March 2018 Volume 4 Issue 3 The Orchid Oracle Presidents Message Dear Board of Directors' Committee Members, and General Members of the JTOS, Inside This Newsletter Questions/Answers Pg 2 March Program Pg 3 March Tips Pg 4 Coming Events Pg 5 Member News Pg 6 & 7 JTOS Directory Pg 8 Calendar Pg 9 Our February meeting was highlighted by Jim Davidson's extremely educational presentation on "L. anceps". I certainly learned a lot and I'm sure everyone present did as well. I was fortunate to be part of the JTOS "Team" setting up for the Port St. Lucie Show. As I knew we would, we showed exceptionally well receiving numerous blue ribbons. I hope all our members had a chance to visit and see our beautiful display. The next show will Martin County, March 2nd thru the 4th with set up on the 1st. We are planning on having two auctions this year. The first being in April and we will discuss this at the March meeting. Also, in the planning stages is a "Ramble Workshop" at Weyman's. Members are invited to bring plants for re-potting and for a general education on growing orchids in Sunny South Florida. I'm happy to announce that three new members joined at our last meeting bringing us to a total of 64! However, only about half have paid this year s dues. Please get your dues in to keep us strong and growing. See you at the next meeting. Ronnie
Pa ge 2 Question: Why do my Vanda flower spikes grow 1/2 inch and then die? Answer: You have Thrips. The hot dry weather of March favors thrips which are ubiquitous in our landscapes. The drought of March drives them from their homes in our lawns and shrubberies to seek the cool lush oasis of our orchid collections. Most orchidists recognize the symptoms of thrips on their flowers, the silvered, sand blasted appearance and withering of the flower parts. Many do not recognize the earlier symptoms which show up on the root tips of vandas and ascocendas as a pitted ring at the point where the green growing root tip is maturing into white. Left unchecked, this damage will cause the root tip to wither. When it re-starts growth, a brown ring remains. Orthene is the chemical of choice for thrips because of its low toxicity and residual action. A non-chemical solution is liquid dish soap applied at a rate of 2oz (6tbs) per gallon of water. Be sure to water the plants the day before applying soap and take care to drench the plants thoroughly, covering not only all the surfaces but penetrating leaf axils and other nooks and crannies where the reclusive thrips love to loiter. Eliminate the thrips in of your collection and you will get the growing season off to a good start. Question: My Dendrobium looks like it needs to be re-potted. How can I tell for sure? What is the best potting mix for Dendrobiums? Answer: Most Dendrobiums like being root bound and dislike having their roots disturbed. These two facts both suggest the best potting medium is one that will not decompose easily. So, bark and sphagnum moss are not the potting media of choice. A better mix would be one with aliflor, charcoal, sponge rock and tree fern (or coconut husk if you can t find tree fern). Don t repot your dendrobiums unless you have a reason to repot them. The best reason to repot is if the potting mix is decomposing, which if left in place will likely rot the roots along with the mix. This is easy to tell if you push your finger into the pot and the media feels moist and it tends to hold water. If the plant has become unruly and is pushing out of the pot, wait until the new roots are getting ready to grow and emerge from the lead cane. Then you can repot with the least potential for transplant shock because the new roots will establish the plant quickly.
Pa ge 3 Speakers: Hyla Levine and Silas Treven Topic: Basic Orchid Care and Re-potting Techniques As an orchid hobbyist, Hyla Levine opened Green Barn Orchid Supplies in 2004 on the premises of Elegant Orchids in a charming 65-year-old green barn in Delray Beach. The intention was to provide a destination to buy every possible orchid supply available for all the orchid enthusiasts. The products are varied and appeal to the growing needs of all the customers both in Florida and throughout the world. Green Barn is not only a location to buy orchid supplies but a locale to come with questions about your orchids, get your orchids repotted. Hyla often speaks about basic orchid care and enhanced orchid growing at orchid societies and garden clubs, as well as at the Green Barn. Silas, an assistant manager at Green Barn for over seven years, will discuss mounting orchids and show repotting techniques. Green Barn Orchid Supplies 5185 Conklin Drive Delray Beach, FL 33484 Hours: Tuesday Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 1-5 561-499-2810 www.greenbarnorchid.com Hyla will be bringing a full line of supplies to the meeting. Need something special? Call the Green Barn before the March14th meeting and mention that your order is a pre-order for JTOS meeting.
Pa ge 4 March: In Your Orchid Collection By Martin Motes 1. Watch out for mites 2. Spray for Thrips 3. Repot genera emerging from dormancy: catasetums, calanthes, soft cane dendrobiums 4. Continue general re-potting 5. Apply time release fertilizer (nutri-cote) Excerpts are taken from Florida Orchid Growing Month by Month rrorchids.com 561-541-2992 Tony Romani JTOS Orchid Auction Wednesday April 11th, 2018 Preview time: 6:30 pm Start time: 7:00 pm Everyone is Welcome! Bring a Friend Tell your Neighbors Cash or Check only Palm Beach Gardens Green Market on Sunday 9 am / 1pm West Palm Beach Green Market Saturday 9 am / 1pm Join JTOS On And Post your blooming Pictures
Pa ge 5 Martin County Orchid Society Presents "Orchids of the Wild Wild West" Orchid Show and Sale March 2-4, 2018 Martin County Fairgrounds, Building G, 2616 SE Dixie Hwy., Stuart, FL YOUR ORCHIDS ARE NEEDED For the Martin County Orchid Society Show JTOS will be putting in a 6 round table top display for the Martin County Show, Orchids of the Wild, Wild West and will again need the blooming orchids of our society members for that display. This show takes place at the Martin County Fairgrounds. Since there is not a meeting just before this show, we will need to set up a pick-up time to meet members at the Community Center a few days before set-up on March 1. If you have any questions, or need help getting your plants to us for the display please call Deborah Sang at 561-354-8055 16th Annual International Orchid Festival at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden March 9,10,11, 2018 9:30 4:30 Admission is Free for Fairchild Members Adults: $25 Seniors (age 65 and up): $18 ** Bus Trip from Mounts Botanical Garden Saturday / March 10th Leaving at 8 am - Returning 5 pm $35.00 per person Contact: Cheryl Akey 561-329-4390
Pa ge 6 Thank-you to everyone who submitted plants for our Tabletop Display at the Port St. Lucie Orchid Show. The following awards and ribbons were won by our members: Best Vanda - V. Pure Wax Grapette, exhibited by Carol Vogel Best Cattleya species - Rhy. digbyana exhibited by Cherie Blickenstaff First Place: Laelia Lueddemanni, Patt Lindsey Epi. centropetalum, Kim Webster Enc. cordigera, Carol Vogel Slc. Love Castle Kurana, Alexis Smith Phal. Small Wonder, Dotty Wisch Phal. CX Angel, Jim Puddy Phal. Shu Lng Spotted Purple Vuyl. Carnivale Rio, Jim Puddy Lus. discolor, Rosemary Miller Second Place: Phal. Hybrid M230, Vicki Caplan Den. Hawaii Stripes, Kim Webster Den. Spring Dream Kumiko, Debra Sang Third Place: Blc. Hawaiian Agenda Florida Winter, Alexis Smith Paph. St. Swithin Black Beauty, Ray Baird Paph. Hysinying Alien, Deborah Sang Bllra. Tahoma Glacier Green, Jayne Coleman Wils. Firecat Harmony, Jim Puddy Our set-up team; Dotty Wisch, Cherie Blickenstaff, Debra Sang, Ronnie Oerth
Pa ge 7 Our Newest Members Mark Gill Vicki Caplan Jo Jackson We look forward to getting to know you It s Membership Renewal Time JTOS Annual Dues Run from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018 If you have Fun Stories to share Orchid Questions and or Tips Orchid Photo s or maybe even something Orchid related to Sell send them to your Newsletter Editor cheryl-akey@comcast.net Any and all submissions may be sent in at any time, and will be posted Free in an upcoming newsletter. * Advertising in this newsletter Is available for JTOS members at $50.00 a year $30.00 Individual Membership $40.00 Joint Membership $45.00 Family Membership Jupiter-Tequesta Orchid Society PO Box 2294 Jupiter, FL 33468 Just a note If you have not renewed your membership This will be your last newsletter Please don t delay, Renew Today we would hate to see you go!
Pa ge 8 JTOS 2018 Board of Directors President Ronnie Oerth 561-901-2188 ronnie@theoerthgroup.com Vice-President Weyman Bussey 956-369-2932 goldenbear@rocketmail.com Secretary Dotty Wisch 561-746-7017 dottywisch@comcast.net Treasurer Cindi Beane cybeane@bellsouth.net Past President Kevin Sue Rohan 561-762-5381 kzooroo@yahoo.com Deborah Sang Rosemary Miller Helen Compton Gladys Robinson Membership Carol Drabin 561-575-9795 jupiterpetresq@aol.com Newsletter Cheryl Akey cheryl-akey@comcast.net Please help make our meetings more enjoyable by providing a tasty treat for all to share. A free raffle ticket is given to those that bring JTOS Treasurer s Report Bank Balance (Not Available) The American Orchid Society at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden 10901 Old Cutler Road Coral Gables, Florida 33156 P#: (305) 740-2010 Email: TheAOS@aos.org Individual AOS membership, one year: Digital only $40.00 / Digital & Print $65.00 Special Discounts and Incentives for All Members and Friends & Family
Pa ge 9 Meetings are held on the 2nd Wednesday of each Month at 7 pm unless otherwise noted Jupiter Community Center 200 Military Trail Board Meetings are held on the following Tuesday after each meeting at Panera Bread, Indiantown Road at 6:30pm (All members are welcome to attend) January 2018 February 2018 March 2018 April 2018 10th 7 pm 14th 7 pm 14th 7 pm 11th 7 pm Wendy Mazuk Melana Davison Hyla Levine & Silas Treven Orchid Auction Ghost Orchid Laelia anceps Basic Orchid Care and Re-Potting May 2018 June 2018 July 2018 August 2018 9th 7 pm 13th 7 pm 11th 6:30 pm 8th 7 pm September 2018 October 2018 November 2018 December 2018 12th 7 pm 10th 7 pm 14th 7 pm 12th 6:30 Holiday Party