SONOMA COUNTY ORCHID SOCIETY May 2014 A California Non-Profit 501 (c) (3) Corporation IN THIS ISSUE 1 Ricky Wong Bio and Speaker Dinner 2 President's Corner, Board Highlights, Thank You 3 Classifieds, Refreshment List and Membership Column 4-6 Orchid Care for the Novice 7 Neofinetia falcata Culture Article 8 Bus Trip Flyer 9 Repotting Party Flyer 10 Events Calander 11 Election Announcement & Ballot OUR MAY SPEAKER IS RICKY WONG WHO WILL SPEAK ON "NEOFINETIA: HISTORY, APPRECIATION, HYBRIDIZATION AND CULTURE." Ricky Wong started his interest in orchids while he was in elementary school. In 1995, he received a Phalaenopsis as his first orchid and his collection has grown ever since. After graduating from college, he started to volunteer extensively at OrchidMania, where his passion for orchids continued to grow. Ricky is currently part of the AOS judging program and is a Probationary Judge. He is currently a Director at large for the Orchid Society of California (OSC), and has been in various board positions with the OSC. Ricky grows exclusively outdoors without the use of a greenhouse and prefers to grow cool-cold growing species and primary hybrids that do well outdoors year-round in the Bay Area. The Opportunity Table will be provided by Dennis Olivas. PLEASE JOIN US FOR DINNER WITH THE SPEAKER AT Trattoria Cattaneo, 2700 Yulupa Avenue (across the street from Safeway and to the left of Baskin Robbins) at 5:00 p.m. RSVP to Kathie Hile 585-1912 or jph.kah@gmail.com no later than Monday, May 12. GOOD NEWS, YOU CAN STILL GO ON THE BUS TRIP ON MAY 3. CALL ANN CONGER AND LET HER KNOW YOUR PICK-UP LOCATION. YOU CAN PAY AT THE MAY MEETING OR AS YOU STEP ONTO THE BUS. BRING A LUNCH AND BOXES FOR YOUR PURCHASED PLANTS. WATER AND SNACKS WILL BE PROVIDED. SEE THE FLYER ON PAGE 8 FOR DETAILS. REMEMBER that your Society now has a Facebook page. Visit and leave your comments or add pictures of your orchids! Page 1
President s Corner With warm spring weather our plants are growing in leaps and bounds. New roots and growths start to appear on many of our orchids. Repotting time is in full swing. I hope that many of you have had a chance to at least begin to repot your orchids to keep them in the peak of health. Speaking of repotting, be sure to sign up with Jeanne Van Blarcom for our fun repotting day on Saturday, May 31st. We will have a sign up at the next meeting. New orchid growers can bring their orchids to get help and advice from more experienced growers. Bring orchids to divide and share. It is a finger-food potluck, so bring a little something to nibble on. Ricky Wong is our speaker scheduled for our May 13 th meeting. He will be talking on Neofinetias. These are a beautiful and delicate species from Japan, China and Korea. Don t miss the opportunity to hear this wonderful talk. See you at our next meeting May 13 th! Susan Thank you Thank you to Jeanne Van Blarcom for hosting a Spring Show wrap-up meeting. Thank you to all the show chairs who attended. We have an early start on planning our show for 2015 and we also have a potential date of March 28 and 29. Please mark your 2015 calendars. Thank you Susan Anderson for opening your beautiful home to show off your orchids. We all had a wonderful time. Thank you too to Helen Finigan, Angelique Fry, Jose LaCalle and Karen Wolford who came to the last board meeting and offered their thoughts and comments on agenda items. All members are welcome at board meetings. We appreciate everyone's input! SCOS Board of Directors - SCOS Board Highlights April 15, 2014 We had potential Board members attending tonight: Jose LaCalle, Karen Wofford, Angelique Fry, and Helen Finigan, as well as the current board. The May speaker is Ricky Wong speaking on Neofinetia falcata. The plant table will be from Dennis Olivas. June speaker is Cindy Hill on Dendrobiums, and she will provide the plant table. July s meeting will be the annual Bingo Ice Cream Social and Dale Martin will provide the plants that SCOS buys to fill out the bingo table. Ann Possinger, treasurer, presented a chart of the cost of monthly meetings. It shows an average loss of $150 per meeting, which does not include $175 room rental. The cost of a meeting includes dinner for the speaker and VP, the speaker fee, and the plant table cost. The raffle ticket purchases, and the 20% of member plant sales are the only income each month to offset this cost. The board discussed having the raffle every 2 months rather than monthly. Membership total is 110. We ve had many visitors with the improved articles announcing our meetings in the PD, thanks to Ann P. We welcome Mel and Robyn, new members. Anyone can bring plants to donate for the Opportunity (raffle) table or for Plant sales. Jose donated dahlia tubers which made over $60 for the Society, THANKS! He will bring more to the May meeting. Page 2
CLASSIFIEDS COLUMN Don't forget you can get orchid supplies from Kris and Jim Foster foster@sonic.net or 707-762-7124 Small and medium Rexius bark Perlite Sphagnum Orchid labels Stakes Charcoal TED PRUDEN'S 10' x 14' GREENHOUSE FOR SALE Everything included: Reverse Osmosis water system, holding tanks, benches, misting system, heater, etc. Call Kathleen Pruden to see greenhouse 707-528-7710. $3,500.00 or best offer. Attention, Attention. Orchids for Sale Steve Tierra is closing his greenhouse over the next few months and wants to give his plants good homes. Some divisions for $4, others at $5 - $10, but nothing over $20. All potted plants are in terracotta; there are a few mounted plants; and a couple of Stanhopea in hanging baskets. Anyone interested should call Steve at 707-823-1587 or email sctierra@sonic.net to see plants or ask questions. WE ASK THAT MEMBERS BRING REFRESHMENTS ACCORDING TO THE SCHEDULE BELOW. PLEASE CHECK TO SEE IF YOU ARE SCHEDULED TO BRING SOMETHING TO THE FEBRUARY MEETING. (You do not have to be on the schedule to bring a refreshment. Anyone can bring a refreshment at any time.) REMEMBER, if you bring a refreshment, you receive a raffle ticket to be placed in a special drawing for only those bringing refreshments that evening. You get first choice from the opportunity table. 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, 2014 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 MEMBERSHIP COLUMN WE WELCOME ALL OUR NEW 2014 MEMBERS: As of this date, we have 110 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 email board members. To email, go to our Society webpage www.sonomaorchids.com, click on the "contacts" link and email any director or committee chair. Through the website, you can also read back issues of our newsletter. Wear Your Name Badge and Sign In! Wear your name badge or make a paper name-tag at the membership table when you enter the meeting room. Then, 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 email Jeanne at jeannevanb@gmail.com. Change of address? To send an address or email change, go to our Society website at www.sonomaorchids.com and use the "contacts" link to send an email to the membership chair. Page 3
Rather than a culture column this month, the following is a reprint of a culture article, from an orchid's perspective. Orchid Care for the Novice--An Orchid's Perspective Kent Kobayashi. Tropical Plant & Soil Sciences Dept. College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa Hi, there! I'm on my way home now with a neophyte who just got me-- perhaps, as a gift or bought me at a local garden shop. Anyway, as Jimmy Houston, a professional bass angler, once said, "If it's important to the bass, I make it important to me." I hope my new owner feels the same way- -if it's important to me, it's important to my owner! the comforts of home." LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION: Now, where do I want to be? Back home, I'd be in a tree, but since most people don't have trees in their homes...in a way, I'm like people. I love comfortable surroundings-- temperature, light, humidity, air movement, and so on. As they say, "All Go ahead--make my day. I need sufficient light to do well. In a home, where most of the light is incidental, I like to be fairly close to a window. Incidentally, many types of orchids do well in a sunny window, on a patio, or under lights. If you don't have a sunny window location, additional light can be provided with fluorescent plant lights. Many orchids can be grown entirely under artificial light. The required amount of light will determine your selection of orchid plants. If you have only one light condition, choose only plants that do well under those conditions. If space is a consideration, miniature orchids may be for you. Shading. Hand in hand with light is shading. If placed outside, I will need a little more shade. The hotter the sun, the more midday shade is required. If an orchid plant feels hot, it needs some shade or cooling. Am I getting the right amount of light? A general rule of thumb is the color of my leaves. A healthy orchid plant in proper light has foliage that is light to medium green with the new leaves showing a soft sheen. Reddish or purplish edges on the leaves may indicate the leaves are getting as much light as they can take without burning. Too much light can bleach out the chlorophyll (green pigment in leaves), causing my leaves to look pale or yellowish-green. If the leaves become very yellow, move the orchid plant to more shade or provide more shade. Too intense a light or moving a plant from heavy shade to intense light can cause sun scalding--bleached looking spots that turn black, crispy, and dry, looking charred. Not a pretty sight! Too low light makes my foliage dark green, and I will not flower well, if at all. If the leaves become dark emerald green, move the orchid plant to more light or provide supplemental artificial light. Page 4
Light and flowering. I will live long (and prosper) under lower than desirable light conditions, but generally won't bloom. In correct light, some orchid plants will produce a pigment that resembles plum colored freckles or suntan. This is an almost ideal situation for good blooming. Proper light is more important for good blooming than a good fertilizer regimen. TEMPERATURE: Generally, your particular temperature conditions will influence your choice of orchid plants. I'm pretty comfortable where my owner is comfortable. Most home temperatures will be acceptable for growing orchids. There are many orchids that will do well in the temperature range from 50 to 90 F. Guard against excessively low or high temperatures next to glass windows. Temperature extremes should be avoided, but I can survive them. HUMIDITY: Most areas with satisfactory temperatures will have adequate humidity. Orchids prefer humidity levels between 40% and 60%. If you have adequate humidity to raise other houseplants, you have enough to raise me. Don't sweat it! Most orchids grow in climates with moist air. Humidity can be raised by misting the leaves every morning, by using a small humidifier, or by setting the pots on pebble trays. A pebble tray is a container containing pebbles or gravel and water. Or, a rack can be placed in the tray. The bottom of the pot sits on the gravel or rack, but does not come in contact with the water. AIR CIRCULATION: Along with humidity goes good air circulation. In my natural environment I am exposed to constant breezes. High humidity and stagnant air provide a breeding ground for fungal problems. Good air movement also prevents cold or hot spots, which can make it more difficult for orchids to grow well. Lacking a nice, airy room, a small fan or a slightly opened window will help me (and my owner). WATERING: How much? Each particular type of orchid has its own water needs, whether for moisture or periodic dryness. Orchid plants require less water when not actively growing (generally winter months) and more while growing (generally spring and summer months). Plants with thinner, softer foliage generally require more water than those with harder, more succulent leaves and thick fleshy pseudobulbs. How often? Watch the plants; they let you know when they need water. Speaking of water, as any smart angler knows, let the fish tell you what they want. Most orchids prefer a little drying out between watering. Just how dry depends on the variety. Most orchid plants tolerate being dryer better than staying soggy. Allow the plants to approach dryness and apply sufficient water so that it drains freely through the container. This also helps to keep salts from building up in the potting media which could cause root burn. Never allow me to sit in my own water. Flowering orchid plants may require more frequent watering to make up for the greater load of the flowers. Plants with pseudobulbs generally need to dry out more between waterings than those without. Roots. In general, most orchids do not tolerate excessive moisture at their roots and need some air circulation around their roots. My roots tell you if you have good watering habits. They're white, firm, and fleshy with green tips if I'm healthy. Overwatered orchid plants have few good roots, and many soggy, mushy, brown, dead ones. Increased frequency of watering does not make up for a poor root system. If the roots are not plump and alive, repotting may be called for. The humidity can be raised to compensate for the lack of supporting root uptake. When to water? It is best to water me in the morning or mid-day to allow my foliage to dry before night. Page 5
FERTILIZING: Fertilize with what? Most orchid potting media provide only support and have little or no food value. The plant food you use depends on the type of orchid and the type of growing media. I need to be fertilized with a product suitable for the media. When the plants are in bark, they need a high nitrogen food (such as 30-10-10). Plants in most other media need a balanced food (such as 18-18-18). You can also use a water soluble fertilizer at the dilution recommended on the label. When to fertilize? Many orchids aren't heavy feeders so fertilizing once or twice a month is adequate. They have a long life span so fertilizer isn't critical as it is with an annual. One month's missed fertilizer won't stop blooming or mortally wound me though I may be a little hungry! An easy rule of thumb though, would be to fertilize every week with a dilute solution. Fertilize less often during the winter. How much? Orchid plants do far better with too little fertilizer than with too much. The old saying, "feed weakly, weekly" is appropriate. Fertilize at a low rate of approximately one-quarter strength with a fertilizer appropriate to the potting media. Plants in lower light need less fertilizer, or the tips of leaves may start to shrivel or blacken. Flush the pots with plain water occasionally to prevent salt buildup. REPOTTING: Most orchid plants need to be repotted either when they outgrow the existing pot or when the potting media begins to break down, generally every two to three years. The ideal time to repot is when you see new rooting activity. This is indicated by succulent green root tips on plump white roots. The steps below are general and may vary slightly, depending on the media you use: Take the plant out of the pot and gently remove the old media from the roots. Remove any bad roots (dried or soggy brown roots). Put drainage material (if you prefer) and media in a pot. Place the plant in the pot with the rhizome or crown slightly below the pot's rim. Fill the pot with new media and firm it down. Don't cover the plant's crown or rhizome. Stake the plant if necessary. When done, the plant should be firm and not wobble in the pot. MEDIA: What media mixture to use and when to repot depend on the orchid variety, climate, and the size and age of the plant. Few orchids live in "potting soil". My roots need to dry slightly between waterings. Garden soil doesn't allow this. The main purpose of media is to provide support. Anything that does this and allows air passage is okay. Common media include commercial growers mix, blue rock, tree fern fibers, New Zealand sphagnum moss, coconut fiber, cinders, peat moss, fir bark chips, redwood bark chips, and perlite. The size of the media affects its water retention. Small chips stay more moist than large chips of the same media. If you're prone to overwater plants, think about using a drier media. If you prefer to water less, use a moister media. Remember, have fun growing orchids; don't stress out. Otherwise, as the porcupine said to the puffer (balloon) fish, "What's the point?!" Page 6
Neofinetia falcata culture LIGHT: Neofinetias prefer medium light levels, from 1500-3000 foot-candles, about the same as Cattleyas. Neofinetias can be grown indoors with an east exposure, or a south or west exposure with some shade from direct sun. They can also be grown under fluorescent lights indoors. Keep the plants about 6" - 8" from at least 4 tubes. In frost free areas, plants may be grown outdoors with filtered sunlight. TEMPERATURE: Plants can tolerate a wide range of temperatures. In the spring and summer, daytime temperatures can reach 70º F to 100º F, with a 10 to 20 degree difference at night. During winter months, day temperatures below 70º F are preferred. Neofinetia falcata will tolerate winter temperatures in the mid 30's! trays or a small room humidifier when growing indoors. HUMIDITY: Ideally humidity should be kept from 40 to 60%. However they can tolerate lower levels. Use humidity WATER & FERTILIZER: Use pure water, such as rainwater, distilled or reverse osmosis water if possible. Hard water tends to spot the leaves and will eventually collect in the medium. Flush the plant regularly, especially if using municipal or well water. Never use artificially softened water. Plants should be allowed to dry out between waterings. Use ample water in spring and summer while the plants are in active growth and in flower, reducing water during cooler winter days. If plants are mounted, they will need to be water/misted every other day. For fertilizer use a balanced orchid fertilizer during active growth. If using rain, distilled, or reverse osmosis water, use a fertilizer formulated for pure water, or add some tap water to supply the necessary calcium and magnesium. Fertilize very lightly every other watering during the growing season. POTTING MEDIUM & POTS: Neofinetias will grow in a wide variety of medium, ranging from coarse bark to the traditional method of sphagnum moss. They can also be grown mounted, if preferred. Pots can also range from clay to plastic. With any pots, insure there is adequate drainage. Add extra holes to plastic pots and enlarge the bottom hole in clay pots. REPOTTING: Plants should be repotted every 2 years or sooner if the medium breaks down. It is common for some of the roots to grow outside of the medium. When repotting you can gently ease the roots back into the medium. At the time of repotting, larger plants can be divided by pulling the fans apart. It is preferable to keep divisions with 3 or more fans, and there should be at least a few live roots on each division. Best time to repot is in the spring, when you see new active root growth. Text and picture from the Fukiran Society of America Page 7
Sonoma County Orchid Society Annual Bus Trip Saturday, May 3, 2014 $34.00 per person, available to Members, Guests and All Orchid Enthusiasts The bus will leave promptly at 7:45 AM from the parking lot under Highway 12, across from the Santa Rosa Veteran s Building. Please arrive early enough to store your belongings under the bus, find a seat, and get settled. If you are a single passenger please double up with another single passenger to allow couples to sit together. Due to our schedule we cannot wait for late arrivals. Please bring an empty box to store orchids that you buy. Pack a lunch. SCOS will supply bottled water and snacks. Note: Times are approximate and may vary based on traffic conditions. 7:45 AM Bus leaves from Santa Rosa 8:05 AM Pick-up from Petaluma Fairgrounds Park and Ride. The parking lot is adjacent to the Petaluma Library on Washington Street. Look for the large Park and Ride Sign near the Fairgrounds entrance. 8:30 AM Pick-up from San Rafael Park and Ride at CitiBank 666 3rd Street California Orchid, Bolinas Mary Nisbet Hanging Gardens, Pacifica Dan Newman Lunch Orchids by Design, San Jose Angelic Nyugen 5:00 PM? San Rafael CitiBank Park and Ride 5:30 PM? Petaluma Fairgrounds Park and Ride 6:00 PM? Santa Rosa Payment reserves your place on the bus. Make checks payable to SCOS. State your pick-up location (Santa Rosa, Petaluma, or San Rafael). Mail checks to: Ann Conger, 2002 Coffee Lane, Sebastopol, CA 95472 (707)888-3637 aconger@cpsrealestate.com Full refunds for cancellations will only be allowed prior to two weeks before the bus trip, April 19. Due to limited space at greenhouses, the tours listed above are limited to the people that have reserved a bus seat and have paid $34.00. Page 8
Annual Repotting Party When: Saturday, May 31 (Sign up at the May meeting) Time: 11:00 am 3:00 pm (or so) Where: Home of Jeanne Van Blarcom, 897 Matsuda Lane, Sebastopol What to bring: Please bring a finger food to share. Water and soft drinks will be provided by the Society. Bring any plants you want help with to repot, overgrown monstrosities you want to share pieces of, or even plants you'd like to give to a new home. Also bring supplies such as pots of all sizes (or plastic bags if you would rather repot at home), cork slabs, wood slat baskets, stakes, plant ties, plant labels, cutting shears, #2 pencil, etc. In other words, bring whatever you ll need (except bark) to pot up your treasures. The Society will supply medium and fine Rexius bark. Directions: Hwy 116 to Sparkes Road. If coming west on 116, make a left turn on Sparkes. If coming east on 116, make a right turn onto Sparkes. Sparkes dead ends into Baker. Turn right on Baker and immediately left on Matsuda. Follow the road to the last house. Ample parking in the orchard. http://goo.gl/maps/oe0pm Need Rexius bark? sphagnum? labels? perlite? charcoal? stakes? Call the Fosters at 762-7124 or email foster@sonic.net Page 9
May UPCOMING EVENTS 5/3 SCOS ORCHID BUS TRIP. See Flyer on page 8. 5/10 5/11 Orchid Society of California Mother's Day Weekend Show & Sale, 10AM 5PM both days, Lakeside Park Garden Center, 666 Bellevue Avenue, Oakland. Free Admission www.orchidsocietyofcalifornia.com 5/13 SCOS MEETING. Ricky Wong will speak on Neofinetia. 5/15 HOW TO KEEP YOUR SUPER MARKET ORCHIDS ALIVE. A 20 minute talk will be presented by Gerry Smith and Kathie Hile at the Rohnert Park Home Depot, 4825 Redwood Drive, at 6:30 p.m. in conjunction with two other presentations by a Home Depot representative. 5/20 BOARD MEETING at 6:30 p.m. at the home of Susan Anderson, 1883 Adobe Creek Drive, Petaluma. All members welcome. RSVP to Susan at 707-762-2917 or susanaorchids@gmail.com. 5/30 6/1 San Jose Orchid Exposition, Preview Night Friday, 5:30PM 9:30PM $10; Saturday 9AM 6PM $5; Sunday 10AM 5PM $5. Winchester Mystery House, 525 S. Winchester Blvd., San Jose. A portion of the proceeds to benefit the Orchid Conservation Alliance. www.realorchidgrowers.com get driving directions 5/31 SCOS REPOTTING PARTY. See Flyer on page 9 June 6/10 SCOS MEETING. Although still to be confirmed, we are hoping that Cindy Hill will speak at our June meeting on Dendrobiums. 6/11 HOW TO KEEP YOUR SUPER MARKET ORCHIDS ALIVE. Gerry Smith and Kathie Hill will speak to the Creekside Garden Club at 1:30 p.m. at Creekside Village Clubhouse, 159 Avenida Barbera, Sonoma. Guests welcome. 6/17 BOARD MEETING at 6:30 p.m. Place to be announced in June newsletter. http://www.sonomacountygazette.com/cms/pages/categories-rtn-sonoma-res-arg1-resources-arg2- Monthly%20CALENDAR%20by%20Category-article-199.html Plant and garden related dates in Sonoma Co. by June 30 for the 2014 2015 Year Please bring your check for $25 to the May or June Meeting and give to Jeanne at the membership table. Thank you for your timely payment! Page 10
Annual Meeting and Election Announcement The election of the Board of Directors for 2013-2014 will be at the June meeting. The current slate of nominees is listed below. The Board will continue to solicit individuals to fill the vacant position. It is very important that you attend the June meeting and vote. Our Bylaws require that 1/3 of the membership be present in order to have a quorum, which is necessary to approve the ballot. Without a quorum the election will have to be postponed or the vote conducted by mailings or email. You may email your ballot to Kathie Hile at jph.kah@gmail.com or mail to 4800 Pressley Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95404 if you cannot attend the June meeting. Ballot for the 2014-2015 Board of Directors Check YES or NO by each member, if NO you may write in your nominee/vote. OFFICE Nominee Yes No Write in nominee President Susan Anderson V. President Angelique Fry Secretary Ann Conger Treasurer Ann Possinger Membership Jeanne Van Blarcom Newsletter Editor Kathie Hile Ways & Means Vacant Meetings Billie McCarthy Past President Susan Anderson - No vote required If you cannot attend the June meeting to vote, please email Kathie Hile at jph.kah@gmail.com and: 1) attached your completed ballot, or 2) state that you vote for all candidates, as submitted, or 3) provide your write in nominee(s) for any position. Please note that the position of Ways and Means is vacant. If you can serve in that position, please call or email any board member. Ways and Means oversees plant sales and the opportunity table, assuring that they are running smoothly. Ways and Means is also responsible for looking for and implementing ways of making money for the Society. No orchid knowledge necessary an administrative position only. You must attend board meetings on the third Tuesday of most months. All board members help! Page 11
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