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Lemboglossum bictoniense album color form Photo courtesy Akerne Orchids >
August 2002 issue Want something printed in the newsletter? E-mail it to nwosnews@attbi.com no later than the 25th of the month.
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September 2002
SEPTEMBER MEETING September
9 , 2002 Shows and Nurseries Around the World The September meeting will highlight a slide show from the Orchid Digest entitled "Orchid Ramblings by Leo Holquin: Shows and Nurseries Around the World." I am looking for a brave volunteer with a strong voice to read the narration that accompanies the slide show. Please contact me if this sounds like fun to you! GROOMING TIPS FOR ORCHIDS All members are encouraged to enter their blooming plants in the Fall Show. Here are some grooming tips to make sure your plants look their best whether you bring them to the Show or just bring them along for the plant table at our monthly meeting. You should begin preparing an orchid for exhibition before the blooms are actually open. By doing so the flowers are encouraged to open to their fullest potential and present themselves in the best way possible. Using a pair of clean shears cut off any old bloom spikes or remnants. If the plant has any unsightly leaves use sterilized shears or a razor blade to cut the damaged part off. Dress all cuts to healthy plant tissue with fungicide powder to discourage infection. Be discreet and remove only the dead part of a leaf. If most of the plant looks unhealthy you are better off not showing it. Carefully remove any dried sheaths from the pseudobulbs. An old toothbrush moistened with a little water or rubbing alcohol works well. Insert a stake into the potting media close to the bottom of the flowering growth. The idea is that the media will firmly anchor the base of the stake while the top is anchored to the pseudobulb. Stakes are available in different materials with bamboo and galvanized wire probably being the most popular. Do not try to rush at this stage. Although orchids are resilient plants, a broken flower spike can be heartbreaking. If the spike has developed at an angle to the pseudobulb, trying to force the spike to the stake will probably break it. Instead, move the stake to the inflorescence. Fasten the stake to the top of the pseudobulb, where the leaf meets it, with a piece of twist-tie or bell wire. Holding the pseudobulb and stake firmly, give it a slight bend to meet the flower spike. Be careful and deliberate. You don¼t want to slip and break the flowers. At this point the stake can be cut to a level just below the buds. Now we can fasten the inflorescence to the stake using twist-tie or bell wire. The objective here is to support the inflorescence as the buds develop and become heavy allowing them to open naturally. Staking also protects the flowers while transporting the plant, especially long spikes like Phals and Oncidiums. Next, clean any unsightly chemical residue off the leaves using a mixture of milk and water mixed half and half. By using whole milk rather than skim we can impart a nice natural sheen to the orchid¼s leaves as well as clean them. Avoid commercial leaf shine products which often produce an exaggerated effect. Although the AOS scoring system does not provide for baskets, an attractive basket does hide an algae-covered pot. A little spanish moss adds a nice finishing touch to the presentation. Just a small amount of time spent on these few items will dramatically enhance the visual appeal of the display and may mean a ribbon or even an AOS award. Courtesy of the American Orchid Society. FROM THE PRESIDENT I hope everyone had a long hot fun summer. What better way to end the summer but with a orchid show. That¼s right on September 14-15 is our second annual fall show, we still need volunteers and goodies made so remember to sign up at the next meeting. There are still lots of raffle tickets left to buy so please buy just one ticket to help support this show and who knows you may win! Think of as the first Christmas present bought for that special someone and for only $5. The NWOS has reached a new height in the electronic age as we are developing a discussion group online. This will be a place that you can go and express your opinion on what happened at the meeting. And we do want your opinion, this will help us to develop better programs. Your opinion counts! In closing, I just want to remind everyone who has plants in bloom to bring them to the Tukwila Center to add to our display. See you at the meeting. Jamie
Notman WEB SITE OF THE MONTH I hope you took my advice from last month and checked out the "Orchid Mall." Now that you are ready to spend your money buying orchids online I thought you might be interested in a web site that rates retail growers in the areas of "service," and "product." Buyers can easily add their ratings and the webmaster tries to make some assurances that the ratings are valid. Some rating sites tend to attract people who are just wanting to vent and gripe about a vendor but this one seems to attract fair and intelligent raters (of course, these are orchid lovers!). There were over 60 new ratings during the past two weeks. I've appreciated getting some rating information on the sellers who sell orchids on E-bay. Has anyone tried that yet? I suggest scanning the ratings and reading in more depth the reviews of some of the growers with whom you are considering contacting for a purchase. I also urge you to add your own ratings. This web site also makes it easy for you to immediately go directly to the vendors site (through hyperlinks) after reading the reviews. Good luck, surf's up! — Darrow Chan August 2002
Web Site of the Month: Orchid
Mall ALL ABOUT THE FALL SHOW AND SALE
All the tables are assigned and it seems we have a show for Fall! The Fall Show and Sale, happening on the 14th and 15th of September in the beautiful Tukwila Community Center, will have a total of 10 vendors and one visiting society. They are:
Like last year, our timing is not good for some of the surrounding societies, and they could not make it to our show. There are still plenty of tickets available for the Reichenbachia Raffle. Tickets will be sold at the next meeting, and at the show. I want to collect all the ticket stubs and money at the next meeting, so please have those envelopes ready for me. The plan is to send out an invitation for the special drawing to each ticket holder. Posters will be available at the next meeting for anyone who has a place to hang one. We have had a company distribute 200 of them so far. Jerry Hoffmeister has plenty more, so please help out by placing a poster in your area. Handbills will also be available. They have good directions on the back, so please pick one up. We will have the rules and entry forms for the Art Show at the next meeting. This is our first run at an Art Show, and we are hoping it makes an impact. Members of the society are encouraged to enter. The NWOS will also have a sales table for members and the Society to sell plants. If you want to sell plants on the Society table, you must volunteer to work a shift at the Show. If you are interested, please complete the „Application to Sell¾ form available on the newsletter web site or at the September meeting. Volunteers are still needed for the Show. Please take a look at the volunteer sign-up list or see Kathy Murray for details. We need food-makers especially, so please consider contributing in that way if you cannot be at the Show. We can have a pick-up/delivery person assigned to help you. Please see George Grantham for information on displaying plants in the Showroom. Trophy donations went a little better than last year, but there are still some that have no sponsors. If this is your thing, please indicate your sponsorship with a check for $25.00 at the next meeting. Have I asked for enough yet? That is all, and I will see you all at the next meeting, where I can speak to you I person. — Robin Kemph, Show Chair SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER CHECKLIST Cattleya Despite the shortening days and lowering angle of the sun, September can still be one of the hottest months. Water and fertilizer need to be in balance with heat and light. The alert grower will notice, however, that his or her plants are beginning to slow down a bit. Growths are maturing, and the sheaths are giving the promise of the next six-months¼ bloom. Check plants for potting needs for the last time this season. Any in dire need should be potted, even some that may be on the cusp, as there is just enough of the growing season left to allow the plants to establish before the days start to get really short and cold. Plants summered outdoors should begin to be prepared to be brought back into the winter growing area. Clean the plants up and be on the lookout for any pests they may have picked up during the summer. Treat as necessary. This is also the month for purples derived from Cattleya labiata breeding to flower. There is nothing that can quite match this type for beauty and fragrance. They are easy to grow, too. Cycnoches This little-known and under-appreciated genus, which can have male or female flowers, is at its best in the autumn. Two of the spectacular varieties are Cycnoches loddigesii, with its large brown flowers resembling a prehistoric bird, and Cycnoches ventricosum, the swan orchid. This last one has large, fragrant green flowers. The biggest problem, culturally, will be red spider mite infestations that require immediate attention. Plants are quite seasonal, requiring heavy watering in the growing season and then a drier dormant winter season. Cymbidium Through diligent modern breeding programs, the cymbidium season gets stretched longer and longer. Now we can expect to have flowers open as early as September and October. Stake inflorescences and move the plants to a shadier location to help the flowers develop successfully. Because the plants will have warmth tolerance „built in¾ genetically, keeping the plants as cool as possible will help prevent bud curl. For the midseason varieties, inflorescences should be initiated by now. Feed plants on a regular schedule with a balanced fertilizer (20-20-20) and shade the plants lightly. Dendrobium This is a good season for hybrids of the Dendrobium phalaenopsis and Dendrobium canaliculatum types. Both are capable of putting on tremendous shows of long-lasting flowers. Fertilize with a low-nitrogen formula to promote the best flowers. Dendrobium phalaenopsis can get tall and top heavy, suggesting an attractive and heavy container would be appropriate for this type. Lemboglossum Both Lemboglossum (syn. Odontoglossum) bictoniense and its hybrids bloom in this season. Lemboglossum bictoniense is a showy species from Mexico that has three different color forms: sulphureum (green with white lip), album (brown with white lip) and roseum (brown with a pink lip). It is a vigorous grower with tall inflorescences of many flowers, and imparts to its progeny (as seen in Odcdm. Bittersweet and Odm. bicross) ease of culture, warmth tolerance and eye-catching patterns. They make a good plant for odontoglossum beginners and advanced alike. Paphiopedilum Standard, green-leaved paphiopedilums begin to show their bloom sheaths this month. Late-season heat waves can blast these early sheaths, so be observant about proper cooling and air circulation. As with the rest of your plants that may have been summered outdoors, it is time to prepare for their move inside. Clean each plant and implement pest-control practices. Repotting, if necessary, is appropriate. Phalaenopsis The bulk of this season¼s growth is being ripened this month, with growers in cooler climates seeing the first emerging inflorescences. Some night heating may be necessary in the cooler areas. Begin to watch watering more carefully, and reduce feeding proportionately with reduced watering needs. An extra dose of phosphorus and potassium, such as a bloom-booster or high-acid-type fertilizer, is beneficial. ã Ned Nash and James Rose, AOS OTHER NEWS Got a suggestion for a speaker or program? The fall schedule is currently open and first vice president Jerry Hoffmeister is interested in knowing what you would like to hear about at upcoming meetings. E-mail at jerry@hoffmeisters.com or call him (206-932-9912) with your suggestions. Orchid Pests and Diseases - 2002 Revised Edition. This update of the 1995 edition of this popular book, published by the American Orchid Society, is packed with practical advice on insect and noninsect pests, bacterial and fungal diseases, orchid viruses, and physiological disorders along with suggested cures and treatments. New features include a chapter on the natural control of insects and mites, a glossary of more than 95 terms and a list of centers that identify orchid ailments. 77 color and 25 black-and-white photographs. Softcover. 118 pages. Price: $12.00 at the Show; $10 for NWOS members who purchase at the monthly meeting.
UPCOMING EVENTS SEPT.
14-15, 2002 OCT.
5-6, 2002 OCT.
12-13, 2002 NOV.
2-3, 2002
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2003
AOS Calendar Discover the „Wow!¾ factor in the world of orchids with
this glorious calendar that makes a great gift for friends ‚ and for yourself.
The calendar takes a look at 12 orchids whose special qualities seduce
their admirers. Cultural hints for growing each plant picutured are provided.
12 color photographs. 11x22 when open. Price: $10.95 at the Show; $10
for NWOS members who purchase at the monthly meeting.