mhos newslettermhos.us.com/documents/newsletters/2015/2015-10_mhos_newsletter.pdf · less...
Post on 02-Nov-2019
1 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
www.mhos.us.com
The Mid‐Hudson Orchid Society meets the 2nd Sunday of each month at 1:30 pm at the Union Presbyterian Church, 44 Balmville Road (corner of Balmville Road and Beech Street), in Newburgh, NY 12550. Bring your blooming orchids for the show table.
2015 Meeting Dates
October 17 – Fall Show & Sale November 8 – speaker Kim Fedderson of Fair Orchids, (www.fairorchids.com) “Growing the Vandaceous Alliance in the Northeast” (P) December 13 – Holiday Potluck and Elections January 2016 – no meeting February 14, 2016 – member Isabel Lopatin: “Growing Hot and Cold: Orchids that Thrive/Survive with Seasonal Temperature Extremes, and How to Grow Them. March 18, 2016 SATURDAY Spring Show & Sale 11:00‐3:00
October 2015
MHOS NEWSLETTER
Meetings
MHOS is an Affiliated Organization of the American Orchid Society
(NP) = Member plant sales not permitted
(P) = Member plant sales
Saturday, October 17: Fall Show & Sale
Setup begins at 5:00 on Friday the 16th. Ruth will open the building at 9:00 on Saturday morning, sales to members will begin at 10:00, and the public may begin purchasing at 11:00. The sale closes at 3:00, and cleanup will take about an hour. MHOS gets most of its income from its sales, so please come support the club by purchasing plants, working the sale, or contributing food for sale workers to snack on.
Also, please bring your blooming plants for the show table. Ribbons will be awarded.
Sunday, November 15: Kim Feddersen, “Growing Vandaceous Orchids in the Northeast”
Growing Orchids in China 1,000 Years Ago
Around the year 250, orchids began to be cultivated in the gardens of the Chinese nobility; by about 700, people of all classes were cultivating orchids. Some treatises on the subject of orchid cultivation in pots were published in the thirteenth century, but were probably written one or two hundred years before that. The principles of culture are the same as they are today, but some of the recommended ingredients, being from a pre‐industrial era, were not what we are used to.
Repotting was recommended for autumn or early winter. Plants were extracted from the pot by soaking, loosening the medium and easing the plant out slowly, or by breaking the pot. Rotten roots were removed, the remaining roots trimmed, and the plant split into divisions of three to four growths. It was said that smaller divisions were afraid of being detached from their mothers. The orchid was to be planted below the rim of the pot, then pulled up gently.
Zheng Sixiao (1206–83)
The single‐flowered, short infloresence looks like Cymbidium goeringii
Page 2
Page 3
President* Ruth Nattras 845‐343‐2901 Vice President* Isabel Lopatin 914‐393‐2514 Membership Secretary* Brenda Peterson 914‐489‐9152 Corresponding Secretary* Barbara Russell 845‐744‐3759 Program Secretary* Elisabeth Mansfield 845‐294‐1000 Elaine Grega 845‐679‐6531 Recording Secretary* Brenda Peterson 914‐489‐9152 Treasurer* John Warren 845‐562‐0681 AOS Rep Maryelisa Blundell mblundell@frontiernet.net Librarian Ruth Nattras 845‐343‐2901 Newsletter and Website Isabel Lopatin 914‐393‐2514 isabel.lopatin@gmail.com * MHOS Officer Other positions are volunteer
MHOS Officers & Volunteers 2015
October 2015
The prescribed potting medium was broken brick in the bottom half of the pot with “finer sand” in the top half. There is also reference to “burnt earth”, which must have been something like fired clay pellets. This sounds like an inorganic medium, but rich organic matter was to be mixed in. The most recommended organic ingredients were dried goose and goat manure, and minerals were added in the form of ash from pig and cow bones. Liquid fertilizer was to be applied once or twice a month, according to where the plant was in its growth cycle, and also when the inflorescence was a few inches long, and then immediately after flowering. The pot was to be flushed after fertilizing. Water that fish had been washed in was a recommended fertilizer, as were beans that had been soaked in boiling water, but it’s hard to envision this. Was the water the useful part, or were the beans mixed into the medium?
One recommendation that would make most modern hobby orchid growers cringe was to cut the repotted plant’s first inflorescence when it emerged. This was done to conserve the plant’s “qi”, which allowed it to build vigor for the next blooming season. Today, nurseries that grow for the cut flower trade do the same thing.
When the water is bad, the other cultural factors make no difference. Morning mist was considered the best source, so potted orchids were kept outside as much as possible. Rain water was collected and used on orchids, but when that was lacking, water from ponds and streams was used. Well water was not recommended, especially in the spring. Some growers in the Hudson Valley have killed orchids by using hard well water, and the problem was probably the same for growers in parts of China.
The Chinese were able to cultivate species that were found in their own country, so they had knowledge of the natural habitats of the plants. When Europeans started cultivating exotic orchids, they had no idea what the native habitats were like. Plants were stuffed into pots and put in hot houses called “stoves”, where the excessive heat and lack of moving, fresh air killed most of them. As far as we can tell, the Chinese never made that mistake: they were able to learn from nature and provide the appropriate environment from the beginning. It no doubt took time, but persistent pursuit of cultural technique, along with communication among growers, created a marvelous orchid‐growing tradition in China.
Zheng Banqia (1693‐1765)
Cymbiidium sinense or similar species. Many paintings of Chinese Cymbidums show them growing on rocks.
Page 3 October 2015
Roots, with Greg Griffis: Notes from The Ultimate Culture Talk, with Editorial Supplementation
The most obvious – and unique ‐ thing about non‐terrestrial orchid roots is the velamen, the outermost layer of the root; aroids are the only other plants that have it. The purpose of the velamen is to absorb water and nutrients. The cortex transports the water and nutrients absorbed by the velamen to the stele, the wiry core of the root that contains the xylem and phloem. The stele is the true root. It does the work of feeding the plant, but it is only able to do its job because the outer layers capture and transfer the necessary ingredients.
As the root grows, the older velamen cells die, allowing them to become sponges for water and dissolved minerals. The dead velamen becomes transparent when wet, making it possible for us to see the chloroplasts in the cortex. When a mature root is saturated with water, it looks completely green, but the younger the root, the less absorptive the velamen, so you won’t see all of an orchid’s roots turn green.
Before watering, some of the roots of this Phalaenopsis japonica were light green, indicating that the velamen contained some moisture but was not saturated. After watering, the older roots became a deeper green while the
younger ones turned pale green.
Velamen also serves to anchors to the orchid’s host, be that a tree branch, a rock, a pot, a mount, or a basket. The cells will flatten as they adhere because they need to make as much contact with the host’s surface as possible.
Page 3
We grow most of our orchids in pots, even though their roots are capable of photosynthesis. If we manage to expose some or all of the roots to light, the plant will produce more energy. Mounting accomplishes this, but growing in clear plastic pots or in baskets is also helpful. When an orchid has roots that want to wander outside the pot, let them, and be sure to mist and water these roots also. They are more efficient than roots in pots, and they perform photosynthesis.
Most people take care not to damage roots when they are repotting, but branched roots will recover from breaking by branching some more. If the plant’s roots are not branched, it pays to take care not to injure the growing tips of the newer roots.
After Greg Griffis gave us an understanding of roots, he talked about watering, and memorably said that “you can’t water too much, but you can water too often.” Give the plant a lot of water when you water it, but if you water too often, it won’t grow well. To determine how often you need to water an orchid, you have to understand the moisture conditions of its native habitat, including rainfalls, fogs, dew, mist, and the seasonality thereof. You also need to know what it grows on, which can be moss, lichens, humus, detritus, clay, rock, or bare tree branches.
Greg thinks about watering in terms of three aspects of absorption, 1) the wet‐dry cycle, or how often you need to water, 2) the length of time the roots should be wet, which can be controlled by the composition of the potting medium, and 3) thoroughness of watering. He uses his knowledge of an orchid’s habitat to figure out how much the roots can dry out before being watered again. If they need to retain 85%, the plant will be potted in an absorptive medium. If it needs to retain 50%, he will use a less absorptive medium. He waters thoroughly when the moisture level is about to go below what is needed. “Thoroughly” can mean applying water to the roots 2‐3 times during a watering session, making sure the entire root system gets watered.
Once you know how often a specific orchid wants to be watered and how fast it likes to dry out, you have to decide what you can commit to. For example, if you can water every day, you can grow many plants mounted. If you only want to water twice a week, you have to select the appropriate potting medium for each plant. Those that need to retain a lot of moisture in the roots should be in moss, while some others can be in a bark mix.
Greg gave some examples of how he has calculated moisture retention needs. Phaius tankervilleae (below left) grows at 4,000 feet in woods and grasslands. It is found in moist depressions that contain black soil. The roots are fleshy, white, and hairy. The fleshiness means a lot of moisture is needed, the whiteness means there’s not much photosynthesis going on in the roots, and the hairiness also indicates a need for lots of moisture. Rainfall is high during the growing season. Greg decided that the moisture level should not go below 70%. Alan Koch told us that Cattleya purpurata gets rained on 340 days of the year, but dries by nightfall because it is exposed on rocks, as in the photo below. Do not water this species until the roots have dried.
Phaius tankervilleae, Sulawesi, Indonesia, © Peter O’Byrne
Cattleya purpurata, southern Brazil, © Luiz Filipe Varella
Some of us do not grow many orchid species, so how are we to determine the moisture needs of a hybrid, particularly a complex one? This is easier with some genera that with others. Because they have no pseudobulbs, monopodial orchids, such as Phals, will always want more water than sympodial orchids, such as Cattleyas. Some hybrids are easy to grow and bloom while others are not. If you have a particularly difficult one, research the species it’s composed of to find out whether one of them has strikingly different watering needs.
October 2015
Page 5
1st Sunday, 11:30am
Central NY – Syracuse www.cnyos.org
1st Sunday, 1 pm
Northeastern PA – Lakeville www.nepaorchidsociety.org
1st Tuesday, 7:30pm
Pinelands – Medford, NJ pinelandsorchidsociety.org
1st Saturday, 1:30pm
North Eastern New York – Albany/Colonie, NY www.nenyos.org
2nd Monday, 7:30pm
Suffolk – Setauket www.suffolkorchids.com
2nd Tuesday, 7pm
Greater Westchester – White Plains, NY
2nd Tuesday, 7:30pm
Deep Cut – Tinton Falls, NJ www.deepcutorchids.com
2nd Wednesday, 7pm
Manhattan – New York, NY www.manhattanorchid.org
2nd Wednesday, 7pm
Connecticut – Farmington or Cheshire www.ctorchids.org
2nd Thursday, 8pm
North Jersey – East Hanover www.njorchids.org
2nd Thursday, 7:30pm
Long Island – Lynbrook longislandorchidsociety.org
3rd Sunday, 2pm
Western PA – Pittsburgh, PA www.oswp.org
3rd Sunday, 2pm
Southern Tier – Binghamton www.storchidsociety.com
3rd Tuesday, 7pm
Staten Island, NY www.siosonline.com
3rd Wednesday
Matinecock ‐ Oyster Bay, NY
3rd Wednesday, 7pm
Greater NY – Bronx, NY www.gnyos.org
3rd Thursday, 7pm
Ramapo – Englewood, NJ www.ramapoorchid.org
4th Tuesday, 7pm
Jersey Highlands ‐ Augusta, NJ www.jerseyhighlandsorchid.
Other Area Societies
Events in the Northeast
NORTHEAST JUDGING CENTER
Chair, Stamford ‐ John Sullivan, 299 Villige Place, Wyckoff, NJ 07481; C: (201) 835‐0113, H: (201) 891‐6657,Email:johndsullivan@optonline.net
Judging takes place at the Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens, Silver Educational Center, 151 Brookdale Road, Stamford, CT at 12:00PM on the third Saturday of the month. Send cut flowers to: John Sullivan, 299 Villiage Place, Wyckoff, NJ 07481.
Central New York Orchid Society Show, Sep 26‐27 Beaver Lake Nature Center, 8477 East Mud Lake Road, Baldwinsville, NY (map) Contact: Albert Messina, MD 516‐367‐4409 albert.messina@gmail.com
Susquehanna Orchid Society Show “The Art of the Orchid”, October 2‐5 Ware Center of Millersville University, 42 N. Prince Street, Lancaster, PA (map) Contact: Jay Holcomb & Denise Conklin 717‐252‐6092 jayh530@comcast.net Deep Cut Orchid Society Annual Orchid Auction, October 11 Preview 11am, Auction 12‐5pm Monmouth Reform Temple, 332 Hance Avenue, Tinton Falls, New Jersey 07724. The compiled auction plant catalog will be posted on www.deepcutorchids.com on or around October 7, 2015, and this year DCOS will be accepting most credit cards.
Connecticut Orchid Society Show "Orchid Harvest 2015", Oct 16‐18 Van Welgen's Garden Center, 51 Valley Road, North Branford, CT (map) Contact: Cheryl Mizak 203‐264‐6096 cmizak@alcher.com Massachusetts Orchid Society Show, Nov 6‐8 Mahony’s Garden Center, 242 Cambridge St, Winchester, MA (map) Contact: Joanna Eckstrom, 603‐654‐5070, show@massorchid.org Niagara Frontier Orchid Society Show, Nov 14‐15 Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave, Buffalo, NY (map) Contact: Donna Lipowicz, 716‐479‐7698, ladysliper@roadrunner.com
Orchid events around the world can be found in the AOS magazine Orchids or on the AOS website at www.aos.org. Check before traveling to see if there may be a local orchid event at your destination. For Hudson Valley gardening events, see www.HVgardencalendar.com.
Schedule Changes in 2016
We have eliminated the January meeting and added a July meeting. The main reason for this is weather: January meetings can get cancelled due to snow, and now that the hall has air‐conditioning, July meetings will be bearable.
October 2015
`
Mid
-Hud
son
Orc
hid
Soc
iety
c/
o Is
abel
Lop
atin
13
Pin
e S
t C
old
Spri
ng N
Y 1
0516
AO
S Judging T
he Northeast Judging C
enter holds two m
onthly orchid judging sessions: 1
st Saturday of each month at T
ower H
ill Botanic G
arden, Boylston, M
A. N
ew
contact for directions: Robert W
inkley (617) 282-7351. ww
w.tow
erhillbg.org. 3
rd Saturday of each month at the B
artlett Arboretum
and Gardens, 151 B
rookdale R
oad, Stam
ford, Connecticut. S
lides or presentations at 10am, judging begins around
12pm; bring your lunch.
For further inform
ation, contact Rita C
ohen at 516-374-6426 or orchart@optonline.net
Directions to A
OS Judging at the B
artlett Arboretum
& G
ardens
Form
erly at the Ham
pton Inn, Elm
sford, the regular AO
S Northeast judging m
eetings have moved to a new
location about 15-20 m
inutes away, at the B
artlett Arboretum
& G
ardens, Stam
ford, CT
. F
rom the M
erritt Parkw
ay (Route 15). T
ake Exit 35 and follow
High R
idge Road (R
oute 137) north for 1.5 miles to B
rookdale Road.
Turn left on B
rookdale Road and proceed 3/10 of a m
ile. The entrance to the B
artlett Arboretum
will be on your right.
It is a beautiful facility and a great place to visit. Their w
ebsite is ww
w.bartlettarboretum
.org or you can call 203-322-6971.
Check out our
Facebook Page It’s M
id-Hudson O
rchid Society
top related