Here you have it. Your first newsletter in first month of the last year of this millennium by your new editor. I hope you like it.
You may have read one of the pink flyers I passed around at the January meeting, outlining my goals for the newsletter and soliciting your help. In the event you did not, I'll repeat myself here.
I hope to establish monthly columns on orchid culture to which you and others will contribute. I ask each of you to find an orchid subject that interests you, and start writing! How did you get started growing orchids? Which was your very first orchid? What successes have you had? What failures? With your participation, this newsletter will remain interesting, informative and educational.
The format may change as I learn more about how to prepare this newsletter in an attractive yet cost-conscious manner. Please bear with me. I had no idea how much work was required when I innocently volunteered for this job. Harry has made it look like a piece of cake these past ten years! I am deeply grateful to Harry Tolen for his patience, guidance and encouragement as I get underway.
You will notice that there is no advertising this month. I'm already working to include ads, so please be patient. You'll see them as soon as I can figure out how to format them, hopefully next month.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be your Editor! Its quite a challenge! With your articles and support, I am confident our newsletter will be a vital reflection of our membership. Just keep those ideas coming! I'm available via phone, fax, mail and email.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Lawrence
| Interested in contributing articles to our newsletter? Please contact Rebecca Lawrence for details. 760-943-8860 or email rebsie@home.com |
PLANT CLINIC
February 2nd, 1999 - 6:30 PM - Casa Del Prado - RM 104
By Chris Herndon, 2nd VP
February's Novice Class will be a "Plant Clinic." As you may recall, we had one of these last November and it was both informative and fun. Simply bring in any orchids which have strange markings and/or pests that you are unfamiliar with. We will try to give identifications of the pests and pathogens involved and how to treat the problem. Bring in any plants that you have had a difficult time growing successfully and we will try to elucidate what cultural requirements are not being met. ALL PLANTS, LEAVES, ETC. MUST BE BROUGHT IN A PLASTIC BAG IN ORDER TO PREVENT ANY PESTS OR DISEASES FROM CROSS-CONTAMINATING OTHER PLANTS.
I also invite any experienced and veteran growers to join and help us with the "diagnosis" of the plants. I hope to see you all with your plants.
THIS MONTH'S GENERAL MEETING
February 2nd, 1999 - 7:30 PM - Casa Del Prado - RM 101
By Ben Machado, 1st VP
Dr. Guido Braem is with us for a return engagement. He's been one of our all time favorites full of controversy, scientific fact and fun. He's an international authority on orchids who relishes almost any controversy about orchids. Every time in the past he has made his presentations with a highly spirited flavor. This time he will speak on Cattleyas.
Guido recently opened a new web site (http://www.paphdoc.com/lectures.html ) where you can find a lot more detail about his speaking tour and about himself. This is what he has on the web site regarding his Cattleya presentation:
"An all-time favorite. The genus Cattleya is generally divided into two major groups being the unifoliate and the bifoliate species. The unifoliate group comprises about twenty species occurring through Central and South America. The bifoliate group again can be divided in those species that occur in Mexico and part of Central America (about 4 or 5 species) and a larger section of about twenty species that can be found in Brazil. All species are shown by slides, and the natural history, distribution etc. of all is explained."
| Guido has become such a familiar personality here in the United States we hardly realize that he's traveling all the way from Germany. Again, he's on another of his nationwide U.S. tours from Miami to California to New York and etc. We're extremely lucky to have this highly esteemed and entertaining presenter. |  |
Tom Biggart of Granite Hill Orchids is providing the plants for our Plant Opportunity Table. He plans on complementing Guido's presentation by including an assortment of plants concentrating on Cattleya species. Granite Hills Orchids specializes on a wide range of species orchids ranging from the regular to the hard to find. Every visit there unravels something unique and interesting. For our table you can expect a very fine assortment.
March 19 - 21,
1999
The 53rd Annual Orchid Show and Plant Sale
From Bud Close, Show Chairman
Here are the areas where we need the most help from the general membership for our upcoming orchid show, Orchid Oasis. The first 5 are most important, because this is where we need the most volunteers. Please sign up for one or more of these committees at our monthly meetings. Or call me at 619-444-8839.
1. Security:
Mostly for the Sales Room, checking plant movement out of
the sales area. We will also have a Plant Hotel where
people who have purchased plants can place them while
they view the Exhibits.
2. Host and Hostess:
This takes place mostly in the Show Room to watch the
public and see that they do not touch or pick up flower
displays or walk into the displays. Photographs are fine.
Help at the doors is also important but even more so is
the ability to answer questions for the general public.
3. Construction:
Staging and Set-up. This will start at 7AM on Thursday,
March 18, with the layout of our general floor plans in
both Sales and Show Room areas. Then construction of
display backings, etc., will take place.
4. Plant Registration:
We need general help to type out cards for each plant
entered in our show and more. These people can also help
distribute registered plants to the proper places for
judging.
5. T-Shirt Sales: We can use a few
people here all three days.
6. Corsages: making corsages in the
corsage booth, for sale and as prizes.
7. Clerks: Helping judges, as judging
clerks, to locate plants.
8. Admissions: Selling tickets at the
door.
9. Tear down and clean up: at the end of
the show.
I will be at the meetings with sign-up sheets in February and March, as well as the Mini-Show on Feb. 20 and 21. Please look for me and sign-up to do something for our big show.
Posters are available when you sign up. These beautiful posters look great framed. Each member may have two posters, and more , if you wish to distribute them to a neighborhood store, office, etc.
PRE-SHOW TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE FEB. MEETING. After this meeting we will mail out 6 tickets to each member. PLEASE NOTE: If you do NOT want to receive tickets, tell us at the next meeting (sign up for "no tickets") or call us and let us know at 619-444-8839. Selling tickets is the one thing that every member of our society can do to support our society in the coming year. I, Bud Close, would like you to help with this project, but please remember you are not obligated to sell pre-show tickets. If you take these tickets please do one of the following a) Keep one for free, and pay the SDCOS $20 for the next five tickets —that is $1.00 off the face price. Now sell those five tickets to friends, or give them away or b) Return any unsold tickets to us. PLEASE, whatever you decide, let us know so we can account for all the serial numbers on the tickets after the show.
One final thing, don't forget to sign up for the show banquet on Saturday night the 20th of March. This is always lots of fun, but remember we are limited to 125 persons at this banquet.
Thanks, Bud
MINI SHOW -
FEBRUARY 20 & 21, 1999
All Members! We need your participation in the upcoming
mini-show. Bring a plant or two you have blooming down to
our regular meeting room on Friday, February 19 until 8
p.m. or Saturday morning before 9:30 a.m. You can bring
as many as you like. Come for the oohs and aahs your
plants will get.
Informal judging is done on Saturday morning from 9:30 until about 11:00 a.m. After judging, our show opens to the public, closes at 5 p.m. Sunday's hours are 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Plants can be picked up at 4:00 p.m. Sunday. Not before.
We especially need your divisions and duplicates as donations for the sales tables. Now is the time to start some plant cuttings, any type. Pot up those backbulbs from the cymbidiums you're dividing, bring in those non-orchid plants you've lost interest in now that orchids are your passion, any healthy, living plant is a welcome addition to the sales area. The revenue from this plant sale benefits all in our society. The money pays for the supplies, doughnuts and coffee at our monthly meetings. There is no charge for attendance to this show!
This show is a good opportunity for newcomers and novices to get some experience showing their plants before the upcoming BIG annual show at the Scottish Rite Temple in Mission Valley. Contact Fred Weber, Forrest Robinson, Bob Hodges, Bud Close or any of the officers listed if you have questions. Otherwise we'll count on seeing you there!
DATES TO REMEMBER
FEBRUARY
Feb. 2, 7:30pm - SDCOS General Meeting
First Tuesday each month
Contact: Fred Weber (619) 982-9128
February 6, 9:00 am - SDCOS Species
Group Meeting
First Saturday each month
Contact: Paul or Ann Tuskes (619) 274-5829
Feb. 9, 7:00 pm - SDCOS Director's
Meeting, Balboa Park
Second Tuesday each month
Contact: Siv Garrod (619) 483-8787
Feb. 10 - Cymbidium Society Meeting,
Carlsbad
Third Wednesday each month
Contact: Larry Phillips (619) 746-5518
Feb. 12 - Palomar Orchid Society
Meeting,
Vista
Second Friday each month
Contact: Bob Swanson (619) 465-2297
Feb. 20 and 21 - SDCOS Mini-Show,
Balboa Park
Contact: Fred Weber (619) 982-9128
Feb. 16, 7:00 pm - SDCOS Show Committee
Meeting,
Balboa Park
Third Tuesday August through April
Contact: Bud Close (619) 444-8839
Feb. 19, 10 am - 2 pm - Zoo Orchid
Greenhouses
Third Friday each month Open House
Contact: Jeannette Gerrity
231-1515 ext. 4306
MARCH
Mar. 19, 20, and 21 - "ORCHID
OASIS"
SDCOS 53rd Annual Show and Sale
Contact: Bud Close (619) 444-8839
| In Memoriam By Bud Close Byron Geer recently passed away. I met him in 1950 when he came to my greenhouse in Lemon Grove. Over the years we got together many times, mostly to pot orchids and chat about the mundane. His interest in orchids grew strongly. He was very active in our society in many ways including president in 1964-65, show chairman, librarian, AOS registration, director, and countless other jobs. He was one of those ever-present, helpful persons in our society always available to help. We will all miss his active orchid mind and influence. |
All you computer literate cyberspace browsers: make sure you Visit Our Very Own WebPage produced by Duncan S. Werth III at: http://members.home.net/orchid1 It's beautiful and should be an award winner. It will also link you to other great orchid related Web Sites. Enjoy!
| SPACE-SAVING ORCHIDS by Tom Biggart Being a great fan of space-saving orchids I figure there are a lot of others like me out there. "Why don't I share some of my experience growing these plants in the sunny hills of East El Cajon?" I said to myself one day when our editor was looking for articles. This will be the first installment of a monthly series I'll attempt to write. I will endeavor to write about plants that are easy for me to grow. (If I can grow them, anyone can!) I'll begin with a Central American species, Encyclia bractescens. This plant has a cluster of onion-shaped pseudobulbs about one inch long. Two grasslike leaves come out of the top of the pseudobulb to about 8 inches long. They may be longer with less light and shorter with more. An arching , willowy stem will carry 5 to 12 bright, perky flowers. The narrow sepals and petals are brown and the lip is flat, circular and white to pink in color. Due to the weak stem I would suggest mounting this species to allow the lovely flowers to be shown to their best advantage. The plant multiplies rapidly into a multigrowth specimen plant. It comes from medium elevations in dry oak forests. Its range is from Mexico to Honduras. It blooms from February to June. This charming orchid deserves a place in everyone's collection! I'll plan on bringing a plant to the meeting so one can see how it grows. FIRST ANNUAL WINTER SALE |
What will make
our "ORCHID OASIS" show truly spectacular?
YOUR blooming orchids!!
We need plants in these
THREE areas to make our show a memorable and glorious
"Oasis". Choose one, two , or all! Please be
part of the show!
Individual Display: bring your plants in
for the competition, and you may win ribbons, trophies,
and other awards, in both Amateur and Open divisions!
Start preparing your best candidates now so they will be
on their toes for the show. Registration is 6 to 10:30
Thursday night, (BEST!) or 7:30 to 9 am Friday. The more
plants we put on display, the more we all can enjoy and
learn about our favorite plants!
Be part of the SDCOS Exhibit: Just bring in healthy blooming plants to the show room by 10:30 Thursday night, making clear that they are for the EXHIBIT. (Fill out a registration form if you also want them considered for judging.) Stake the spike as needed, clean off the leaves and trim debris, make sure the plant is free of pests, mark the pot clearly with your name on masking tape, and water well before bringing in. If you cannot pick it up at 5pm Sunday, just let one of the exhibit folks know and we will keep your plant safe until you can arrange to get it.
Support Conservation: Bring your extra divisions, cuttings, duplicates, and any orchid orphans for sales in the SDCOS Conservation Booth. Give them to Ron Kaufmann, Siv Garrod, or whoever is working at the SDCOS sales booth, anytime the show is being set up Thursday, or by Friday before 5pm. ALL income from these plants goes towards funding conservation of orchids locally, in the U.S., and internationally.
So, come join the fun! You can point out your plants (and awards!) to friends and family.
For security, remember, absolutely NO plants can be removed from display or exhibits until 5PM Sunday.
ADVERTISEMENTS ? …STAY TUNED! We hope to offer regular advertising again beginning in March. A big Thank You to all our faithful advertisers who help support our Society! We will be in touch with you soon. For information, rates, and placement of YOUR ad, contact Cindy Hill, Advertising Coordinator, (619) 481-5782 phone/fax |
LAST MONTH'S GUEST
SPEAKER
JANUARY 5, 1999, By Ben Machado, 1st VP
It really was a treat to have Bill Toone as our guest speaker. For someone speaking to the San Diego County Orchid Society you would expect something about Orchid subject matter. Not this go around. This was a very interesting presentation based on the realities of life over a global scale and how the realities of life apply to conservation. Bill is the Director of Conservation Programs for the San Diego Zoo and is unquestionably an expert in worldwide conservation. In a way we also play a part in conservation by continued perpetuation of species orchids not harvested from the wilds.
The presentation was very lively including plenty of humor, a biography about himself, observations he has made throughout the 40 plus countries he has visited over his lifetime plus a lot of thought provoking statements about conservation.
Over the years Bill has moved into the area of conservation he likes to call Bio-graphical conservation. This has to do with conservation needs within a particular geographical location. This has to be handled very carefully by being sensitive to that particular community. Bill made quite a point about every man throughout the world is first of all responsible to his own immediate family. Man will do whatever is necessary to assure his family is fed. If that mean some jungle native has to burn off more forest for planting because the present land has depleted all the soil nutrients, so be it. That man is going to feed his family first. There were plenty of examples used for illustration
He also made a point about conservation beginning in our own back yard. We're anxious to blame developers for using up available land. His comment is that he will also damn the developers the first time they start building houses without someone to buy that house. He had a great anecdote on that subject. Early in his conservation endeavors he was deep in the jungles of New Guinea. He met with the village chief and went on for about 20 minutes explaining in laborious detail all the things going wrong in New Guinea regarding conservation. The chief listened very politely without comment. When the chief finally had a chance to say something he told Bill that was all very interesting and oh by the way, "How's the spotted owl doing in your country"? Most of the presentation centered on his experiences in Madagascar where it takes him a week to get in and out of the villages for his projects. He talked a lot about the desperate poverty that exists in the major cities. The greater portion of those desperate poverty ridden people is the result of forced relocation to the cities. These are uneducated, unskilled people who can no longer survive on what is left of the jungle, coming to a major city without means for survival.
There was a whole lot more he talked about. Everyone followed him intently throughout the presentation and several people have asked to have him back. He's due to go back to Madagascar in March. We'll make arrangements to have back again late next summer. The Zoo was also responsible for one of our finest Opportunity Tables. The Orchid Greenhouses provided about 20 more plants than requested plus there were another 20 plants left over from the Holiday Party. Most of the plants from the Zoo were species and the group also included some very nice hybrids. The best part was all the plants were large blooming size plants. We'll also have the Zoo provide plants again in the near future.
YOUR
PLANTS We will need to display at
least 100 blooming orchids to show the society's
"Orchid Oasis" at its best. Any kind is
fine. |
"SERVICE TO OUR MEMBERS SECTION"
HELP HOTLINE: The SDCOS offers a service to members who seek cultural information about their orchids. Here are some friendly hobbyists who have a great deal of experience and knowledge about certain types of orchids, and who have kindly volunteered to answer your questions. There are no commercial growers on this list.
Cattleyas,
Oncidium/Odontoglossum, and Vandaceous, Greenhouse grown,
West SD county Forrest Robinson - (619) 270-6105
Encyclias, Epidendrum - Tom Osborn -
(760) 787-0282
Paphiopedilums - Bob Hodges -
(619)461-4915, Ann Tuskes - (619) 274-5829
Phalaenopsis, Cattleyas and Dendrobiums
Alma Marosz - (619) 583-0334
Pleurothallids - Don van Kekerix - (619)
224-4938
Cymbidium, Zygopetalum - Ken Miller
(619) 453-4705
Northeast County, all types - Dave Reid
(619) 728-7996
San Diego West County all types - Jean
Beck (619) 435-8211
San Diego Central, Outdoor, all types
Fred Tomaschke 276-3225 / Jim Wright 276-5295
San Diego East County, all types James
Masst - (619) 443-2800 / Bud Close - (619) 444-8839
Species, all types, Indoor and Outdoor
Ann & Paul Tuskes - (619) 274-5829
South County all types - Genie Hammond
(619) 426-6831 / Ed Marty - (619) 470-7175
You may also call any of the SDCOS Board Members for
information; if they don't have the answer, they will
direct you to someone who knows.
| ADVERTISERS -
ORGANIZATIONS, ANY SOCIETY OFFICERS - ETC. If you have monthly meetings or announcements related to orchids make sure the information gets to me by the SECOND TUESDAY of each month for publishing in the next newsletter. Rebecca Lawrence, Editor |
SDCOS
Board of Directors Meeting, January 12, 1999 Meeting called to
order at 7:03 P.M. |
San Diego County
Orchid Society
~~ Established in 1947 ~~
OUR MISSION:
To promote interest in orchids and their cultivation, to
educate by exchanging information and experiences related
to successful orchid culture, and to support the
conservation of orchids in the wild.
President: Fred Weber 619-982-9128
First Vice President: Ben Machado
619-660-9870
Second Vice President: Chris Herndon
619-271-4030
Secretary Siv Garrod: 619-483-8787
Treasurer: Edith Galvan
619-441-7503
Directors: 1996 to 1999 Leno Galvan
619-441-7503
1997 to 2000 Ann Tuskes 619-274-5829
1998 to 2001 Cindy Hill 619-481-5782
Director at Large: (Past President) Bud
Close 619-444-8839
Parliamentarian: Alma Marosz
619-583-0334
Refreshments: Joan Close, Alma Marosz,
Peggy Swanson, Pat Tolen
Librarian: Ron Velarde 619-562-7246
Historian: Ben Hardy 619-448-0659
Plant Opportunity Table: Jim Reid
619-223-3961
William Roley, Rudy Pfeiffer
Hospitality: Esther Sivila, Naty Ritua
Floral Association Representative: Lynn
Beyerle 619-454-4953
Botanical Fnd. and Mini-Show Representative:
Bob Hodges 619-461-4915
Conservation Committee: Peter Tobias
760-753-3173
Membership Committee and Name Badges:
Vivian Follmer 619-538-6187
Newsletter Editor: Rebecca Lawrence
760-943-8860
Newsletter Distribution: Genie Hammond
619-426-6831
Newsletter Advertising: Cindy Hill
619-481-5782
Webmaster: Duncan Werth 619-222-2072
These are many of the
hard-working volunteers that keep our Society running.
There are many others with no titles that help these
folks make it happen. You are invited to help. Ask any of
these people how.
Monthly meetings are held the First Tuesday of
each month at Casa del Prado in Balboa Park.
You do not need to be a member to attend these meetings.
Admission is free. Anyone is welcome!
Novice Class: 6:30 p.m. Room 104
General Meeting: 7:30 p.m. Room 101
You are invited to share your interest in growing orchids
through: monthly meetings with slide shows, guest
speakers and refreshments, our Newsletter, mini-shows,
Annual Spring Show, a Christmas party, plant raffles, and
camaraderie with other hobbyists as well as commercial
growers, just by becoming a Society member.
To join our Society, fill out this form, mail it with
your check (payable to SDCOS), and come to the next
meeting. Single $10.00 / Dual $12.50. Membership runs
from July 1 to June 30 (1/2 price after January
1).
Name____________________________________________
Street Address ________________________________________
City,
State________________________________________________
Zip______________________
Phone/Fax
____________________________________________________
E-mail_________________________________
Mail to: Vivian Follmer, 13127 Roundup, San Diego, CA
92129. Phone: 619-538-6187, E-mail: LFollmer@aol.com
Correspondence to the Society goes to: SDCOS, P.O. Box
161020, San Diego, CA 92176