Ecuador is reported to be hometo more than 4,500 species oforchids—that’s 20 to 25% of

the total number of species foundworldwide! The variety of genera ranges from Acineta

to Zootrophion, from the tiniest of Pleurothallids toSobrallias that can measure over 6 feet in height, and found in between

are numerous other species, including Phragmipediums, Cattleyas,Oncidiums, and Odontoglossums. One of the more famous resi-

dents is the spectacular Phragmipedium besseae. Furthermore,Ecuador is home to Ecuagenera, an incredible source of regional

orchids, which is known throughout the world for its orchid con-servation and propagation efforts.

Our next meeting will be held on Sunday, January 9TH,2:00PM, at St. Augustine’s Church; this month’s guestspeaker has been fortunate enough to be one of the

few orchid hobbyists to experience orchids in Ecuador firsthand. Jeanne Kaeding is the current president of the

Genesee Region Orchid Society, and a student judge forthe American Orchid Society. She has been growing

orchids since 1978, first on the windowsill, then underlights (with iguanas!), and currently in a greenhouse.

CNYOS members may remember a talk Jeannegave two years ago on her efforts at growing

orchids from seed. Her current presenta-tion, Orchid Habitats & Travels in Ecuador,is based on a two week trip to Ecuador she

took in November of 2003. She willdescribe some of the different orchid habi-

tats she saw there, interspersed with a littletravelogue. And, of course, there will be

pictures of orchids, both in the wild and inthe Ecuagenera greenhouses.

IINN TTHISHIS IISSUESSUE......

Nov & Dec Meetings ...........................2Nov/Dec Meeting & Minutes ............2Lunch with Speaker ...........................2CNYOS Calendar ...........................3Dues are due! .........................................3Show Table .........................................4Miscellaneous Business ...........................5GROS / STOS News ...........................5Spot Light... .........................................6Feature Article .........................................7

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Guest Speaker Jeanne Kaeding: Orchid Habitats & Travels in Ecuador

NNEWSLETTEREWSLETTER OFOF THETHE

CCENTRALENTRAL NNEWEW YYORKORK OORCHIDRCHID SSOCIETYOCIETY

Volume 6, Issue 3: January 2005 Affiliated with the American Orchid Society and the Orchid Digest

LATE EDITION!

NOVEMBER MEETING: SUNY MORRISVILLE:

Our November meeting was held at the SUNYMorrisville campus, to hear something

about the orchid horticulture curriculum current-ly being offered there. A large number of mem-bers made the short drive out to the Morrisvillecampus, where Professors David Soucy andKelly Hennigan discussed the program. Studentsare actively learning and practicing orchid prop-agation techniques, including growing orchidsfrom seed and even mericloning. Members weregiven a tour of the facilities.

The planned trip to Marlow Orchids was can-celled because too few members signed up

(many members had conflicts on that weekend).

DECEMBER MEETING: ANNUAL HOLIDAY

PARTY

December 5TH marked the annual CNYOSHoliday Party. For a change of pace this

year, we held a potluck at St. Augustine’s, andeveryone was in agreement—our members aregifted not only as orchid growers, but also in theculinary arts! From deep-fried turkey to pump-kin cheese-cake, there was no shortage ofdelectable choices... It was a great way to roundout 2004. There was a short business meeting,but for the most part, it made for a relaxing after-noon.

LUNCH WITH OUR SPEAKER

CNYOS will be taking our speaker to lunch atLock 24 in Baldwinsville prior to our meet-

ing this Sunday. If you’re interested, please letJeff Stuart know by Saturday afternoon so he canmake reservations. Call 471-1404 or e-mail jastu-art@syr.edu. Plan on meeting at St. Augustine’sbetween 11:30 - 11:45 on Sunday and we’ll driveto the restaurant from there.

2 THE ORCHID ENTHUSIAST MEETING MINUTES FOR NOV. & DEC., 2004

November 7TH

1. Treasurer's Report. Total proceeds: $6,616.36. TheFall Show & Sale is currently showing a loss of $863.83.

2. The members and special awards listing from the FallShow & Sale may be incomplete, as reported in theNovember 2004 newsletter. The newsletter editor sendshis condolences.

3. This year’s Holiday party will be a potluck to be heldat our regular meeting.

4. Dave Ditz gave a report on the show, and stated thatwe need to decide on a date to avoid scheduling conflictswith other regional shows.

5. The November meeting was held at the campus ofSUNY Morrisville. Professors David Soucy and KellyHennigan discussed their orchid propagation programthat they set up two years ago. Students from the pro-gram regularly attend the Philadelphia Flower Show, par-ticipate in AOS judging at the STOS show, and are start-ing to propagate Phalaenopsis.

December 5TH

1. Howard Ginsberg (Bedford Orchids) asked that a let-ter of support for a Montreal-based AOS Judging Centerbe sent to the AOS. A motion was approved to do so.

2. 2004 Show Chair Dave Ditz made a few commentsregarding this year’s show. The club needs volunteersfor both the chairperson and the judging chair. JeffStuart will resume his roll as judge’s chair.

3. Suggestions are being sought for alternative sites tohold our Fall show. Suggestions included the ForeignLegion Hall, Nottingham High School, May MemorialChurch, and Great Northern Mall.

4. A Nominating Committee was set up by club motionto report on a slate of officers at the January meeting.Committee members include Jeff Stuart, Barbara Weller,and Cliff Rossler.

Respectfully Submitted,

Barbara Weller, CNYOS Secretary

Photo & Graphics Credits: Page 1 cover art: Photos © Andy’s Orchids, with digitalmanipulation © Jeff Stuart, 2004. Photographs on pages 7 - 11 © Jeff Stuart, 2005.

2005 CNYOS CALENDAR

February 6 CNYOS Monthly Meeting: Taking orchids out of compot, annual silent auction.

March 6 CNYOS Monthly Meeting: Dennis D'Alessandro of Gypsy Glen Orchids

April 1-3 Genesee Region Orchid Society Show, Eisenhart Auditorium, Rochester Museum & Science Center, 657 East Ave., Rochester, NY. Contact: Ron Uhlig, 26 Mandalay Ridge, Pittsford, NY 14534; (585) 387-9940; www.genesee-orchid.org.

April 3 CNYOS Monthly Meeting: Howard Ginsberg of Bedford Orchids

April 12-17 The 25TH Anniversary New York International Orchid Show at Rockefeller Center, sponsored by the Greater New York Orchid Society, http://www.gnyos.org

April 22-25 Southern Tier Orchid Society Show, Oakdale Mall, 601-635 Harry L. Drive, Johnson City, NY. Contact: Gail Kirch, 1099 Powderhouse Rd., Vestal, NY13850; gkirch@stny.rr.com.

May 1 Annual CNYOS Orchid Auction!

3CNYOS NEWSLETTER

YIKES! DUES ARE OVERDUE!...and time is running out!

Because there was no newsletter last month, a reminder thatit’s time to renew your membership never went out... So overthe next month, CNYOS will be looking for your annual mem-bership dues (due each December). Check your mailing label:“C” is a Courtesy mailing. “M04” indicates a paid memberwho owes dues for the new season. “M05” reflects a paid sta-tus. “CM” denotes a Commercial Mailing. These labels maynot be entirely up to date, so if you’ve already paid, your sta-tus will be updated by the next newsletter. If, however, youare currently receiving this newsletter as a courtesy & haven’tjoined the club, you will be removed from our mailing list inFebruary. Likewise, those who have not paid dues by the endof February will also be removed from the mailing list. Thisdoes not apply to commercial vendors & representatives ofgardening organizations. Annual club dues are $15.00 perperson or $17.00 per family, payable to CNYOS. Duesshould be given to CNYOS Treasurer Carol Haskell,102 Wynthrop Rd. Solvay, NY 13209.

Please renew—we would hate to lose you!

Please note especially all names and abbreviationsin boldface, and correct or complete your records.

Cypripedium Alliance

Phrag. Don Wimber (Eric Young x besseae) RosslerPaph. Norito Hasegawa (malipoense x armeniacum)

“Phrag. Hanne Popow (besseae x schlimii) KesslerPaph. Maudiae (crossii x lawrenceanum) 2 plants (?)

EricksonPaph. bellatulum “Paph. bellatulum (?) StuartPaph. spicerianum “Paph. Buena Bay (Yerba Buena x Saint Ouens Bay)

“Paph. wenshanense (?) UffordPaph. spicerianum OlneyPaph. Vanda M. Pearman (delenatii x bellatulum)

CohenPaph. Limelight (Maudiae x Chiara) “Phrag. Olaf Gruss (besseae x pearcei) “Paph. John Lamb (barbigerum x gratrixianum) “Paph. barbigerum “Paph. concolor “

Cattleya Alliance

Blc. South Globe (Lc. South Esk x Bc. The Globe)Olney

B. nodosa UffordSlc. Fire Lighter (Bright Angel x Sl. Orpetii)

RosslerBnts. Donald Prince (S. brevipedunculata x B.nodosa) ColemanSlc. Mahalo Jack (C. walkeriana x Sl. Orpetii) “Blc. Oconee x Malibu Gem LovelandSlc. Kawaii Starbright (Lc. Flirtie x Tickety Boo) “Nla. pulchella LloydPot. Memoria Shirley Moore (Blc. Crowfield x Sc. Beaufort) CohenHksa. Koolau Sunset (Slc. Mae Hawkins x Ctna. Keith Roth) “Sc. Mini Collins (C. Michael Collins x S. Arizona) “Slc. Final Touch (California Apricot x Lc. Drumbeat)

“

Vandaceous

Phal. violacea forma albescens UffordAsctm. unknown BoronczykV. Pat Delight (Kasem’s Delight x Fuchs Delight)

OlneySgps. comberi ColemanDtps. San Damiano Stripes (Minho Stripes x Phal.Brother New Player) Cohen

Oncidium Alliance

Odcdm. Wildcat (Rustic Bridge x Crowborough)Coleman

Brsdm. Nittany Gold (Brs. verrucosa x Mexicoa ghiesbreghtiana) “Mtssa. Dennis Kleinbach (Cartagena x Milt. Goodale

Moore) “Onc. Sharry Baby (Jamie Sutton x Honolulu)

EricksonBrs. longissima CapellaRst. uroskinneri StuartRrm. Orchidom Dancer (Tolu. Fan Dancer x Kone’sGood Choice) CohenOnc. crista-galli “

Dendrobium Alliance

Egm. triflorum var. orientale EricksonEgm. triflorum var. orientale ColemanDen. lawesii RosslerDen. Candy Cane (Aussie Green x Penang Stripe)

CohenDen. unicum “

Miscellaneous

Masd. Copper Angel (triangularis x veitchiana)Cohen

Max. cucullata Capella

Iris Cohen

4 THE ORCHID ENTHUSIAST DECEMBER SHOW TABLE

Editor’s Note: There was no newsletter in December, and it was our intention to include the November Show Table listing in this issue.Unfortunately, neither Iris or I am able to locate it; the document seems to have evaporated into the electronic ether. Our apologies for the omis-sion—the November Show Table was an impressive one, especially for a meeting that was held away from our regular location. JAS

CLUB REMINDERS

The CNYOS Club Library is now locatedat St. Augustine’s church. Make arrange-ments with Val Introne (682-8595) if youwant to borrow an item from the Library.

DON’T FORGET TO BRING YOUR

BLOOMING ORCHIDS FOR THE MONTHLY

SHOW TABLE!!!

HHAPPYAPPY NNEWEW YYEAREAR!!

5CNYOS NEWSLETTERMISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS...

Phalaenopsis bellina (violacea),photograph by VagishaSharma, with digital enhance-ment by J. Stuart.

STOS NEWS: NEWS FROM THE SOUTHERN TIER ORCHID SOCIETY

The next meeting of the Southern Tier Orchid Society will be held on January 16TH. No details on the program are available atthis time.

Monthly meetings begin at 2:00PM in the Vestal Public Library. For directions, etc. contact STOS president Paul Crumb at 607-539-7249or by e-mail, pfc3@cornell.edu. Better yet, check out the club web page: http://www.geocities.com/orchidovation/

GROS NEWS: NEWS FROM THE GENESEE REGION ORCHID SOCIETY

The January meeting of the Genesee Region Orchid Society was held on January 3RD, and featured SUNY Morrisville’s KellyHennigan discussing Orchid Propagation Techniques. Kelly is an assistant professor in the Department of Horticulture atSUNY Morrisville. She holds a BS and MS in horticulture from Cornell. While at Cornell, Kelly ran a web-based program toteach grafting techniques using tropical Hibiscus.

At SUNY Morrisville, Kelly teaches plant propagation and plant science. Students in the horticulture program learn variousmicro-propagation techniques, including growing orchids from seed and mericloning. The program was founded about twoyears ago, and has attracted a dedicated group of students.

Taken with permission from The Orchid Collection, Newsletter of the Genesee Region Orchid Society, Vol. 27, No. 5, January 2005, Phil Matt,Newsletter Editor (716) 288-7025. More Info: http://www.geneseeorchid.org/

A limited supply of Coconut Husk Chipsis still available from Jeff Stuart. Themedium grade is sold out, but there is stilla supply of small/fine. If there is interest,a group order for general supplies mightbe possible. Contact Jeff Stuart (471-1404)

Volunteers Needed To Impress CNYOS With TheirCulinary Skills!

Somehow our list of volunteers to provide refresh-ments has disappeared (perhaps it has absconded

with the November Show Table). Please sign up atthe next meeting

ODONTOGLOSSUM CIRRHOSUM & HELCIA SANGUINOLENTA

Two fine examples of orchids from Ecuador are inthis month’s Spot-Light, both being from the

Oncidiinae subtribe. With over 4,500 orchids fromEcuador to choose from, it’s difficult to narrow it

down to just two! But these particular two are gen-erally available to orchid hobbyists, and adaptable

to both greenhouse and under-lights culture.

Odontoglossum cirrhosum is a spectacular species inbloom. The spidery white flowers (occasionally

blotched with red) get up to 4 inches in diameter,and can be intensely (and pleasantly) fragrant. The

species hales from high the high altitudes (1200-2900meters) of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, and as

such appreciates cool to cold temperatures. Theoverall plant size is roughly 30 - 45 cm. Bright lightand ample amounts of clean water (i.e., rain, RO, ordeionized) are appreciated. Although it can bloom

at any time of year, it generally does so in the coolermonths. It is best grown in sphagnum moss, to help

keep its high-moisture requirements. The namerefers to the tendril-like extensions of the column.

The genus Helcia is closely allied with Trichopilia,and has anywhere from only one to five species

(depending on which taxonomist you ask). Helciasanguinolenta is found in Ecuador, Peru, and

Colombia at elevations between 600 – 3000 meters,and boasts 1.5” beautiful leopard-spotted flowers.

The lip is white streaked with red—the speciesname “sanguinolenta” translates to “blood-stained.”

The plant is small-statured (~15 cm), and the flow-ers are reported to be fragrant and long-lasting. It isa generally adaptable plant, although it prefers it on

the cool side of intermediate, with cool night tem-peratures and ample moisture. It does well both

potted and mounted, provided its moisture needsare met. This species requires less light than one

would think, and is reported to do well under thesame conditions as other Ecuador genera, including

Stelis, Restrepia, and Pleurothallis species.

6 THE ORCHID ENTHUSIAST SPOT LIGHT ON...

References: Photos of Odm. cirrhosum and Helcia sanguinolenta © Andy’s Orchids (http://www.andysorchids.com). Text com-piled from the following websites, and/or personal experience: http://www.orchidworks.com, http://www.orchidspecies.com, and

http://www.orchidweb.org. No reproduction without permission.

THE LARGE WHITE FLOWERS OF ODM. CIRRHOSUM ARE OCCA-SIONALLY MARKED WITH RED, AND CAN BE WONDERFULLY FRA-GRANT. COOL TEMPERATURES, AMPLE MOISTURE, AND BRIGHT

LIGHT ARE KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR SUCCESSFUL CULTURE.

HELCIA SANGUINOLENTA HAS STRIKING MODERATELY-SIZED YEL-LOW FLOWERS BLOTCHED WITH RED. SOME TAXONOMISTS (ANDRECALCITRANT HOBBYISTS) CONSIDER HELCIA TO BE SYNONY-

MOUS WITH TRICHOPILIA.

by Jeff StuartCNYOS Newsletter Editor

It happens to me every year; fallquickly approaches, and my

orchid collection has enjoyed anice summer outdoors. And withall that extra room in my indoorgrowing area—not to mention thealmost limitless space in my backyard—I always end up making afew extra additions to the collec-tion. And then, typically under thethreat of frost, I need to rush tobring the collection indoors. Butwith the new orchids, and all thatwonderful summer growth, thereseems to be a bit less free space onmy orchid stands than there usedto be. So I end up crammingorchids into every spare inch offree space, quickly filling up thestands and all the available win-dows… Does this sound familiar?

Inevitably, because of poor plan-ning on my part (and perhaps a

bit of a lack of will-power whenfaced with making orchid purchas-es), the orchids come inside eachfall and get put into locations thatmake it hard for me to take care ofthem—I usually end up loosing afew. This year, however, I tried tominimize the trauma by bothexpanding my growing space byadding a few new light gardens,and by revamping some of theolder stands by adding newdrainage trays (the older ones wereno-longer satisfactory and easilyoverflowed). When faced withconstructing new light gardens,there are a number of factors toconsider: the new stands must beof adequate size to accommodatethe expanded collection, they mustbe sturdy, and perhaps most impor-

tantly, they must be waterproof.The latter was a key factor in moti-vating me to construct a new set ofstands—my oldest stand was madeof wood, and was starting to decay.I lived in fear for several monthsthat it would collapse. Clearly,wood is not the best solution.Metal is perhaps OK, although rustand corrosion can be issues.Commercial plastic shelving wouldbe great, were it not for the cost.Furthermore, most orchid-hobby-ists who grow under fluorescentlighting tend to set up stands with2’x4’ horizontal shelves, so that 4to 6 four-foot fluorescent tubes canbe accommodated. I’ve neverfound commercial plastic shelvingwith the correct dimensions. Ineeded to fabricate shelving on myown, preferably of plastic, to spe-cific dimensions.

The Right Stuff: The answerto my dilemma was found in

PVC piping (Figure 1). I’ve previ-ously described making a stand forgrowing mounted orchids, so per-haps it’s not so surprising that I“arrived” at the conclusion ofusing PVC. It is easily availablein many convenient diameters, isinexpensive, and easy to use. Anumber of standard plumbing fit-

tings are available in almost anyhardware store. Furthermore,stands can be glued together easilywith minimal effort. The onlyinconvenience is that the fittingsavailable locally are designed forplumbing projects, not for furni-ture building… That makes designof a shelving unit difficult, asplumbing seldom requires 3-waycorners & 4-way T-fittings. Suchfittings are needed to make shelfsupports and corners. Your aver-age hardware store carries onlyright-angle and 3-way T-fittings.Fortunately, a Google search onthe internet revealed numerousweb-sites dedicated to specializedPVC fittings for building light-weight and weatherproof furniture!All the fittings necessary are easilyavailable by mail order at fairlyreasonable prices—the cheapestsource I found was from a retailerin Florida by the name of Patios-to-Go (http://www.patiostogo.com).Almost any size and fitting youcan possibly need—from thatneeded for patio furniture to dogagility gear—can be purchased at areasonable price from this site (at aprice of one third to half of whatother web sites listed—donedeal!). Patios-to-Go also has aselection of casters, although youmust be careful to specify the pipesize you’re using. For 1” pipethey had to custom assemble thecasters I requested. The ability tomove the shelves is extremely con-venient.

Time to Design: Now that Iknew what was available, it

was time to design my stands. Isettled on one-inch PVC pipe andfittings for construction; this sizemight sound to small at first, but

7CNYOS NEWSLETTERCONSTRUCTING A PVC PIPE ORCHID LIGHT GARDEN

FIGURE 1: PVC PIPES OF MANY DIAME-TERS CAN BE PURCHASED AT LOCAL HOME

CENTERS FOR REASONABLE PRICES.

upon inspection of the pipe itturned out to be more than suffi-cient—PVC pipe is strong. I cameup with a simple design for unitswith three shelves each (in addi-tion to the top), a little larger than2 x 4’ and approximately 6-7 feettall. I wanted the shelves as tall asmy basement growing area couldaccommodate, so that the fluores-cent fixtures could be raised andlowered as needed. The length andwidth had to be a nominal 2 by 4feet in order to fit the trays I had inmind. Each stand needed a total offour 3-way corner pieces, twelve4-way T fittings, & 8 standard 3-way T-fittings (available locallyfrom Home Depot). Figure 2shows all the needed fittings. Thelatter fittings were needed for apair of cross-braces per shelf, toadd center support for the drainagetrays (see Figure 5). As an aside, Ionly intend to use the upper twoshelves—the bottom shelf is there

primarily for structural support andstorage space.

The Right Tools: When deal-ing with PVC, some special-

ized equipment is in order—although not altogether necessary.The primary task is to cut the pipeto the correct length. There areseveral ways to do so, and a stan-dard miter box & saw is an effec-tive way to go. However, this isan awkward approach because it isdifficult to clamp a pipe in positionprior to cutting, and it generates alot of plastic “saw-dust” while cut-ting. A much better solution is togo with a PVC pipe-cutting tool,which typically consists of a ratch-eted blade that cuts through thepipe as you squeeze the handlestogether—the ratchet action makescutting the tube fairly easy. Makesure the cutter you purchase isapproved for the diameter of thePVC pipe you intend to use.

Figure 3 illustrates the tool beingused to cut 1” pipe. In addition tothe pipe-cutting tool, other toolsmight include a file for shaving offrough ends and removing burrs (ifnecessary), a tape measure, a per-manent marker, & a rubber mallet.

Aslight disadvantage to using aPVC pipe cutter is that your

cuts will often not be square (i.e.,the cuts will look crooked), but notto worry; the slight variation inpipe length that results will be

8 THE ORCHID ENTHUSIAST

FIGURE 2: A PLETHORA OF PVC FITTINGS. THE TOP TWO ROWS SHOW SPECIAL-ORDER

FOUR-WAY FITTINGS USED AT THE CORNERS. THE STANDARD “T” FITTINGS SHOWN ABOVE

ARE AVAILABLE AT HOME CENTERS. FOUR 3-WAY CORNERS ARE SHOWN AT THE RIGHT, NEXT

TO SPECIAL ORDER CASTERS, ALL OBTAINED FROM PATIOS TO GO. THERE ARE A FEW EXTRA

STANDARD “T” FITTINGS SHOWN THAT WERE NOT NEEDED FOR THE FINAL STAND.

FIGURE 3: CUTTING PVC PIPE. ONCE A

LENGTH OF PIPE HAS BEEN MEASURED, ARATCHETED PVC PIPE CUTTER PROVIDES A

CLEAN AND EASY METHOD OF CUTTING

PIPES. TWO VIEWS OF CUTTING THE PIPE

ARE SHOWN IN THE BOTTOM TWO PHOTOS.

FEATURE ARTICLE, CONT.

insignificant once the stand isassembled. I found variations asmuch as an eighth of an inch wereeasily absorbed once the fittingswere attached.

Working With PVC Pipe:Once I had compiled a list

of all the PVC pipe lengths I need-ed, I went right to measuring andcutting. Determining how muchpipe you need may not be as easyas it sounds. You must first con-sider the finished length, afteryou’ve attached the appropriate fit-ting to either end. One-inch pipefittings typically added an inch toeach end, meaning that a 48” fin-ished width will need a 46” lengthof pipe and two end fittings.You’ll have to confirm the dimen-sions of each type of fitting, whichmay vary between manufacturersand pipe sizes. Finally, PVC pipecomes in standard 10’ lengths, so afew calculations will be needed tofigure out how many pieces you’llbe able to cut from each newpipe—it’s nearly impossible toeliminate waste, but careful plan-ning will minimize unused pipe. Asimple tape measure was used tomeasure pipe lengths, which Imarked out with a fine-tip perma-nent marker. Remember—mea-sure twice and cut once! My goal

was to end up with as little leftover PVC as possible. Figure 4shows all the finished pieces wait-ing for assembly.

After all the pieces are cut, it’sa good idea to assemble the

unit to make sure everything fitsand the resulting shelf matches thedesign—any mistakes shouldbecome obvious immediately sothat corrections can be made. Becareful not to tighten the joints toomuch, because you’ll have to dis-assemble before gluing—you mayneed the rubber mallet to gentlyknock the pieces apart. If you’resatisfied with the results, it’s timeto move onto the next step. Figure5 shows an assembled shelf.

Cementing PVC Pipe: Thereare a number of commercial

products available for gluing PVCpipe together, but I recommendselecting a product like Oatey PVCCement (Figure 6). This is usuallyavailable in a handy pack, includ-

ing a can of purple primer and acan of cement. Brush-applicatorsfor each are included as part of thecontainer caps. Oatey products areintended for plumbing applica-tions, and form a very strongbond. WARNING: Use theprimer & cement in a well-venti-lated area—the fumes can betoxic! Even in a ventilated area, Ifelt light-headed after workingwith the cements for the better partof a day. The primer is used toclean off the surfaces to becemented, and is applied immedi-

9CNYOS NEWSLETTER

FIGURE 5: ASSEMBLING THE COMPONENTS OF EACH SHELF ENSURES THAT ALL PIPES ARE

CUT TO THE CORRECT SIZE AND THE PARTS FIT TOGETHER PROPERLY.

FIGURE 4: PIPES CUT TO LENGTH: IT IS

SURPRISING TO SEE HOW MANY PIPES ARE

NEEDED FOR JUST ONE SHELF!

FIGURE 6: OATEY PURPLE PRIMER &PVC CEMENT. THE OATEY PRODUCTS

PRODUCE VERY STRONG BONDS & SHOULD

BE USED IN WELL-VENTILATED AREAS.

FEATURE ARTICLE, CONT.

ately prior to applying the cement,itself. Before applying the primer,the surfaces to be cemented shouldbe free of dirt and dust. Becausewe’re not worried about a leak-proof seal, the joints need not beperfect. Once the surface is rela-tively clean, apply the primer tocreate a fresh PVC surface. Thebrush should not be drippingwet—not much primer is needed—and primer is applied by simplyrunning the brush over the surfaceto be cemented (both the pipe andfitting should be primed). Thepurple color makes it easy to tell ifyou’ve achieved adequate cover-age. When not in use, be sure andstore the brush in the primer.Once the components are primed,open the cement and use the (new)brush to apply cement to theprimed areas on both the fittingand pipe. Quickly join the twocomponents and tighten into place(use the mallet if necessary).Rotate the pipe about a quarterturn, and hold for 30 seconds. Thecement sets very quickly—after~30 seconds no readjustment willbe possible. A full bond is formedin anywhere from an hour to sever-al hours, depending on the temper-ature and humidity. However,because we are not doing plumb-ing work, we can safely handle thejoint while assembling the rest ofthe shelf after only a few minutes.The four steps are shown in Figure7 . Cementing the shelves togethertakes time—in my design, eachshelf consisted of 10 pipe piecesand 8 fittings, with 20 individualjoints to be cemented! You wantto be sure that when all the compo-nents are cemented into one shelf,the result is as level and square aspossible.

Cementing Strategy: It’sworth noting a bit of strategy

while cementing your shelf togeth-er. When cementing individualjoints, try to make sure that thepipe is completely inserted into thefitting, and that once cemented, thepipe and fitting are “square,” i.e.,the pipe should come straight outof the fitting without being at anangle, making a right angle to theother pipes joined by the fitting.This may mean having somethinghandy to act as a spacer—a pieceof wood or something else of thecorrect height—to keep the pipeslevel while the cemented jointcures for the first minute or so.Work with one shelf at a time, anddon’t worry about cementing thevertical pieces in place. Themajority of the lateral stabilitycomes from the (horizontal)cemented & assembled shelves(i.e., so the shelf will resist pullingapart from side to side), and thevertical supports need not be per-manently cemented. This is partic-ularly convenient if the shelvesneed to be disassembled andmoved in the future. Furthermore,you have more control over theheight of the stand, which can bechanged in the future by installinglonger pipes for a taller stand, orcutting down the length of the pre-existing pipes for a shorter stand.

Finishing the Light Garden:At this point, the shelf is just

about done. If you purchased cast-ers, they can be attached to thebottom shelf, and then the entireunit can be assembled. Use themallet to make sure the verticalsupports are well seated in the fit-tings. Chain can be used to hangthe fluorescent lights on theshelf—leaving additional chain in

10 THE ORCHID ENTHUSIAST

1

2

3

4

FIGURE 7: CEMENTING PVC. 1 & 2:BOTH THE INTERIOR & EXTERIOR OF THE

PIPES & FITTINGS ARE PRIMED WITH PURPLE

PRIMER. CEMENTING IS DONE SIMILARLY

(NOT SHOWN). 3. ONCE ALL SURFACES

ARE COATED WITH PRIMER & CEMENT, THE

PIPE IS INSERTED FIRMLY INTO THE FITTING.HOLD THE PIPE FIRMLY IN PLACE FOR ~ 30SECONDS TO SET THE BOND. 4. THE FIN-

ISHED CORNER. CARE MUST BE TAKEN

WHEN CEMENTING AN ENTIRE SHELF TO

MAKE SURE THE END RESULT IS LEVEL.

FEATURE ARTICLE, CONT.

place will allow the lamps to beraised or lowered as needed. Apower-strip secured with zip-ties tothe top of the shelf unit makes aconvenient place to plug in thelights, and is unlikely to get wetduring watering. Figure 8 showsmy finsihed stand. For drainagetrays, I’m using a roofing productcalled roofing pans, that are cut tolength with the ends folded up toform trays—these pans are onefoot wide and interlock along theirlength. They’re about 3” deep andcan be cut to any length. If youcan get the ends folded and installdrains, they make ideal trays forfluorescent light gardens. The ideawas inspired by an article onhydroponics I found on-line, whichdescribed the roofing pans as acost effective alternative to expen-sive trays sold by hydroponics spe-cialty stores. I ordered the pansfrom a Delaware-based companythat specializes in light-weightpatio roofs. The major problemfor most people will be folding theopen ends into a tray; roofing pansare made of moderate gauge alu-minum and can be difficult to bend(even with the proper tools).Fortunately, my pans arrived withone end already (machine) folded,but the cost of folding both endswas prohibitive. So I tackled thetask myself, which took a lot oftime & effort. For drains, I’musing marine through-hull fittings.These fittings can be affixedthrough a pre-drilled hole, andconnected to a drainage hose. Asis evident, the use of roofing pansis assembly-intensive, and there-fore may not be the best choice forthe average under-lights orchidgrower. On the flip side, they arelight-weight, water-resistant, andrelatively inexpensive (as com-

pared to pre-fabricated trays).

Despite my efforts—not onlydid I replace my decaying

wood stand, but I built two addi-tional new ones—I was not com-pletely successful in transitioningmy orchids into their winter grow-ing areas. The trays are still notfinished (they need the drainsinstalled) so the collection is some-what in disarray. However, only afew orchids died, and it’s arguablethat they were already in badshape. But in the long term, myefforts will be well worth it, andthe plants will be much better off.

And if you’re considering buildinga light garden, using PVC pipe andthe new furniture-grade fittings isan excellent way to go. The result-ing stands are strong yet light-weight, durable, will not corrode,rust, or rot, can be easily modifiedto be taller or shorter, and won’tprovide homes for insects andother orchid pests. All in all, PVCis an ideal solution to constructingnot only indoor light gardens, buteven sturdy greenhouse benches.And if you liked Tinker-Toys as akid, this is a great project!

11CNYOS NEWSLETTER

FIGURE 8: THE FINISHED STAND. THE COMPLETED STAND LOADED WITH ORCHIDS! THE

TRAYS DISCUSSED IN THE TEXT ARE NOT YET INSTALLED.

FEATURE ARTICLE, CONT.

Central New Central New YYork Orchidork OrchidSocietySociety

President: Kim Boronczyk (315) 455-7587

Co-V. Presidents: Carolyn Pace (315) 662-7993

Cynthia Busic-Synder (315) 684-7525

Treasurer: Carol Haskell (315) 468-0811

Secretary: Barbara Weller (315) 468-5039

Newsletter Editor: Jeff Stuart (315) 471-1404

The Central New York Orchid Societymeets at St. Augustine’s Church, 7333O’Brien Rd, Baldwinsville, at 2:00PM onthe first Sunday of each month fromSeptember through June. Yearly duesare $15.00 per individual, or $17.00 fam-ily. Dues should be paid to the CNYOSTreasurer, Carol Haskell.

T H E O R C H I D E N T H U S I A S T

The CNYOS Newsletter, The OrchidEnthusiast, is a publication of the CentralNew York Orchid Society and is distribut-ed to the Society’s members ten timesper year, prior to all club meetings,events, or functions.

Jeff Stuart, Editor

351 Kensington PlaceSyracuse NY 13210-3309

(315) 471-1404e-mail: jastuart@syr.edu

THECENTRALNEWYORKORCHIDSOCIETY

Your local AOS & Orchid Digest Affiliate351 Kensington PlaceSyracuse, NY13210-3309

Next Meeting: Guest Speaker Jeanne Kaeding,“Orchid Habitats and Travels in Ecuador”

Next Meeting: Sunday, January 9, 2PM

http://www.paphiopedilum.net