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IMPORTANT
NOTICE-CHANGE OF MEETING PLACE The
Colorado Springs Orchid Society has been asked to find a new meeting
place. We will no longer be meeting at the Horticulture and Education
Center on Glen Ave.
Next Meeting: April 26, 2008 - 10:00 a.m. - at MacKenzie Place
Retirement Village, 1605 Elm Creek View, Colorado Springs, CO, 80907. It
is located on Fillmore, between Templeton Gap Road and Union Boulevard.
Note, the entrance to the complex is not on Fillmore Street. If you are
traveling from I-25, take Exit 145, Fillmore Street and travel east
approximately two miles. Turn right unto Templeton Gap Road, then left on
Melissa Drive, then left unto Elm Creek View. The large building on the
right will be the meeting place. Traveling from Union, turn west onto
Paseo, then right unto Melissa Drive, right unto Elm Creek View. Parking
is on the street area in front of the building or you may travel to the
end of the building (northeast end) which has additional parking. There is
also parking in the rear of the building. Website - www.mackenzieplace.com
will show you an overview of the area.
PROGRAM: Mark Wilson will give a talk on plant taxonomy - why the
names of our orchid plants are changing.
MYSTERY PLANT SALE - Robin will bring in 15-20 plants for a mystery
plant sale. The plants will be in a paper bag and will cost $15.00. Please
don’t open your bags until you get home. The first person to get their
orchid to bloom will win a cash award of $30.00. Everyone will get the
plant name tag after the prize is awarded.
Bring plants for show and tell. Raffle tickets $1.00. Those bringing a
plant get a free raffle ticket.
Refreshments: Last names beginning with: M through R
PLEASE NOTE: Annual Dues $15.00 per person, $22.00 per family. If you
cannot attend this meeting, you may mail your check to Jim Logsdon at 6915
Oak Hill Circle, Colorado Springs, CO 80919-1424. Make the check out to
the Colorado Springs Orchid Society. .
Treasurer’s Report: Jim Logsdon checkbook balance $1,921.12
Savings account 1,046.99
Meeting: March 22, 2008: Jim Logsdon stated he paid the annual bill
for the website connection. Kathy showed the folders to be given to new
members. They will contain the Orchid Society business card, by-laws,
membership roster, orchid websites, orchid pronunciation, an article on
repotting, some pamphlets for the Orchid Digest (thanks Lois) and several
information sheets on the most commonly owned orchids.
Don Jewell who is having the business cards printed thought there
should be some contact people listed. Charlie and Robin said their names
and numbers could be on the cards. A suggestion was made to just have a
line printed for name and number and whoever gives them out can write in
their own. It was also suggested to have a map on it.
Barb stated that she, Vivienne and Sandy went to the Spring Orchid show
in Denver. It was a bench show and she was impressed with how easy
registration went. The people there put in the plant name tags and even
wrapped the orchids in black cloth. Sandy and Barb won two ribbons and
Vivienne won one ribbon. Roger also went to the show and told us about a
huge Cattleya loddigesii. Lois D. stated it was awarded an FCC - the first
one ever given at a Denver show and a CCE which is the highest cultural
award given. It is owned by Bob Andress (sp?) from Salt Lake City. (Note
from Kathy - FCC, First Class Certificate is awarded to a plant that has
received a combined flower quality score of 90-100 points. CCE,
Certificate of Cultural Excellence is awarded to the grower of a plant
that receives a combined culture score of 90-100 points. It is a rare
honor bestowed for extremely high cultural skill.)
There may not be a fall orchid show in Denver as the Botanical Garden
may be doing some remodeling. Also, the judging center may change. Lois D.
will keep us updated. A discussion was held regarding if we as a club are
members of the American Orchid Society. Jim L. said yes. Barb wondered if
we should be a member of the Denver Orchid Society in order to get their
newsletters. Several of our members belong to the Denver society and will
share the newsletter. Jim said we used to be a member of the Southwest
Regional Orchid Growers Assn. Lois D. stated that group will be hosting a
show to be held May 2 nd through the 4th in
Rogers Arkansas. The shows are usually held in Texas, Oklahoma and
Arkansas.
Barb stated she spoke with Kent who is Stan’s son from Fantasy Orchids.
He could come down to do a presentation for us, but he would rather us go
up to the nursery. Fantasy Orchids will give us a fifteen to twenty
percent discount for any plants purchased if we go there. July and August
would be the best times. The orchid club in Fort Collins likes the
presentation he does on how Stan and his crew buy orchids and what is
going on in the orchidindustry. Also,
Kent can give a good presentation on dendrobiums. Frank motioned and
it was seconded that we travel to Fantasy Orchids on Saturday July 26,
2008, to hear a talk on dendrobiums. We will not have a regular meeting
that day - just travel to the nursery.
Note from Barb Pollock 4/8/08: Barb has confirmed our
outing to Fantasy Orchids on Saturday the 26th of July. Kent will do a
presentation on Dendrobium orchids. He has a slide show on them and has
done presentations before so it should be pretty good. We can meet at the
parking lot of the Academy Hotel, 8110 N. Academy.
This is the same area we always meet for carpooling to the Denver Orchid
shows. It used to be the Radisson Hotel. As of now, we tentatively will
meet at 9:30 a.m. and carpool/caravan to Fantasy Orchids, 830 W. Cherry
Street in Louisville, CO, (www.fantasyorchids.com). We will have a sign up
sheet at the next several meetings. .It would be appreciated if the riders
would contribute money for gas to those driving. It is estimated the
program will last forty-five minutes to one hour. We may want to bring a
sack lunch or dine somewhere close by as we will want to have time to shop
for orchids also. Members will be given a fifteen to twenty percent
discount on purchases. We probably would not be arriving back in the
Springs until 4:00 p.m. Those wanting to be back sooner could take their
own cars. We would like to have many members attend to represent our
Orchid Society. It would be very disappointing to have only five or six
people attend, so check your calendars and plan to support your club for
this program. Details will be worked out at the next meeting.
Robin stated that Orchid Digest thanks everyone for
their support. She stated they are making available a Diamond Award of
Excellence paper weight that costs $15.00 plus postage and handling which
can be given to a member of our society if we so choose. Orchid societies
can choose one person a year to receive this award.
Jack Mahay brought in a neofinetia falcata for repotting
by the Fuukiran method (see Orchid Digest Magazine, Vol. 70-2, April, May,
June, 2006). He said cheaper pots can be had from Orchids Limited for
about $18.00 or plastic ones for $3.00- $4.00. Jack stated that
neofinetias need a lot of air; they like to dry out. He got his plant from
Oak Hill and it is growing in coconut fiber. To demonstrate this method of
planting, Jack borrowed Lois’s plastic water bottle and began placing
sphagnum moss over and around the top of the bottle. He then placed the
plant on top and spread the roots around it and began to wrap long fibers
of the moss around the bottle top to hold the plant in place. The moss
should be damp for easier handling. The roots of the plant should be
pliable. Cover the plant roots with moss, then trim the moss being careful
not to cut the roots!! You can then lift the plant from the bottle and set
it into the pot. There should be an air pocket which is why you use a
bottle to create the mound shape. Tuck the moss edges into the pot. Thanks
to Jack for this very informative and enjoyable demonstration.
Another discussion and reminder regarding care in using
sphagnum moss as it can have fungus spores in it which can be transferred
to your skin when handling. Use gloves or what Bob Steele does is after
using the moss, rinses his hands in apple cider vinegar, followed by a 3%
hydrogen peroxide. This should kill the organisms. You can also use a 10%
Clorox solution. Mark said that Ricks Nursery stocks New Zealand moss, but
it may not be the long fiber. Jack purchased his moss from Orchids
Unlimited. Bob ordered Chilean moss, but it wasn’t as long a fiber as New
Zealand but had the same texture and was a good alternative - it comes in
a block.
Show and Tell: As usual, many beautiful orchids were
displayed.
Lois D. stated she was having some trouble with spots on
paphs and spoke with Glen from Piping Rock Orchids. He suggested she spray
her plants with ¼ tsp to ½ tsp of 3% hydrogen peroxide mixed with one
gallon of water. As hydrogen peroxide breaks down, you must mix it when
you are ready to spray.
Magda has a seed pod from an Ansellia Africana, (dwarf
variety) which she will give to anyone who is interested in trying to grow
it.
Tom Dewar brought in a Hawkinsara that he tried to grow
in lots of different plant mediums, but finally in desperation planted it
in shredded tires. Low and behold it is doing great. Be careful of those
steel belted tires!!
REQUEST FROM BARB POLLOCK: I am closing on my new house
next week and I would like to divide and take along as many of my
perennials as possible. If club members have 1 gallon or 5 gallon plastic
pots from their previous plant purchases that they would like to donate, I
could sure use them for my divisions. If you could bring them to the
meeting that would be great.
At the May 24th meeting - Bob Steele will give a talk on orchid
fertilization.
NEED HELP??
Bring in your problem plants or plants to be identified. Our “experts”
(all of the Co. Spgs. Orchid Society members) will opine on what’s to be
done with them! If diseased (creepy crawlies, scale, spots, streaks, weird
looking) please keep them separate from Show & Tell Plants.
BEGINNERS CORNER
From Magda Martinez, Colorado Springs Orchid Society: Spring Orchid
Care
Ahh, spring is finally in the air and the world outside is quickly
awakening. Early blooming perennials are peeking out to welcome the warmer
temperatures, lengthening daylight hours and bright sunshine. Imagine if
you will, what your orchids are sensing during this wondrous time of year.
After all, the mornings are crisp and fresh while the sunshine warm and
inviting outside.
In our rocky mountain region with the daylight hours rapidly
increasing, orchid needs are heightening as well. Repotting can be
critical to the overall health and productivity of your plants. Fresh new
medium is extremely beneficial to orchids outgrowing their pots or those
simply containing stale mix, especially before stifling 80-90 degree
temperatures strike throughout the summer months. Additionally, great care
should be taken in the cleaning of all tools and materials utilized
throughout the repotting process to prevent the spread of disease among
your plants. Perhaps, a root stimulator should be considered to aid your
orchids in the development of new roots either during or after repotting.
Another consideration is the feeding of growing as well as blooming
orchids. Increase the use of fertilizer along with calcium. Remember, in
nature, orchids receive constant nourishment in light dosages throughout
the year.
Furthermore, in Colorado Springs because of the lack of calcium in the
drinking water, adding calcium at regular intervals is what orchids need -
particularly for orchidists whom desire optimum performance from their
plants --- Calcium is a must. However, be aware some fertilizers on the
market today contain calcium in the mix, (i.e. Dyna-Gro), although very
few do.
As weather permits, consider which plants might be candidates for
summering outdoors by gradually introducing them outside. Vandas,
Dendrobiums, Cattleyas, Cymbidiums and Oncidiums thoroughly delight in
being placed out in the fresh air and warm sunlight. However, a close eye
must be kept on the rise and fall of our Colorado temperatures. Likewise,
pests, deer and squirrels love tasty pseudobulbs to munch on, so beware.
Finally, after meeting your orchid’s immediate needs as well as
carefully attending to spring cleaning tasks, sit back and enjoy the
explosion of spring both in your outdoor and indoor gardens. The lovely
smells and brilliant colors to come will be reward enough for your
dedication and hard work. Spring is indeed in the air.
.Future Meeting Dates: May 24, 2008, June 28, 2008, July 26, 2008 (to
Fantasy Orchids)
Newsletter: Kathy LaBree, 598-4244 or (rklabree@comcast.net)
I will send the newsletter out approximately two weeks before the next
meeting. Please contact me if you have something to add.
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