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November 2004
NOVEMBER MEETING November 8, 2004 Build Your Own Greenhouse Michael Corn will show us “How to Build a 16’ X 36’ Commercial Greenhouse from Scratch.” Starting at the initial planning and design stage, Michael will guide us through step by step with photos showing the construction as well as the environmental systems in the greenhouse. He will also provide some information on cost and construction hours. Of course, he will throw in a few orchid pictures at the end, too. There will be time for questions.
Beginner's program: No beginner's program this month. 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. COMING UP NWOS Holiday Meeting: All members get a free plant and enjoy a potluck dinner! One of last year’s scholarship winners—who has done actual orchid research!—will talk about her work. Got a suggestion for a speaker or program? Contact Jay Perez at at jay98116@comcast.net or 206-818-4363. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ORCHID CHECKLIST Cattleya: Growers of just about every level of expertise will have begun to notice autumn conditions by now. Days are becoming shorter, hence cooler; the sunlight has less intensity as a result of the sun’s lowering angle, nights are longer and generally cooler. Plants are responding by slowing and ripening their growth in preparation for winter. The first cultural change noticed should be a reduced frequency of watering, as the plants dry out more slowly. This is a function of both the reduced day length and lower temperatures, as well as the plants’ slowing growth rate. Reduced water needs signal a reduced need for fertilization. Note that the key word is reduced, not eliminated. Feed less frequently and at lower dosage, but feed. Growths, made during summer’s heat, and relatively soft and green, will be ripening—hardening—in preparation for a brief period of rest (in many cases). Many of these ripening growths will have a sheath, presaging the coming winter or spring flowering season. In some cases, these sheaths will have been evident since as early as July. (Early sheath development does not mean early flowering on plants with winter-spring seasons.) You may notice that some of these sheaths are showing signs of yellowing. This is not abnormal. Autumn’s more pronounced temperature fluctuation can lead to water condensation inside the sheath, hastening the normal process of senescence, so yellowing sheaths can be left on the plant only so long before they must be carefully removed to preserve the bud primordia within. Water condensation left unchecked can rot the bud primordia. The sheaths can be safely removed by slitting open and peeling down toward the pseudobulb. Cool-Growing Orchids: One can almost hear a sigh of relief from all of the cool-growers, from masdevallias to odontoglossums. As day temperatures decline, one can see a noticable improvement in these plants. Shorter days and lower light levels do not seem to bother them. Repot before winter arrives. Cymbidium: Finally we begin in earnest the main cycmbidium season. Cymbidium ensifolium can give some early and fragrant hybrids, but it is now that the bulk of the crop will be flowering. The season lasts for about seven months, adding color to any collection. Miniature varieties will peak for the next three to four months. There are three important things to do: stake inflorescences ramrod straight for best presentation, watch for slugs and snails (especially just after a rain), and fertilize with a mild balanced formula regularly. Paphiopedilum: The flowering season for the “toads” or “bulldog” paphs is just getting underway. These cannot be grown everywhere, but where cooler summer nights allow their growth, there is no longer-lasting or more exotic display than these. Paphiopedilums are, in general, not heavy feeders, and it is especially important with this type to reduce nitrogen levels now for best flowering and spike length. Be watchful for water accumulating in the growth around the sheath, or for the late-season warm spell, either of which can lead to the sheath’s rotting. As the spikes emerge, do not change the orientation of the plant toward the light, as this can lead to a crooked or twisted spike. While paphiopedilums rarely like to dry out entirely, water needs are significantly reduced beginning now. Overwatering at this time of year can quickly lead to root rot or erwinia problems. Now is the time to practice good sanitary practices in your greenhouse or growing areas, as pest and disease problems have a way of multiplying rapidly in the darker and more crowded conditions that generally mark the winter growing area. With paphiopedilums, especially, “cleanliness is next to godliness” and if the growing area is littered with old foliage, weeds and dying flowers, keeping the plants alive and flowering will be next to impossible. Phalaenopsis: Shortening days and cooler nights are the signals for inflorescence initiation in phalaenopsis. In more northern climates, or on the west coast, growers have already begun to see the early inflorescences that may be ready for Christmas. In the eastern areas, nights in the greenhouse will now be in the low to mid 60s, depending on the thermostat setting, so the first of our phalaenopsis will not begin to bloom until Valentine’s Day at the earliest. A reduction in nitrogen levels will go a long way to giving the best possible spiking, as will a boost in potassium and phosphorus. In other words, a “bloom booster”-type fertilizer is definitely indicated in the next few months. Disease and pest problems are best dealt with now, especially as mealybugs hide in the bracts and flower buds. Once they have established themselves, they are difficult to eradicate, and flower damage or crippling results. Potential disease problems can be dealt with by the application of a copper-based compound to control/alleviate rot problems before they start. There is nothing more frustrating than to have shepherded your plants through a growing season, only to have them decline before your eyes. Prepared by Ned Nash and James Rose, American Orchid Society NWOS FALL SHOW AT SEATTLE CENTER NOV. 13-14 The Northwest Orchid Society’s Fall Show will be held at Seattle Center for the second year on November 13 & 14 in the Snoqualmie Room. The Show Committee has been hard at work finishing up all the details and our dragon display is shaping up fabulously, it’s even animated—you’ll have to see it to believe it! Plus, we’ll be auctioning it off at the end of the show. There are still slots available for volunteers. Sign-up sheets will be posted at the November meeting. Of course, we’ll always take volunteers who just show up at the show, too. There will be a suggested donation of $3 at the door. Participating vendors will be:
Directions to Seattle Center from I-5:
2004-05 ROSTER AVAILABLE The new 2004-05 NWOS Membership Roster and Handbook will be available at the November meeting. If you cannot make it to the November meeting, your roster will be mailed to you with the December newsletter. (Technical problems prevented us from having the roster available last month.) AOS CALENDARS FEATURE PHOTOS BY NWOS MEMBER
YOU CAN BE A ONE-PERSON SHOW! The individual displays at the Seaside Show were a reminder to me that we could improve the quality of our own show if some of us with sizable collections would display as individuals. I noticed that one individual display at Seaside had only about a dozen high-quality plants and with simple yet attractive staging made a very presentable single-table display. Another possibity would be for two members to display as a team. The society has some extra black cloth and a cedar lattice framework which could be lent to members wishing to set up their own display…or use your own props, limited only by your imagination. If you are interested in this possibility, contact Jamie Notman or George Grantham to find out if space is still available. SEASIDE SHOW
The Sunset Empire Orchid Society Show in Seaside Oregon was held Oct. 2-3. As usual the show was very impressive for a town of that size. The show included nine vendors and there were three or four society displays and two individual displays. Our NWOS display (pictured below) consisted of 49 plants provided by eight members. We received ten blue ribbons, thirteen reds and four whites. Our display was awarded the Best Visting Society and also Best Theme (the show theme was “orchids in view”). Kudos to Daniel Kerr whose Keffersteinia lindneri (pictured above) received a Certificate of Horticultural Merit. In addition, he received two blue and three red ribbons for the five plants he sent to the show! As usual, Donna Pierce and Mike Foster made out like the champs tha they are, garnering four blue and two red ribbons for the six plants they sent. Shannon Boling received recognition for the Best Dendrobium Orchid for her Dend. Green Lantern. Thanks very much to all who provided plants including Daniel, Mike and Donna, Shannon, Jamie Notman, Andy Wright, Harry Marr, Mike Pierson and Abby Chang, and Cylvia Grantham and myself for making our display a success! George Grantham
TREASURER NEEDED Are you good with numbers? Don’t mind a little bookkeeping in your spare time? The Society is seeking a volunteer to take over as Treasurer. The treasurer is responsible for maintaining the books, collecting money and paying the Society’s bills. Experience is not necessary and the Society will provide a computer to work on. If you would like to know more or are interested in volunteering, please contact Chris Peterson at (206) 525-2217 or Jerry Hoffmeister at jerry@hoffmeisters.com. JOIN THE PROJECT PLANT TEAM So far, only 13 people in the whole society have signed up to grow our “project plant.” Out of the entire society, that’s it? I would like to see more beginners sign up. All I ask of you is some of your time and growing space. These plants will be in 2-inch pots and there are four different crosses to choose from. The plants are all easy to grow hybrids that can be grown in the home. I will have the sign-up sheets at the next meeting. I have enough plants for around 40 participants. So when you’re signing up on all those sheets for volunteering at the show, don’t miss signing up for the project plant. Jamie Notman WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Bryant Shoblom IMPORTANT DATES NOVEMBER 13 & 14, 2004
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This year’s beautiful and colorful AOS calendar is extra special for the Northwest Orchid Society this year. The 2005 American Orchid Society calendar features two photos by long-time NWOS member Mike Pearson. The calendars will be available to members at a discount off the $11.95 retail price at an upcoming meeting (possibly November, but couldn’t be confirmed at press time). 
