SOUTHERN ONTARIO ORCHID SOCIETY October 2018, Volume 53, Issue 9 Meeting since 1965 Next Meeting Sunday, October 7, 2018, Floral Hall of the Toronto Botanical Garden. Vendor sales noon to 1pm 12:15 pm Cultural Snapshots by Alexi Antanaitis on the stage. Program at 1pm Jason Fischer of Orchids Limited in Minnesota. Jason will give a talk on alternative growing methods which should be of interest to everyone. Member plant table. Bring in your flowering plants for show and tell and points Raffle Paphiopedilum Macabre Pops Vandachostylis Viboon Velvet” Cobalt Treasure” AM 80 grown ”CAD's Burgundy Wopper” AM 83 grown by David Bryan by Terry and Doug Kennedy President’s Remarks: Welcome Orchid By the time that you receive this newsletter, Laura Enthusiasts. Fall is around the corner, although it doesn’t feel like it as I write this mid-month, as we were Liebgott will have travelled to Cambridge to put on our experiencing height of summer temperatures. An early Society’s display for the Central Ontario Orchid Society September photo, sent from my daughter in Calgary Show on Sep.22-23.There are still more shows this fall, with snow on the cars, was a gentle reminder that cooler and Laura and Don Wyatt will once again be temperatures are coming. If your plants are still outdoors representing SOOS with beautiful award winning like mine are, then they are loving the warm weather and displays. They will be on the lookout for plants, so high humidity. I’ve been doing a lot of repotting lately, please help them out by sending some of your “babies” and I’m seeing great root growth. With all of the new with them to one of the Fall shows. They may even summer growth, new flower buds are appearing each come back with some awards. day that I examine my plants closely. Just in time for the Fall Show season. If you are interested in helping out with any of these And displays, please contact Don and Laura, as I’m sure that they would appreciate any help. www.facebook.com/SOOSOrchid/ On instagram at Windsor Orchid Society - Oct. 20- 21 – Laura Liebgott will be designing the display. instagram.com/soosorchid/ Essex County Orchid Society Show, Kingsville (Collasanti’s) - Nov. 3- 4 – Don Wyatt will be designing the display. Plant of the Month Well done Synea! Thank you in advance for those members who Synea Tan and her generously lend their precious plants. The SOOS green thumb won the day yet again! – displays could not happen without you With her nicely grown and flowered Our future speakers are as follows: Paphiopedilum Saint Swithin October 7, Jason Fischer, Orchids Limited (rothschildianum x philippinense). She (Minnesota) (https://www.orchidweb.com). has it potted in a mix of bark, chopped Jason will give a talk on alternative growing methods sphagnum moss, which should be of interest to everyone. coconut chips and Perlite. She th summers it out of November 4 : John Marcotte, Orchids Canada, doors on the north (https://www.orchidscanada.com/), The subject is side of her house on Disas, an open veranda. Out there it gets watered every 2-3 days and every day when it is hot and dry. She fertilizes with every December 2nd: Annual auction and pot luck watering with a very weak MSU fertilizer solution. She applies slow release fertilizer pellets once or twice per year to all her plants. She is experimenting with Orchidata, the bark of Pinus Our cultural snapshots will continue to take place on the stage radiata, a pine with a small native California range, but at 12:15 pm, with Alexsi Antanaitis running these sessions. imported and grown in Australia, Chili. South Africa and New Everyone is welcome to participate. Remember, if there is a Zealand, (as told to us by Fred Clarke). The bark lasts longer topic you would like us to cover, please let us know. than that of other pine species, but must be watered frequently when it is new. It is usually heat treated or drenched with Methyl bromide before being allowed into the USA or Canada. Now is the time to get your 2019 SOOS memberships. The “Kiwi” bark is the same bark, but it has not been treated and as earlier you purchase or renew a membership, the more a result the pH stays much more stable because the micro- opportunities you will have to win the draw for a blooming organism balance in the bark is more stable. Also it holds onto orchid at the November, December and January meetings. fertilizer better (because it has Cat-ions on the surface) You must be in attendance to win the orchid draw, so if your improving nutrition of the plant grown in it. It will last 2-3 years. name is chosen and you are not in attendance, we will draw again until a winner is chosen. All names go back into the draw for the following month, so purchase your membership 2019 Orchid Show and Sale Update early to increase your odds of winning. The 39th Annual Show will be held Saturday and Sunday, th th th Thank you also to those members whose names begin with the February 9 and 10 with setup on the 8 . The theme letter N through R, that supplied treats for the September chosen for the show is “Obsession”. meeting. Posters and coupons are ready to begin sending out. Feel free to take some to hand out or put up at your The members whose names start with the letters favourite venue. S through T are scheduled for the October's We will have a display of the artwork of Gerard Bender treats. à Brandis. Please contact Inge Poot if you have We will see you soon. something which you are willing to loan. We are looking for volunteers for the following: John Vermeer 1. Hospitality – Someone to oversee the feeding of the volunteers on Friday, We are on facebook at: Saturday and Sunday. If you can do one or https://www.facebook.com/groups/29 more time slots, that would be awesome. 8874747302722/ 2. Art and Photography – Someone to November 3 judging). promote and set up the Competition and November Display. We can split the duties between October 31- November 4, AOS Member’s two or more people. meeting in Florida 3. Display Setup on Friday, February 8th – This 3-4, Essex County Orchid Society is your opportunity to take a number of Show, Colasanti’s Tropical Gardens, beautiful orchids and create a stunning Kingsville, Ontario.. display. Great opportunity for a novice 4, SOOS meeting, Toronto Botanical Garden, sales grower; the orchids are brought to you and 12 noon, program 1 pm, Floral Hall there are lots of knowledgeable people 10,11, Niagara Frontier Society Show, around who can assist when desired. Buffalo. 17, Monthly Montreal AOS judging, Jardin botanique de The benefits of volunteering include free admission, Montreal incredibly good free food and drink as well as getting to December know other members and vendors. Friday volunteers TJC Monthly AOS Judging at TBG. can peruse vendor tables without being jostled by the 1, crowds of Saturday and Sunday. 2, SOOS meeting, Toronto Botanical Garden, sales We can find a job for every personality type whether it 12 noon, program 1 pm, Floral Hall be at the front welcoming visitors, in the kitchen 8, , Monthly Montreal AOS judging, Jardin botanique de helping to prepare food, giving tours, helping with set- Montreal up and tear-down, security, clerking at the Saturday morning judging (which includes breakfast), assisting at the plant and coat check or just simply being available for whatever Marion needs you to do, we can make use Conservation Corner of your talents. Your society has a group of enthusiastic members that meet regularly to discuss orchid If you would like to participate in the nitty gritty of conservation issues and develop conservation planning the show, you are welcome to attend the action plans. This group is under the active committee meeting after the regular Sunday afternoon chairmanship of Tom Shields. The group meeting. recommended the following donation to the Nature It is also not too early to start preparing an orchid or Conservancy of Canada: orchid art display of your own, just let us know what SOOS is pleased to announce a $10,000 donation to the space you will need. Nature Conservancy of Canada to aid in the purchase of Cathy Dunn SOOS Show Chair 100 acres of land at Dyers Bay West on the Saugeen ([email protected]) Bruce Peninsula. This project was chosen because it is a worthwhile extension to existing orchid habitat in the area.Tthree orchids have been found on the property: Menzies’s rattlesnake plantain, Yellow Lady’s Slipper and Hooded Ladies’ Tresses. A full inventory has not yet been completed and there may be more. Coming Events 2018 The Dyer's Bay West property includes habitats for September numerous at risk species, and it will connect with other 22,23, Central Ontario Orchid Society conservation lands such as NCC’s Dwarf Lake Iris Reserve. Show, Cambridge, Ontario. Proceeds from the SOOS annual February Show and October Sale funded this donation. 6, TJC Monthly AOS Judging at TBG. 7, SOOS meeting, Toronto Botanical Garden, sales 12 noon, program 1 pm, Floral Hall AOS Judging Results 13, Monthly Montreal AOS judging, Jardin botanique de Toronto Centre September 1, 2018: Montreal Paphiopedilum Macabre Pops (Macabre Magic x Magic 20,21, Windsor Orchid Society Show. Pops)” CAD's Burgundy Wopper” AM 83 grown by David 27, TJC.Business Meeting and Bryan monthly Judging at TBG.