|
|
|
June 2003
JUNE MEETING June
9 , 2003 Scholarship Project Reports Jennifer French will talk about her project "Pollinators in Sphagnum Bogs" which I understand has changed somewhat but I don't have the details. Joshua Seeds will present the results of his project "A Model for Colonization of Sitka Alder at Mt. St. Helen's." We'll also be presenting the Gary Baker Service Award trophy for this year—I'm looking forward to finding out who won. This month's meeting will also be a potluck. Beginner's program (starts at 6:30 p.m.): This month, Jerry Hoffmeister will be on hand to answer your questions. Feel free to bring in your plants if you have questions about a specific plant or plants. If you believe your plant has an insect infestation, please bring it in a plastic bag so to not spread them to other members plants. Plant Table: Bring your blooming orchids to show! Sales Table: No plant sales this month Raffle: No raffle this month
FROM THE PRESIDENT Have you ever order any orchids from a mail order catalog? After our April speaker got us all fired up on mini catts,what do you know, a catalog from Carter and Holmes appears in my mail. Their specialty is mini catts and I canąt resist. I buy enough plants to get the break in the shipping rates mailing the order and the wait is on. After what seems like an eternity (but is actually only 2 weeks), I get a notice that UPS has a package for me. When I get home that evening its like Christmas in May. I open the package and out come nine beautiful plants. I have ordered many plants from several different companies and quite often got exceptional plants,better than ones that I have seen at shows for the same price. So if there is a certain plant that you must have in your collection look to the catalogs, you wonąt be disappointed. Our next meeting is our annual potluck and presentations from our scholarship reciepents. We will have a plant table to show off our blooming beauties but no sales or raffle. We had our annual potting clinic on Monday evening with a very low attendance. Those that did attend got undivided attention from one of the seasoned growers who were there and several large plants were divided with many of us adding to our collections. We had a good exchange of knowledge and everyone had a good time. Why, I think we may have picked up a couple of new members. We are in the process of planning next year's budget so anyone with budget needs should submit them to me at the next meeting. See you at the next meeting. Until then happy orchid growing. Jamie
Notman SUMMER ORCHID CHECKLIST Cattleya
Paphiopedilum
The multifloral types will be entering their most active growth phase, so lots of light, water and fertilizer are called for to mature their large growths. Many will be spiking in the next couple of months, so be on the lookout for the emerging inflorescences. These may benefit from earlier staking than most, as the inflorescences grow so quickly in some cases that they can be quite soft. Again, best support is right below the ovary of the first flower. This will allow the most natural presentation of the blooms. Cooling and air circulation are especially critical in the summer months to prevent stress and avoid disease problems. Watering needs to be closely monitored to ensure that plants do not dry out. Look for water lodging in growths, which can rot emerging spikes and lead to the loss of the entire growth. Phalaenopsis
July and August are when these plants achieve their maximum growth. This growth will be that from which they set their spikes for the coming season. The more leaves the plants grow, the better potential for spiking will be realized. Growers in cooler areas such as the Pacific coast have the advantage this month, should they choose, of cooling for early season spikes. Lots of heat and light call for liberal applications of water and fertilizer. The summer-flowering types, based on Doritis background, have ideally already been potted and are becoming freshly established, ready to support their soon-to-emerge spikes for the summer season. Cymbidium
High-elevation
plants Odontocidium
Prepared by James Rose and Ned Nash. GROWING OUTSIDE FOR THE SUMMER Some growers put their orchids outside in the summer when tempatures are warmer and sun is more likely. Plants that have lived the winter under lights, particularly in basements, may benefit from a few months of natural sunlight and both these and windowsill plants receive a boost from the freer air movement and gentle, usually damper, night atmosphere. They can be hung from the lower branches of trees so that they receive shade, but there is a danger of insects invading from the trees themselves. It is better to plave them on stands or benches under artifical shade such as cheese cloth or in a corner of a patio where they may receive light in the morning and shade the rest of the day. Protection from garden pests is important, however, and the worst of these are slugs and snails. They leave slimy silver trails wherever they have been and holes in your flowers. They live in moist, dark areas like under pots and come out to feed after dark. There are several ways to stop them. A shallow saucer of beer will attract and collect them so you can destroy them in the morning. Copper tape or thin copper strips around the pot edge is also a good preventative (they don't like to crawl over the metal). Note that commercial slug baits work well but are also deadly poison to dogs and cats. 2003 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS In May, the Board approved the recommendations of the Scholarship Committee (Bill Carley, Greg Sliman, and Kathy Murray) and awarded $500 to Henry Whitridge, a graduate student at Southern Oregon University, and $500 to Melissa Whitman, a Western Washington University senior. Both had very interesting proposals: Melissa will study orchids in Madagascar and Henry is doing work on Cypripedium fasciculatum, a North American native that is found in Oregon. Every year the Northwest Orchid Society raises money for scholarships for plant-related projects by selling raffle tickets at the Flower and Garden Show and at the fall show. This year the NWOS Board restricted the criteria for scholarship applicants to orchid-related topics but expanded the geographic area for students. In the past, applicants had to attend a school in Washington State. Under the new guidelines, applicants can attend schools in Washington, Oregon, or Idaho. Melissa, who has an interdisciplinary major in Conservation Biology and Art, requested funds for supplies associated with a nine-month project in Madagascar on night-blooming orchids and their pollinators. Although she has funding for most of her research, she requested money for canopy research equipment (e.g., a climbing harness) and the book Orchids of Madagascar. She plans to be in Madagascar from September 2003 through June 2004. Much of her time will be spent in the Masoala Peninsula Rainforest. This area is nearly 850 square miles in size and receives up to 250 inches of rain a year. The specific orchids she will study will be determined by what is in bloom when she is there. In her application, she noted, "most of Madagascar's native species are at risk due to rapid habitat destruction. Madagascar is now considered to be an international conservation priority 'hotspot' because less than 10% of these original forests remain and it is estimated that most of the unprotected forests could disappear in less than two decades." Henry Whitridge is doing research on mycorrhizal fungi and Cypripedium fasciculatum, the clustered lady slipper orchid. In his application, he noted, "The objective of this study is to identify mycorrhizal symbionts in populations of clustered lady slipper orchids and to determine the variation in number of mycorrhizal fungal species and the species diversity among different populations." He added that this rare terrestrial orchid is endemic to western North America. It is on several watch lists so there is a need for research that will lead to better propagation results. He will collect 1-cm root samples of C. fasciculatum from four southern Oregon sites plus root samples of Calypso bulbosa and Cypripedium montanum so that he can compare mycorrhizal associates. Scholarship applicants are asked to present their research findings at an NWOS meeting. We can look forward to very interesting talks by Henry and Melissa in 2004. Kathy Murray NEW ONLINE DISCUSSION BOARD AVAILABLE The Northwest Orchid Society web site now lets member share information and ask questions through an online forum. Webmaster Mike Pearson has installed new software to create the "Orchid Forum Message Board" that allows members to post messages with tips, questions, advice, or orchid-related news. Members will need to register online and create a username and password to post messages, but anyone can read messages without registering. Registration requires only disclosing your name and e-mail address and you can choose not to publicly display your e-mail address in messages you post. The NWOS newsletter is also available through the NWOS web site now and PDF software is not required to read it. Stop by online and check out all the new features at the NWOS web site at: 2003 SPEAKERS SCHEDULE July - Mark Bamber of Out on a Limb Orchids intends to speak about Miltonias as well as a general talk on pests and diseases. August - Picnic to be held at Out on a Limb Orchids tenatively the second Sunday. September - Larry Moskovitz will give us a talk entitled "Bizarre Orchid Species" October - NWOS Auction - This year, we're going to try having the auction at a regular meeting rather than at the August picnic. November - Open December - Christmas party, program TBD January - David Morris of Clackamas Orchids will tell us about orchids in the Maxillarieae tribe with an emphasis on Lycastes (at the request of Bill Carley and I). Got a suggestion for a speaker or program? November 2003 and most of 2004 is currently open and first vice president Jerry Hoffmeister is interested in knowing what you would like to hear about at upcoming meetings. E-mail at jerry@hoffmeisters.com or call him (206-932-9912) with your suggestions. TIME TO RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP It's that time of year again. Time to renew your NWOS membership, that is. Dues are unchanged from last year—a very reasonable $20 for an individual membership and $25 for a joint membership (two adults in a household). How do you know if you need to renew? For those people receiving the electronic newsletter, the e-mail sent to you this month will let you know if your membership is expiring. A membership renewal form can be downloaded as a PDF file. TWO MEMBERS PUBLISHED IN ORCHIDS Congratulations to NWOS members Doug Ewing and Linda Petchnick both of whom had their work published in the American Orchid Society's Orchids magazine May 2003 issue. Doug co-wrote an article about students learning about orchids in the UW's botany greenhouse. Linda talks about her painting techniques in capturing orchids on canvas and a couple beautiful examples of her work are shown. |
