SONOMA COUNTY ORCHID SOCIETY

Transcription

1 SONOMA COUNTY ORCHID SOCIETY October 2013 A California Non-Profit 501 (c) (3) Corporation IN THIS ISSUE 1 Tanya Lam Bio 2 President's Corner, Speaker Dinner 3 Board Highlights 4 Membership Column Judy Carney Open Greenhouse 5 Classifieds, Refreshments, Ted Pruden's Obituary 6-7 Blooming & Reblooming Orchids 8 October Checklist 9 Events Page 10 Linda Eggleston's Open Greenhouse 11 D&D Flowers Open Greenhouse Pictures of BBQ & Auction WE ARE PLEASED TO HAVE AS OUR OCTOBER SPEAKER, TANYA LAM WHO WILL INTRODUCE US TO LONG LASTING AND FREQUENT BLOOMING ORCHIDS Tanya has been growing orchids since 1997, during which time she listened, experimented, and was creative in adjusting her growing methods to provide her orchids with their healthiest rooting systems, and in turn enjoy their best performances in flowering. During the first few years of growing orchids, her job required extensive travel, which required her to have good planning and orchid mixes that stayed moist exactly 7 days. Tanya created her own mixes to fit her weekly watering schedule and conditions. Orchids have become Tanya s obsession and second profession. Tanya grows many species and hybrids in San Jose, California. Tanya has traveled to see orchids growing in Australia, Southeast Asia and Singapore. She loves to travel and dreams to visit many more orchid habitats in the world. Her special interests are both species and hybrids of dendrobium, epidendrum, paphiopedilum, encyclia, cattleya, psychopsis, vandacous and the challenging angraecoids and recently she has been exploring other orchid genera. Tanya likes "showy" orchids, whether small or large flowered and particularly looks for long lasting and frequent blooming orchids. Tanya likes to grow her orchids to specimen size. Her favorite orchids are psychopsis and neofinetia hybrids, both of which are almost always in bloom. Tanya always "wows" her local orchid society members with her beautiful and wellgrown plants. Tanya also likes to rescue unhealthy orchids to revive them. She gives many orchid talks to orchid societies in the Bay Area and in any city where she conducts her Human Resources System consulting business. Tanya belongs to many orchid societies in northern California, where she lives with her husband and three children. She has held many board positions and is currently the President of the Malihini Orchid Society. Page 1

2 DINNER WITH OUR SPEAKER WILL BE AT SEA THAI BISTRO 2323 Sonoma Avenue Everyone is welcome. Call Kathie Hile to RSVP no later than Monday, October 7. Dear SCOS Members, President s Corner There as so many people who made our annual BBQ and Auction a success: Our Host and Chef at the Bar-B-Q and Auction, David Jackson We had a challenging yet fun day with our annual BBQ and Auction. The morning rain made the set up difficult but as the afternoon went on, the sun came out and we were able to thoroughly enjoy the lovely plants that were up for bid. Alan Koch came through with his beautifully selected plants from his Gold Country Greenhouses. He did a fantastic job as our Auctioneer. We would have a difficult time making as much money as we do without his time and effort bringing us plants all the way from Lincoln. Thank you to Becky and David Jackson for being incredible hosts! They did a wonderful job! David did a fantastic job bar-b-queuing delicious beef and chicken! They borrowed tables, chairs and canopies from their church, St. John s United Methodist, for us to use. We also had canopies brought by Dale Martin, Ann Possinger and Billie MacCarthy to help shield us from the morning rain. Thank you to Kris Foster for being in charge of the silent auction! She did a great job despite the wet weather! Her helpers, Earl and Kathy Rathbun, Patti Connick and Dale Martin were great, too! Jim Foster and Ann Conger helped up front with the live auction. Thank you to everyone who donated wine, plants, and other items to the auction. Thank you to the SCOS Board for helping set up and organize the event: Ann Possinger, Gerry and Smitty Smith, Kathie and Joe Hile, Becky and David Jackson, Ann Conger, Billie MacCarthy, and Jeanne Van Blarcom. Thanks to Ann Possinger for tallying up the live and the silent auction. Thank you to all the members who brought delicious food to share for our potluck. There was an incredible amount of food. It was very very good! AND thank you to everyone who came to the auction! Thank you for your support! Page 2

3 The Marie Waskow award is coming up soon. Please think about who you want to nominate for this award in We will vote in November and the winner will be announced at the Holiday Party in December. See you at the next meeting! Sincerely, Susan Anderson SCOS Board of Directors September 17, 2013 Meeting Highlights Gerry Smith prepared a fantastic chicken dinner and ice cream dessert, which preceded the meeting. Thanks, Gerry! Open Greenhouses are scheduled: Judy Carney on Oct. 13, Linda Eggleston on Oct. 27, and Kris & Jim Foster possibly in November. October Speaker is Tanya Lam on Everblooming Orchids. November speaker will be Bruce Davidson on Growing Outdoors and Cool Tolerant Orchids. December meeting is our Holiday Party at Legends Restaurant. January speaker is Mary Nesbitt. Sadly, it was reported that Ted Pruden passed away and Gerry sent flowers to Kathleen from the Board. Marni and Judy are helping care for his orchids. Membership total is 106 now. Please renew if you haven t yet. Your continued support, both financial and as a volunteer is vitally important. Lynne Murrell discussed potential Spring Show dates and the pros and cons of the few available and the board voted to hold the show on Super Bowl weekend for 2014: January 31-February 2. It was further decided to close the show earlier on Sunday, at 3:00 pm due to consistent low attendance that day. The probable theme will be Superbowl of Orchids. First Show Meeting for chairpeople will be November 3 rd at 2:00 pm at Susan Anderson s home. Billie MacCarthy is busy planning the details of the Holiday Party on December 10 th at Legends Restaurant at the Bennett Valley Golf Course. Look for a sign-up sheet at the October regular meeting. Becky Jackson and her husand, David, were our hosts for the Bar-B-Q and auction. THANK YOU BECKY AND DAVID FOR A WONDERFUL DAY! Page 3

4 MEMBERSHIP COLUMN WE WELCOME ALL OUR NEW 2013 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 Wear your name badge and 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 do so as soon as possible. Jeanne at jeannevanb@gmail.com. WE STILL HAVE SOME PAST DUE MEMBERSHIP DUES for the July 1 through June 30, 2014 year. Find a membership form on the Society's website at We would love for you to rejoin our Society! 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. OPEN GREENHOUSE JUDY CARNEY IS OPENING HER GREENHOUSES Come see how Judy grows her award winning orchids! Date: Sunday, October 13 Time: 11:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Address: 1292 San Jose Way, Petaluma. Judy will have some plants for sale Page 4

5 CLASSIFIEDS COLUMN Hydro Farm Hydroponic Growing System (Brand New) - $ (Retail price $200.00) EBB Flow Hydroponic Growing System Electric self-contained system. Has 15 planters, growing tray inserts, timer, submersible pump, drain tube, 24 seedling cubes, automatic watering cycles, growing media, high performance nutrient system. Brand New never opened, All proceeds going to local non-profit garden club. Donation receipt available. Call Linda 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 Anyone have an item for sale? You may post it here. newsletter@sonomaorchids.com Kathleen Pruden wants Ted's orchids to go to go to members of our Society. If you have an interest in visiting Kathleen and purchasing some of Ted's orchids, you may call Kathleen at , her address in Santa Rosa is 2724 Creekside Drive. 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, 2013 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 Teddy J. PRUDEN Funeral Notice Age 75, passed away at Stanford Medical Center on September 11, He was born in Ewing, Nebraska on October 21, 1937, a son of Henry and Myrtle (Hemenway) Pruden. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen; children, Donald, Jennifer, Daniel, and Elizabeth; a grandson, Wyatt; two sisters, Alma Munger and June Carter; and two brothers, Ben and Robert. Teddy served his country in the Navy, and worked as a construction superintendent for Kirkwood-Bly for 40 years. He was past president of the Sonoma County Orchid Society. Teddy enjoyed camping, fishing and working with his hands. He was a good father who adored his grandson, and was the best husband. Last week he and Kathleen celebrated 51 years of marriage. Teddy was a kind and gentle man. He will be missed by many. Following his request, there will be no services held. Daniels Chapel of the Roses Published in the Press Democrat from September 15 to September 18, 2013 Page 5

6 Blooming and Re-blooming Orchids By Laurelynn Martin and Byron Martin Orchid flowering is induced by cultural and environmental stimuli, which occur cyclically throughout the year. Many have a regular flowering cycle of bud initiation while others can re-flower off the initial flowering spike. Certain Phalaenopsis are a good example of orchids that re-bloom off old flower spikes. Whether blooming or re-blooming an orchid, you first must have a healthy plant and a healthy root system. To determine a healthy root system, we look at the vigor of the plant. Are the leaves shiny and not shriveled? Is the newest pseudobulb (on orchids like Cattleya or Oncidium), plump and not shriveled? This would indicate that the plant is taking up water, and thus has an active root system. Visually inspect the roots. Look at roots on top of the pot to see if they are alive and succulent. Live roots will be fleshy if nicked. Dead roots will be brown inside showing dead tissue. Variegated Phalaenopsis 'Candy Stripe' Generally, when orchids lose their roots, desiccation occurs on the older leaves and the main bulb starts to shrivel. Please note that bulbs can also shrivel with inadequate watering and this can be remedied by increasing your watering. Next, it's important to understand the environmental mechanisms to stimulate flowering and bud formation. Many times flower initiation starts months before you see the bud. For example, Cattleya orchid bud formation is held within the sheath months before the flowers actually appear. The size and number of blooms are determined by the strength of the previous year's growth. There are three important factors to understand the flowering mechanism, within a particular genius: 1. Temperature 2. Light Intensity 3. Day Length Phalaenopsis orchid showing live and dead roots Temperature - The mechanism of temperature is seen in the way that Phalaenopsis orchids bloom. In its native habitat of the jungles, Phalaenopsis (Phals or Moth) orchids flower seasonally. They are mid-canopy epiphytes that grow in the trees under some shade. During the rainy season, cloud cover comes over the jungle and the temperatures are warm and plants are actively growing. When the dry season approaches, the temperatures drop at night as the sky opens up and the plants get an increase in light. Page 6

7 So when growing Phalaenopsis orchids in the home environment, try to mimic its natural conditions. During the summertime, they often have 70ºF temperatures at night. When fall approaches (much like the dry season) we need to put our orchids into a cooler spot for several weeks to a month to stimulate flowering. Keep your orchids in this cooler place (60ºF at night) until you see flower spikes emerging or buds forming on old spikes. Phalaenopsis are not high light orchids but they still need good quality light, like an east or west window. Light Intensity - Many orchids grow in the upper canopy of the jungles: Cattleyas, Dendrobiums and Oncidiums. If you look at their natural habitat, these orchids get some direct sunlight during the day that dapples through the tree canopy. Although there are other mechanisms that initiate bloom, one of the most important mechanisms is light intensity. These particular orchids don't flower well in shade but need high light to cause the leaves to appear slightly yellow. Under shade, the leaves will be dark green. With increased light, the leaves will lighten up and even get a little yellow. This is normal and a good indicator that they are getting enough light. With good quality light, the plants put on new growth and flowering will follow. Day Length - Some orchids, especially Cattleyas, will flower seasonally off the newest pseudobulbs because they are responding to the change in day length. As day length begins to increase, the young bud sitting at the top of the newest pseudobulb will begin to develop. These are spring-blooming Cattleyas that are often sold for Valentine's Day or Mother's Day. Phalaenopsis orchid showing flower spike initiation Lastly, it's worth mentioning that some orchids like deciduous Dendrobiums initiate flowering on dry stress. In this case, the plant that grew in the wet summer is subjected to a dry season that goes on for months. The plant will drop its leaves and shrivel some and then the buds will form along the stem. When encountering this type of orchid, the water is totally restricted until the buds are visible. It seems harsh but the plants need this restriction of water for growth and flowering. Lc Nice Holiday 'SunTopia' Orchids in Becky Jackson's Greenhouse. Thank you Ann Possinger for the Photos Page 7

8 OCTOBER CHECKLIST (excerpts from Orchids with permission of AOS) Cooler days and nights are increasingly prevalent now. If you are growing either outdoors or in a growing facility independent of your home, start planning for winter-like conditions. Observe with greater care the rate at which your plants dry after each watering. With cooler and shorter days, expect a longer term between waterings. Watch those plants that have been in the brightest light through the summer, because they are probably going to need some extra watering when first brought in from the outdoors; let them slow their growth rate gradually, but be sure also that you are not overwatering. Generally, plants will need less frequent applications of fertilizer from this month forward until spring; with lower light and temperature levels, the plants' food manufacturing systems become less efficient. Cattleya. Despite the shortening days and lowering angle of the sun, we can still get some hot weather. Water and fertilizer need to be in balance with heat and light. Check plants for potting needs for the last time this season. Any in dire need should be potted, even some that may be on the cusp, as there is just enough of the growing season left to allow the plants to establish before the days start to get really short and cold. Cycnoches. This under-appreciated genus, which can have male or female flowers, is at its best in the autumn. Two of the spectacular varieties are Cycnoches loddigesii, with its large brown flowers resembling a prehistoric bird, and Cynoches ventricosum, the swan Orchid. The biggest problem, culturally, will be red spider mite infestations that require immediate attention. Plants are quite seasonal, requiring heavy watering in the growing season and then a drier dormant winter season. Cymbidium. Through diligent modern breeding programs, the cymbidium season gets stretched longer and longer. Now we can expect to have flowers bloom as early as September and October. Stake inflorescences and move the plants to a shadier location to help the flowers develop successfully. Because the plants will have warmth tolerance "built in" genetically, keeping the plants as cool as possible will help prevent bud curl. For the midseason varieties, inflorescences should be initiated by now. Feed plants on a regular schedule with a balanced fertilizer ( ) and shade the plants lightly. Cymbidium ensifolium culture: This is a popular oriental cymbidium. It is not, however, a cymbidium that requires traditional cymbidium culture (though it will do tolerably well along-side other traditional cymbidiums). Rather, it will flourish just about wherever other high-light orchids are grown. It is not a windowsill orchid nor will it do particularly well under lights. However, it, and in many cases its hybrids, will do well in a typical intermediate greenhouse. It is when growers must commit limited greenhouse space that its compact stature is most appreciated, since a mature plant does well in a 6-inch pot. Paphiopedilum. Standard, green-leaved paphiopedilums should be showing their bloom sheaths now. Late-season heat waves can blast these early sheaths, so be observant about proper cooling and air circulation. It is important now, with paphiopedilums as well as your other orchids, to clean each plant and implement pest-control practices. Repotting paphiopedilums, if necessary, is appropriate. Phalaenopsis. The bulk of this season's growth is being ripened, or where the plants have been kept relatively cool, you may be seeing the first emerging inflorescences. Begin to watch watering more carefully and reduce feeding proportionately with reduced watering needs. An extra dose of phosphorus and potassium, such as a bloom-booster or high-acid-type fertilizer, is beneficial. Pleione. As days shorten in the autumn, growth slows and finally stops and the leaves start to go yellow. This is the time to reduce watering and as the leaf color starts to go brown, stop watering altogether and allow them to completely dry out. The leaves will finally fall off and the pseudobulbs enter their dormant phase. Pleiones can be re-potted anytime while they are dormant. Any old compost should be cleaned off and the old roots trimmed back. Some trim them very short, while others prefer to leave them rather longer to help anchor the pseudobulb in the new compost. The pseudobulbs should be planted with approximately one third their depth sticking out above the compost and spaced about 2cm (.79 inches) apart. A few seem to prefer being completely buried (P. bulbocodioides, yunnanensis, limprichtii and scopulorum). They will grow in a variety of compost mixes, the main requisites being that the mix should be very "open" and free draining. Page 8

9 October UPCOMING EVENTS September /5 10/6 Diablo View Show & Sale at the Art, Jazz and Wine Festival in Pleasant Hill, beginning at 10:00 a.m., 40 Crescent Drive, Pleasant Hill 10/5 Peninsula Orchid Society Auction, Sat. 12 noon previews, Auction starts at 1:30, San Mateo Garden Center, 605 Parkside Way, San Mateo and Frequent Blooming Orchids" 10/8 SCOS MEETING, Tanya Lam will talk to us about "The Long Lasting 10/12 10/13 D&D Open Greenhouse, see details on page 11 10/13 Open Greenhouse by Judy Carney, 11:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m., 1292 San Jose Way, Petaluma. Judy will have some plants for sale 10/19 20 Orchid Forum of Sacramento Show and Sale, Shepard Garden and Arts Center, 3330 McKinley Blvd., Sacramento 10/22 Marin Orchid Society Fall Auction, Silent Auction Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. followed by live auction at 7:00 p.m., Marin Art and Garden Center, 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Ross 10/27 Open Greenhouse at the Eggleston's, 10:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m Malone Road, Forestville. See announcement on page 10 November 11/2 11/3 Santa Cruz Orchid Society Show and Sale, Sat. 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m., Sun. 10:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Soquel High School, 401 Old San Jose Road, Soquel 11/9 Carmel Orchid Society Fall Orchid Festival, 9:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m, Community Church of the Penninsula, 4590 Carmel Valley Road 11/12 SCOS MEETING, Bruce Davidson will speak on Cold Tolerant Orchids The Fosters will open their Greenhouses in November. Details will follow in future Newsletter issues. December 12/10 SCOS HOLIDAY DINNER to be held at Legends Restaurant at the Bennett Valley Golf Course. Details to follow. Page 9

10 Open Greenhouse at the Egglestons Sunday, October 27 th 10am 3pm Daryl & Linda Eggleston s home Malone Rd., Forestville, From 101 at Santa Rosa: Take RIVER RD. Exit Turn WEST onto RIVER RD. Go west 6 miles to the intersection of TRENTON/HEALDSBURG RD. (This intersection is just after you have gone over the only hill on River Rd.) Turn LEFT (south) onto TRENTON/HEALDSBURG RD. and go 100 ft. to stop sign. Turn RIGHT (west) onto OLD TRENTON RD. Go 1 mile to MALONE RD. on the LEFT. (There is a gate on Malone Rd. at its entrance, it will be open) Follow MALONE RD. up the hill for 1/3 mile, (about half way up the road Y s, stay LEFT) The Eggleston s home is on the LEFT at the top of the hill. Page 10

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12 THE SCOS ANNUAL BAR-B-Q AND AUCTION WAS A HUGE SUCCES. YOUR BOARD BRAVED THE HEAVY MORNING RAINS AND COVERED THE JACKSONS' BACKYARD IN A SEA OF CANOPIES! Page 12

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