P.O. Box 382, Maroochydore

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1 Maroochydore Orchid Society Inc. presents, The Observer P.O. Box 382, Maroochydore JUNE 2017 Patroness - Rosanna Natoli President - Duncan McMartin (07) Secretary - Kathy Howatson (07) maroochyorchid1@optusnet.com.au Treasurer - Del Whittaker (07) Editor - Fred Lenz (07) fmlenz@westnet.com.au The June cultural meeting will be held on Tuesday 6th at 7.30pm CULTURAL MEETINGS Cultural Meeting is held on the 1st Tuesday of the month at the Girl Guide Hall, Beach Road, Maroochydore, at 7.30pm. AGM will be held at October meeting. s and visitors are welcome. All plants to be tabled by 7.30pm for judging. MAY MEETING TOPIC Use of Plantacote Top K The topic discussed at the meeting revolved around the use of controlled release fertiliser (CRF) Plantacote Top K. This CRF is coated with a tough and resilient coating material. A natural membrane process is the method by which nutrients are released. The process is controlled by the thickness of the coating and the soil temperature e.g The coating thickness determines the release time e.g. in months 4, 6, 8 months. Nutrient release and growth occurs when higher temperatures are experienced. With lower temperatures less nutrient release happens and growth slows. Application methods will depend on how the type of orchid or pot plant involved is containerised. Topical application is when the fertiliser is placed on the top of the mix and when released moves into the root zone. 1

2 Mixing into the potting media allows distribution throughout but care should be taken to prevent damage to the coating. Layering is when fertiliser is set at different levels during the potting process. Another process where small holes are drilled into the mix at varying depths and the fertilised placed into the holes is ideal for established plants. HOW I USE CONTROLLED RELEASE FERTILISER (CRF) ON ORCHIDS I use half a teaspoon per 150mm or 6 inch pot. You may wish to use less. Density of the potting media will relate to where the CRF sits. The CRF can be included into the pot in several ways. (a) Included when mixing the various elements of the media. Mix each pot separately to get the correct ratio of CRF. (b) Layered on the top of the mix. Best if plant is established in pot. (c) For open mix, place CRF in porous stocking and lay on top of mix. Sale plants at cultural meetings s may bring plants to sell at meetings. So be prepared and bring little extra cash if you are interested in buying. CULTURAL MEETING RESULTS JUDGES CHOICE POPULAR CHOICE NOVICE 1 C. unknown No result 2 C. unknown R Bryan 3 SPECIES 1 Den stratiotes Bulb. rothchildiauum R. Rae J Merieca 2 V. sanderiana R. Rae 3 Bulb. grandiflorum D McMartin FOLIAGE 1 Aglaonema No result 2 Hairsfoot fern R Bryan 3 Bromeliad CATTLEYA 1 Rlc Dream Trader x Rolf Coconut Rlc Hawaii Stars J Merieca 2 Rlc Hawaii Stars 3 Blc Makai 2

3 DENDROBIUM 1 Den unknown Den unknown 2 Den unknown 3 Den Airy Crimson ONCIDIUM 1 Col Wildcat Leopard Onc Milt Kauais Choice P Henssler OAM 2 Onc Milt Kauais Choice P Henssler OAM 3 Onc Chauculatum K Rimmington VANDA 1 V Susan Ong Mooi V Susan Ong Mooi F & M Lenz F & M Lenz 2 V Thailand 3 V Jose Coronado x Madam Rattana OTHER GENERA 1 Lyc Aquilla Detente Lyc Aquilla :Detente P Henssler OAM P Henssler OAM 2 Phrag calarum P Henssler OAM 3 Bulb Elizabeth Ann D McMartin OVERALL WINNER Den stratiotes owned by R. Rae 2017 CALENDAR Society Show Dates: Bold indicates, Maroochydore Shows Caboolture OS Show Maroochydore OS Show Benching Show STOCQ Meeting Agnes Waters O&FS Show Nambour OS Show Glasshouse Country OS Show Morayfield Community Complex Millwell Rd Community Hall Agnes Waters Community Centre Agnes Waters Community Centre Nambour Uniting Church Hall Beerwah Hall pm Judging 7.00pm Show Friday, Saturday Saturday Set Up Friday 11 th Saturday Set Up 6th July 7 th & 8th July 3 rd August 4 th,august 8.30am to 4.00pm 5 th August 8.30am to 2.30pm 12th August 12 th August 31 st August 1 ST, 2 nd September 21 st September 22 nd, 23 rd September

4 Nambour Species Show Nambour Uniting Church Hall 26 th October 27 th, 28 th October STOCQ &OQI meeting Glasshouse TBA Saturday 4 th November Pumicestone OS Show CT Williams Hall Caboolture Showgrounds Saturday, Sunday 4 th,5 th November FUTURE INTERNATIONAL /AUSTRALIAN CONFERENCES AND shows June TQOC 70 TH Birthday Conference & Show Townsville Stadium August WA Orchid Spectacular Conference & Show Rendezvous Hotel Scarborough November 22 nd World Orchid Conference & Show, Guayaquil Ecuador July Orchids in the Foothills, 21 st AOC Conference & Show, Hawkesbury Indoor Stadium, South Windsor NSW September STOCQ Orchidfest Rockhampton OS Supper Roster for 2017 Please put 2 names beside each month. This makes sure we have supper even if someone is away. June: July: August: September: October: November: Robyn Volz, Joe Mercieca Ian Walker, Loraine Hocking, John Salway Kev Rimmington,,, may cultural meeting photos Rlc. Dream Trader x Rolf Coconut Vanda Susan Ong Ah Mooi 4

5 Lyc. Aquilla Detente Col. Wildcat Leopard Den. unknown V. Jose Coronado x Madam Rattana Den. stratiotes C. unknown 5

6 Phrag. calarum V. sanderiana Slow Release Fertiliser for sale The society has purchased a slow release fertiliser for sale to members. The fertiliser is Plantacote TopK 8M and it has an 8 month slow release time. N9 P3.9 K15.7. It is able to be purchased at the June cultural meeting and is in a 1kg pack for $7. Plantacote K is a coated controlled release fertiliser which releases nutrients by a natural membrane process. Potassium pronounced coated NPK-Mg controlled release fertilizer with micronutrients. Controlled nutrient supply suited to plant requirements over a period of approx. 8 months for flowering plants and perennials. See the Plantacote web site for more details. Re - International Guest Speaker International orchid hybridizer Fred Clarke will be guest speaker at the general meeting of the Ipswich Orchid Society at 7.30pm on Wednesday 7 th June. Anyone wishing to attend this meeting should contact the Ipswich Orchid Society secretary for details as per the forwarded to all members from Kathy our secretary. Fred Clarke will also be giving a lecture at the Tropical Queensland Orchid Conference and Show at Townsville in June. Background The Influence of C. dowiana var. aurea on Hybrids Cattleya dowiana var. aurea or C. aurea as it is now known is the only yellow flowered species of the unifoliate (or single leafed) cattleyas. It is (or was) found growing on the western slopes of the Andes mountains in Western Colombia at altitudes between 300 and 1000 m. This is lower than the than the other unifoliate cattleyas of Colombia such as C. trianae, gigas and schroderae and hence is a little more warm growing but this does not appear in its hybrids. Since its discovery in 1850 it has been collected almost to the brink of extinction in nature. So much so that the Colombian government has outlawed any collecting and now only nursery grown plants are available 6

7 for sale (good thing for all orchid species). C. trianae which grows at above 1000m was so overcollected as well it was reduced to just 40 known plants in the wild. But due to conservation it has bounced back. C. aurea is reputed to be a difficult plant to keep alive and the writer can vouch for that from personal experience. But this trait is not carried through to hybrids derived from it. Early Hybridising From its discovery in the mid 19 th. century the hybidisers thought the possibilities seemed endless using C. aurea. Hybridisers could see a way to produce large yellow flowers with a purple lip and beautiful gold veins in the throat of the lip. But when they crossed C. aurea with the other big cattleya species and hybrids not all the results were what they expected. Plants flowered with a whole range of colours. From white with purple lips to various shades of yellow, pink and a much darker shade of purple If we look at these results Yellow X pink gives White, yellow, pink and dark purple This gave rise to the very dark cattleyas, semi albas (white with coloured lip), yellows (in conjunction with some of the smaller flowered bifoliate cattleya species) and various other colours. Also the magnificent purple lip with gold veining seems to be dominant and is evident in a lot of hybrids today. One of the major defects when using C. aurea as a parent is the crippling effect that can affect the petals and sepals. This has largely been eliminateded today by selective breeding So next time you look at catteyas at home or at shows please think of how one plant from the western slopes of the Andes mountain range could exert such a major influence on a group of plants that are so prized today. Courtesy Bill Letcher LIBRARY An orchid book library is available at the Girl Guide Hall for all members to use. Please ensure borrowed books are signed out by our Librarian, Joe Merieca. IF YOU HAVE AN INTERESTING ARTICLE TO SHARE IN THE NEWSLETTER PLEASE CONTACT THE EDITOR Disclaimer: While the Editor endeavours to ensure the reliability of this newsletter, neither the Editor nor the Maroochydore Orchid Society Inc. can assume any responsibility for the information or advice given to readers of The Observer. 7