Bulletin of the Orchid Society of Canberra, Inc. GPO Box 612, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia Volume 20, Number 1 Jan-Feb 2005 me more and better flowers as I have installed an Regular monthly meetings evaporative cooler in my greenhouse which should keep the summer temperatures somewhat in check and Monthly meetings of the Society are held on the first provide needed added humidity. I find that growing Wednesday of each month (except January) at the orchids for the novice is a continual challenge and Canberra Senior Citizens Club (10 Watson St., learning process. At this time of year, I reflect on last Turner). Meetings commence at 8:00pm with the year’s activities and determine what was successful and library and trading table open from 7:30pm. what wasn’t. The Coffee Club, I find, is a great help. There is always someone there who has had experience February 2005. David Banks – Cool growing orchids with the problems that I face and have solutions or ideas for beginners. David will also have suitable cool for solutions. We need volunteers for this year to host growing plants for sale. the Coffee Clubs. You don’t need to have a greenhouse to be a very successful host, some plants on the window Orchid Society of Canberra Events sill are sufficient. The aim is to keep it simple, just some Monday February 7, 10:00 AM. A morning Coffee coffee and tea and a few biscuits. The point of the events Club meeting at the ANBG to tour the orchid are to bring people together to talk and discuss orchids. greenhouses. This tour will have to be limited to 20 Please consider volunteering to host a Coffee Club this members and guests due to the size of the greenhouses. year. We will meet at the visitor’s centre and walk up to the I am looking forward to the Workshop in greenhouses. After the tour and discussion, we will have March (see later in this bulletin for details). I personally coffee/tea on the lawn. People should bring their own have never attended one of these workshops but from all coffee/tea or can purchase it at the café. Please sign up at accounts they are not to be missed. I am already thinking the next meeting or contact Ben Walcott at 6161 2742 to about where I am going to put the new plants that I am reserve a place. going to buy at the workshop. I would urge all of you to Saturday and Sunday March 19-20. An Orchid send in your registration forms as soon as possible. The Workshop at the Sundown Motel Resort in forms have been distributed at previous meetings and Narrabundah. Clive Halls and Wayne Turville will talk will be available at the meetings in February and March. about orchid culture and will have orchids for sale. Please register for this interesting event as soon as Committee Members possible. President- Robert Bush 6297 1427 Upcoming Orchid Events Vice President- Jane Wright 6254 1119 18th World Orchid conference in Dijon, France, 11-20 Treasurer- Robyn Noel 6258 5734 March Secretary- Barbara Corsini 6299 7257 Tropical Queensland Orchid Council Conference and Yvonne Day 6297 5162 Show. Entertainment Centre, Mackay, 9-11 June David Judge 6278 4806 Orchids 2005 – 5th New Zealand Orchid Conference and Gerlinde Lenz 6288 7413 show. Hamilton, NZ. 30Aug – 4 Sept. Robert Rough 6241 2729 W.A. Orchid Spectacular. Freemantle Passenger Ben Walcott 6161 2742 Termindal, Freemantle, 13-19 Sept Committee meetings On the WED in the week following the general meeting. From the President February meeting at Jane Wright’s, 135 Osburn Dr. I wish you all a very happy 2005 and a productive year McGregor with orchids. I hope this year will bring Disclaimer © 2005 The Orchid Society of Canberra, The Orchid Society of Annual Subscriptions Canberra disclaims liability for any loss, financial or otherwise caused $25 single, $30 joint, $5 junior membership. as a result of the contents of this Bulletin 1 OSC Email Group accepted, moved by Mark Fraser and seconded by The email group among members of the Orchid Society Theo Shutz. of Canberra appears to be going well, and I am happy to put more people on the list. If you wish to join, see me at Show Trophies and Winner’s Certificates – These the next meeting or send me an email at were presented to our winners who are listed in our [email protected] . Nov-Dec bulletin. David Judge Raffle winners – Joan Garfit, Bill Osmand, Brian Leedham and Sarah Turner Minutes of general meetings Meeting of November 2004 Lucky Door Prize – Julie-Ann Turner General Business: Guest Speaker: The meeting opened at 8.10 pm with apologies from Lynne and Brian Phelan, Laurie woods The guest speaker for the evening was Cymbidium and Bob Evans. It was a busy night for new grower Trevor Hughes of Ikeda Nursery from the members and visitors, including Ross and Tina south coast to speak generally on growing Anderson, Michael Knight, Moutsopan, and cymbidiums, and to comment more specifically on Georgia Exarhos – I’m aware that I have left plants of C. ‘Margaret Thatcher’ that were handed out the names of a few others who were new. out to society members earlier in the year. (Trevor My apologies for this, the reason is my terrible had come to speak to the society on this evening, note-taking writing! Please let me know who despite being still quite unwell with ‘Walking you are again at the next meeting and I’ll be Pneumonia’, which he was quick to point out was sure to include your names for the next bulletin not contagious or life threatening, but somewhat Announcements were made from the previous draining on the speaker.) bulletin: There were only a handful of C. ‘Margaret - Members were reminded to bring a Thatcher’s provided for the evening’s talk – not plate to share for the Christmas party enough of us brave enough to have our growing in December. The society would skills put under the spotlight! But these were plenty provide the soft drink, tea and coffee. to illustrate many of Trevor’s pointers on - A plug was made for the workshop on Cymbidium growing. Trevor tells us that the main potting and the division of orchids, factors in growing good specimens of Cymbidium especially Cymbidiums, to be held at plants were the use of a well packed fine mix, the home of Bill and Anne Osmand plenty of water and plenty of fertilizer, including the following Sunday. dolomite. By using a fine mix (Trevor uses a pine - A reminder for the workshop in March bark of 10mm, i.e. “10mm and everything else that to be held by our own Society at the falls through the sieve”) Trevor explained that it Sundown Motel Resort in was much easier to keep up the water to the plants Narrabundah. Brochures now in the warmer months, and that Cymbidiums could available. take a lot of water. It was especially important in - A ‘Monster Orchid Auction’ at Royale Canberra to take full advantage or our relatively Orchids at Peats Ridge to be held on short growing season. Continuous moisture would December 4th. ensure continuous growth – though care would need - An open day at Dark Star Orchids at to be taken over our winter to keep the roots only North Mead on the 5th of December. just moist to avoid rot. But Cymbidiums should - David Banks would be the guest never dry out completely. speaker for the February meeting. The plants provided for comment by the society members illustrated Trevor’s points beautifully. The September and October minutes - Were Those plants growing in open mixes, while healthy accepted, moved by Ben Wallace and seconded by and sturdy, were definitely the smallest, while those Yvonne Day. growing in finer mixes were larger plants, with longer leaves and more growths. Trevor also Secretary’s report – Sorry, I’ve lost my list of mentioned here that it was best to plant Cymbidium incoming publications and news letters, but it is safe ‘bulbs’ a little bit down into the mix, rather than on to say that all we will have all the up-to-date 2004 top of the mix, as is often the practice with other items available for the library at the February types of orchids. C. ‘Margaret Thatcher’ in meeting. particular contained in its parentage 2 main species of terrestrial Cymbidiums from the foothills of the Treasurer’s report – The balance stands at $7029.63 Himalayas. after all outgoing and incoming monies. Report 2 Trevor had also brought along some C. ‘Margaret potting up as this resulted in bigger and better growth, Thatcher’ plants that he had grown from the same and to remember to apply fertiliser to these plants. batch to compare again. These were much larger And a final recommendation, to grow plants in plants than any of those grown by society members. individual rather than community pots as bigger plants He said it was partly due to the milder coastal would out-compete the smaller plants and further stunt climate in which they were grown, but the their growth. difference was remarkable, and this was due to an ample and consistent water supply, along with a The Christmas Party 2005 good fertilising regime. He explained that the tube stock he had chosen for the trial were all roughly the The Christmas Party was once again a successful and same size, so there had been no initial advantage to fun filled evening.