May 2005

The Orchid Grower

Upcoming Events

Meeting Dates

• May 15: Potting Orchids, J & K Orchids
  
• June 11: OGG Picnic at Judith and Jan Rapacz' house
  

Taisuco Kaaladian 'From Bianchi'  x Three Rivers 'Big Markie'- Lori O'Neill

Officers and Committees

Subit your photos to be included in the newsletter. Every month we want to include a gallery of photos to enjoy. Email your photos to Brook (orchids@tinamoupottery.com).

May Meeting

The meeting will be held at Olbrich gardens at 1:30 on Sunday, May 15. The topic will be about potting orchids. The presentation will be by Joe from J & K Orchids (Neenah, WI). Please arrive by 1:00 to have plants judged.

Elections

Please consider one of the board positions that will be open this year. Open positions: president, vice president, secretary, and board member

Away Show Reimbursement Change

The membership will be voting on a change to the reimbursement amounts given to the volunteers at away shows. Each away show needs a least one car/van to take plants to the show and do set up as well as one car/van to take the show down and bring the plants home. Under the new guidelines, every show except for the Milwaukee show, will have the reimbursement amounts increased. A full breakdown of the new guidelines will be available at the May meeting if you would like to see them before the vote.

April Meeting Synopsis

Ernie Gemeinheit from Enlightened Orchids was the guest speaker- the following information is an excerpt from his talk…

Growing Orchids Under Lights

Many members are interested in setting up grow lights without incurring the potential expense. Ernie cautioned growers’ that if they are challenged by some orchids- remember to only change one thing at a time because by changing one thing all other areas are affected. For example increasing or decreasing the amount of light will impact the amount of water and/or humidity. Secondly- know your orchid. Match the orchid to its “native” growing conditions. That said- Ernie enlightened us on lighting, water, temperature, humidity control, air movement, pest control and fertilizer when growing plants under lights.

Various lighting options include fluorescent, compact fluorescent and HID and incandescent. Ernie does not use HID but that is certainly an option. Incandescent lights tend to produce excessive heat. When considering fluorescent lighting options, a grower may want to look at the CRI or Color Rendering Index. The higher the number, the more pleasing the plant will appear to the human eye. Also look at the brightness usually given in lumens. A foot-candle is equal to lumens per square foot. A third consideration might by Kelvins. The lower the K, the more yellow or red light waves will be; while higher K has the higher blue wavelengths.

When dealing with light, one also needs to consider light quality. By alternating warm (red) lights with cool (blue) lights you will get a synergistic effect (similar to a "1+1=3").

In terms of intensity and plants… Plants that requite “Low” light would need 1000-2000 foot-candles; “Medium” light plants would have a range of 2000-3000 fc and “High” light plants require over 3000 fc.
When it comes to how long to leave lights on a grower will want to try to mimic the natural day-length of the plant’s native habitat. Most plants need at least 8 hours of DARK. Ernie suggested that a grower may want to reduce the day length when temperature exceed 85 degrees, or when plants will be left unattended for extended period of time. He said that when temps exceed 85 degrees plant growth slows down so when the lights are off the temperature will cool. To grow plants under lights a grower must be willing to "want to tinker" with thermostats, timers and heat. Another suggestion was to consider using heating pads (originally designed) for reptile terrariums. (This writer has success using seed propagation mats- heating pads get too hot!)

Water orchids until the water drains through the pot (or soak plant in a bucket). Use room temperature water and remember to water in the morning so that the leaves have a chance to dry out. This reduces the chance of bacteria becoming established in moist condition. The watering program depends on plant preference (see native habitat), pot size, pot type, potting mix, temperature/season, humidity, and yes- light.

Water options (always debatable…) include Reverse Osmosis systems; deionized- which tends to be cheaper but cartridges need to be changed occasionally; distilled; rain water and of course tap water which may be “city” or well. Avoid using spring water or tap/well water that has high TDS (Total Dissolved Solids).

Temperatures necessary for growing orchids depends again, on the type of orchid and its native habitat. Warm growers prefer night temps around 65; Intermediate growers may drop to 55 while Cool growing plants such as cymbidiums and masdevalias are tolerant of 45 (or cooler) nights. A diurnal temperature variation of 10-20 degrees aids- and in some cases is essential for- blooming.

In summary- Ernie reminded growers’ that plants also need air movement. Use (and experiment with!) fans to get the best possible air movement. This will help prevent disease and cool those leaves if it gets too hot.
We ran out of time but as a quick reminder…When it comes to pest control… it is best to prevent pest problems by remembering to quarantine the plants if they are new to you or even if they have been “traveling” to away shows. Keep a clean growing area. The first line of defense against pests might include natural household items such as cinnamon (on cuts and wounds), witch hazel, hydrogen peroxide, soap, alcohol.

Written by Meg McLaughlin

Summer Picnic/Potluck

The summer picnic will be held at 1:30 on Saturday, June 11th at the home of Judith and Jan Rapacz (5701 Tolman Terrace, Madison-608-274-3053). Everyone should bring one dish to share and a chair. There will be plant judging and a silent auction of member plants. Please arrive by 1:00 if you want to auction any plants or enter the ribbon judging.

Minnesota Spring Orchid Show

Jill Hynum and I went to the Orchid Society of Minnesota Spring AOS orchid show this April. One part of the show was a tour of the conservatory at Como Park. We were driven to the Majorie McNeely Conservatory at Como Park for an insider's view of the new addition to a very old Victorian style conservatory.

We rode in the car with two AOS judges, one from New Orleans the other from Ecuador. The judge from Ecuador was Alexander Hirtz. You might think that this name is familiar, as in Masdevallia hirtsii. He has discovered over 1000 new orchids! He doesn't have many orchids in his private collection, about 2000! He is presently the director of the Botanic Garden and Orchid Conservatory of Quito, Ecuador.

So to pass the time, I asked him how to grow Lepanthes! I have had very limited success with that genera. The photo is what Mr. Hirtz recommended as a good way to grow this "basement" growing orchid. (By "basement" growing- meaning low light, high humidity, low air movement, a dark moist environment). He said to take a jar that can be sealed tightly (could lay it down on its side for many Lepanthes are very small) and using one squeeze of the New Zealand moss, to get out the excess water, put the moss into the jar. Then put the Lepanthes in the jar (could attach a number on one piece of tree fern). He said that you could put the jar any where! Open it up & take out the plant(s) once in awhile only to look at them, then put back into the jar. They should bloom in there and not need any watering! Make sure to only water when there is not any condensation in the jar. I would not put the jar where it would get a lot of direct sunlight, for I think that it would cook the plant(s). Anyway I'm trying it with this Lepanthes in the photo. The Lepanthes has only been in the jar about a week. So far so good!

To attend such a meeting was a chance in a life time! There were so many people who I only have read about, attending the meeting! In about two years the Illinois Society is planning to have a Mid-America show. As many people as possible from the Guild should try to attend! There is so much to be learned at the many talks as well as socializing with other attendees!

-Sue Reed

Member Column

Do you have any good ideas about growing orchids? Have you read a good orchid book or article that you would like to tell people about? Please email Brook (orchids@tinamoupottery.com) with your article for inclusion in our monthly newsletter.

April Ribbon Judging

First Place:       Liz Barlow (Bc Binosa ‘Wabash Valley’); Sandy Delamater (Lyorara Schom. Undulate x Lc Rojo, Bl Morning Glory ‘H&R’, Milt Red Knight ‘ The King’, Paph primulinum x flavum); Jill Hynum (Onc Shari Baby); Wayne King (Phal amabilis); Meg McLaughlin (Dialaelia Snowflake ‘Northland’, Phal Miva Smartissimo x CHH); Steve Thimling (Miltonia flavescens, Phrag Andean Fire, Pleurothallis mystax)
 
Second Place:    Sandy Delamater (Milt. Rene Komoda ‘Pacific Clouds’, Paph hirsutissimum, Phal Baldan’s Kaleidoscope ‘Golden Treasure’, Slc Jewel Box ‘Scheherazade’); Wayne King (Phrag  schlimii); Adam Pfeffer (Onc Ralph Yagi ‘Elas’);  Steven Thimling ( Phal Elf Owl x Polka Party x Culiacan)
   
Third Place:     Wayne King (Lc  Hsinying Excell, Phrag Eric Young); Steven Thimling (Dtps Inforno ‘Champ’ x Blessed ‘Shower Tree’)

More Photos

Dtps Taisuco Fire Bird x Ctps Happy Valentine - Grown by Lori O'Neill This was my first orchid, and it finally bloomed this year.  I purchased it from Ackers.