Connecticut O S Newsletter - Connecticut Orchid Society 2013 Electronic Version.pdf · Discount on...

CConnecticut

OOrchid

SSociety

May 2013

Affiliated with the American Orchid Society and Orchid DigestAffiliated with the American Orchid Society and Orchid Digest

54 Years & Growing

Newsletter

Connecticut Orchid Society (COS) is an incorporated non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization founded in 1959. Please consider making a charitable contribution to COS. Most donations made to COS are tax deductible.

COS Membership Information : $20/yr. Individual $25/yr. Family New category: $200 Individual or $250 Family Lifetime Membership (never pay dues again!)

Contact Membership Chairperson Mary Rampone at (860) 649-7952 for more details. A membership application is located on pg. 26 for your convenience.

Contact us Join us on Facebook! Write Connecticut Orchid Society, Inc.

Editorial OfficeP.O. Box 198, Farmington, CT 06034-0198

E-mail Interim President Cheryl Mizak [email protected] Master Deidra Crewe [email protected] Sharon SmithDelisle [email protected]

Fax (203) 885-0447 — office of the editor

www.ctorchids.org 1 May 2013

Next Meeting

Wednesday, May 8, 20136:30 pm Orchid Health Department opens

7:00 pm Socializing begins & Show Table opens7:30 pm Business meeting begins followed by featured program

Cheshire Senior Center240 Maple Ave., Cheshire, CT

(see pg. 26 for map and directions)

Demystifying FlaskingPresented by Janet Vinyard

Winner of the AOS 2010 Gordon W. Dillon\Richard C. Peterson Memorial Essay Prize

_____________________________________

(For notice of last-minute or inclement weather cancellation, visit our website www.ctorchids.org.)

Inside this Issue --- May 2013 Volume LIV Issue V

Connecticut Orchid Society Mission StatementThe Connecticut Orchid Society is an incorporated, non-profit

association for the preservation and extension of knowledge concerning the conservation, ecology, science, cultivation, hybridization, apprecia-tion and uses of orchids; and to carry on such activities as may be neces-sary or desirable to effectuate such purposes.


Regular FeaturesNext meeting/Contact us …..1COS Membership Information …..1COS Mission Statement …..1Newsletter Table of Contents …..2COS Officers and Posts — 2013 …..3Mentor List/Membership Policy/Content Acknowledgement …..3Calendar of Coming Events …..4AOS Corner …..5Around the Greenhouse — Editor’s keikis …..6 –7This Month’s Featured Event: Deflasking Demystified by Janet Vinyard …..8President’s Message …..9Monthly Meeting Minutes …..10Show Table and plant photos …..11 — 12News, Notes & Happenings …..13Market Place: COS Supplies List …..22Map & Directions to Monthly Meeting Location …..25Membership Application …..26Orchid Show AnnouncementsLong Island Orchid Festival first annual show Orchid Festival 2013 …..23Shore Orchid Festival 4th annual sale presented by Silva Orchids …..24Special FeaturesAnnouncement: tentative Bus Trip to Shore Orchid Festival …..10Letters from Hilo by Larry Kuekes …..14 — 15 A Touch of Class — Beautiful Art from the Past …..16Beginner’s Corner: Summer Vacation by Larry Kuekes …..17 — 18Monthly Checklist for May and June by Ned Nash and James Rose …..19 — 20Tips & Tricks Create a simple microclimate …..20Spring Word Search —April Orchid Glossary …..21

INTERIM PRESIDENTVICE-PRESIDENTTREASURERDIRECTOR -AT- LARGEDIRECTOR -AT- LARGERECORDING SECRETARYMEMBERSHIP CHAIRPERSONCORRESPONDING SECRETARYEDITOR, LIBRARIAN/HISTORIANAOS REPRESENTATIVECONSERVATION CHAIRPERSONSPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATORREFRESHMENT CHAIRPERSONWEB MASTER

Connecticut Orchid Society Officers and Posts -- 2013

Mentor List

The following COS members are available to answer your culture questions and help you with any orchid growing problems you may have:

Judy Becker

cies & hybrids

hybrids

Greenhouse growing methods: Specializing in Paphiopedilums.

Dendrobiums, Paphiopedilums, Miltoniopsis & mixed genera.

Cattleyas, Dendrobiums & mixed genera.


Cheryl Mizak Donna QuillJudy ArthBen EsselinkRoger HeigelCarla KochMary RamponeSharon SmithDelisleSharon SmithDelisleSam HinckleyVacantCheryl MizakJudy BeckerDeidra Crewe

Membership Policy Membership is open to anyone interested in orchids. Mem-bers join the Society by payment of annual dues. Memberships may be individual, student, family, life or honorary. Honorary membership is for life and is made by nomi-nation of the Board of Directors and majority vote of the membership present at a regular meeting. The newsletter is published each month except July and August. Annual membership includes subscription to the newsletter — electronic or paper copy as determined by member preference.

Content Acknowledgement All information, opinions, reporting and recommenda-tions that appear in this newsletter are those of the editor, unless otherwise noted.

[email protected] Greenhouse growing methods: Wide variety of spe-

Sam Hinckley [email protected] Windowsill growing methods: Species &

Jeffrey Richards [email protected]

Sharon SmithDelisle [email protected] Under lights & windowsill growing methods: Bulbophylums, Cymbidiums,

David Tognalli [email protected] Windowsill & outdoor growing methods: Warm growers,

May 3—5 First Annual Long Island Orchid Festival, Plant-ing Fields Arboretum, 1395 Planting Field Rd., Oyster Bay, NY , 9 am—5 pm, orchid vendors from around the world.

Visit www. longislandorchidsociety.org for more details. See flyer on pg. 23 of this newsletter.

May 8 Connecticut Orchid Society Monthly Meeting, Demystifying Flasking, presented by Janet Vinyard of Albany, NY, Cheshire Senior Center, 240 Maple Ave., Cheshire, CT, 7:30 pm.

May 18 AOS Monthly Judging Meeting, Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens, 151 Brookdale Road, Stamford, CT. Slides or presentations at 10:00 am, judging begins around 12 pm. Bring your own lunch. For more de-tails, contact: Rita Cohen (516) 374-6426 or [email protected]

June 7—9 Shore Orchid Festival, 635 Wayside Rd., Neptune, NJ held at Silva Orchids, multiple vendors, AOS Judging, ribbon judging, guided tours, and many workshops. Visit www.silvaorchids.com for more details. See flyer on pg. 24 of this newsletter.

June 12 Connecticut Orchid Society Monthly Meeting, Japanese Miniature Orchid Growing, Satomi Kasahara, [email protected], Farming-ton Senior Center, 321 New Britain Ave., Unionville, CT, 7:30 pm.

June 15 AOS Monthly Judging Meeting, Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens, 151 Brookdale Road, Stamford, CT. Slides or presentations at 10:00 am, judging begins around 12 pm. Bring your own lunch. For more de-tails, contact: Rita Cohen (516) 374-6426 or [email protected]

June 23—24 Rose Weekend presented by Elizabeth park, 1561 Asylum Ave., Hart-ford, CT . COS will have an information booth at this event.

Upcoming Events


Connecticut Orchid Society presents

Orchid Harvest 2013Orchid Harvest 2013Orchid Harvest 2013 Orchid Show & Sale Orchid Show & Sale Orchid Show & Sale

Fri.,Oct.18 2:00 ~ 5:00pm Fri.,Oct.18 2:00 ~ 5:00pm Fri.,Oct.18 2:00 ~ 5:00pm Sat.,Oct.19 9:00 ~ 5:00 pm Sat.,Oct.19 9:00 ~ 5:00 pm Sat.,Oct.19 9:00 ~ 5:00 pm Sun.,Oct.20 9:00 ~ 4:00 pm Sun.,Oct.20 9:00 ~ 4:00 pm Sun.,Oct.20 9:00 ~ 4:00 pm

Lecture Schedule: Sat. & Sun. 11:00 am/12:30pm/2:00pm Lecture Schedule: Sat. & Sun. 11:00 am/12:30pm/2:00pm Lecture Schedule: Sat. & Sun. 11:00 am/12:30pm/2:00pm

Ample parking and food available on premises. Ample parking and food available on premises. Ample parking and food available on premises.

Van Wilgen’s Garden Center, 51 Valley Rd. (off Rt.139), North Branford, CT 06471 Van Wilgen’s Garden Center, 51 Valley Rd. (off Rt.139), North Branford, CT 06471 Van Wilgen’s Garden Center, 51 Valley Rd. (off Rt.139), North Branford, CT 06471

AOS corner


The Benefits Of Membership

Whether a beginner or an expert orchid grower, you will find membership in the American Orchid Society a truly rewarding experience. You’ll join over 16,000 others worldwide who share a passion for orchids, as well as furthering conservation and research efforts for these wondrous plants. And you’ll enjoy a wealth of member-ship benefits.

Monthly subscription to Orchids magazine

Free and discounted admission to more than 200 botanical gardens and arboreta

Receive the annual Orchid Source Directory detailing orchid suppliers worldwide

Access to online orchid information and features available only to our members at www.aos.org

10% discount on purchases on-line at www.aos.org

Discount on back issues of Orchids magazine and on American Orchid Society published books

Orchid Hybrid Trivia The total number of grex names in the register is currently 154,660 (as of now). This figure increases daily. Each year The International Orchid Register adds between 3,000—4,000 new hybrids.

The most popular genera for hybrids are: Phalaenopsis — 31,382 Paphiopedilum — 23,871 Cymbidium — 14,688 Dendrobium — 11,910

So far there are about 2,349 hybrid generic names, but not all of these are in use. There are about 5, 600 species involved in hybridization. (Published March 25, 2013, American Orchid Society at Fairchild Tropical Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables, FL 33156 © 2013 American orchid Society. All rights reserved.)

Around the Greenhouse -- Editor’s keikis

Letters to the editor are always welcome. Your feedback about any issue that is on your mind will help us improve our Society, as well as the newsletter. Please write to me at

The deadline for submissions to the June issue of the newsletter is May 24th


Look what a $1.00 raffle ticket can win…. If you haven’t at-tended a monthly meeting lately, you’re missing out on a great opportunity to get your

hands on some nice, blooming size plants for just a $1.00 raffle ticket. Your editor won this Wils. Pacific Panache ‘Keenan’ or-chid a few months ago. The plant wasn’t blooming at the time, so I wasn’t sure what I was getting but for a buck, which helps sup-port the Society—why not? And as luck would have it , just look at this magnificent

bright and colorful beauty! But you’ve got to attend the monthly meetings and take a chance! And even if you don’t win, your raffle ticket purchase will be helping support your Society.

Oxalis — Beware this unwelcome guest. You know that distant cousin you have who is related to you six- times removed on your mother’s side of the family? Yeah, the one that shows up at your doorstep unexpectedly for a long weekend? Well, that’s Oxalis!

Oxalis corniculata is a widespread weed in orchids. It is probably the most aggressive weed orchid growers will ever have to deal with—far worse than your cousin six-

times removed on your mother’s side. You can recognize it by its clover-like leaves. Once rooted in your plant it spreads quickly to all the

other plants in your collection because its seed capsules explode and shoot seeds everywhere. The seeds

[email protected]

germinate very easily and the weed multiples rapidly. You might consider ignoring what initially appears to be a minor pest except that Oxalis will take over the pot chocking out your orchid and depriving it of water and nutrients. Left to its own devices, Oxalis will overrun your orchid collection.

Chemical controls of Oxalis are risky. If the chemical will kill the weed it will probably kill your orchid as well. Your orchid may be more sensitive to the chemical than the Oxalis. Weeds have evolved to be very hardy, strong and persistent.

The best weapon against Oxalis is a pair of tweezers. When you notice Oxalis taking hold in your plant promptly put those tweezers to work pulling it out. Make sure to get the entire weed and root system. You will probably have to go after it over sev-eral weeks time— Oxalis is very resilient. This is a labor-intensive chore but if even a small piece of the root is left behind the plant will regenerate itself.

If the Oxalis has become established in your plant’s medium, and repeated tweezer-pulling parties obviously are not working, you may have to revert to repotting the orchid in order to control an infestation outbreak. Remove all of the old medium from your orchid, and carefully inspect for the weed. Dislodge any Oxalis roots from around the base of the orchid, its pseudobulbs and roots. Use a sprayer hose to thor-oughly wash off the orchid before repotting in fresh medium. Carefully gather up all of the old medium including the Oxalis parts; wrap it up in old newspaper and dispose of promptly.

Unfortunately, once established in your orchid collection, much like that distant cousin six-times removed on your mother’s side, Oxalis is very difficult to get rid of.

(Information for this article and the photographs were obtained from an article written by Susan Jones for the American Orchid Society. Susan James was the editor of Awards Quarterly and assistant editor of Or-chids. This article appeared in the May 2004 issue of Orchids — The Bulletin of the American Orchid Soci-ety. Copyright American Orchid Society. www.aos.org.)


Join us on Facebook Have you heard the news? COS is on Face-book! Join your friends ! Get instant news and the latest photos. Many thanks to vice president Donna Quill for setting up and maintaining our new facebook page.

Drawing by Marion Ruff Sheehan


May’s Featured Event

Janet Vinyard2010 AOS winner

Gordon W. Dillon\Richard C. Peterson memorial Essay prize

Janet Vinyard discovered flasking at the World Orchid Conference in Florida many years ago. Over time, and lots of trial and error, she has developed her own ‘ how to’ flasking procedures and in her own words “ has had some decent success”.

Janet will share with us how to deflask a bottle full of sterile plants, acclimate them to our pathogen-laden environment and grow them to maturity and flowering.

Please join us for this unusual presentation and learn some new orchid growing techniques!


Hello everyone

I want to apologize for last month’s meeting

location mix up. I know the time it takes to prep

your plants for the plant table and everyone does

enjoy seeing the blooming plants. Thanks to the members who braved the rain and proceeded to the Cheshire Senior Center. Relay for Life is holding meetings in the Farmington Senior Cen-ter through the end of May. We will be back in Farmington for June. Thank you for your understanding and support.

We have had a busy month traveling around the state doing what else?— orchid lectures and potting workshops! There seem to be a lot of folks very curious about how to grow orchids.

As we all prepare for summer, please mark your calendar for our annual picnic , which will be held at Sue Kennedy’s green house in Litchfield, CT. July 20 is the date (rain date July 27). The Kennedy’s are long time orchid growers and life long COS members. We are looking forward to a tour of their greenhouse. Details to be announced.

We are considering a bus trip to the Shore Orchid Fest in New Jersey, Sat June 8th. It would be a day- trip. Many vendors, lectures and orchid fun. If you are interested please let me know.

We have scheduled a potting workshop, open to the public, at J & L Or-chids for June. So if you have plants that need repotting bring them along. It is also the first weekend of J & L’s spring sale. There will be two guest vendors plus J & L will be having lots of tempting orchid specials.

At our June meeting we will welcome Satomi Kasahara from [email protected] speaking on growing Japanese miniature or-chids. Good Growing, Cheryl

Presidents’ Message

Interim President Cheryl Mizak

April’s Meeting Minutes

Carla KochRecording Secretary


COS MEETING, 4-10-13

Our speaker was from Silva Orchids, and the topic was the use of the new “Orchidata” orchid bark. (Silva, by the way, grew the best FCC orchid in the coun-try, a Paph. St. Swithin.) After World War II, the northeast was one of the largest areas of orchid growing in the country, and the Silva company was among these 6 large growers. Pierson in Connecticut had greenhouses totaling 100,000 square feet. The popularity of corsages and other cut flowers for urban areas made this possible.

In their culture today, they start “pushing” the orchids in mid-March, using Nutri-cote fertilizer, blood meal, triple phosphate, and osmocote on the cymbidiums. They wet the floors to increase humidity, keep water salts low and ph below 6.5 . In the course of time osmunda fern became scarce, and was replaced by pine bark, which in turn has diminished in quality. The new Orchidata bark comes from new Zealand, and is more carefully graded and harder, not breaking down as fast. It is made from Monterey pine, which is composted with dolomitic lime, and he enthusiastically recommends it! Other media, such as rockwool, cork, the overly salty coco chips, etc., have not proved satisfactory.

Carla Koch

Recording Secretary

Tentative bus trip to the Shore Orchid Festival, Sat. June 8th Interested? Let Cheryl Mizak know as soon as possible. If enough members agree to sign-up, she will rent a bus for a day trip down to Nep-tune, NJ.

Drawing by Marion Ruff Sheehan

April Show Table


Genus/Parentage Owner Culture

Aliceara Tahoma Glacier 'Green' AM/AOS D. Tognalli i,w syn. Beallara (Brat. Cartagena x Onc. Alaskan Sunset)Bulbophyllum pardolatum J. Hampton i-w, g& lCattleanthe Orglade's Spotlight D. Tognalli i,w (Gold Digger x Hazel Boyd)Coelogyne nitida T. Zamojski i,wCymbidium Dorothy Stockstill 'Forbiden Fruits' C. Mizak c,g (pumilum x Sleeping Beauty)Cymbidium lowianum? C. Koch c,gDendrobium rigidum D. Quill i,wDoritaenopsis According to the RHS --no more DoritaenopsisEpidendrum hybridum ign. D. Tognalli i,wHaraella retrocalla J. Hampton i-w,g&lMasdevallia C. Mizak i,gMaxillaria tenuifolia J. Hampton i-w,g&lMaxillaria variabilis red C. Mizak i,gMaxillaria variabilis yellow J. Becker i,gMaxillaria variabilis yellow C. Mizak i,gMiltoniopsis Bert Field 'Leash' J. Becker i,g (Mulatto Queen x Woodlands)Oncidium Chaculatum 'Golden Pacific' T. Zamojski i,w syn. Oncda. (Charlesworthii x maculatum)Paphiopedilum (Hsinying Web x Hampshire Raven) C. Mizak i,gPaphiopedilum Macabre Dark Trails C. Mizak i,g (Sandhill x Legacy Super Bowl)Paphiopedilum Olivia C. Koch i,g (niveum x tonsum)Paphiopedilum rothschildianum D. Quill i,w

Phalaenopsis (Diamond Beauty x Snow Leopard) T. Zamojski i,w Phalaenopsis bastianii D. Quill iw Phalaenopsis Taiwan Red cat ‘Red Cat’ D. Tognalli i,w (Taiwan Smith x Kun—Cheng) Phalaenopsis hybrid ign. D. Tognalli i, w Phragmipedilum After –Glow J. Becker i , g

Culture is as noted: c – cool i – intermediatew – warm g – greenhouse


Joe Silva of Silva Orchids, Nep-tune , NJ assists vice president Donna Quill with a purchase at his sale table on Wed. evening, April 10th at the monthly meet-ing in Cheshire, CT while COS member Roger Heigel looks on.

(Eric Young x Sorcerer’s Apprentice)Psychopsis Mariposa ‘Majestic’ J. Richards i, w (papilio x Kalihi)Schombocattleya Rhynchocattleanthe Orange Rocket x Schom. Undulate

D. Quill i, w

Many thanks to Cheryl Mizak for the Show Table photos.

News, Notes & Happenings


Rose Weekend presented by Elizabeth Park, 1561 Asylum Ave., Hartford, CT, June 23-24th. COS has been invited to participate at the Elizabeth Park annual rose weekend. Please mark your calendar. More details will be available in coming newsletters.

Treeland Garden Center & Nursery Orchid Potting Work-shop, April 20th Judy Becker, Cheryl & Alan Mizak, Bill & Sherry Pendleton, and Donna Quill volunteered to do repotting at this event. The event was attended by an enthusiastic crowd of orchid growers who asked a million questions about growing techniques and repotting. This event was a first for Treeland Garden Center and we hope the garden center will decide to make this an annual event.

30th Annual Connecticut Cactus and Succulent Society Show & Sale, April 6—7 We are pleased to announce that Evie of Warren, CT was the winner of the raffle plant at the Connecticut Cactus & Succulent Show.

COS Annual Picnic, Saturday, July 20 (Rain date July 27), Sue Kenndy’s greenhouse, Litchfield, CT . This year Sue Kennedy has offered to open her greenhouse and grounds in Litchfield, CT to COS for our annual picnic. Sue and her mother Dorothy have been long-time members of COS. Members will be able to tour her greenhouse. Mark your calendar. Details to follow.

Repotting Workshop at J & L Orchid’s Summer Sale, June 28—July 7. COS will have a booth at J & L Orchid’s Summer Sale Event where a repotting workshop will be held. Volunteers are needed to help with this event. Details to follow.


Letters from Hilo

Editor’s Note: After dedicating many decades of his life volunteering for COS, honorary life member Larry Kuekes finally realized one of his dreams when he retired and moved to Hilo, Hawaii. Larry is the author of the Beginner’s Column which you may have seen in this newsletter in the past. Larry was also the previous newsletter editor for many years. With more time on his hands these days, Larry writes about his adventures with warm weather orchid growing in Hawaii.

Dear COS Friends,

Now that I live in Hawaii, I’ve been trying my luck at various warm-growing orchids. I never grew Bulbophyllums in Connecticut, but most of them like to grow warm and wet, which is perfect for Hilo. So I thought I’d give them a try.

I started out with Bulbophyllum lobbii ‘Kathy’s Gold’ AM/AOS. The flowers are yellow and large for a Bulbophyllum – 3 to 4 inches across. It bloomed twice last year and has just bloomed again as I write this (April). And the plant has more than doubled in size. Bulbophyllums grow quickly, which is both good and bad, because they tend to sprawl and outgrow their pots.

Next I tried Bulbophyllum Elizabeth Ann ‘Buckleberry’ FCC/AOS. When it bloomed, the flowers were spectacular. Each cluster of pendent blooms forms a rosette, and each pink-striped flower in the rosette has two long “tails”, the whole flower being 13 inches long! A closer examination of the flower reveals the lip, looking like a little pink tongue, which is hinged and bobs up and down, a characteristic of Bulbophyllums (see photos).

A friend gave me a piece of Bulbophyllum vaginatum, and a month later it bloomed and won a red ribbon (second place) at the Hilo Orchid Society’s annual show. My timing was lucky, because the flowers only last for a few days, and it opened up just in time for the show. The flowers form a wispy white pompom, like the more famous Bulbophyllum medusae, but smaller, only two inches long. This one has also bloomed several times. Comparing this with Bulbophyllum lobbii ‘Kathy’s Gold’, you would never guess that they’re related!

I was hooked. I’ve since acquired four more, but the new arrivals haven’t bloomed yet.

I can’t talk about Bulbophyllums without mentioning smell. Many Bulbophyllum spe-cies are fly-pollinated, and to attract the flies, they smell like rotting meat. In some the odor is mild; in others it’s overpowering. The worst, Bulbophyllum beccarii, is said to smell like a herd of dead, rotting elephants. Luckily, not all Bulbophyllums stink.


None of mine are the stinky kind. But if you’re thinking of getting some, it’s some-thing to check before you order.

Larry Kuekes

Bulbophyllum Elizabeth Ann ‘Buckleberry’ FCC/AOSPhoto credit: Larry Kuekes

Close up Bulbo. Elizabeth Ann ‘Buckleberry’ FCC/AOSPhoto credit: Larry Kuekes

Bulbophyllum lobbii ’Kathy’s Gold’ AM/AOSPhoto credit: Larry Kuekes

Bulbophyllum vaginatumPhoto credit: Larry Kuekes


A Touch of Class ~ Beautiful Art from the Past A Touch of Class ~ Beautiful Art from the Past A Touch of Class ~ Beautiful Art from the Past

Eurychone rothschildiana (Reprinted from the AOS magazine, Orchids , Dec. 2006)

This lovely orchid was formerly known as Angraecum rothschildianaum. When not in bloom you could be fooled into thinking this was a phalaenopsis. However, the leaves have unusual wavy-edges, which makes for a distinctive plant. The plant is also grown like a phalaenopsis—intermediate/warm temperatures with moderate light. When in bloom the flowers have a spicy fragrance and can last up to six weeks. The plant is endemic to Sierra Leone, the Ivory Coast and Uganda.

A quick look on the internet found Maui Orchids has the plant for sale available in 2 1/2” pots for $10.00 + shipping. Visit www.mauiorchids.com for more information.


Editor’s note: These columns were written by our previous editor Larry Kuekes and were run quite regularly over prior years. Larry’s perspective is refreshing and some of our new members may welcome this introductory advice.

Beginner’s Corner

Larry Kuekes

Summer Vacation By Larry Kuekes

In May, when frost danger is past, it's time to put your plants outdoors. It's a vacation for them, and for you too, since they're easier to care for outside. If you grow indoors, nothing will make a bigger difference in getting them to bloom.

Location. Dr. Ben Berliner once suggested I summer my orchids in a spot with dappled sun all day, such as under high-branched trees. Unfortunately, my trees are maples, which cast shade so deep that grass won't grow. I ended up using an east-facing porch, which gets full sun all morning and shade from noon on. It works fine. Try to find a spot, which at least gets shade in the heat of the day. If you're ambitious, you can pro-vide your own "dappled shade" with a lath structure or window screening (double thick-ness). (Editor’s note: see photos at right for examples of easy-to-built lath houses.)

Light. The difference in light levels between outdoors and a windowsill, to say nothing of under lights, can have an amazing effect on your plants. One of my first orchids was SLC Jewel Box 'Dark Waters'. I bought it in flower. Then, on a windowsill for the next two years, it just grew leaves. Finally I put it, and most of my other orchids, outside on my porch. That winter my Jewel Box bloomed profusely. From then on I've been put-ting almost all of my orchids outdoors in the summer.

Leaf burn. Leaf burn isn't much of a danger outdoors. The heat can't build up like it does in greenhouses. Just use common sense. Don't put your orchids in full sun all day, and put the cooler-growing types in back of the sun-lovers.

Watering. Outside, you don't have to lug your plants to the sink to water them. This alone is a prime reason for summering them outdoors. Because of more sun and natu-ral winds, they will dry out much faster than inside. Inside most of my plants get wa-tered once or twice a week. Outside I water every plant every day. They dry fast enough that the medium doesn't decompose excessively.

Fertilizing. Because the orchids are growing faster outdoors, and because of the fre-quent watering, you should fertilize more often. I fertilize once a week outdoors.

Temperature. There is a much larger day-night temperature difference outdoors, as well as a lower night minimum most of the time. Both are highly beneficial


for all orchids. Only during heat waves would cool growers (like odontoglossums) do better inside in your air conditioning or your basement. Also, many varieties are encouraged to set spikes by leaving them outside in the fall until the night tempera-tures get down to 50.

Pests. My porch is several steps above the ground, which seems to foil slugs and crawling insects. Last summer a bug chewed through a developing spike on my Doritis pulcherrima. That's been the only problem in four summers.

(Editor’s Note: This article first appeared here in 1989.)

Photo credit: Larry Kuekes. This is the lathhouse Larry recently built at his new home in Hawaii.

Photo credit: Steven A. Frowine. These two photos were obtained from the author’s book Orchids for Dummies. Reprinted with permission of the author.

Examples of lath houses for summering orchids.

monthly checklist for may and juneBy Ned Nash and James Rose


Cattleya The last of the spring-flowering types — those that flower from a ripened hard pseudobulb — will be finishing, while the first summer-blooming types will be showing buds on their rapidly growing, soft pseudobulbs. Both may need potting, as signaled by deteriorating mix, this month. The spring bloomers present no problems, as you will be dealing with fully ripe, well-hardened pseudobulbs. They will be ready to root on the mature front pseudobuklb and will establish quickly. The summer bloomers, will be brittle and may be in bud. Nonetheless, experienced growers know that unless potted now, they may not root later, as this type tends to be seasonal in its rooting behavior. Stake the lead growth to avoid breakage. May can still present some changing light conditions that can lead to burning of the foliage if the plants have not been properly acclima-tized. Allow them to build up their tolerance to higher light gradually. Changing light and temperatures can also be the source of some frustration when trying to determine when plants need watering. While cattleyas will be entering into a period of rapid growth starting this month, they still have not built up sufficient momentum to be significantly slowed

by your missing a day or two of watering owing to dark weather. As always, it is safer to err on the dry side than on the wet. It is important, though, especially to the summer bloomers. Too much shade will cause rapidly developing inflorescences to droop unattractively.

Paphiopedilum The Paphiopedilum Maudiae types will be into their season now, so a careful eye should be used toward stak-ing. Do not be too anxious to stake, however. Many of this type, if staked too soon, will develop nodding flowers that do not face the observer. It is better to allow flowers to ripen natu-rally, then support the spike right below the ovary for best dis-play. This is especially common in Paphiopedilum fairrieanum-derived hybrids. If you have to do something when you first see the emerging spikes, just put the stake in

Cattleya purpurata, for-merly in the genus Laelia is without a doubt one of the most stately orchids to bloom in this season. Picture credit: G. Allikas

Paphipediulum Maudiae is a perennial favorite slipper orchid.


The pot next to the spiking growth. Not only will this help you, but you will be able to see where the spikes are, so you can continue to pay attention to their development. 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 months, so be on the lookout for the merging 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.

Phalaenopsis Except for the latest-spiking plants, all phalaenopsis should be ready for potting or already potted. Because phalaenopsis are tropical plants, they tend to be seasonal in their rooting behavior. The critical point for potting is when new roots emerge from the base of the plant. This is absolutely the best time to repot pha-laenopsis. The summer-flowering types, based on Doritis background, have ideally al-ready been potted and are becoming freshly established, ready to support their soon-to-emerge spikes for the summer season. Phalaenopsis potted at the right point in their growth cycle will reestablish almost immediately, with fresh roots growing into the new medium nearly uninterrupted. As soon as the flush of new root growth is seen, begin regular watering and fertilizing to make maximum use of the major grow-ing season. Do not get over-exuberant with your watering, though, allowing water to splash between plants. This can be a source of both water-borne pathogens and viral contamination. Phalaenopsis are much more susceptible to virus than was previously thought. Take extra care to keep your collection free of bacterial and viral problems, which you can accomplish by maintaining a clean growing area.

— accessed from the AOS website www.aos.org on 4/16/2013.

Tips

&

Tric

ks

Create a simple microclimate As the summer season bears down upon us, we will need to find ways to keep humidity and moisture around our orchids. Clay pots hold moisture. On hot, dry summer days, soak a few clay pots in water for a few minutes and then set them randomly upside down in your growing area. Smaller pot-ted plants can also be placed inside a larger clay pot where the cool dampness from the clay will help hold moisture around the plant’s root base. You might also just set a potted plant on top of an up turned clay pot and allow the humidity from the clay pot to wick up toward your plant.

Spring Word Search April Orchid Glossary

Now that you’ve gotten all that repotting done, settle back and have some fun with this April Orchid Glossary.

Find all the words below. Words can be found across, up, down, diagonally and reversed. Good Luck!

(Solution will be published in the June newsletter.)



Marketplace

Need some supplies for repotting? As a service to our members, COS now offers a wide range of supplies at the Sale Table. Supplies may be ordered in advance, but must be picked up at a monthly meeting. Prices are only slightly above wholesale, no taxes and no shipping fees—what a deal!

COS Potting Supplies Price List

Basket –4” square slat w/hanger $3.00/ea.Charcoal chips (4 scoops/bag) $2.00/bagCoconut Husk (medium size chips) ½ cu. Ft. $10.00/bagCoco Tek Coir 150 g. bag $5.00/bagDyna-grow fertilizer Grow 8 oz. $7.00/eaDyna-grow fertilizer Bloom 8 oz. $7.00/ea.Grow More Orchids Food 1.25 lb. $6.00/ea.Hydro rocks (one gallon bag) $3.00/bagMesquite slabs for mounting orchids $1.00 /ea.Orange Guard Insect Spray 32 fl. oz. $9.00/bottleOrchid Bark mix (Cattleya/Dendrobium/Oncidium) 2 gal. $5.00/bagOrchid Bark mix(Cymbidium/Phalaenopsis) 2 gal. $6.00/bagOrchid Bark—small 2 cu. ft. $25.00/bagOrchid Bark – medium 2 cu. ft. $25.00/bagOrchid Bark mix (cattleya/Dendrobium/ Oncidium) 1 cu.ft. $20.00/bagOrchid Bark mix (Cymbidium/Phalaenopsis) 1 cu. ft. $22.00/bagPhysan 20 plant insecticide 8 fl.oz. $10.00/ea.Plant labels (set of 25 yellow or white) $ 3.00/setPots – round, green, plastic 4 ½ “ (set of 10) $ 4.00/ setPro-Teckt plant fertilizer 8 oz. $ 7.00/ea.Rhizome clips—large $ 0.50/ea.Rhizome clips – small $ 0. 25/eaShagnum moss – ¼ lb. block $ 8.00/ea.Superthrive Vitamins-hormones ½ fl. oz.bottle $ 3.00/ea.Thermometer – digital min/max. $22.00/ea.Tree Fern (medium) ½ cu. ft. $ 3.00/bagWater breakers $ 5.00/ ea.

How we measured quantities:¼ cubic foot mix or bark will fill approximately: (15) 4” pots

(8) 5” pots(5) 6” pots

Contact Cheryl Mizak at (203) 264-6096 to preorder. (3) 7” pots(2) 8” pots


4th Annual Shore Orchid FestivalFriday, June 7—Sunday, June 9, 2013 :10 am—5 pm

AOS Judging & Daily Walk Through Tours with an Experienced Orchidist as your guide.

This year Silva Orchids is pleased to announce that ribbon and Ameri-can Orchid Society judging has been added to the venue.

RIBBON Judging Registration:Tuesday, June 4th and Wednesday, June 5th: 10 am—12:00 pm

Friday, June 7th: 8 am—9:30 am

AOS Judging RegistrationTuesday, June 4th and Wednesday, June 5th: 10 am—12 pmFriday, June 7th: 8 am—9:30 am and Saturday, June 8th 8 am—9 am

SCHEDULE for JUDGINGFriday, June 7th: 10 am Ribbon Judging OnlySaturday, June 8th :10 am AOS Judging OnlyNO PLANTS ACCEPTED FOR JUDGING ON THURSDAY, JUNE 6TH(For more details, please contact Beth Silva at [email protected] or call 732-922-2635)

Hosted by Silva Orchids, Neptune, NJ

www.ctorchids.org 24 Apr. 2013


Directions to Cheshire Senior Center240 Maple Avenue, Cheshire, CT 06410

From New Haven, CT:

Take I-91 North to exit 10 (Route 40) Follow Rt. 40 to the end (last exit—for Mount Carmel/Cheshire) Turn right onto Route 10 North (Whitney Ave.)At the traffic light for the intersection of Rt. 10 and Routes 68/70 West

Turn left onto Main St. –which runs into Maple Ave. at the next traffic light.Proceed straight ahead on Maple Ave. Cheshire Senior Center is # 240 on the right after the Victorian House Restaurant.

From Waterbury:

Take I-84 East to Exit 26 (Cheshire/Route 70) The Exit ramp automatically forces you to go right and follow Rt. 70. At the end of Rt. 70 (facing the Cheshire Post Office) turn left at the light onto Maple Ave.The Cheshire Senior Center is # 240 on the right after The Victorian House Restaurant.

From Hartford via I-91:

Take I-91 South to Exit 18 onto Route 691 (Meriden/Waterbury) Take Exit 3 off Rt. 691 and turn left at the traffic light onto Rout 10 South. Continue through seven traffic lights. At the 8th traffic light bear right onto Maple Avenue.The Cheshire Senior Center is # 240 on the left after the Cheshire Fire Department.

From Hartford via I-84:

Take I-84 West to Exit 27 onto Route 691 (Meriden) Take Exit 3 off Rt. 691 and turn right at the traffic light onto Route 10 South. Proceed through six traffic lights. At the 7th traffic light bear right onto Maple Ave.The Cheshire Senior Center is # 240 on the left after the Cheshire Fire Department.

Connecticut Orchid Society Membership Application

Name: ___________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

Tel. # __________________E-mail: ____________________________( Information provided to the Connecticut Orchid Society is not sold, shared or given out)

Membership choice: □ Single $20/yr. * □ Family $25/yr. *

□ Single Lifetime Membership $200

□ Family Lifetime Membership $250

Newsletter delivery preference: □ U.S. Mail □ E-mail* Please include an additional $10 fee for postage costs for U.S. mail delivery of your newsltter. E-mail delivery is free of charge, please provide your e-mail address above.

□ At this time I would only like to receive the next three newsletters & directions to the meetings.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Fold Here - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Complete the information required above. Tear this form out of the newsletter. Fold in half. Insert your check payable to : “Connecticut Orchid Society”, for

membership amount. Tape on three sides. Mail to COS (Address is printed on the back of this form) .

Membership includes the monthly COS newsletter, monthly meetings Sept. through June with a featured speaker or educational activity, a vote at the annual election of the Board of Directors, opportunities to volun-teer for many exciting orchid related activities, and COS sponsored field trips, clinics & shows. Join us!! You’ll be glad you did.


Connecticut Orchid Society, Inc.c/o Mary Rampone, Membership Chair53 Barbara LaneWoodbury, CT 06798

FirstClassStampHere

Date post:	18-Jun-2020
Category:	Documents
Upload:	others
View:	3 times
Download:	0 times

Connecticut O S Newsletter - Connecticut Orchid Society 2013 Electronic Version.pdf · Discount on...

Documents