New Mexico Orchid Guild Newsletter February 2015 The New Mexico Orchid Guild Newsletter is published monthly. Please visit our website | www.nmog.org

Our next regular meeting will be: February Program: February 8, 2015 Exchange at 1:30 PM at the Albuquerque Garden Center Take the opportunity to exchange with other 10120 Lomas Blvd NE members and grow something different! (Just West of Eubank on the South Side Plant Exchange Guidelines of Lomas in Los Altos Park) • Participants will draw numbers to determine the order in which they will select plants. As always please bring a snack to share • Five members at a time will be given the Members are encouraged to wear their opportunity to select ONE plant each of their membership badges choice. • Group rotation will continue until all desired plants have been selected. Growers’ Forum | 1:00 PM • This is not a one for one exchange. (Prior to our regular monthly meeting) • If you donate a 6”pot you may want a 2”pot and vice versa. How to Control Orchid Pests • Plants not selected by members may be Sue Brych and Marlene Roberts re¬turned to the member making the donation or given to the Garden Center shop for them to sell. • Don’t forget your Donation Guidelines • You do NOT have to donate a plant in order to orchids for Valentines’ receive one however those donating will draw Day! a number before those not donating. Multiple donations are greatly appreciated. • Donated plants should be clearly labeled. NOID plants are accepted in the exchange. • Plants should be in good health with no visible insect activity. No “rescue” plants please ! • If you would like your unselected plant(s) returned to you, please mark them with your name. New Mexico Orchid Guild Newsletter February 2015

Board of Directors for 2015 President Keith Mead (505) 898-0975 [email protected] | (505) 379-6786 Vice President and Program Chair Jane Cole [email protected] | (505) 298-0031 Secretary Debby Lieberman [email protected] | (505) 286-0196 Treasurer Ed Plunkett [email protected] | (505) 292-5724 Trustees Joanne Bodin [email protected] | (505) 880-8326 Sue Brych [email protected] | (505) 345-3929 Jane Nagel [email protected] | (505) 293-5609 Marlene Bachicha Roberts [email protected] | (505) 341-2119 Photographer Ellie Sokolow [email protected] | (717) 319-9966 Editor Alyssa Christy [email protected] | (505) 249-1615 Librarian Ana Benscoter [email protected] | (505) 577-5255

NMOG is now on Facebook. Find us under “Pages” New Mexico Orchid Guild Newsletter February 2015 From the President’s Desk | Keith Mead

We mourn the recent passing of our friend and longtime member Paul Laybourne. Our thoughts are with his wife, Julie, and extended family at this time of loss. This newsletter edition is dedicated to his memory.

Our January guest speaker, Guillermo Salazar, began the NMOG year by setting the bar high for future guests. Everyone expressed satisfaction with his presentation on African species orchids and the selection of plants he brought to us was unequaled. There was something for everyone, from a wonderful selection of miniatures to rare species not seen in most collections or easy to acquire.

Do you know the members of your Board of Directors? Do you know how NMOG is structured and operates? Would you like a preview of our plans for 2015? Well, better attend the February 8th meeting. The board will hold a short “State of the Guild” meeting to be followed by the popular plant exchange. Plant exchange “rules” are to be found in this newsletter. We will have show and tell, raffle and a nice selection of blooming plants to purchase. Remember Valentine’s Day is just a week following our meeting.

The February “Growers Forum” will be presented by NMOG members Sue Brych and Marlene Roberts. Their topic for discussion will be orchid pests. The Growers Forum is held at 1:00 PM in the Patio Room and precedes the general 1:30 PM meeting.

Mark March 8th on your calendars. NMOG will host Harry Phillips of Andy’s Orchids on a Stick as our guest speaker. His topic will be mounting orchids. Harry has spoken to NMOG in the past and is an engaging and informative speaker. Watch your email for pre order opportunities. Don’t miss this one.

See you February 8th Keith

This arrangement was designed by Jason at Osuna Nursery for Paul Laybourne’s Memorial Service New Mexico Orchid Guild Newsletter February 2015 New Show and Tell Format One of the suggestions from our January group discussions was the need to “standardize” show and tell information. We would like to try using a form to provide information on your plant . This will also be useful to the newsletter editor.

When you present your plant you can use this information in discussing it. We will allow time for questions from the membership so we can all learn from your successes.

Forms will be available at the meeting, but should you prefer to complete the information prior to the meeting here is what we are proposing: Leave the form with your plant on the Show and Tell table.

Print Then Tear Here

Your Name:______

Division (Circle One): Novice | Intermediate | Advanced

Plant Name: ______

How long have you had the plant?:______

Where did you acquire it?: ______

How do you grow it?

Light: ______

Water:______

Fertilizer: ______

Location:______

Has it bloomed previously?: ______How often?: ______

Additional Comments:______

______

______New Mexico Orchid Guild Newsletter February 2015 Monthly Checklist for February http://aos.org/Default.aspx?id=185

Cattleya Watering and fertilizing will be at a minimum, as will potting. Be on the lookout for senescing sheaths on your winter- into-spring bloomers. Careful removal of the dying sheaths will still allow buds to develop without the danger of condensation-induced rot. Low light will lead to weak spikes, so, and as noted above, staking is critical. If you have a chance to get out to nurseries, there may still be a chance to acquire good plants in sheath for spring bloom. Getting them now not only ensures that you’ll have them, but allows them to acclimate to your conditions and bloom at their best.

Odontoglossums and their intergeneric hybrids offer a great splash of color now. Though once thought of as being difficult to grow and requiring cool temperatures due to the emphasis on breeding, the new intergeneric hybrids made using and , for example, are just the opposite. These plants are quite content in more intermediate conditions. New growths generally emerge in the spring, later forming beautiful plump pseudobulbs. Look for the flower spikes to emerge from the inner sheath of the pseudobulb. If your plant’s pseudobulbs are shriveled, then the plants have been kept too dry or too wet. Inspect the roots to determine which condition prevailed. If the lead pseudobulb is large, plump and green (and back bulbs are shriveled) but no flower spike is evident, the plants may have been kept too dry.

Paphiopedilum The standard Paphiopedilum insigne-derived hybrids, which are called “bull dogs” and “toads,” are at their peak. Unlike most other orchids, they can even be potted while in bud. There really is no wrong time to pot a paphiopedilum, and no other orchid responds so favorably to fresh mix and a cleanup. Keep an eye on watering until roots begin to grow.

Phalaenopsis Now is the peak of spike development, with the first plants in full flower. Staking and plant preparation is a must for those all-important spring shows. Correct staking now will give a better display and also make it much easier to transport to your society meetings and shows. Care with watering is vital to avoid mechanical damage to the flowers, as well as rot-related problems. Keep spent blooms cleaned up to avoid botrytis inoculation. Do not repot this month. Now you’ll be seeing lots of phalaenopsis at orchid shows and sales.

Zygopetalum For the most part, the flowering season will have ended for this group, providing the grower a chance to do some repotting. The plants will then have a chance to become well established before the hotter months of summer arrive. Most growers use bark mixes, but some exceptional results have been seen lately using rock-wool blends. You may want to try this mix, but do not change your whole collection over to this new media until you are sure it is right for you. First, experiment with a few plants to see how they respond. New Mexico Orchid Guild Newsletter February 2015 January Show and Tell Winners

Advanced—First Place Advanced—Second Place Advanced—Second Place Steve Fischer—D. cucumeri- Sean Houtman—Dendrobium Robert Steinberg—Beallara num ‘Mem. Stanford Madsen’ rigidum Marfitch ‘Howard’s Dream’

Intermediate—First Place Intermediate—Second Place Keith Mead—Masdevallia flori- Shelly Fritz—Cymbidium bunda white Autumn Emerald Intermediate—Second Place Ellie Sokolow—Brsdm. Nittany Gold ‘Dr. John’

Beginner—First Place Kelly McCracken Platystele erectoglossa 2015New Mexico Orchid Guild Newsletter February 2015 NEW MEXICO ORCHID GUILD MEMBERSHIP FORM

Name______

Address______

______

Telephone: Home______Cell______

Email______

What orchids do you currently grow?

What would you like to acquire?

Meeting topics or speakers that would interest you?

Areas of volunteer interest: Newsletter______Photography______

Hospitality______Show Committee______Publicity______

Dues are $25 annually January through December. Make checks payable to NMOG and mail to Eddie Plunkett Treasurer PO Box 26473, Albuquerque, NM 87125-6473

Email addresses are used for communication and newsletter distribution only. We do not share email addresses.