Office Bearers:

President Robert Shield Phone 41550783

Secretary Rene Thompson Phone 41521619

Treasurer Glenda Coster Phone 41527980

Bundaberg Orchid Society Inc. Newsletter P.O. Box 1173,

Bundaberg, 4670

Volume 05/14 May 2014 Ed. Jean Williamson

Meetings are held at 7.30 pm on the third THURSDAY of each month at the Avenell Heights Hall, Thabeban Street.

Visitors and past members are especially welcome to attend.

Date Claimers

12 July 14 Howard Bus Trip. An Annual Wide Bay Workshop is held at Howard

where Members are can buy Quality Orchids from Quality Suppliers and listen to

the many Great Speakers on subjects important to successful Orchid growing. Bring

a Plate of goodies for Morning tea to share and your own lunch should you choose

not to visit the famous Bake-house for a Prize Pie.

Email: Club & Editor: bundabergorchidsociety@gmail.com

Meeting Duty Roster: May C Group June A Group July Group C All members are invited to bring a plate of goodies to any of the meetings, but

those rostered in their individual groups are required to set-up and clear-up at any of their months activities.

April Raffle Winners: 1st Prize L Schouten 2nd A Heidke Easter Raffle Winners: D Daly, M Von Pein, D Lynch, M Aplin, A Heidke. Lucky Door: D Lynch Exhibitor: E Linderberg

Bulk Booklet Orders and/or Enquires: jbhughes4670@gmail.com or Ph. 41521937

Members are reminded that there won’t be any Orchid Potting

Supplies/Merchandise available from May 14th 2014 till June 20th

2014.

The Club merchandise is available only to BOSI members not the public.

The merchandise, when available and in stock, includes Sterilizer-Trisodium Phosphate, fertilizer Plantacote, Peters All Rounder, Blossom Booster, Steri-prune Spray, Coloured Labels, White Labels Long and Short, Clips Large, Medium & Small, Pencils (8008), Pencils China Black & White, Stainless Steel Pruners, Modiform Pots, 70mm, 80mm, 110mm, 130mm, 150mm 170mm, and Bags Bark(Large/Medium/Small /Mini) and Charcoal. Charcoal bag graded in sizes of 5, 10, 15 and 20mm.

Please phone Bev on 41593291 to arrange suitable time or she may bring your order to the meeting for you if it is convenient.

Labels, clips, trisodium phosphate, pots, fertilizer, etc can now be purchased from the librarian at monthly meetings or from Alwyn & Bev’s (Please phone 41593291 to arrange suitable time).

While the Bundaberg Orchid Society Inc. endeavours to ensure reliability and accuracy in this Newsletter’s editorial content, responsibility for advice and views expressed is not

assumed by the Society or the Management Committee.

Our Orchid Expo. Team Work.

Special thanks must go to the workers who spend hours in the initial set-

up of the floor space with Audio, Lighting, Display frames, Shelving and Tables, only after that could the work begin on the actual Displays.

A great effort was made by the Group Leaders and their band of helpers who supplied Flowers, Foliage and Flowers for fill-ins. It was also noted where many of our New Members attended daily and joined in to carry out all levels of chores where needed.

Thanks to all our great Cooks who supplied all the yummy Cakes etc and

also to Kay and her Team for the lovely Fresh Sandwiches that were constantly

available. This is what makes our Orchid Expo such a successful event.

A Big Thank You to all the members who sold tickets, no matter where

and when, all of your efforts were appreciated, as the money raised is used to

support such worthy causes as the Cancer Council with a donation of $1000 yearly

from our Orchid Expo event.

3

Interesting reading by Allen D. Kerr for American Orchid Society.

Ephemeral means “Don’t Turn Your Head” or you might miss the flower. Exaggerated yes, but not too much in some cases. As a general rule, orchids have long lasting flowers to ensure pollination. It is reported that Grammatophyllum multiflorum flowers may last nine months.

On the other hand it is possible that orchids also have flowers with the shortest lives of all. Dendrobium appendiculatum from Java is said to remain open for only five minutes.

Certain genera, sections and species, having flowers which last less than one day, bloom periodically throughout the year, with all plants in an area all blooming on the same day. I was lucky enough to be in Singapore on the day when Dendrobium crumenatum was in bloom. Everywhere throughout city were masses of this fragrant, beautiful white flower. The phenomenon which permits this

simultaneity of blooming is called thermo periodicity. The bud of the flower develops continuously up to a certain state but then comes to a halt, remaining static until it receives a special stimulus. This stimulus is normally a sudden drop in temperature, usually about ten degrees and caused buy a shower after a dry spell. Time from stimulus to flowering varies, but in Dendrobium crumenatum it is nine days. Dendrobium crumenatum is a well-known species and has a normal flowering time from June till late January. Dendrobium crumenatum is the Pigeon orchid and not the Dove orchid as we thought and often name it as such. Dendrobium crumenatum is a species of Southeast Asia and sometimes called the Dove Orchid but is commonly referred to as the “Pigeon Orchid”. Peristeria elata, the national flower of panama, is the usually known as the “Dove Orchid” because of the bird-like arrangements of the column and side lobes of the lip.

Winners of Major Raffles:

1st Prize Lorraine Brooks, 100L Wheelbarrow + $250 Grocery

Voucher

2nd Prize Amy Shield, 100L Wheelbarrow + Garden Products

Voucher

Cattleya. Rlc. Burdekin Dream A & B Heidke

Blc. Donna Kimura ‘Paradise Tammy’

Species. Angra Comerence C & E Linderberg

Vanda. Marlene’s Friend x Ascda. Betty May Steel.

E Cross

Any Other. Den. James Dick x Pycan Princess

x Samut Songkian x Alentue A & B Heidke

Novice. Den. Candy Cane

C Dawson

Ctt. Mary Elizabeth Bohn ‘Royal Flare

Orchids tabled April’s Meeting.

Rlc. Ann Cleo

Rsc. Liu’s Joyance ‘Chief’

Bcl. Hawaii Stars

Den. Genting Lipstick Violet Lip

How to Water Orchids

By Steven A. Frowine and National Gardening Association

6 of 11 in Series: The Essentials of Growing Orchids

Orchids are killed by improper watering (usually by overwatering) more

likely than by any other practice. Discovering how to properly water

orchids is one of the more challenging aspects of growing orchids.

The pot-weighting method of determining when to water is one of the

easiest. In this method, you're relying on feel instead of precise weights.

Here's what you do:

1. Thoroughly water the orchid in its pot.

2. "Weigh" the pot by picking it up.

Now you know how heavy it is when it's saturated with water.

3. Wait a day or so and "weigh" it again by picking it up.

You'll feel the difference in the weight as the potting material

becomes drier.

4. Repeat Step 3 each day until you judge, by looking at the surface

and sticking your finger into the top 1 inch (2.5 cm) or so of the

potting material to see if it's damp,that it's time to water.

Keep in mind whether this type of orchid prefers to be on the damp

or dry side.

5. Note what this dry "weight" is.

Now the orchid is ready to be watered thoroughly.

7

Acknowledge our Sponsors

Australian Orchid Review.

Communicating With Your Orchids. Illawarra Orchid Society 1986

The writer was questioned at a meeting as to the method of success of his obvious triumph at mocking Mother Nature with all of his bumbling efforts of plant culture rather than any special effort on his part. He was non-plussed when asked by a lady grower, what was it that I had said to the plant and how I had spoken, if at all. As I had said nothing, I gave the matter serious thought and decided to give it a try. I reasoned firstly that if would cost nothing, which is my favourite price tag. There would be no physical effort, which is for me another big plus. I began with curt and discreet ‘Good Mornings’ discreet, because if overheard may be considered a candidate for the funny farm.

On feeding days I would announce the Menu, and running a high-class establishment orchid-wise, I offered the dishes in French. On fish-fertilising days the dish of the day would “Poison a la Foggitt”, similarly “Consommé de Nitrosol” or “Aquasol avec eau de Millbrook”.

When flower spike-hunting began, I find myself really babbling and making more promises than a politician.

Even with all my efforts, as other grower will no doubt be aware, there are always off orchids which are tardy in setting flower spikes. A special system was devised to combat these annoying plants. From the roof of the shade house I suspended a can of weedkiller by a very frayed piece of string, which is positioned just above the plant and poised like the sword of Damocles. Then using my most sinister voice I chanted “we have ways of making you flower”.

A short treatment is usually enough to make the most reluctant plant sprout spikes like quills on the back of a porcupine. Whether the system of talking works of not I do not know, perhaps I should send some of the plants to Coventry to act as controls. It is a very one-sided conversation, but at least there is no answering back. New and Interested Growers Group will meet at Bob & Deborah

Shields’, 7 Hutchins St Branyan. Check Phone book with clear directions, travelling past Airport, right into Samuels Rd and Left into Hutchins St.. This meeting will be a Thank-you meeting for members, to start at approx 10:30-11:00 with a Barbeque Lunch. Please bring own Picnic pack of Plate, Bowl, knife, fork and spoon, chair and hat.