NEWSLETTER March 2014 Volume 9 Issue #3 CLUB NEWS March 4 Monthly SAOS Meeting by Linda Stewart [email protected] Welcome and Thanks. President Bob Schimmel opened the meeting by welcoming all visitors, and recognizing newest members, Nugget Obi, The next Keiki Club meeting will be on Sunday, March Pamela Walton, Terry Leo, 23. We will be repotting at Sue and Terry Bottom’s house, Jim Roberts Greg & Dee Dupree. Bob at 6916 Cypress Lake Court in St. Augustine at 1:00 p.m. thanked Jeanette Smith We will be learning about potting mixes and how to repot. for her usual great job Please bring a new 4” or 6” clay pot, as there may be some with the refreshments and recognized Barbara and Jane free divisions to pot up and take home. for their contributions to the evening’s refreshments. He We have had great response to the Saturday morning Ace also reminded everyone to please “drop a dollar” in the jar. Repotting Clinics, and have gained several new members Linda Stewart, Sunshine Coordinator, recognized those as a result. The next repotting clinic will be on April 5th, with birthdays in March, asking that they be sure to get from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. This is a great opportunity for their birthday raffle ticket. Bob reminded everyone to be newer orchid hobbyists to get some hands-on experience sure to vote for the best orchid on our show table. Dick and assistance with their repotting needs. Roth announces the winner after the break. President Bob Schimmel has also made several presentations to various groups. This helps to acquaint Club Business. For those in need of supplies, there are people with our organization, and can be a great source for potting mix and fertilizers available for sale at the side new membership. If anyone is interested in giving talks to table. There is a variety of fertilizers and several potting groups, please see either Bob or Sue. mixes to choose from. There are a number of membership dues for 2014 still Orchid Events. The Jacksonville Orchid Society Show is outstanding. Dues are $15 for individual membership, and on March 15 and 16. SAOS will be putting in a display this $25 for family. Please see our Treasurer Bill Gourley to year. If you have plants we can use in our display, please renew if you haven’t already done so. If you wish to pay by send your list of plant names to Sue no later than March mail, please send payment to Bill Gourley, 807 Kalli Creek 11, and plan to deliver your plants to either Bob or Harry on Lane, St. Augustine, FL 32080. March 12. They will deliver the plants to Jacksonville for Penny Halyburton, SAOS Librarian, talked about the setup on Friday, March 14. Volunteers are needed for both featured book of the month, “Dendrobiums and Their setup on Friday, and breakdown at 5:00 pm on Sunday. Relatives” which is available for members to borrow. If Mike is also looking for more volunteers to clerk for the interested in reading some of the books in our SAOS judges on Saturday morning. Further details are available library, the book list is available on our on the website. website and books may be borrowed at one monthly meeting and returned at Program. Our speaker this month was Jim Roberts from the next. Please e-mail Penny with your Florida SunCoast Orchids. His topic was pendulous selection and she will bring the book to dendrobiums. Jim is originally from Minnesota and began our next meeting for you. his fascination with orchids while interning in the greenhouse Continued on page 3 March 2014 Page 1 CLUB NEWS 3-4 Platinum Coast Orchid Society Show Kiwanis Island Park Gym & Annex 4 Orchids by Del-Rei Open House 4270 Cedar Ford Blvd, Hastings 32145 Orchids, Food and Libations 4 JOS Picnic 3611 Richmond St., Jax 32205 6 SAOS Meeting, 7 pm Upcoming Orchid Events Keith Davis, Hobbyist and Hybridizer March Tips for Happier and Healthier Orchids 10-11 Volusia County Society Show 7-9 Port St. Lucie Orchid Society Show Volusia County Fairgrounds Port St. Lucie Community Center 16-18 Redlands International Orchid Festival 7-9 Fairchild’s 12th Intl. Orchid Festival Fruit and Spice Park, Homestead Fairchild Botanic Garden, Coral Gables 18 Keiki Club for Orchid Beginners, 1 pm 11 JOS Meeting Summer Orchid Care Roundtable Discussion, 7 pm Yvonne and Bob Schimmel’s Home 15-16 Jacksonville Orchid Society Show The Garden Club of Jacksonville St. Augustine Orchid Society Organization 21-23 Martin County Orchid Society Show Martin County Fairgrounds President Bob Schimmel [email protected] 23 Keiki Club for Orchid Beginners Spring Repotting First Vice President Sue Bottom Sue and Terry Bottom’s Home Program Chair [email protected] 6916 Cypress Lake Ct. St. Aug 32086 April Second Vice President Yvonne Schimmel Publicity Chair [email protected] 1 SAOS Meeting, 7 pm Terry Bottom Secretary Lola Stark The Ultimate Hobby Greenhouse [email protected] 5 SAOS at Ace Hardware, 9 am til 1 pm 3050 US 1 S in St. Augustine Treasurer Bill Gourley Repotting and Plant Clinic [email protected] 5-6 Central Florida Orchid Society Show Maitland Civic Center Directors at Large Penny Halyburton [email protected] 8 JOS Meeting, 7 pm, Topic TBA Jeannette Pacetti Paul Phelps, Phelps Farm Orchids [email protected] 12-13 EPIC Celebration of Spring Linda Stewart Annual Flower and Garden Expo [email protected] Ag Center, St. Augustine 12-13 Tallahassee Orchid Society Show Exhibit Committee Harry McElroy Doyle Conner Building Chair [email protected] 26-27 Vero Beach Orchid Society Show Riverside Park Librarian Penny Halyburton [email protected] 27 Keiki Club for Orchid Beginners, 1 pm Orchids Outside the Pot Membership Gail Marshall Sue and Terry Bottom’s Home Committee Chair [email protected] 6916 Cypress Lake Ct., St. Aug 32086 Newsletter Editors Sue and Terry Bottom May Webmasters [email protected] 3 SAOS at Ace Hardware, 9 am til 1 pm 3050 US 1 S in St. Augustine Operations Committee Jeanette Smith Repotting and Plant Clinic Chair [email protected] March 2014 Page 2 CLUB NEWS Continued from page 1 on his college campus. Jim has spent time in many interesting parts of the world, including the Virgin Islands and Hawaii, before settling in the west coast of Florida with his approximately 10,000 square feet of greenhouse space. One of Jim’s specialties is the deciduous varieties of dendrobium, specifically Den. anosmum and related varieties. He has a number of specimen plants at his greenhouse and has won many AOS awards over the years. Dendrobiums make up the second largest category of orchids with over 1200 species. It is also the second most common in cultivation today, some with flowers lasting only one day and others with flowers that last for more than a month. These orchids should be watered heavily in spring Den. anosmum grows at low elevations and is warm and summer, from March through October, using a well to hot growing. Its raspberry-scented flowers are very balanced fertilizer. He recommends 1/4 strength every fragrant and it is a variety that does very well in Florida. other watering. At about Thanksgiving, watering and Den. anosmum originally came from Kalimantan in fertilizer should be withheld and the leaves will turn yellow Malaysia. Some of the varieties mentioned were: Den. and begin to drop. Do not begin watering again until anosmum ‘Celle’ which is a popular clone named after a flower buds begin to develop on the canes. You can begin town in Germany. Keikis of this variety were available for watering once every week to two weeks once the buds are sale at the back table. Den. anosmum var. dearei ‘Norman fully formed. If you begin watering too soon, you will get L. Wilson’ is a white variety and can bloom either on one keikis instead of flowers. Continue to withhold fertilizer until cane at a time or flush with flowers all at once. Den. flowering is complete and new canes are growing. Potting parishii is commonly confused with Den. anosmum. It has medium should be based upon your individual growing been grown in Hawaii for over 100 years and they are all conditions. Jim has a phrase regarding watering: “When referred to locally as Hono Hono Orchids. Den. cretaceum in doubt - dry it out!” has creamy white flowers and is easy to grow. Den. heterocarpum is a yellow varietywith canes that can reach Meeting Conclusion. After a short intermission, Dick Roth up to nine feet in length. Den. cucullatum is the original announced the Member’s Choice Award. The March award correct name, but is frequently confused with Den. pierardii goes to Melody Loll for her lovely Phal. Sogo Vivien with and Den. aphyllum. Den. Little Sweet Scent is a primary variegated foliage. Please be sure to see a picture of her hybrid with a lovely fragrance. There is also a variegated prize winning orchid, along with other show plants at the variety, called Den. anosmum ‘Touch of Class’. end of this newsletter. The raffle table was the final event of The main pests of pendulous dendrobiums are thrips, the evening with Fred Keefer, Christie Peppard and Dianne which can wreak havoc on your collection. Jim applies Batcheldor presiding. There were no silent auction plants Orthene approximately one month prior to the buds this month. emerging on the canes. Thanks to Watson Realty and Jeanette Smith for the use of their meeting space at 3505 US 1 South March 2014 Page 3 CLUB NEWS February 16 Keiki Club Growing Cymbidiums Have You Renewed Your Membership? Membership dues for 2014 are collected during the first More than a dozen SAOS three months of the year.