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September 2003
SEPTEMBER MEETING September
8 , 2003 Bizarre Orchid Species Larry Moskovitz, owner of Orchidanica in California will speak about "Bizarre Species: Stanhopeas, Coryanthes, Bulbophyllums, Draculas, Catasetums, Mormodes, and Other Unusual Orchids." Larry has been growing orchids since he was 12. Orchidanica specializes in propagating rare and unusual orchids. He has been president of the San Francisco Orchid Society and been an AOS-listed speaker for 14 years. Beginner's program (starts at 6:30 p.m.): This month, George Grantham will be on hand to answer your questions about pest control. Feel free to bring in your plants if you have questions about a specific plant or plants. Plant Table: Bring your blooming orchids to show. Sales Table: Members may bring up to 10 plants to sell. Raffle: Win a new orchid for your collection. NEXT MONTH October: NWOS Auction November: Nina Rach, an AOS judge from Houston, Texas will speak tenatively on Stanhopeas. December: Christmas party, program TBD 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. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER ORCHID CHECKLIST Cattleya Despite the shortening days and lowering angle of the sun, September can still be one of the hottest months. Water and fertilizer need to be in balance with heat and light. The alert grower will notice, however, that his or her plants are beginning to slow down a bit. Growths are maturing, and the sheaths are giving the promise of the next six-months’ bloom. Check plants for potting needs for the last time this season. Any in dire need should be potted, even some that may be on the cusp, as there is just enough of the growing season left to allow the plants to establish before the days start to get really short and cold. This is the month for purples derived from Cattleya labiata breeding to flower. If you are short on flowers, look into this group. There is nothing that can quite match this type for beauty and fragrance. They are easy to grow, too. Plants summered outdoors should begin to be prepared to be brought back into the winter growing area. Clean the plants up and be on the lookout for any pests they may have picked up during the summer. Treat as necessary. Cycnoches This little-known and under-appreciated genus, which can have male or female flowers, is at its best in the autumn. Two of the spectacular varieties are Cycnoches loddigesii, with its large brown flowers resembling a prehistoric bird, and Cycnoches ventricosum, the swan orchid. This last one has large, fragrant green flowers. The biggest problem, culturally, will be red spider mite infestations that require immediate attention. Plants are quite seasonal, requiring heavy watering in the growing season and then a drier dormant winter season. Cymbidium Through diligent modern breeding programs, the cymbidium season gets stretched longer and longer. Now we can expect to have flowers open as early as September and October. Stake inflorescences and move the plants to a shadier location to help the flowers develop successfully. Because the plants will have warmth tolerance “built in” genetically, keeping the plants as cool as possible will help prevent bud curl. For the midseason varieties, inflorescences should be initiated by now. Feed plants on a regular schedule with a balanced fertilizer (20-20-20) and shade the plants lightly. Dendrobium This is a good season for hybrids of the Dendrobium phalaenopsis and Dendrobium canaliculatum types. Both are capable of putting on tremendous shows of long-lasting flowers. Fertilize with a low-nitrogen formula to promote the best flowers. Dendrobium phalaenopsis can get tall and top heavy, suggesting an attractive and heavy container would be appropriate for this type. Lemboglossum bictoniense Both Lemboglossum (syn. Odontoglossum) bictoniense and its hybrids bloom in this season. Lemboglossum bictoniense is a showy species from Mexico that has three different color forms: sulphureum (green with white lip), album (brown with white lip) and roseum (brown with pink lip). It is a vigorous grower with tall inflorescences of many flowers, and imparts to its progeny (as seen in Odcdm. Bittersweet and Odm. bicross) ease of culture, warmth tolerance and eye-catching patterns. They make a prime candidate for odontoglossum beginners and advanced growers alike. Paphiopedilum Standard, green-leaved paphio-pedilums begin to show their bloom sheaths this month. Late-season heat waves can blast these early sheaths, so be observant about proper cooling and air circulation. As with the rest of your plants that may have been summered outdoors, it is time to prepare for their move inside. Clean each plant and implement pest-control practices. Repotting, if necessary, is appropriate. Phalaenopsis The bulk of this season’s growth is being ripened this month, with growers in cooler climates seeing the first emerging inflorescences. Some night heating may be necessary in the cooler areas. Begin to watch watering more carefully, and reduce feeding proportionately with reduced watering needs. An extra dose of phosphorus and potassium, such as a bloom-booster or high-acid-type fertilizer, is beneficial. Rossioglossum grande Once known as Odontoglossum grande, this is a spectacular orchid with six to eight flowers up to 8 inches across. Often known as the tiger orchid, it has bright golden yellow flowers heavily marked with chestnut brown barring. The plants are beautiful with a grey-green cast to the foliage, which is borne on succulent pseudobulbs. It prefers hot and wet summers with cooler, even down to 40æF, dry winters. Grow under filtered light. Watch for snails and slugs that eat the flowers, pseudobulbs and leaves. – Ned Nash and James Rose (for the American Orchid Society) FROM THE PRESIDENT As our long hot summer continues, I hope this letter finds everyone’s orchids growing well. I have put everything I can outside where they can benefit from all this great sunlight. I have all my little darlings in places that they get indirect light not full sunlight. Though in nature they grow in full sunlight, just like you, your plants need to be conditioned to the light or they will get unsightly burns on their leaves at best or possibly be cooked in direct sunlight. So mine are on shelving and under my banana plant. I’ve found that my plants always bloom better after spending the summer outside. Next month is the auction. There will be an auction form in the newsletter for you to use if you have any plants you would like to auction off. You will be able to auction up to 5 plants for yourself and donate the 20 percent the society takes to one of several funds we support or the society (there will be a place on the form to indicate where said funds will go) or donate as many as you like to support your society. Dick Johnston will be our auctioneer and Abby Chang will help with identifcation. Now when you fill out the form please write down a few characterictics of the plant, like color, size, number of flowers, things like that as it will be to everyone's benefit. I know that it seems like oh so far away but our Orchid Show is right around the corner. The show commitee has got things pretty well together now all we need is volunteers to work it. Sign up and help us make this the best orchid show ever. The other day I was at my favorite nonorchid nursery and I noticed that they have, what do you know, orchids for sale. Not just any orchids but bletias, which are terrestrials, and lots of them. They want $10 apiece for them and the pots are stuffed full. Where is this place, you ask? Holly Park Nursery down on Willow Street off Martin Luther King. Great little place, check it out. Speaking of inexpensive plants, I was at Home Depot the other day and they have a discount area where they put all of their orchids that are out of bloom. Dirt cheap. Fred Meyer also has a place like that and I have picked up some nice Paphs there. The next
meeting promises to be exciting with a presentation on wierd and unusual
orchids and I hope to see all of you there. Jamie
Notman FALL SHOW NEWS ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: See the great poster for our Fall Show Once again our team of great minds has met to put a few details in place for the show. The poster has been finalized, the awards are coming together, and the layout for the room has been discussed. We are close to getting everything done. It is a real pleasure to work with such a good team of people. Each member of the show committee does a lot of work, and the input from experienced show planners has been helpful. Some of the decisions our group makes are hard ones. There are times when we have long discussions on topics that spark emotion. The goal for all of us is to create a wonderful orchid show and sale that makes a beautiful impression on orchid lovers and newcomers, while we still make a decent dollar for the society. It is going to take a lot of help to make this work smoothly. We are looking for volunteers to help us with the event. A sign-up sheet will be presented at the next meeting. Please consider giving us a few hours of your time during a shift, and you will receive free admission. Help us with ribbon judging. Judges are treated to lunch. Help set up the show and be among the first to see the wares of the many vendors who will be there. Volunteer to tear down and get the best discounts on the last plants left for sale. An event of this size needs volunteers to make it happen. Please sign up soon or call a show committee member for details. Trophies for outstanding orchids are what the show is all about. The show committee has ordered beautiful award ribbons for outstanding orchids in the displays. We would like to also present trophy checks to these growers. Please sponsor your favorite orchid alliance or display award at the next meeting or by mail for only $25. The money will go directly to the awarded plant or display exhibitor. We have had some very special award winners in the past and they are the real jewels of our shows. – Robin Kemph, Show Chair CALL TO ARTISTS Do you paint, draw, sculpt, create or take pictures of orchids? Do you know an artist who does? The Northwest Orchid Society Fall Orchid Show & Sale is looking for artists with orchids as the subject. If you would like to enter a work of art in our upcoming show, please contact Robin Kemph for more details at (206) 297-3708. A copy of the Art Show rules and entry forms will be available at the next meeting. Awards will include ribbons. There is no fee to enter. STEVE SKOIEN (1958-2003) It saddens my heart to inform you that Steve Skoien has passed away. He was a life member of our society, a longtime AOS judge, and all-around great guy. When I first came to Seattle, I went down to Pike Place Market and found this plant place there that he owned and he told me that the next orchid meeting was the next week and I’ve been coming ever since. He was always willing to share any information on orchids he could give with a friendly smile to go along with it. Steve, you will be greatly missed. – Jamie Notman Steve died August 2 in Mountain View, Hawaii where he has lived the last few years. He is survived by his partner, Philip Galon, and his parents. NEED CASHIERING HELP AT MEETINGS We are looking for a volunteer to help with cashiering at our monthly meetings. Pat Gossler does a great job but would like some help. This is your chance to get involved with the society and make a difference. If you are interested, please see Pat at the September meeting. AOS FALL MEMBER'S MEETING Blooming orchids from the world over will be on display when the Sacramento Orchid Society, in conjunction with the American Orchid Society's 2003 Fall Members Meeting, presents a show and sale at the DoubleTree Hotel in Sacramento, October 23-26. The speakers will be: Michael Blietz, Stephen Champlin, Cordelia Head, Alan Koch, Andrea Niessen, Ron Parsons, William Rhodehamel, Thomas Sheehan, Roy Tokunaga and Marni Turkel. A highlight of the event will be a presentation and book signing by Eric Hansen, author of Orchid Fever. More than a dozen vendors from across the nation will be present, adding the opportunity to purchase myriad orchids—from new releases to time-tested treasures. For more information, visit the Sacramento Orchid Society Web site (www.sacramentoorchids.org) or contact Ida Carter at (916-689-1927). LAST CHANCE TO RENEW THIS MONTH This is your last chance to renew your NWOS membership if you want to be included in the 2003-04 directory. 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. IMPORTANT DATES SEPTEMBER
27-28, 2003 OCTOBER
4-5, 2003 NOVEMBER
8-9, 2003 NOVEMBER
22-23, 2003 |
