the Current Newsletter
Transcription
the Current Newsletter
SONOMA COUNTY ORCHID SOCIETY February 2015 A California Non-Profit 501 (c) (3) Corporation IN THIS ISSUE 1: Sergio Garcia Bio; 2: Dinner With Speaker; February Skill Session; Membership Column 3: President's Corner; Classifieds 4: Refreshment List; Thank You 5: Update on Show Preparations 6: AOS Corner 7: Your Orchids in February 8: Pictures of ShowAnd-Tell Plants 9-10: Events Calendar 11: An Article on Botritis Please feel free to post comments and share pictures of your blooming orchids on Facebook or share orchid articles. It's an opportunity to show off your orchids and/or orchid growing conditions. Press the Control button on your keyboard and click on the above Facebook link. Page 1 Our February meeting is on February 10, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. at the Veteran's Memorial Building, 1351 Maple Avenue, SR GUESTS WELCOME Our February speaker is Sergio Garcia, who will speak on "Laelias." When I was just a little boy, 7 or 8 years old, my father and I were suddenly hooked on orchids. At a home and garden show we saw a Catasetum pileatum and were shocked by its beauty. When we asked people where to buy that plant, we were pointed to the orchid booth of one of the most important and respected orchid growers in Brazil's orchid history - Mr. Heitor Gloeden. Soon after that initial contact, he took us under his wing and taught us about orchids. As a native of São Paulo, I quickly learned about many orchid species. Those that I was first in touch with are still my favorites - Cattleya, Laelia, Sophronitis, Oncidium, Paphiopedilum and Vanda. I love all orchids, but these are the ones that have continued to populate my daydreams, even when I was working on the options trading floor at the Pacific Stock Exchange! My father and I learned about orchids together, so orchid growing became a partnership with him. Today my dad is 85 years old, and we still spend hours discussing possible crossings, preferred cultivars and plants that we still "need" to add to our respective collections. Still living in Brazil, he cultivates beautiful orchids there, while I pursue my hobby here in Northern California. I love it here. I immigrated in 1989 to Ohio. After college, my wife and I moved to California where we put down roots, made friends, and I began cultivating orchids again. Herman Piggors, the founder of Oak Hill Gardens, taught me how to reproduce orchids in vitro, in a laboratory. I went on to learn more, not only in the lab, but also about planning hybrid crossings to produce amazing orchids that are improvements over their parents. Now at Olompali Orchids, my commercial operation, we dedicate ourselves to the improvement of species and creation of special hybrids. We produce orchids with the objective of creating show type plants, with potential for becoming the next award winners. Parallel to our own production and breeding program, we partner with two multi-generational orchid businesses in Brazil - Wenzel Orchids and AWZ Orchids. These relationships are focused on making amazing orchids available to the American orchid world. SCOS February 2015 Newsletter Olompali Orchids has its greenhouses in Sonoma County in the farming area adjacent to the City of Petaluma, California. We are located in the middle of Sonoma County's beautiful Wine Country, not very far from Napa Valley and the city of San Francisco - under the great microclimate provided by the proximity with the Petaluma River, the Bay and under the amazing California sunshine. Laelia purpurata (delicata x vinicolor) PLEASE JOIN US FOR DINNER WITH THE SPEAKER AT Ganesha Restaurant, 535 Ross St. Santa Rosa, (Himalyan Nepalese & Indian Cuisine) at 5:00 p.m. RSVP to Angelique Fry at 291-6029 or [email protected]. A SPECIAL SKILL SESSION PRESENTED BY JUDY CARNEY "How to Get Your Orchids Ready to Show" Our Show is quickly approaching and whether you feel your orchid is "award worthy" or not, if it is blooming we want it in our Show display. I think that any one of us who has brought an orchid for the display was shocked when it won a ribbon or a special award. I know I sure was. I won an award on a plant I wasn't even going to bring because it was so "gangly". If any of your orchids are showing that they are preparing to bloom, NOW IS THE TIME TO BEGIN GROOMING THEM. Do you know when and how to stake? Should you move them around? Come to the skill session presented by Judy to get all the answers. Judy will show you how to get your orchids to present their best face to the judges. Editor. MEMBERSHIP COLUMN We presently have 87 paid members. Thank you to all who have brought their memberships current. Susan Anderson brought this lovely Aerangis citrate to the January meeting Show and Tell. Don't forget to wear your name badge and sign in! Wear your name badge or make a paper name-tag at the membership table when you enter the meeting room. Then, sign the list at the Membership Table. At each meeting, one name will be drawn and that person will receive a free strip of raffle tickets. Those who would like to order a name badge should email Jeanne at [email protected] Page 2 SCOS February 2015 Newsletter President’s Corner Dear Orchid Friends, Spring is just around the corner. There are also a lot of orchid activities to enjoy this time of year, too! SCOS is proud to host our Spring Show ‘A Symphony of Orchids’ at the end of March, our Annual Bus Trip on May 30th, and our Annual Repotting Party June 27th! Mark your calendars if you haven’t already done so. We have two more meetings before our Spring Show is here on March 28th and 29th . There is a lot of time to groom our orchids and get those inflorescences staked. We need a lot of blooming orchids for a spectacular display! It’s also time to get your volunteer hats on! Our Show Chair, Lynne Murrell, needs help from everyone to make this Show successful! There are many opportunities to volunteer. If you haven’t already done so, please sign up at the next two meetings. This is YOUR Society and YOU can help make it a success. There are volunteer slots that need to be filled. We also need a lot of help with set up and take down. The Sonoma County Orchid Society has a wonderful array of speakers that enhance our monthly meetings. I know that many of you were able to come and listen to Peter Lin give us a wonderful talk on Angraecum, Aerangis, and Aeranthes at our January meeting. I hope that many of you enjoyed his talk as much as I did. In February we have Sergio Garcia, who is a guru on the subject of Brazilian Laelias. He knows his topic very well and he will be here to enlighten us. Be sure to come and hear his wonderful talk! See you at our next meeting February 10th! Susan CLASSIFIEDS COLUMN Don't forget you can get orchid supplies from Kris and Jim Foster [email protected] or 707-762-7124 Small and medium Rexius bark, Perlite, Sphagnum Moss, Orchid labels, Stakes, Charcoal ORCHIATA BARK ($17 includes tax) AND NUTRICOTE ($3 for 1# bag) FOR SALE BY YOUR SOCIETY! Orchiata: Classic #9 Power #5 Power #5a Super #7 1//4" – 3/8" chips 3/8" – 1/2" chips 1/2" – 3/4" chips 3/4" – 1" chips Email Angelique [email protected] to Order and arrange for pick-up DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING FOR SALE ADVERTISE HERE – FOR FREE!! I want to purchase a Laelia jongheana. I lost mine when my mount deteriorated and I remounted. My lovely plant never recovered. Does anyone have a nice strong piece for sale. I'd love to hear from you. Kathie Hile [email protected] or 585-1912. Thanks. Page 3 SCOS February 2015 Newsletter PLEASE CHECK THE SCHEDULE BELOW TO SEE IF YOU ARE SCHEDULED TO BRING A FINGER FOOD TO THE FEBRUARY MEETING. (Anyone can bring a refreshment at any time.) REMEMBER, if you bring a refreshment, you receive a raffle ticket to be placed in a special drawing for only those bringing refreshments that evening. Winner gets first choice from the opportunity table. Refreshments Please bring a refreshment if the first letter of your last name corresponds with the monthly meeting. T–Z January, 2015 A–B February C – De Di – Fo Fr – H March April May J – Le June Ice Cream Social July Li – M August Bar-B-Q & Auction September No Meeting in September N-R October S November Holiday Dinner December No Meeting in December THANK YOU! Thank you I want to thank ANGELIQUE FRY and her husband, BILL, for hosting Peter Lin when he was in Sonoma County visiting our Society. They went out of their way to make sure that Peter was welcome and comfortable during his visit. Thank you Angelique and Bill! Thank you ANN POSSINGER for hosting the Show meeting in December and ANGELIQUE FRY for hosting the Show meeting in January! Susan Change of address, email or to unsubscribe to newsletter? To send an address or email change, or to unsubscribe from our newsletter, go to our Society website at www.sonomaorchids.com and use the "contacts" link to send an email to the membership chair. The true story of the 'Lost Orchid'--Cattleya labiata This plant, perhaps more than any other, was responsible for the orchid craze that followed. It was originally found in northern Brazil in 1818 by explorer William Swainson, who used dormant plants as packing material in a shipment to the Glasgow Botanical Gardens. Some of these ‘extra’ plants went to botanist George Cattley, who, surprised when the orchid produced large, beautifully colored flowers, exhibited the plant to the public. It was a sensation; commercial growers were eager to introduce it, but no one knew where to find it, since the first examples were essentially undocumented packing material. Swainson was unreachable on another expedition and his notes on his Brazil explorations could not be found. In 1889, fifty Cattleya labiata plants were sent to a Mr. Moreau, an entomologist and occasional orchid grower, by an explorer searching northern Brazil for insects for export. Coincidently, grower Fredrick Sander visited Moreau as his plants were beginning to bloom and recognized them as the long-lost Cattleya labiata. The entomologist shared the location, and Sander sent his plant hunters out to collect them. By 1892 over 25,000 C. labiata plants were being imported annually into Great Britain alone. Page 4 SCOS February 2015 Newsletter SHOW PREPARATIONS ARE GOING STRONG! Our Show Chairs met again and updated their preparations. We now have 13 confirmed vendors (HIP-HIP HOORAY!); We expect to have a couple of newspaper articles and Marni Turkel will be interviewed on a radio show; Our show cards and posters are printed and ready to be distributed. Pass out the postcards to your neighbors, post in grocery stores, ask grocery stores with floral centers to display a poster; put a flyer in your car window; use your imagination; We need items with a $50 value or more for the silent auction table; We are pleased that our member, Nixy Rickles, will play piano for an hour each day and we have two other musicians who will also play duet for an hour each day; Please bring to the Show any orchids you want to sell and to the orchid boutique any orchid and garden related items and non-orchid plants; Our next and final SHOW MEETING is scheduled on March 8 at 2:00 p.m. at the home of Billie MacCarththy, 4704 Hillsboro Court, Santa Rosa. Anyone who wants to participate is welcome to attend. Everyone should RSVP to Billie at 707-303-6867 or [email protected]. WATCH YOUR EMAIL FOR A SHOW SUPPLEMENT WHICH WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION ON ALL ASPECTS OF OUR UPCOMING SHOW Blooming in February Den. Yellow Chinsai Ryn. Daffodil Octomeria grandiflora Pleuro. (marthaea x gargantia) Page 5 Dendrochillum smithianum Paph. Barjarmasin "Dry Creek' SCOS February 2015 Newsletter AOS CORNER Did you know the American Orchid Society has a Facebook page? I guess I knew it, but I thought, yeah, whatever, Facebook, ok. Well today I was looking for an article I’d seen on bacteria (haven’t found it yet) when I got totally interested in the discussions on the AOS Facebook page! I even saw a post from Peter Lin, our last speaker. It was wonderful already knowing someone who was posting and knowing how well he knew his stuff. The AOS Facebook page has a ton of photos. There are pictures of many different species as well as pictures of problems with great discussions of diagnoses. Many people travel or live in orchid growing lands and post pictures of orchids in their native environment. People post from all over the world. It is a wealth of information! Since I’ve had my first ever orchid flower this winter, (shameless personal plug) I’ve become interested in which orchids flower at what time of year. This is an overwhelming task to read about. Now that I have access to the AOS Facebook page, I see people posting their current blooming flowers WITH their proper scientific names for all to see. By sheer osmosis, I can peruse the recent postings and pick up which plants are blooming right now. Of course, since the posts are from all over the world, I have to determine WHERE it is blooming right now! Many of the pictures are beautiful examples of flowering plants that people want to show off. This is a great way to see what a plant is supposed to look like: the color of the leaves, the roots, the bark, or no bark, the pot it is in or how it is mounted. Just like our show and tell on the front table at each Sonoma County Orchid Society meeting, it’s a great way to see how things should look in addition to sitting there merely jealous and awed at someone else’s great growing skills. Here’s a great example of an ID please? post with photo and the comments people make. “Maybe Cattleya Chocolate Drop?” “Not Chocolate Drop” “Loog Tone African Beauty or Slc. Tutankamen POP” SM/96’ “ “Has some Chocolate Drop in it for sure.” and from Peter Lin, “probably Lc. Sagarik Wax” I went online and searched for Lc. Sagarik Wax. It turns out the plant in question is a cross from Lc. Summerland Girl x C. Chocolate Drop. There is more than one clonal name for Lc. Sagarik Wax types, but one of them is Lc. Sagarik Wax 'African Beauty.' Looking at all the comments it’s fun to see how the clues fit together into a final identification. Oh, and in trying to write this article I had to learn how to talk about orchid names. I found that information at the www.aos.org website in the FAQs. If you’ve made it this far in the article, don’t forget SCOS has a facebook page too! The link is on page 1 of this newsletter. Check it out. Finally, don't forget to check out the AOS awards for January by going to http://www.csnjc.org/. Page 6 SCOS February 2015 Newsletter Your Orchids in February based on Robert Scully articles, courtesy of the AOS This little beauty is the California newt or orangebellied newt (Taricha torosa). The bright orange coloring on its belly is to warn predators that it is toxic. General Growing Tips: Spring is around the corner. Order your potting supplies early to make sure they are not sold out when it’s time to repot. Observe plants (including companion plants like bromeliads) carefully for signs of disease and insects. Avoid having heated or air-conditioned drafts blowing directly on orchids. Don’t bring you plants out too early. It is starting to warm but you can expect more orchid threatening cold fronts through March. Cattleyas: Your cattleyas are starting to rouse, even though temperature and light conditions are not yet ideal for growth. Continue to use dilute water soluble fertilizer on your orchids at 1/4 to 1/8 strength. New green root tips are starting to emerge on the unifoliates, marking the beginning of the spring repotting season. Sometimes it is necessary to split open a sheath with a sterile blade to reduce pressure on the emerging buds or to allow accumulated condensation (possibly from fluctuating temperatures) to dissipate. Cymbidiums: Stake cymbidium inflorescences that emerge from the mass of foliage on these winter-spring bloomers. Maintain temperatures at 50 to 60F to keep the flowers opening slowly. Dramatically higher temperatures and hot drafts cause bud drop. Page 7 Dendrobiums: Watch for flower buds on dendrobiums like Den. lindleyi, Den. nobile hybrids, Den. superbum (syn. Den. anosmum) and other deciduous species and hybrids. These have longer flowering when exposed to cooler night temperatures as the blooms open and mature. Avoid dousing open flowers when watering. Give slightly more water to these plants (that have been kept reasonably dry prior to flowering) once they begin to bloom. Continue to protect evergreen-type dendrobiums from low temperatures that may cause leaf loss. Phalaenopsis: Continue to use a dilute water soluble fertilizer on phalaenopsis. Be careful not to splatter the flowers or they will stain. Phalaenopsis exude a honey-like substance on the developing inflorescence that attracts scale insects. Watch for signs of any problem that can be spot treated before it becomes a major situation. Avoid spraying insecticides on blossoms. Misc. Genera.The Catasetinae (catasetums, clowesia, cycnoches and mormodes) have dropped most of their leaves and should be kept dry. Watch for signs of new growth that marks the beginning of the repotting season for the catasetum relatives. Remove the old medium, cut off dried roots and pot in a sphagnum moss or coco husk mix interlayered with the time released fertilizer Dynamite but DO NOT WATER. If you water before the new growth is about 4 inches tall, it will probably rot. Your Ludisia discolor is in bloom this month. SCOS February 2015 Newsletter WHAT LOVELY SHOW-AND-TELL PLANTS WE HAD AT OUR JANUARY MEETING! Thank you to all who brought plants and Thank you Ann Possinger for the photos Cattleya 'Bright Circle' (Karen Wofford) Cattleya Laurie Lynn Westerburger (Billie MacCarthy) Cattleya maxima (Kathie Hile) Page 8 Paph spicerianum BM/TIPS (Susan Anderson) Oncidium Heavenly Scent 'Redolence' (Karen Wofford) Lc. Mari 's Song HCC/AOS BS (Susan Anderson) Epicattleya Rene Marquez 'Flame Thrower' (Ann Possinger) Dendrochilum wenzelii (Ann Possinger) Paph. Makuli-curtisii x Maudiae 'Napa Valley' (Billie MacCarthy) SCOS February 2015 Newsletter UPCOMING EVENTS February 2/10 SCOS MEETING. Previously scheduled Harvey Brenneise is unable to speak. We are pleased to announce that Sergio Garcia will speak on Laelias. 2/17 BOARD MEETING at the home of Kathie Hile, 4800 Pressley Road, Santa Rosa. RSVP to Kathie at 707-585-1912 or [email protected] 2/19 - 22 Pacific Orchid Exposition, Ft. Mason Festival Pavilion, San Francisco. Gala Benefit Preview -Thursday Feb. 19, 2015 6:30 - 10 PM; Show and Plant Sale - February 20 - 22, 2015 Friday 10 AM - 6 PM; Saturday 9 AM - 6 PM; Sunday 10 AM - 5 PM. Tickets & Information:www.orchidsanfrancisco.org March 3/7 – 3/8 Golden Gate Cymbidium Society Show & Sale, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Lakeside Park Garden Center, 66 Bellevue Avenue, Oakland. Free Admission. 3/10 SCOS MEETING. Chris Mende of The Tiny Jungle will speak. More details to follow 3/14 – 3/15 Napa Valley Orchid Society Show & Sale. 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Napa Senior Activity Center, 1500 Jefferson Street, Napa. Free Admission. For more info: 707-252-4050 or www.nv-os.org, or email: [email protected] 3/8 FINAL SHOW MEETING at the home of Billie MacCarthy, 4704 Hillsboro Court, Santa Rosa. Anyone who wants to participate is welcome to attend. Everyone should RSVP to Billie at 707-303-6867 or [email protected]. 3/21 California Orchids Spring Sale. 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. 515 Aspen Road, Bolinas. 415-868-0203 http://www.californiaorchids.com/httpdocs/events.html 3/27, 28 & 29 SCOS SHOW & SALE: "A Symphony of Orchids". CLEAR YOUR CALENDARS! Show set-up on Friday 3/27 from 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Please volunteer to help if you're not working that day. Show on 3/28 from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and 3/29 from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Volunteer sheets will be at the monthly meetings. Watch your newsletter for more details April 4/14 SCOS MEETING. Dennis Olivas will present "Orchids 101". A Great talk for those new to orchid growing! 4/18 Gold Coast Cymbidium Growers Orchid Show & Sale, 10:00 a.m – 4:00 p.m., Redwood City Community Activities Building, 1400 Roosevelt Avenue, Redwood City. www.GoldCoastCymbidiumGrowers.com May 5/12 SCOS MEETING. May's speaker will be Janet Lamborn from Agdia,Inc./Adgia Testing Services. Janet's presentation will be on Orchid viruses and how to test for them. Members are encouraged to bring in plants with suspected symptoms to be tested. Page 9 SCOS February 2015 Newsletter 5/30 SCOS BUS TRIP. "Gold and Wine Country Tour". We will be visiting Alan Koch's Gold Country Orchids in Lincoln. Jeff Tyler of Insitu Orchids and Dave Sorokowski of Paph Paradise will also be meeting with us at Alan's Nursery. We will then travel to Lodi for a tour of I-Hsin Nursery and perhaps we will also have an opportunity to visit one of Lodi's many fine wineries during our lunch stop. (Other orchid related stops are still being investigated). This will be a great trip – not to be missed. The POE is the premier Orchid show on the west coast. There are many fabulous vendors attending from all over the world. The San Francisco Orchid Club is offering a discount to all AOS members for admission and they have secured a fabulous room rate. The venue is the Holiday Inn, Fisherman's Wharf. Reservations must be made before January 30 to get the special rate. Call 1-800-942-7348 and make sure to say that you are asking for the POE or Pacific Orchid Exposition rate. The rate is $149/night and is good for stays from February 18 to February 23, 2015. Check out their website for complete details: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2015-pacific-orchidexposition-the-thrill-of-discovery-tickets12481363093?discount=AOS15 Page 10 SCOS February 2015 Newsletter Botrytis By Susan Jones Take Precautions Now To Prevent This Fungus from Marring Winter Flowers. A fungal disease affecting many different types of herbaceous and woody plants, botrytis strikes during cool, damp weather in areas where air circulation is poor. On orchids, the disease, caused by Botrytis cinerea, causes unsightly brown spotting of blooms. The fungus most often affects Phalaenopsis and Cattleyas, but may be found in a wide range of orchid genera. Older flowers are highly susceptible to infection. It is a shame to wait all year for flowers and then have them ruined by Botryris. The fungus is prevalent during cool, damp spells of winter. Life Cycle. The fungus winters primarily on dead and dying plant material, and begins producing and dispersing spores during cool, damp weather in the spring or autumn. Damp conditions, rapidly rising humidity or disturbing infected plants may release spores into the surrounding growing area. Spores can be distributed by wind, rain or any mechanical action. Temperatures in the mid 60's to low 70's F (18–23 C), and wet plant surfaces or ambient humidity of at least 92 percent, are ideal conditions. The fungus can proliferate very quickly, infecting healthy plant tissue in as little as 14 hours. Symptoms. Botrytis manifests as small, brown necrotic spots on orchid flowers. Those spots may increase in size and number as the infection progresses, and may be surrounded by a pale pink margin. In severe infections, the spots can coalesce, and gray, webbed fungal growth (mycelium) may become visible. If conditions are proper, Botrytis spores can quickly spread from the lesions it makes. Prevention. The best form of control for botrytis is prevention, which involves sanitation, air circulation and careful watering. burying of affected plant tissue. Sanitation. Inspect the growing area for conditions favorable to botrytis. As this pathogen thrives and winters over on dead and dying plant material, remove any plant debris, spent or fallen flowers and leaves from the growing area to reduce the possibility of spreading the fungus. Some growers recommend removing and disposing of all affected flowers to help prevent the spread of the fungus, and even burning or Air Circulation. Keep plenty of fresh air moving through the growing area and around plants at all times. A stagnant, damp environment with inadequate air circulation promotes the growth of botrytis. Good air circulation is a necessity to prevent fungal infections year round, but most especially when plants are in bloom. Increasing the ambient temperature and air movement and decreasing the humidity during cool, damp weather will help eliminate any excess moisture on plant tissue, thus minimizing the chances of infection. In most areas, orchids grown outdoors already have the necessary air movement in their environment. Watering. When watering, avoid wetting the plant and its flowers, if possible. Water that remains on petals or leaves after a rain or watering encourages fungal growth. Watering early in the day helps ensure that the plant and its flowers will be dry by nightfall. Never allow blooms or foliage to remain wet overnight. Companion plants may host a variety of pests and diseases that also affect orchids, including botrytis. Inspect any companion plants in the growing area for signs of the fungus. Some plants susceptible to botrytis include African violets, amaryllis, Amazon lily, azaleas, begonias, cacti, caladium, calla lily, camellias, castor beans, chrysanthemums, cinerarias, coleus, cornflowers, dahlias, dracaenas, dusty millers, ferns, fig, fuchsias, gardenias, gloxinias, heliotrope, passion flower and poinsettias. Finally, isolate any new plants for a minimum of two weeks before admitting them to your growing area and into your orchid collection. During the isolation period, keep a close eye on the new acquisition for signs of any pest or disease that could be spread to other plants. Control. Once the botrytis spotting occurs, there is no removing it — only preventing future occurrences. A fungicide such as thiphanate methyl, iprodione, vinclozolin or Physan can be applied as needed to prevent further outbreaks. Since the infection primarily affects flower petals, many growers do not recommend the use of fungicides. As with any chemical, always use it in strict compliance with the manufacturer’s instruction Page 11 SCOS February 2015 Newsletter Page 12 SCOS February 2015 Newsletter