Volume 09/14 September 2014 Ed. Jean Williamson

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1 Club & Editor: P.O. Box 1173, Bundaberg, 4670 Volume 09/14 September 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 Oct 4-5th Nov- 28 th Hervey Bay Orchid Show BOSI Christmas Function Meeting Duty Roster: Oct 14 B Group Nov 14 C Group Jan 15 A Group There will be no Meetings held in December August Raffle Winners: 1 st Prize: Jule Fry 2 nd Prize Shirley Roll Lucky Door: A Heidke Exhibitors Prize: Bob Shields Bulk Booklet Orders and/or Enquires: jbhughes4@bigpond.com or Ph New Members: Welcome to our New Members. Elaine Webb, Wayne Lavender and Valerie Smith for the month of September. Membership Fees for 2015 are now due. Please ensure your me mbership is current, as our A G M will be held next month and you will need to be financial should there be a need to vote. Quote of the Month: Not everything that is faced can be changed: but nothing can be changed till it is faced.

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. Fraser Coast Dendrobium Orchid Nursery; Will be holding an open day at their Orchid Nursery on Sunday October 12 th All Members are invited to go along to this open day, starting with a BBQ sausage sizzle at 12:pm. Tea & Coffee and cold refreshments will be available. Members will be able to wander through the Nursery and see a wide range of Dendrobium (all species) and full Cattleya range of Orchids. This is a good opportunity for new Orchid growers to collect Orchids for their collection. Members are reminded to take along a chair and hat. The Club is running a bus for the day; all members wishing to be a part of this trip, have to have their names on the list ASAP. This will be a 54 seater Bus. The Bus will be departing from the Park next to Taylor s Hardware and opposite the Coach Terminal in Targo Street. The Bus will depart 9am sharp. Please note there will be no New & Interested Growers Group on Sunday 5 th October as would have been. The Bus Trip to the Fraser Coast Dendrobium Orchid Nursery will now replace that Meeting.

3 The Bundaberg Orchid Club and its Members wish to extend the most sincere of Condolences to Athol Bennett and his family in the sad loss of Betty Bennett. Betty has contributed years of generosity to the Club and will always be remembered for her tireless efforts since the Club s beginning. Many thanks go to Athol for the generous donation of Orchids of his collection, in his retirement. These Orchids will become part of the Club s introduction to its New Members Programme. Information asked for: Orchids generally have a low requirement for fertilizers. However, since they grow best in low nutrient low bark mixes, you need to administer some form of fertilizer. Where do I get Calcium Nitrate? 28 Kg bags from Agricultural suppliers. Check with Editor at next Meeting, for smaller quantities. Calcium Nitrate is applied to foliage spray at the rate of 1 gram to the Litre of water: 1 gram is 1/5 of a teaspoon full. Molasses: Mix a teaspoon of molasses in 2 litres of water. Don t worry about the molasses attracting any bugs, it is absorbed instantly. Epsom salt: Epsom salt provides magnesium for the orchid. This will promote healthier growth and stronger roots. Mix 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt with 1 Litre water, this now is concentrate, this you can add to the regular fertilizing at the rate of 10:1. Example (1 x litre of concentrate to 10 litres )water) Rockhampton Trip: Approximately 10 of our members travelled to attend the Rockhampton Orchid Club Diamond Jubilee weekend, some of those attending as Judges. A brilliant display was created by their members, with a supporting display of Softcane Dendrobiums by the ever admired John Frisch. As always, lots of knowledge was readily available with some spectacular Orchids on display and sales made to rather enthusiastic buyers.. A Dinner was held on Saturday Night where many trophies were presented to most deserving growers after what had a difficult year weather wise. Gongratulations must go to their President Jeff Bloxsom and theclub s workers, where members made a brilliant effort is holding this special event.

4 Popular vote Results for August: Novice: Dtps. IHsin Sun Beauty Den. Red River x Speciosium J Maughan A & B Heidke Onc. Twinkle V. Bay Midnight E Cross C. Walkerina Alba R & G Coster C. Pot Houn Yuan Gold YK Noz R & G Coster

5 Orchids tabled at August Meeting

6 Plants for Repotting, and how to.. Usually, repot each plant every two years, but some hybrids grow all year round and may need repotting more frequently. Plants growing over the side of the pot and diseased plants need repotting as soon as possible. Loss of roots and break-down of potting material are other reasons for repotting early. Dividing of Plants Plant divisions are usually of 3 or 4 bulbs. Some mini Cattleya have more because they branch frequently. With sterilised secateurs, cut the rhizome 3 mature growths back from the front, cut through the roots and separate the divisions, do not pull the roots apart as you will damage them more, than if you cut them. Cut out any dead or badly damaged roots, remove old potting material, Leave potting material that is securely held by healthy roots, rather than damage the roots by removing it. Where the rhizome was cut it should be a clean white colour, if stained a grey/black colour the rhizome has a fungal or bacterial infection. Cut the back bulb off, if still not white you will have to discard the plant. Sealing the Cut You can use fungicides to seal the cut, but use Steri-prune in a pressure can, it dries quickly and there is no chance of cross infection and it also saves time. Roots Spray the roots with a mixture of Alginox 2 ml & Growth Formula 2ml to one litre of water, this helps to prevent damaged and cut roots from infection and helps to restart their growth cycle. Old Sheaths & Bracks Cut old dry sheaths off, they can hold water and create fungus and bacteria that could infect the plant. Remove old bracks off the plant's bulbs. (Scale & aphids like to hide underneath them.) Be careful not to damage the eyes or the new growths. Repotting Selecting a pot large enough to allow for 2-4 new growths (2 years), place the plant with the sealed cut against the side of the pot, thus leaving a gap between the front of the plant and the other side of the pot for the next 2 years of growths.

7 What does Epsom Salt do for Plants? Epsom salts contain hydrated magnesium sulphate, two elements crucial to plant growth. Sulfur (13%) is crucial to the inner workings of plants, but it is almost never lacking in the soil, thanks in part to synthetic fertilizers and acid rain. Magnesium (10%) can become scarce in soil, usually because of erosion or depletion of the top soil or a ph imbalance. Some plants, like lettuce and spinach, don t mind going without magnesium. Others may exhibit symptoms like leaf curing, stunted growth, that could be attributed to more than one cause. Magnesium deficiency has even been blamed as a cause for biter tomatoes. In general, magnesium plays a role in strengthening the plant cell walls, allowing the plant to take in the nutrients it needs. It also aids in seed germination, photosynthesis and in the formation of fruits and seeds. Magnesium is critical to the flower-initiation process in orchids. Instances of disappointing flower production in Cymbidium, for example, have been linked to low levels of magnesium in plant tissue. The recent work with Phalaenopsis you have read supports previous studies on Cymbidium and it is reasonable to presume that magnesium is a macroelement for most orchid genera. Do your own experimentation with the amount and frequency of Epsom salts application. The information below can be a good starting point for your own experimentation. I have selected recipes based on whether you like to fertilize at every watering, once a week, or seasonally. 1. One-half teaspoon of Epsom salts to one gallon of fertilizer solution every time you water, (3). 2. If you fertilize your plants once a week, then use one tablespoon of Epsom salts per gallon of fertilizer solution, (1). 3. Bob Gordon recommends five teaspoonful of Epsom salts per gallon applied twice in a row in October for Phalaenopsis orchids.

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