Volume 01/14 January 2014 Ed. Jean Williamson

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1 Club & Editor: P.O. Box 1173, Bundaberg, 4670 Volume 01/14 January 2014 Ed. Jean Williamson Office Bearers. President Robert Shield Phone Secretary Rene Thompson Phone Treasurer Glenda Coster Phone Meetings are held at 7.30 pm on the third THURSDAY of each month at the Avenell Heights Hall, Thabeban Street. Visitors and past members are especially welcome to attend. Date Claimers Feb 14 BTOFS Field Day 15 March 14 CIDOS Charity Show April 14 ROSI Show 19 April 14 CIDOS Cent Sale at Woodgate 11 May 14 BOSI Autumn Show 12 July 14 Howard Bus trip Meeting Duty Roster: Jan B Group Feb C Group March A Group ANNUAL FIELD WEEKEND February, Saturday-Sunday, will be a must for all new members, then, if perhaps you as current members have never been on one of these trips, this is a great chance to see how the other half grow orchids. There is always something new to learn on any of these field days. A detail to date is an overnight trip, $130 room shared, breakfast is included. There is no charge for bus up and around Boyne Tannum, Gladstone and Calliope with the transportation around numerous garden/orchid houses and morning tea on both days supplied. Lunch on Saturday will be at Boyne Tannum Dinner Saturday night at Calliope Bowls Club $20- and Sunday Lunch $10- at Calliope Bowls Club for Presentations before we travel back. Bulk Booklet Orders and/or Enquires: jbhughes4670@gmail.com or Ph

2 The Club merchandise is available only to BOSI members not the public. The merchandise, when available and in stock, includes Sterilizer-Trisodium Phosphate, fertilizer Plantacote, Peters All Rounder, Blossom Booster, Steri-prune Spray, Coloured Labels, White Labels Long and Short, Clips Large, Medium & Small, Pencils (8008), Pencils China Black & White, Stainless Steel Pruners, Modiform Pots, 70mm, 80mm, 110mm, 130mm, 150mm 170mm, and Bags Bark(Large/Medium/Small /Mini) and Charcoal. Charcoal bag graded in sizes of 5, 10, 15 and 20mm. Please phone Bev on to arrange suitable time or she may bring your order to the meeting for you if it is convenient. Labels, clips, trisodium phosphate, pots, fertilizer, etc can now be purchased from the librarian at monthly meetings or from Alwyn & Bev s (Please phone to arrange suitable time). While the Bundaberg Orchid Society Inc. endeavours to ensure reliability and accuracy in this Newsletter s editorial content, responsibility for advice and views expressed is not assumed by the Society or the Management Committee. Raffle Winners- November Meeting st Ian Neilson 2 nd Arthur Mc Kenzie Lucky Door - Graeme Amoore Exhibitors Prize - Eva Linderberg While the Bundaberg Orchid Society Inc. endeavours to ensure reliability and accuracy in this Newsletter s editorial content, responsibility for advice and views expressed is not assumed by the Society or the Management Committee. The first meeting of the New & Interested Growers Group will be on February 2 nd, starting at 9:00. Col Dawson & Jule Fry will be our host Orchid growers at 34 Pashley s Rd off Moore Park Road, The morning will divided into a second part where the Club will then go on to visit Barry & Dianne s Orchid houses at 11 Egret Lane at Moore Park. There is lots to see and learn about so get prepared, put local/ Bundaberg map in the car as these outings will take you to lots of places, give you many ideas, and an opportunity to gain knowledge. Please ask lots of questions as the club is blessed to have such talented growers who willing assist any member with hands-on advice. Any member can bring along a plate to add to the great morning teas the members share. Make an effort, see you there.

3 Desert Rose - General Techniques One basic assumption that should be cleared now is that adeniums are NOT house plants. A flowering plant may be brought indoors so you can enjoy its beauty, but cannot be maintained indoors without high light intensities and heat. Even this change in environment will cause some leaf yellowing, and drop to occur. Adeniums are happiest when they have sufficient warmth, sunlight and ventilation. Something about pruning should be mentioned here. Some plants naturally branch from the base lending an attractive look to the overall aesthetics. Some do not. I usually make a tip prune or a stem cut when plants are young. This way, the scar will not be evident on mature specimens later. A tip cut may be the removal of the smallest two leaves, to a stem cut of an inch or more of the tip. If your plants are actively growing, side branches will appear soon. These side branches will now take over in growing out evenly over the plant's base. I have seen a flush of growth emerge from trunks that were just a pencil thick long stem earlier. And transform from a toothpick looking plant into a marvelous specimen sporting ten or more side branches. The results over time will give you a specimen plant with many heads of blooms at once. These are the types of adeniums we tend to remember when seeing other collections. So if you start them off at an early age, they will all become beautiful specimens in time. Another type of pruning involves fine feeder roots emerging from the caudex. On plants that have grown into their pots, sometimes one finds small roots emerging from the caudex region and growing in the soil below. I tend to prune these off as close to the caudex to make the scar invisible. This way these fine feeder roots will not distort the caudex later by forming swollen roots hiding or covering the main caudex. Do not remove fine feeder roots below the caudex, as the plant needs these to survive and absorb nutrients. The caudex is basically a reservoir for the nutrients stored and not a tool for absorption. Caudex formation is variable from species to species and plant to plant. Usually good cultivation practices leads to a good caudex development. These cultivation practices are not just fertilizer alone. But a porous well aerated soil and good drainage to list a few. High light intensities are required for the plants to produce excess carbohydrates which are stored in the caudex. Varying moist and dry periods also encourage good caudex development. Caudex formation is also encouraged by the origin of a plant. Seed grown plants tend to produce a nice rounded base. But it is not to say that cutting grown plants do not. Some specimens from cutting grown plants also develop a caudex, but this caudex varies from a swollen stem to the roots resembling tubers of a sweet potato all merged into a pseudo-caudex base. Some stem thickening occurs in cutting grown plants, but not usually as distinct as seed-grown starts. Most of the named

4 Popular Vote Results November 2014 Judge s Choice Cattleya: Blc. Waianae leopard Ian & Carolyn Nielson Species: L. purpurata E. Linderberg Novice Blc. Morning Glory P. Powell Vanda. V. Bangkhuntian Gold x V. Surat's Best E. Cross

5 V. Unknown Asc. Ampullaceum C. walkeriana Deborah x Blc. Redland Beauty Reflection Den. Milroy Kadama x Den. Kamaya s Creation Slc. Tiny Titan C. Isabella Epi. Dancing Bees C. forbesii Ascda. Arunee s Honey Moon Den. Genting Royal

6 selections are all cutting propagated material, and have developed good caudexes over time. Winter protection for some areas must be practiced as adeniums are more subtropical plants than true desert plants. In areas of cooler to freezing winters, plants must be grown and maintained indoors. If that must take place, I recommend a warm area with ventilation and high light intensities. Keep plants actively growing the year around. Some growers cut their plants back to just stem and tips and winter their plants as a semi-dormant leafless trunk. Wintering plants requires that a plant be kept minimally moist, and watered just to keep the soil from completely drying out. Disregard literature which state that plants be kept absolutely dry during winter. Adeniums must be kept evenly moist (not wet) and allowed high light intensities and warmth throughout the winter months. When adjusting your plants to warmer, natural light and outside conditions, be sure to prune tips of etiolated growths and allow new growths to replace old growths. These will also reward you with more blooms and buds. Standard growing techniques will also apply here. Like turning pots daily to keep growth evenly/upright. Watering and discarding excess water and not allow plants to sit in a saucer of water. Misting can also help in dry households, providing the plants can dry off before night. Desert Rose fertilizer:- Adeniums are heavy feeders. Most seedlings and cuttings do most of their growth in the first two years than all the rest of their life as a specimen combined. Seedling and newly rooted cuttings do best given a high nitrogen base fertilizer. This fertilizer should be a balanced or one with a slightly higher (nitrogen) first number in the three number series. Young plants benefit from a constant feed source, such as that from Osmocote, Nutricote and or a supplemental liquid fertilizer (i.e. Peter's Soluble Plant Food). Do not use Miracle Gro! Feeding should begin immediately once a newly planted plant has become established. Establishment can take the form of new growth or thicker stem development. If in doubt, liquid feed initially at half to quarter strength every other week. Saturate the soil entirely evenly around the plant. Alternate a good watering, of plain tap water, in between fertilizing to leach excess salts and nutrient toxicities. An excellent timed release fertilizer is Osmocote. This fertilizer incorporates an osmotic resin to transfer nutrients when water and higher temperatures are optimal. This fertilizer is best used for plants growing as seedlings or rooted cutting starts. An even nutrient ratio is good for all growing plants. Avoid the bloom specials as they tend to accumulate pots of the water filled plastic balls over time. These balls tend to make the soil too wet and may lead to root rot and soil fungus activity. But in transplanting, they tend to just fall out and are not too harmful in small quantities. Nutricote is another timed release fertilizer and has an advantage of long term release. But some types may be too long for our current needs. Use your discretion when selecting a fertilizer. Continued next month

At our November Meeting, Wally Christensen was given the award of Life Membership in recognition for his tireless contribution to the Orchid Club, be it through Participation, or his knowledge of

Wally recently gave a talk on potting mix for Paphiopedilum orchids, 50%bark 50jumbo perlite, few rusty nails etc will help as a tonic.

Watering can be done once a week, by standing the pot overnight in water so as to give the plant an even soaking, rather than little bits and often, and they thrive on Fish or Seaweed Fertiliser.

7 At our November Meeting, Wally Christensen was given the award of Life Membership in recognition for his tireless contribution to the Orchid Club, be it through Participation, or his knowledge of which he gave so generously. Wally is a resident of the Pioneer Lodge & Gardens and Members can call in and talk Orchids with Wally at any time, you will leave much more enlightened than ever. Wally recently gave a talk on potting mix for Paphiopedilum orchids, 50%bark 50jumbo perlite, few rusty nails etc will help as a tonic. Paphiopedilum Orchids require the smallest pot necessary to accommodate the roots. Watering can be done once a week, by standing the pot overnight in water so as to give the plant an even soaking, rather than little bits and often, and they thrive on Fish or Seaweed Fertiliser. In previous years a very large percentage of what goes on behind the scene was done by Barry & Lyn Mellefont. The job is not done till the paper work is complete and paper work was a labour of love for both Barry & Lyn. These jobs have now been shared amongst several willing members to carry on and with a bit of practice will accomplish their chosen roles. Very special thanks must go to Barry & Lyn for the years of dedication & contribution to all printing / computer matters for the running of the club. New Members: This month we welcome Graham & Rosemary Price, Denise Brauer, Geoff & Joanne Watchorn and Joyce Ionn. Please make yourselves known at meetings as you arrive, a substitute name label will help us identify you and ensure you are included in the clubs activities at both meetings and the many outings the club has planned. Club name badges are available with our Treasurer

8 THE DOVE ORCHID: Den. Crumenatum pronounced Kroo-me-NAH-tum commonly known as the Pigeon Orchid has a flower approximately 2cm wide. It is semi-de deciduous and lives in lowland forests and Savana type woodlands at an altitude of sea level to 500 metres. It grows small to large sin size. Prefers warm to hot and does mounted on wood. The Dove Orchid thrives near wet lowlands, along seashores; grow up in Coconut Palms and any palm it can attach itself to. In Malaya it is seen to be growing on trees in Orchards The Dove Orchid is of spindly character with small swollen shaped rigid nodes of yellow coloured and on the older stems. These stems can branch and carry 4-20 thick, leathery, eventually deciduous leaves that will flower on the upper nodes of the leafless older canes with several fragrant flowers, albeit for only a few hours, usually after a temperature drop or some rain. The Dove Orchid has a tendency to keike. When this happens, and there are 2 small pseudo-bulbs and a 3 rd starting, then they can be broken away from the old pseudo-bulb and mounted onto a small branch of wood. This species is often found in conjunction with ants and may benefit from their presence. This tough little specimen loves to grow freely out in our everyday gardens and will the flowers will hold the most fragrant perfume of vanilla. In Malacca, a state within Peninsular Malaysia, the leaves pounded are applied to pimples and boils as a curative. In Java the flowers are ground to make a material to use in the treatment for Cholera. ORCHID TERMS: You should know. You are an Orchid Grower now, so, let s use terms that help your chain of knowledge. Column - a tiny rounded column like extension between the two largest petals. This is the central reproduction organ of the orchid flower. Inflorescence - the flowering part of the plant. Keiki - a small plant growing from a node on the flower stem. Lip - the part of the flower that is almost completely decided from the rest of the flower, however, it is connected by the column. The lip is specialized to aid in pollination. Spike - A flower stalk Node - Distinct joint or notch on the inflorescence from which a secondary flower stem can emerge from after the primary inflorescence has finished blooming Sepal - the outer segments on an orchid flower. Similar to petals, sepals are the three smaller segments of the flower that create a triangular shape Throat -the inner portion of a tubular orchid lip, often found quite colourful.

Volume3 /16 March 2016 Ed. Graham Price

Email: Club & Editor: bundabergorchidsociety@gmail.com Web Site: www.bundabergorchidsociety.com.au P.O. Box 1173, Bundaberg, 4670 Volume3 /16 March 2016 Ed. Graham Price Office Bearers. President Robert