Marin Orchid Society Newsletter June 2017 Non-profit 501(c)3 Corporation

Marni Turkel: Lesser Known

June 27, 2017 @7:00 PM Orchid Doctor at 6:45 Congregation Kol Shofar, 215 Blackfield Drive, Tiburon, CA

In This Issue

President's Letter Dear BackBulb,

Marin County Fair You are receiving this newsletter because you are a current or former member of the Open Houses, Events Marin Orchid Society or because you asked to be added to our mailing list. Should you

CSNJC Awards no longer wish to receive our newsletter, please send an email to [email protected] and write Unsubscribe in the subject line. Thank you Shop Amazon for MOS

Meeting in Tiburon Meeting Place Update + MOS News

Marni Turkel

June Meeting Details Update: MOS Meets in Tiburon through July

May Meeting Review

Expert Grower Tip

May Show & Tell MOS members are enjoying a wonderful meeting room, only

two minutes from 101! The screen is elevated so that the Orchid Bus Trip--SCOS

Speakers' Day, CSNJC speaker never blocks it. If you have not yet seen it, come this month for a treat. Free AOS Webinars

July | August Expert Tips

Orchid Doctor BioMarin has recently informed Julie that construction is back

Purpose & MIssion on track and that our San Rafael meeting

Share Your Passion room may be available again in the fall.

President's Letter In the meantime, at Kol Shofar, in Tiburon, please drive to the upper lot for parking and access. Facing the building, there is a preschool on the right, main building on the left, and a bench in front of the buildings. To the left of the bench is a pathway that leads up to the main meeting area. *******************************

The next Expert Advice articles is in this issue: Weegie Caughlan shares three big words for those new to orchid growing! AOS shares seasonal orchid advice and there are a lot of open houses and related events in the Bay Area. The MOS Friends, California Sierra Nevada Judging Center's annual Speakers' Day looks sensational. Alert: The SCOS orchid bus trip is SATURDAY! Once June arrives, we MOS members get ready to Marni Turkel: display our beautiful blooms at the Marin Lesser Known Oncidiinaea County Fair. The theme of the fair this year targets Speaker Bio and Program the good ol' days of the 60's: flower power (hey, Bio an orchid related theme), tie- dyed clothing, bell Marni Turkel (pronounced tur KELL) bottoms, psychedelic light is a native of the San Francisco Bay shows, GREAT music, and Area and has been growing orchids (depending where you since 1980. She grows in four

were during that time) a greenhouses in Santa Rosa with certain dissatisfaction Marni Turkel approximately 1250 sq ft of growing with society in general space. Her main interest is in miniature species but plenty of and the government in larger have crept into the collection as well. particular. Marni has been a contributor to Orchids Magazine with her I have a great many fond series called 'Well Worth the Space' and 'Give It a Rest'. Her memories of that time articles have been translated into Dutch, German, Portuguese (although, one comedian and Swedish for international publication. Photographs of her opined that if you can plants have been feature in articles in noted orchid remember the '60s, you publications including Orchids Magazine, Orchid were not there). Perhaps Digest, Richardiana, The Orchid Review, and The Australian the displays at the fair will Orchid Review. For the last few years she has been sharing rekindle the memories of her photographs and knowledge on OrchidsForum.com. that time. In any event, the 2017 fair looks like fun, perhaps because of Starting in 2009, Marni expanded her work with orchids to the music line-up. My kids include propagation of orchids from seed and has set up a will up for the weekend so flasking lab of her own to take the process from start to finish I may have the and sell flasks of many of the orchids species in her opportunity to take my collection. After working for over 43 years as a potter, she grandson for his first ride has retired from ceramics to pursue orchids full-time. on a kiddie roller-coaster. Program The Marin Orchid Society From Ada to Warmingia, the subtribe of Oncidiinae comprises will again offer a display. about While we will incorporate 63 genera and over 1000 species. themed elements in the Some of these are well know, but display, the primary focus many of the genera are rarely seen will be your lovely plants. in collections and yet deserve to be Just below this letter, you more widely known. This talk will will find more details survey many of these genera, about sharing your plants showing close-ups as well as in our display. Also, watch specimen plants while discussing for specific emails. country of origin and some cultural Onc. Ada kelliana needs. A LOT of people explore the fair each day. This is Marni will bring orchids for the Opportunity Table. your opportunity for those fairgoers to appreciate June Meeting Details your lovely plants, the results of all the care you have given them over the About the MOS Meeting years Refreshments and Set-Up: Because this is the annual ice cream social, all members are asked to bring an MOS needs some ice cream topping, for example, chopped nuts, fresh volunteers to stand by our strawberries, chocolate topping... Last year, someone display to greet people, brought cheese and crackers to balance the ice cream! answer questions, etc. I Please come early so everything can be arranged before will send a sign-up link the ice cream delivery. Reminder: Because we are within the next couple of meeting in a synagogue, all refreshments must days. If you would like to be kosher. volunteer for a shift or more, please add your name to the sign-up. As Opportunity table: Marni Turkel will supply the orchids with prior years, each for the Opportunity Table. Some members may also volunteer will receive a contribute orchids. pass for free entry to the fair for the day they volunteer (sorry, no free Speaker dinner: Dinner with Marni Turkel is at 5PM, parking). Thep Lela Thai, 615 Strawberry Village, Mill Valley, CA 94941. August brings the MOS BBQ. Plan to join us for a lot of good food and fun Show & Tell: Share your blooming orchids and let times. MOS provides the members know about their origin, culture, and any meat and members bring growing tips. Please limit your time to 3 minutes so that potluck dishes. In July, the meeting keeps on schedule. Thank You!! members will receive an email about how to sign Grazie to those who brought refreshments in May: Sandy up. Your guests are Kim, Cathy Thompson, and Rosemary Bruckner. Many welcome and remember to thanks to the members who helped with set up and take register them. down at our last meeting. I hope you have great If possible, please commit to help with 6:30 setup prior plans for fun vacations and to our meetings. Often our speaker needs help bringing relaxing times during the summer. Please enjoy the in orchids. rest of the month. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I will see you at the June Are you sure you renewed your membership for 2017? MOS meeting. Please verify with Julie Morelli because all 2017 BTW: All of these events Memberships are due and payable now. Or, use the form may also be found in the at the end of this issue to download the membership Marin Orchid Society renewal form, then mail it in. calendar on our website: Marin Orchid ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Society. April 2017: Terrestrial Orchids of Western Australia Again, if you have suggestions to improve Marin Orchid Society, Dale Martin of Austin Creek Orchids, Petaluma please send a note to the MOS email address Dragons, Fairies, Spiders and other elusive creatures... Ron Ludwig Dale has a fascination with orchids, especially seeing them in their native Photo: Gail Beach environments. This led to an adventure Dale Martin in Western Australia to search for elusive orchids that thrive only in that environment due to Marin County Fair very unique soil, fungi, and pollinator dependencies. Whereas June 30-July 4 many of the orchids we love are dependent on altitude for their differentiation, those in W. Australia are differentiated by the soils they have adapted to. Some of us learned a new term, microbiota, which includes bacteria, archaea, protists, fungi and viruses, and which is key to W. Australia orchid Choose the plants you want proliferation. to show in the MOS display at the Marin County Fair. The On the hunt, Dale soon discovered that locating such orchids Fair wants members to bring was much more challenging than he had anticipated. His at least 50 orchids that will guidebooks were not specific enough. Much to his good show off what MOS members fortune, he met a couple of knowledgeable and experienced do and why. Your chance to orchid hunters who took him and his wife Margaret under shine! their wings. That, plus short as well as long walks, made Email announcements will possible their rewarding exploration. provide more details. To learn more about the fair, go The beautiful photographs of these elusive orchids were much to: appreciated and gave MOS members some insight into the Marin County Fair 2017 diversity within a species. Dale has the perspective of an explorer that gave us

a glimpse of the effects of OPEN HOUSES, EVENTS unusual soils and fungi on the growth of these terrestrial orchids and their magical Anna Chai names--dragons, fairies, and

June 10 and 11 spiders indeed! Amazingly, one

(Saturday and Sunday) of these native orchids, Elythranthera brugonis (Purple Enamel Orchid) 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM the Microtis media, is now referred to as invasive species in its native environment 2508 Sherborne Drive because mycorrhizal fungi contribute to its spread! Belmont, CA

94002 ****************** Asuka Should you be heading to Australia, keep in mind that the blooming season for orchids is August and September in W. Orchid Open House Australia. You may see a number of carnivorous plants as well June 10 -11 an array of wildflowers. One unique and endangered orchid, (Saturday and Sunday) the Rhizanthella gardneri, grows and blooms underground! 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM The Opportunity Table was exceptionally beautiful, an array 1951 Evergreen Dr. (cross of healthy plants that found new homes with happy MOS street Valleywood) members. San Bruno, CA 94066 ****************** Expert Grower Advice: A Critical Tip

Orchid Digest Speakers' Day Three words can sum up my best advice to a beginning orchid "Orchids from Around the grower: PLAN TO EXPAND! Once you outgrow all the shelves World", June 10, 12pm-8pm, in the house or your fellow house dweller gets tired of Huntington Library, Art showering with your and you are forced to Collection and Botanical start contemplating your first greenhouse, plan for twice the Gardens, San Marino, CA space you think you will need..... and then some. *********************** Santa Barbara Orchid A small greenhouse leads to a bigger one, and outdoor Estates has quite a selection benches grow like an ever-expanding caterpillar, only to get of upcoming events. Click temporarily covered and then permanently covered. here for information. - Weegie Caughlan, member Gold Coast Cymbidium Growers *********************** San Francisco Orchid Society: Orchids in the Park July 22-23 Show & Tell, May 2017 San Francisco County Fair Building (Hall of Flowers) May's orchids showed variety and careful culture (at the corner of 9th Ave & Lincoln Way) in the Inner Sunset District of San Thank you to the members who shared some of their favorite Francisco plants and gave us tips on culture. Photos by Sandy Kim. Orchids in the Park ********************* Shown were: Cathy Thompson, Pleur. tribuloides; Laura California Sierra Nevada Eckhard, Masdevallia Tenufolia; Julile Walker, 2 Phals.; Sandy Judging Center Kim, Sarcochilus Fitzhart; Barbara Herod, Cym. madiolum 'Matsue' species; Linda Tripp, Masd. Bay Breeze 'Empress', Annual Speakers Day Lycaste angelae, Trich. Charles, Sarco. Harzmanii; Paul and Saturday, July 29, 2017 Phyllis Chim, Cym. Kuranda, Paph. rothschildianum; Carolyn 9 AM - 5PM Fisher, Vanda; Daniel Heller, Cym. erythraeum 'Paradise'; Dale Martin, NOID provided. James Rose - Cal-Orchid Orchids of Madagascar Roy Tokunaga - H&R Orchids Latouria Dendrobiums - Lessons from Phil Spence, The Master George Hatfield - Hatfield Orchids Modern Cymbidiums also Ask the AOS President Q & A

$10 in advance, $30 at the Door Tickets: contact Sue Wedegaertner sgwede@gmail .com

MOS Board of Directors

President: Ron Ludwig Vice-President: Mary Ann Aleandri Treasurer: Julie Morelli Secretary: Sandra Merlo Membes at Large:

Cathy Thompson, Sandi Kim, John Merlo Sonoma County Orchid Society Bus Trip

You may reach the MOS Board by calling: 415-895-0667. Last-Minute Call to Get On the Bus!

Webmaster John Merlo Sonoma County Orchid Society is traveling to the Gold Country on June 10. It is $38.00 per person and we will pick up Marin members at the Rowland Blvd. Park Upcoming Board of & Ride in Novato. Directors Meeting

July 6, location TBD. Board meetings are open to all Our destinations include: members to observe. If you want to attend, please give • Gold Country Orchids Ron a call for details and • Rancho Roble Vineyards directions. • CalWest Tropicals • Joan Gunn's ( Howard Gunn)

• Jeffery Tyler's MOS Treasury Report May report from the MOS Click here for flyer with all the details or ask Susan or Lynne. Treasurer can be downloaded by CSNJC ANNUAL SPEAKERS' DAY clicking here

July 29, Sacramento, with Renowned Speakers California Sierra Nevada Judging Quick Links... Center's Speakers' Day will be held Saturday, July 29, 2017, 9am to 5pm. Location is the Odd Fellows Marin Orchid Society Building 1831 Howe Avenue at Alta Arden, American Orchid Society Sacramento, CA. $10 in advance, $30 at door. San Francisco Orchid Society Online Orchid Species Identification Learn how orchids are judged; follow along as the judges and judging students evaluate the fine points of orchid culture and presentation. The judges share an amazing amount of information Orchid Books on orchid culture and showing. for Novice Growers Plus, you will hear expert speakers from out of our area, Below are a few of members' including Modern Cymbidiums with George Hatfield (President of favorite books for novice the American Orchid Society and owner of Hatfield Orchids); James orchid growers who grow in Rose of CalOrchids on Orchids of Madagascar; and Roy Tokunaga of the home space. Hawaiian H&R Orchids on Latouria Dendrobiums, Lessons from Phil Spence, the Master.

There will be an auction of absolutely fabulous orchids and orchid- related items as well. Hold onto your hat as the bidding for some plants climbs into the $$$ range!

Carpooling is the usual transportation solution--ask around at our meetings and find out who is going. Click for flyer.

American Orchid Society Summer Webinars

Growing Windowsill Orchids: Free Q&A Webinars Second Edition, Peter Seaton, Kew Growing. Since AOS has a number of informative Q&A webinars this is a British book, it may planned for the summer months. All are at 5:30 not be available in PM PDT. The dates are: Tuesday, June 13; bookstores. Amazon link is: Tuesday, June 11; and Tuesday August 8. Signup required. To enroll, go to AOS Webinar Signup . The webinars are with Ron McHatton, AOS President.

Click for Amazon information AOS Monthly Check List ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Expert Growers Share Tips for July and August

Cattleya Cattleyas this month require careful attention to their watering and fertilizing needs owing to characteristically high temperatures. Evaporative cooling is a must in areas of the country where it is effective. Where it is not (the more humid regions), care needs to be paid to proper venting to

keep temperatures within reason. Bottom Vanda vents in conjunction with top vents provide enough rising airflow to help keep plants cool. Increased air flow lessens humidity and dries plants out more The Orchid Whisperer, by Bruce Rogers. You may be able to find this quickly, necessitating more frequent damping down and watering, in local bookstores or from orchid in areas where high humidity is not a problem. Higher light and heat societies. It is available through indicate more fertilizer. The growths your plants are making now Amazon as a paperback or as a are the source of this autumn, winter and spring's blooms, so Kindle edition: applying adequate fertilizer this month is the best way to ensure Click for Amazon information future blooms. Higher temperatures and humidity may also lead to fungal or bacterial rot problems, so it is important to closely observe your plants for any early indication of problems. Pests are also at a high point this month for the same reason.

Paphiopedilum Cooling and air circulation are especially critical in these two months to prevent stress and avoid disease problems. Watering needs to be closely monitored to ensure that plants do not dry out. Warmer-growing hybrids will be at the peak of their blooming, with attention needing to be paid to staking of spikes. Look for water lodging in growths, which can rot emerging spikes and lead to the loss of the entire growth.

Phalaenopsisb An Enthusiasm for Orchids by John Most, if not all, potting should be complete by now. This month and Alcock. Mary Nisbet shared this title as one of her favorite books, for next are when these plants achieve their maximum growth. This learning about your orchids so that growth will be that from which they set their spikes for the coming you can grow them better. season. The more leaves the plants grow, the better potential for spiking will be realized. Growers in cooler areas such as the Pacific coast have the advantage this month, should they choose, of If you cannot find this in your cooling for early season spikes. Lots of heat and light call for liberal favorite bookstore: applications of water and fertilizer.

Click for Amazon information. Cymbidium Summer can be the most rewarding season for cymbidiums. Growths CSNJC AOS Awards should be coming strong now. The leaves of the new growths are best when they are broad and fairly stiff. The color should be a light green to nearly yellow. Early flowering varieties should be showing flower spikes, so move the plants into a cooler area with lower light. For mid-season varieties, lower the dosage of nitrogen to assist in spike initiation.

High-elevation Plants

The most recent AOS awards For cooler-growing plants, such as masdevallias, other from the California Sierra pleurothallids and the like, the next few months will be a Nevada are now available for challenge. During the hottest times, keep your plants more shaded viewing at: and be sure to keep the humidity level much higher. Do not let plants dry out. Delay any potting until the weather cools. http://www.csnjc.org/ intergenerics

Many of the intergeneric crosses between odontoglossums and Shop Amazon through , such as , Wilsonara and Colmanara, will be MOS blooming now. Take special care to train the spikes for best floral display. Keep plants under fairly shady conditions. Watch for snails When you place an and slugs. Amazon order, Amazon pays MOS for advertising Vandaceous their services. What a great way to benefit the Plants will be growing quickly now and really enjoying the hot MOS mission and humid days so similar to their native habitat. Watch for pests though, as many of these also enjoy the same conditions as the activities. Our newsletter plants. Check flower spikes so that they can extend unimpeded for will not accept the link, so the best flower presentation later. please go to the MOS website to find it. And thanks for helping us Reprinted with permission from AOS; essay by Ned Nash and James grow. Rose

The (Orchid) Doctor is in! Have a problem , or maybe just need a little advice on which orchids might grow well in your conditions, when to water, or why your orchid just will not bloom?

Ask the Doctor! Just send us an email with your orchid questions. Simply write "Orchid Doctor" in the subject line of your email: [email protected]

Attention Amazon Shoppers

Remember every time you shop at Amazon you can make our society money!! Just visit our web site marinorchidsociety and click on the Amazon link and start your shopping. A percentage of your purchases is given to the society!!

Purpose and Vision of Marin Orchid Society The purpose of the Marin Orchid Society, our Mission and Vision, is:

• To provide support for those having common interests in the appreciation and culture of orchid plants, to broaden their interests and improve their knowledge • To acquire and distribute to the members practical and scientific information about the collection, culture and propagation of orchids • To arrange the dissemination of information through exhibits, lectures, access to publications, and any other means, for the encouragement of orchid growing • To cooperate in and take part in activities of other Societies with purposes similar to those of this Society.

Please share your passion and ideas with other readers!

The Back Bulb welcomes your articles about orchids and orchid cultivation. Member and expert articles appreciated. Please bring your ideas for articles to the next meeting or email me at [email protected]

Sandra Merlo

BackBulb Editor (Temporary) Daniel Heller, Contributor

Sandra Kim, Proofreader

Marin Orchid Society

2017 Marin Orchid Society Calendar

June 27: Ice cream social and Marni Turkel on Lesser Known Oncidiinae July 25: General Meeting with Chris Mende of Tiny Garden on Paphs August TBD: Members & Members' Guests Only BBQ September 26: General Meeting with Ken Jacobsen on Orchid Travels in Peru October 24: MOS Fall Auction November 28: Members' Digital Show & Tell; Lynne Murrell Presentation December 7: MOS Holiday Party

MOS Membership / Renewal Application

Name______new___renew___ Address______City______ZIP______Phone(H)______(W)______e-mail______

Dues are $25 per person per year, including two at the same address. Because MOS is a non-profit, you are invited to add a charitable donation.

Please make checks payable to the Marin Orchid Society.

Amount enclosed______

Mail to: Julie Morelli, PO Box 2434, San Anselmo, CA 94979-2434, or bring this form to a meeting.

OTHER ORCHID SOCIETIES' MEETINGS

First Monday: Carmel Orchid Society meeting; The First Presbyterian Church, 501 El Dorado Street, Monterey; Carmel Orchid Society

First Tuesday: San Francisco Orchid Society meeting; San Francisco County Fair Building, Golden Gate Park, 9th Avenue and Lincoln Way; San Francisco Orchid Society

First Wednesday: Sacramento Orchid society meeting; Odd Fellows Hall, 1831 Howe Ave. (921- 0569), Sacramento; www.sacramentoorchids.org

First Wednesday: Santa Maria Orchid Society meeting; Veterans' Memorial Center, 313 W. Tunnell Street; Contact Chuck Scheitaur at 937-6201

Second Tuesday: Sonoma County Orchid Society meeting; Veterans Building, 1351 Maple Avenue, Santa Rosa (across from the Fairgrounds) Sonoma County Orchid Society

Second Tuesday: Monterey Bay Orchid Society meeting; Lincoln Ave Presbyterian Church, 536 Lincoln Ave, Salinas; (831) 663-3953

Third Monday: Orchid Society of California; Lakeside Park Garden Center, 666 Bellevue Avenue Oakland; California Orchid Society

Third Tuesday: Coastal Valley Orchid Society; Lompoc, CA; Coastal Valley Orchid Society

Third Friday: Gold Coast Cymbidium Growers meeting; San Mateo Garden Center, 605 Parkside Way, San Mateo; Weegie Caughlan at [email protected]; Gold Coast Cymbidium Growers.

Second Friday: Napa Valley Orchid Society; 7:00 pm at Napa Senior Activities Center 1500 Jefferson St. Napa CA 94558. www.nv-os.org

********************************