October, 2015 Page 1 Eyes on Orchids Newsletter of the Baton Rouge Orchid Society P.O. Box 66242—Baton Rouge, LA 70896-6242 October, 2015 - Volume 57 - Issue 10 www.batonrougeorchidsociety.com - 225.308.1404 – [email protected]October Meeting - Wednesday, October 21 - 7 p.m. Burden Center - 4560 Essen Lane Program: “Bulbophyllums” by Bill Thoms President’s Message As fall arrives and we start to get some cooler weather and footballs fill the air, the orchids seem to be looking a little better at my house and I hope at yours. At least I do not wilt with the heat when I work on them. I want to let everyone know that the 2 auctions that we held were a great success and that over $700 was raised for the society, thanks to the very generous donation of Al Krotoski. He had indicated that he was not going to be able to maintain the collection and wanted the plants and other items to go to people who would enjoy them. This month we will have a great program by Bill Thoms on Bulbophyl- lums. I have been told that Bill is an expert on the subject and, in addi- tion, a great speaker so make sure to plan on attending. A list of plants that will be available for sale by pre-orders will be sent shortly, if you have not al- ready received it by the time you get the newsletter. We will be taking Bill to dinner before the meeting, and we will send out the time and place closer to the meeting date. I am already tired of all the political ads on TV, but we will have our own political race this month with our election of officers. Last month the Nominating Committee gave a list of names for the various positions. Nominations will be accepted from the floor; so if you or someone you know wants to be more involved, please submit their name this month. October is also the month that we renew our BROS membership so please bring your checkbook or cash for the annual dues, which are $20.00 for an individual and $30.00 for a family. Our membership is strong and growing, but we always need new members to allow us to do more for the Society and our community. I want to thank Randy Johnson and Valerie Creehan for setting up the Alexandria show and Bob Danka for taking it down. This is the last show of the year, and it is im- portant for us to have several members willing to set up and take down shows next year. If we want to have the other societies come and participate in our show, we need to support their shows. Unfortunately, this past year it seems that most of the out-of-town shows were done by the same small group of people. I would appreciate any and all suggestions you may have to try and increase both membership and par- ticipation in our Society and ways to make it an even better society. I look forward to seeing everyone at Burden on Wednesday October 21 and, hope- fully, at dinner with Bill Thoms. Remember to bring your blooming plants for the dis- play table. Bob Lank, President
Transcript
October, 2015 Page 1
Eyes on Orchids Newsletter of the Baton Rouge Orchid Society
As fall arrives and we start to get some cooler weather and footballs fill the air, the orchids seem to be looking a little better at my house and I hope at yours. At least I do not wilt with the heat when I work on them. I want to let everyone know that the 2 auctions that we held were a great success and that over $700 was raised for the society, thanks to the very generous donation of Al Krotoski. He had indicated that he was not going to be able to maintain the collection and wanted the plants and other items to go to people who would enjoy them. This month we will have a great program by Bill Thoms on Bulbophyl-lums. I have been told that Bill is an expert on the subject and, in addi-tion, a great speaker so make sure to plan on attending. A list of plants that will be available for sale by pre-orders will be sent shortly, if you have not al-ready received it by the time you get the newsletter. We will be taking Bill to dinner before the meeting, and we will send out the time and place closer to the meeting date. I am already tired of all the political ads on TV, but we will have our own political race this month with our election of officers. Last month the Nominating Committee gave a list of names for the various positions. Nominations will be accepted from the floor; so if you or someone you know wants to be more involved, please submit their name this month. October is also the month that we renew our BROS membership so please bring your checkbook or cash for the annual dues, which are $20.00 for an individual and $30.00 for a family. Our membership is strong and growing, but we always need new members to allow us to do more for the Society and our community. I want to thank Randy Johnson and Valerie Creehan for setting up the Alexandria show and Bob Danka for taking it down. This is the last show of the year, and it is im-portant for us to have several members willing to set up and take down shows next year. If we want to have the other societies come and participate in our show, we need to support their shows. Unfortunately, this past year it seems that most of the out-of-town shows were done by the same small group of people. I would appreciate any and all suggestions you may have to try and increase both membership and par-ticipation in our Society and ways to make it an even better society. I look forward to seeing everyone at Burden on Wednesday October 21 and, hope-fully, at dinner with Bill Thoms. Remember to bring your blooming plants for the dis-play table.
Bob Lank, President
October, 2015 Page 2
BROS Officers, 2015 President Bob Lank 225.978.2615 [email protected]
Board Members John Graham, thru 2015 Jim Gershey, thru 2016 Randy Johnson, thru 2017
SWROGA Reps: James Jean-sonne &Tin-Wein Yu
AOS Rep: Tin-Wein Yu
Orchid Digest Rep: Frank Zachariah
Standing Committee Chairs: Program Co-Chairs ♦ Lata John-son ♦ Tin-Wein Yu Membership ♦ Valerie Creehan Finance ♦ John Nelson Librarian ♦ Bob Danka Refreshments ♦ Nancy Morrison
Minutes of September Meeting President, Bob Lank, opened the September 16th meeting at 6:55 p.m. with 35 members and six guests attending. Bob introduced the guests along with new member, Elaine Grant. A birthday plant was given to Carolyn Clay who has a Sep-tember birthday. The Central, Louisiana Orchid Show will be held on Octo-ber 2-3. There is a need for someone to set up and take down for this event. The 55th Annual Orchid Short Course will be held on December 5th. The Nominating Committee put forth their list for officers for 2016. They are Bob Lank, president; Valerie Creehan, vice president; Blair Many, Treasurer; Marie Williams, secre-tary; Lata Johnson, new board member. Nominations from the floor will be taken at next month’s meeting. Bob stated that he sent a letter to see if there can be a Judges Training Center in Baton Rouge stating the Society would help but would not be responsible for any financial expenditures. There was a discussion about the orchids we are receiving from Whole Foods. The society is receiving more than can be cared for by members. There was a discussion about holding a potting workshop using foster orchids on a Saturday in front of Whole Foods, but it was decided that was not the intent of the foster program. Lata stated that Thomas Ruiz’s daughter’s school might be willing to care for some as a science project. Danna brought some orchids from Trader Joe’s and Albertson’s for members. These orchids do not necessarily have to be given to cancer patients at OLOL; they can be donated to other worthy causes. Bob complemented Danna and Valerie for their work on the newsletter. Green Growers will be held in both October and November but not December. Bob Danka gave a very informative talk on the various plants on the bloom table. He picked various cattleyas, phalaenopsis, dendrobiums, oncidiums, vandas, and cymbidi-ums and asked the owners to describe the culture they gave them. A question and answer session was conducted during the presentation. After the break, an auction of plants and garden contain-ers belonging to former member, Al Krotoski was held. Pat Canning won the door prize, and seven raffle plants were given to holders of winning tickets. The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 p.m. Respectfully submitted,
Marie Williams, Secretary
October, 2015 Page 3
AOS Webinars & News
BROS Meeting Dates
2015
November 18 December 12 - Christmas Party at Bob Lank’s Mark these dates on your calendars
so you won’t miss any meetings!
Renowned orchid grower, world traveler and internation-ally known speaker Bill Thoms will be presenting a talk on Bulbophyllums (the largest genus in the orchid world!) at our meeting this month. Be prepared to learn more about this fascinating group of plants than you ever dreamed! Bill Thoms and his wife, Doris Dukes, have been growing orchids around Central Florida for more than 40 years and have re-ceived almost every award granted by the AOS, as well as more Awards for Culture than anyone else in the world, (95 in over 30 genera, including 45 in the bulbophyllum alliance (capped off with a 97 pt. Certificate of Cultural Excellence for Bulb. Sue Blackmore.) Bill is the only person to receive Awards of Quality for Bulbophyllum hybrids as well as receiving the hybridizer’s dream - an Award of Distinction for a new avenue of breeding (a Trias hybrid). Many of his crosses are winning awards around the coun-try. The AOS has just added a yearly award named for him for the best Bulbophyllum exhibited. The talks are spiced with funny stories and funny associations. So whether you grow thousands of orchids, only a few, or none at all, you will have a wonderfully entertaining time and be able to grow anything better. Many of the most important requirements for growing world class plants are made easy to understand and re-member. Don’t miss this great opportunity to learn how to grow these fascinating plants and to hear one of the most knowledgeable, interesting, and funny speakers in the orchid world.
October Program
Happy October Birthday to
the following members
Thomas Ruiz 10/1 Nancy Morrison 10/2 Gerard Killenbrew 10/21
Dinner With Our Speaker
*********************** If you want to have dinner with our speaker, join the group at
Carrabba’s on Corporate at 5:00 on meeting day.
October, 2015 Page 4
Green Growers Schedule
November 11 No meeting in December
January 13, 2016 7 p.m. at the home of Gene & Thelma Berg
425 Nelson Dr. Come for good fellowship, re-freshments, and learning - and
door prizes.
The BROS display at the Central Louisiana Orchid Show in Alexandria, October 2 - 3
Thanks to Randy Johnson & Valerie Creehan for setting it up and Bob Danka for taking it down.
October 27 - “Land of Orchids and the 22nd WOC” by Jose “Pepe” Portilla
Officer and Board Nominees for 2016
Officers Board President Bob Lank Lata Johnson through 2018 Vice-President Valerie Creehan Secretary Marie Williams All nominees have agreed to serve if Treasurer Blair Many elected. Nominations will be accept- ed from the floor at the meeting.
Bill Thoms at Acadian OS
The Acadian Orchid Society will host Bill Thoms at their meeting on Monday, October 19th. He will speak on the orchids of Be-lize, Thailand, Venezuela and Malaysia.
October, 2015 Page 5
1. 55th Annual Orchid Short Course, December 5, 2015 in Lafayette, LA 2. BROS Annual Christmas Party December 12 at home of Bob and Evelyn Lank, 3024 Torrance Drive, Baton Rouge, LA
Membership Renewal Time
The BROS membership year is No-vember 1 through October 31. That means it’s time to renew your member-ship. Bring your dues to the meeting this month, and re-up. John Nelson, our Treasurer, will have renewal forms for you. Dues are $20 for individuals and $30 for families. Big plans are in the making for our next year, and you don’t want to miss
These are pictures from the October Green Growers meeting. Top and bottom show Gene Berg discussing the topic of the evening “Cold Weather Care of Your Orchids”. The bloom table, in the middle picture, was spectacular.
October, 2015 Page 6
Pros and Cons of Chemical and Organic Fertilizers By Valerie Creehan
During our September meeting members were asked about care of their blooming plants, and
the topic of organic fertilizers was mentioned. I thought this would be a good time to review the
advantages and disadvantages of these two types of fertilizers. If you ask a group of growers
whether they prefer organic or chemical fertilizers, there are chances that you’ll spark a lively de-
bate. If you ask your plants the same question, you would find out that at the most basic level, the
plants really can’t tell the difference – nutrients are nutrients. HOWEVER, there are significant dif-
ferences between organic and chemical fertilizers in terms of nutrient availability and the long
term effects on soil and plants. Terminology can be confusing with words such as organic, natu-
ral, chemical, synthetic, artificial, and manufactured. Basically, the choice is reduced to either or-
ganic or chemical.
A chemical fertilizer is an inorganic material consisting of wholly or partially synthetic origin
that is added to soil or media to sustain plant growth. Chemical fertilizers are produced from inor-
ganic materials artificially and may have some harmful acids. They may be made from petroleum
products or even organic sources. Some of the chemicals may be naturally occurring, but the dif-
ference is that the nutrients in chemical fertilizers are refined to their pure state and stripped of
substances that control their availability and breakdown, which rarely occurs in nature. Some ex-
amples of chemical fertilizers are ammonium sulphate, ammonium phosphate, ammonium ni-
trate, urea, and ammonium chloride.
Organic fertilizers are substances derived from by-products of natural organisms (plant or ani-
mal waste) which contain the essential nutrients for plant growth. Organic nutrients are rich in
nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, but in unequal proportions. The product is only minimally
processed, and the nutrients remain bound up in their natural forms, rather than being extracted
and refined. Examples include manure, compost, bone and cottonseed meal, fish emulsion, and
sea-weed.
Advantages of Chemical Fertilizers
Nutrients are available to the plant immediately.
They are rich in the three essential nutrients – nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, needed for
plant growth.
They are highly analyzed to produce the exact ratio of nutrients desired.
Standardized labeling makes ratios and chemical sources easy to read.
They are inexpensive. Chemical fertilizers have more concentrated levels of nutrients per weight of
product than organic. One needs many pounds of organic fertilizer to provide the same nutrient
level as a single pound of chemical fertilizer. Organic fertilizers may be rich in one level of the
three nutrients or may have low levels of all of the three nutrients.
Disadvantages of Chemical Fertilizers:
Because nutrients are readily available, there is a danger of over fertilization.
Chemical fertilizers are primarily made of nonrenewable sources, including fossil fuels.
October, 2015 Page 7
They help grow plants but do not sustain the soil. The fillers do not promote soil health, do not
include decaying matter necessary to improve soil structure, and do not replace many trace ele-
ments that are depleted.
Chemical fertilizers tend to leach or filter away from the plant, requiring additional applications.
Long term use of chemical fertilizer can change the pH. Inexpensive chemical fertilizers have high
acid content which can interfere with the supplying of nitrogen to the plant.
Advantages of Organic Fertilizers
In addition to releasing nutrients, as organic fertilizers break down, they improve the structure of
the soil.
Since they act as slow release fertilizers, it’s difficult to over fertilize your plants.
There is little to no risk of toxic buildup of chemicals and salts that can be harmful to plants.
Organic fertilizers are renewable, biodegradable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly.
Although more expensive in packages, you can make your own by composting or finding
inexpensive forms such as sources from local farms.
Disadvantages to Organic Fertilizers
Microorganisms are required to break down and release nutrients. Since warmth and mois-
ture are needed, the effectiveness of organic fertilizer is limited seasonally. However, the microor-
ganisms obtain energy from decaying plant and animal matter, so an application of organic ferti-
lizer provides a complete package of nutrients.
Organic fertilizers break down according to nature’s rules and may not release nutrients as
soon as you need them. You won’t see improvement overnight, however will be rewarded after
the first couple of months.
Nutrient ratios are often unknown, and the overall percentage is lower than chemical fertiliz-
ers. It can take 10 times the amount of an organic fertilizer to get the same amount of nutrients
as in a chemical fertilizer. The chemical analysis of each of these nutrients will be listed as the
three numbers on the bag. However, some organic products are actually higher in certain micro
nutrients.
There are advantages and disadvantages to the both kinds of fertilizers. It is a matter of
choice, especially in regard to how quickly you want the nutrients to be available to the plants. In
the September St. Augustine Orchid Society newsletter, Sue Bottom had a great article about one
of their speakers, Keith Davis, and his use of Purely Organic Fertilizer, which is manufactured in
South Carolina. The Purely Organic fertilizer is a blend of organic ingredients, including calcium,
magnesium, sulfur, and micronutrients. Several other individuals were experimenting with the
Purely Organic and discussed their findings. Poorly growing plants were targeted for use of the
fertilizer to increase root growth in order to better absorb nutrients.
