“W.J.O.S. NEWS” March 2020

Wanneroo/Joondalup Orchid Society

Website: http://members.iinet.net.au/~emntee/WOS_News.htm All Correspondence to The Secretary P.O. Box 236, Kingsway, WA 6065.

Patron: Mrs Fay Deverell

PRESIDENT Tony Watkinson Phone; 0481 867 471 email: waos@iinet.net.au SECRETARY Lynne - 9448 5840 email: secretarywjos@gmail.com TREASURER Charly Hartman Phone; 9206 4589 email: chart1c@iinet.net.au REGISTRAR Chris Cabassi Phone; 0417 945 663 email: scotit@iinet.net.au EDITOR Tony Watkinson Phone; 0481 857 471 email: waos@iinet.net.au Next Meeting

Will be held, Thursday March 19th @ 7.30pm, at the St. Lukes School at Woodvale, corner of Whitfords Ave and Duffy Terrace,

Woodvale. Visitors and New Members always welcome

TOPIC OF THE EVENING:

What are the Judges Looking for? With Tony B.

WANNEROO/JOONDALUP ORCHID SOCIETY CALENDAR 2020

Please note that the time for set-up of displays between 8 & 9 am on the Thursday morning of the display. Plants can still be brought in after that time if it is more convenient. May 2 - 3 NDOS Show @ Jack Healy Centre, Mead St. & Canning Rd. Kalamunda May 8 - 9 WJOS Display - North Beach Display - North Beach Shopping Centre, West Coast H/W & Nth Beach Rd July 18 - 19 (Winter) Northern Orchid & Garden Fair, John Septimus Roe School, Mirrabooka Ave, Mirrabooka. August 1 - 2 Inter Society Orchid Display & Workshop, Cannington Showgrounds, Albany H/W. September 5 - 6 Spring Orchid Fair, Leederville (To Be Confirmed) October 10th & 11th Northern Orchid & Garden Fair, John Septimus Roe School, Mirrabooka Ave, Mirrabooka. (Spring) Floral Arrangement For March - St Patrick Day For April - April Showers For May - Mothers Day ———————————————————————————————— Our Guest Speaker this month will be Tony Budrovich who will tell you what judges are looking for in your orchids. What does it take to make a great show orchid. Please listen and learn so that you can get the most from our orchid shows with your prize winning plants. ————————————————————————————————-

Ezi-Gro Orchids are now CLOSED on Sundays

New membership fees will be……. Membership Fees- Couple/family $47. Single $31. (Includes Badge) Renewal - Couple/family $25. Single $20. Junior $7

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PAPHIOPEDILUM CULTURE NOTES (February/March) by Trevor These are months that the weather can usually be expected to have some excessively hot days. At this time of year, I water 3 times a week early in the morning with overhead sprinklers, so the plants are well saturated. This will allow time for the plants to be dry before the sun gets too high and will prevent any possibility of water burn. This will also ensure plants are dry before nightfall. Some growers may be tempted to water on hot evenings but I personally avoid this at all cost. Water left in the axils of the leaves at night only encourages rot and water borne disease. I find if the plants are watered heavily the next morning they seem to thrive on the fact they have been forced to dry out somewhat overnight. If excessive heat is forecast over consecutive days, you will need to watch plants in small pots and increase the watering as necessary. Watering is highly dependent on the composition of your potting media and its ability to retain moisture (For beginners, a test pot of plain pot-ting mix in the growing area is recommended until you understand the water holding capacity of your mix - you can empty the pot at any stage to see how much water is retained. The pot should be just moist throughout the bottom half of the pot.) As the plants are still in active growth, keep a weak fertiliser program going on a weekly or fortnightly basis depending on your time constraints at ¼ to ½ strength with a high nitrogen-based fertiliser to maximise the new growths before the flowering season. Ensure that you flush the pot with water between fertilising which will flush out any excess salts. In the glasshouse, the use of mist-ing sprays under the benches will be beneficial by increasing the humidity levels on very hot days. It is equally important that plenty of fresh air, which is essential for the plants health, is available in the glasshouse. Do not remove any extra shade that you may have installed over the summer months

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Results of the February Meeting Open Laelinae Alliance 1a 1st C. loddgessi var. harrisoniana ‘Streetens Choice’ Bruce 1b 1st Rlc. Tribute ‘Independance Day’ x Mini Purple ‘Francis’ John P 1c 1st C. Lavender Ice x loddigessi ‘Strecteris Choice’ Gillian M 2nd C. Lulu ‘Pink Blush’ Bruce 3rd Chz. Lucerito De Oro ‘M’ John P Paphiopedilum 3b 1st Vanda M Pearman John P Oncidinae 6d 1st Bnfd. Gilded Tower ‘Mystic Maze’ Ray 2nd Brsdm. Golden Gamine ‘White Knight’ Ray Vandeae 7a 1st Angcm. Magdalenae ‘Darch’ x Magdalenae ‘Landsdale’ Gillian M 7b 1st Vasco. Pine River Pink John P 2nd Angcm. Longiscott ‘Hihimana’ Gillian M Australian Native Epiphyte 8a 1st Den. bigibbum Ray Species 10b 1st Bulb. phalaenopsis Charly Hybrid 11a 1st Phrag. Nicholle Tower Ray 2nd Phrag. wallisii x conchiferum Ray

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Results of the February Meeting Open 11b 1st Ctsm. Susan Fuchs Mike & Jill 2nd Ctsm. Susan Fuch ‘Vis Chace’ Charly 3rd Gptm. (Giant x Artur Elle) ‘Old Port’ Ray —————————————————————————————— Novice Laelinae Alliance 15c 1st C. Tonia Gillian C 15f 1st Cook. Tropical Snowflake Lynne G Dendrobeae 18f 1st Den. Unknown Sara Vandeae 21b 1st V. Uknown Gillian C ————————————————————————————— Meeting Results for February 2020 George Webber Memorial Trophy Catasetum Susan Fuchs - Mike & Jill Popular Vote Novice Cookara Tropical Snowflake. - Lynne Floral Art - Gillian M Popular Vote Open Catasetum Susan Fuchs - Bruce

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Following a most interesting talk by Ken Jones at our last meeting, here are some notes on Masdevallia from the American Orchid Society. Masdevallia Culture Sheet Masdevallia is a genus of some 350 species usually from cool, misty mountains of the New World Tropics. Masdevallias are best known for their showy flowers consisting of sepals fused into a tubelike structure. Their origins in cool, damp environments make them an excellent choice for cool or coastal climates. Most species and hybrids are compact enough so that they can be easily accommodated on windowsills or under lights. Light should be like that given for Phalaenopsis and Paphiopedilums —1,000 to 1,500 foot-candles. Masdevallias can be kept in light intensities up to 2,500 foot-candles if the growing area can be kept cool. Plants grow well under standard fluorescent fixtures and can be summered outside in shade. In the home, place in an east or shaded north window or under artificial lights. Temperatures should be cool to intermediate. The plants will grow slowly and eventually expire if temperatures remain high for long periods. Cool evenings help reduce heat stress during the day. Nights of 16C are ideal; day temperatures should be 24C. Evaporative cooling pads or humidifiers are useful in maintaining these conditions. Avoid day temperatures higher than 80 F. Water is critical for these plants because they have minimal water-storage tissue. Roots should be allowed to become almost dry before watering again; if drainage is adequate, constantly moist roots are fine. Good-quality water low in dissolved solids is imperative for success. Humidity is an important factor in the successful culture of Masdevallias. The ideal range is 60 to 80 percent humidity. In the home, set the plants on trays of gravel partially filled with water. In the greenhouse or enclosed growing area, humidity can be increased by use of a humidifier, while evaporative coolers help raise humidity and lower temperatures. If plants are summered outdoors, automatic misters under the benches are recommended as is more frequent soaking.

Fertilize regularly with a dilute solution while plants are actively growing. Applications of 30-10-10-type formulations twice a month are ideal for plants in a bark-based medium. A 20-20-20-type formulation should be used for plants in other media. If weather is overcast, applications once a month are sufficient. Potting is best done in the winter or early spring, before the heat of summer arrives or as new roots are produced. Plants must be repotted frequently, every one to two years, before the potting mix decomposes. A fine-grade potting medium, such as fine fir bark or tree-fern fibre, is often used with plastic pots. Sphagnum moss is also used, especially for establishing plants. The plant should be positioned in the pot so that the newest growth is farthest from the edge of the container, allowing the maximum number of new growths without crowding the vessel. Plants growing in many directions may be positioned in the centre of the pot. Spread the roots over a cone of potting medium and fill in around the roots with potting medium to the junction of the roots and the plant. Firm the medium around the roots. Keep humidity high and the potting medium slightly dry until new roots form. ——————————————————————————————- Fertilize weakly, weekly Fertilization is not an incredibly important piece of orchid growing because orchids get very little fertilization in the wild, but it is something that will help your orchids grow well and vigorously. Keep in mind that orchids are very sensitive to salt and fertilizers are generally salts. So when you fertilize, which should be done during the growing season (summer), use the fertilizer at 1/2 the strength listed on the package – even if it is labelled as “orchid fertilizer”. Do this once a week when you water (you might water first and then fertilize because that best insures that the orchid takes in the fertilizer). You’ll want to take a week off once a month and water without fertilizer to flush the salts from the pot so they don’t build up and hurt your plant. Only Cymbidium orchids would want fertilization at full strength. Also, your orchids would benefit best from fertilizer labelled as “urea free” since it can take that in more readily.

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Calcium Deficiency Symptoms: Calcium deficiency has a similar appearance to a bacterial or fungal rot, but is really the same problem as blossom end rot in tomatoes. It affects cattleyas, especially the Guarianthe, primarily during periods of rapid growth. Calcium, a lesser macronutrient, is used to build cell walls. Deficiencies usually occur in spring and summer during periods of active growth. New leaves may turn black at the tips. The affected area has an advancing yellow band. Bud growth may be inhibited or buds may develop improperly. A calcium deficiency may also cause death of root tips. (extracted from Orchid Species Culture by Margaret L. and Charles O. Baker) Treatment: Supply extra calcium when the plant is in active growth. Use a good cal mag fertilizer, add calcium nitrate at the rate of 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per gallon to your water (alternating with Epsom salts) between fertilizations, add 1 tablespoon of dolomitic lime per gallon or top dress with powdered dolomite as a source of calcium and magnesium during the hot months when calcium requirements are high. You can also make the calcium present in well water more available to the plant by using an acidity generating fertilizer like 20-10-20. Prevention: Supply extra calcium via a good cal mag fertilizer, calcium nitrate or dolomitic lime. Read More: More Black Tips (Rockhampton Orchid Society) Calcium and Magnesium (Sue Bottom, SAOS) Calcium Deficiency in Cattleyas (Sue Bottom, SAOS)

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Magnesium Deficiency Symptoms: Magnesium deficiency can result in cupped leaves, a reduction in growth and marginal or interveinal chlorosis (yellow along leaf edges or between veins) and usually is exhibited in the middle or older leaves (extracted from Orchid Species Culture by Margaret L. and Charles O. Baker)

Plants grown with a magnesium deficiency can exhibit chlorotic mottling after exposure to extremes of temperature. When growth begins in the spring, the older leaves on plants grown without Sufficient magnesium will yellow and drop as the plant translocates magnesium to the new growth. Dr. Martin Motes suggests an increase in anthocyanin (red/purple coloration) in leaves, particularly after exposure to cooler temperatures, can occur as a result of magnesium deficiency Treatment: Supply extra magnesium when the plant is in active growth. Use a good cal mag fertilizer, add Epsom salts at the rate of 1/8 to 1/4 tsp weekly or 1/2 teaspoon per gallon to your water each month, add 1 tablespoon of dolomitic lime per gallon or top dress with powdered dolomite.

Prevention: Supply extra magnesium via a good cal mag fertilizer, Epsom salts and/or dolomitic lime.

Read More: Leaf Reddening from Magnesium Deficiency after Ex-posure to Cold (Dr. Martin Motes) Calcium and Magnesium (Sue Bottom, SAOS)

https://staugorchidsociety.org/culturepests-environmental.htm

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