley, League City, Texas Lycaste skinneri 'Heatherglen', CCM/AOS Grower: Heather & Glen Alm, Grimsby, Ontario, Canada Page 8

9 UPCOMING EVENTS January 1/31 SCOS SHOW AND SALE SET-UP. We need everyone's help to make our big Show a success. Come in at 9:00 a.m. if you can help cover tables It's a big job! To volunteer for any position, contact Gerry Smith, jagmsmith@yahoo.com or February 2/1 2/2 SCOS SHOW AND SALE Saturday 10:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m.; Sunday 10:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. Remember 5:00 p.m. Pasta Party on Saturday. 2/11 SCOS MEETING, doors open at 6:30 to buy plants from member sales table, purchase raffle tickets and admire show and tell plants. Our program will be a panel discussion, see page 1. THIS PROGRAM IS DIRECTED TOWARDS NEW AND NEWER MEMBERS TO ORCHID GROWING. 2/20 2/23 Pacific Orchid Exposition: Orchids...and all that Jazz. Thursday Evening Gala Benefit Party & Wine Tasting $45, Hors d' Ouevres, Live Music, 6:30-10pm; Fri 10am - 6pm; Sat 9am - 6pm; Sun 10am - 5pm. Admission. Shuttle Service for parking. Fort Mason Festival Pavilion, San Francisco. Call the San Francisco Orchid Society Hotline , at flarose@prmagic.com. or website at March 3/8 Sacramento Valley Cymbidium Society Annual Show 9 am- 4 pm. Shepard Garden and Art Center, McKinley Park, 3330 McKinley Blvd., Sacramento, CA. Plant Entries are welcome on Friday, March 1 from 1:00pm - 6:00pm and March 2 from 8:00am - 9:00am. You do not have to be a member of the Cymbidium Society to enter your cymbidiums - all are welcome. The entries will qualify for audience judging. There will be education classes throughout the day and repotting for a fee will be available. Free parking. Free admission. Free advice. Rich Heisler, (916) , Rheisler@rcsis.com, orwww.sacramentocymbidiums.org, or 3/11 SCOS MEETING. THIS WILL BE THE SECOND PROGRAM DIRECTED SPECIFICALLY TO NEW AND NEWER ORCHID GROWERS. Debra Atwood of Napa Valley Orchids will talk about "Orchids Things I Wish I Had Known in the beginning : These are the 10 rules of thumb of basic Orchid care, including great tips for watering. 3/14 3/16 Annual Spring Santa Barbara Orchid Estate Open House Sat 8 AM - 5 PM, Sun 9 AM - 4 PM Orchid Drive, Santa Barbara, CA. For more information, call , or check their website at 3/29 3/30 Sacramento Orchid Society Show: Orchid Bonanza. Scottish Rite Temple, 6151 H Street, Sac. April 4/5 4/6 Napa Valley Orchid Society Show & Sale: Orchid Fiesta. Both days 10:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m., Napa Senior Activity Center, 1500 Jefferson Avenue. Free Admission, Free Parking. 4/8 SCOS MEETING. Dave Sorokowsky will discuss "Multifloral Paphiopedilums. Dave knows his paphs! He has been hybridizing paphs over the last several years and has received 35 awards, to date, from the American Orchid Society. Page 9

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