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This Month’s Featured Event
The deadline for submissions to the Jan.issue of the newsletter is Dec. 28th.
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onnecticutrchid
ociety
Affiliated with the American Orchid Society and Orchid Digest
Newsletter Dec. 201657 Years & Growing
The First, Original Orchid Society in Connecticut
Next Meeting Inside this IssueDecember 2016 Volume LVII Issue X
Regular FeaturesNext meeting …..1This Month’s Featured Event…..1COS Mission Statement …..1Coming Events, Mentor List …..2Show Table Photos…..3-6Northeast Judging Party & Auction…..7Meeting Minutes …..8President’s Monthly Message…..8Library News…..9Beginner’s Column…..9AOS Corner …..1061st Paph Guild Show & Meeting…..10Trivia Fun…..11Map &/or Directions to Mtg. Location…12
www.ctorchids.org 1 Dec. 2016
Connecticut Orchid Society Mission StatementThe Connecticut Orchid Society is an incorporated, non-profit association for the preservation and extension of
knowledge concerning the conservation, ecology, science, cultivation, hybridization, appreciation and uses oforchids; and to carry on such activities as may be necessary or desirable to effectuate such purposes.
For notice of last-minute or inclementweather cancellation, visit our website
www.ctorchids.org.
Contact us: Write: Connecticut Orchid Society, Inc. Editorial Office P.O. Box 198 Farmington, CT 06034-0198 E-mail: President Cheryl Mizak
[email protected] Editor: Sharon SmithDelisle
Connecticut Orchid Society (COS) is anincorporated non-profit 501 (c) (3) organi-zation founded in 1959. Please considermaking a charitable contribution to COS.Most donations made to COS are tax de-ductible.
Wednesday, Dec. 14th, 2016,(See last pg. 12 for map & directions)
Farmington Senior Center321 New Britain Ave., Unionville, CT
6:30 pm.: Doors open. Socializing be-gins. Come early and help set-up forthe meeting.
7:30 pm: Business meeting begins
8:00 pm: Featured speaker and/orpresentation begins.
Holiday Party
Join us for our annual holiday party!As always, COS will provide the bever-ages and bottled water, plates & nap-kins and utensils.
Join us for afabulous finish to theyear! Each member
who attends the partywill receive a gift of an
orchid from COS.
No food assignments thismonth. Everyone pleasebring your special holiday dishto the party—enough to sharewith others. While we alllove those holiday cookies,entrees, casseroles and othermain dishes will be appreci-ated, too.
Dec. 14 Connecticut Orchid SocietyHoliday Party, Farmington SeniorCenter, 321 New Britain Ave.,
Unionville, CT, 6:00 pm
Dec. 17 AOS Judging: Northeast Judging Center, Holiday Party & Orchid Auction, Bartlett Arboretumand Gardens, Silver Educational Center, 151Brookdale Rd., Stamford, CT, 10:30 am
Jan. 11 Connecticut Orchid Society Monthly Meeting,topic TBA, Cheshire Senior Center, 240 MapleAve., Cheshire, CT, 7:00 pm
Jan. 14-15 61st Paph. Guild Show & Sale, AOS Judging 8:00 am, Lectures begin at 10:00 am on Sat. and 9:00 am on Sunday, Hyatt Santa Barbara, 1111 E. Cabrillo Blvd., Santa Barbara, CA
PRESIDENTVICE-PRESIDENTTREASURERDIRECTOR -AT- LARGEDIRECTOR -AT- LARGERECORDING CO-SECRETARYRECORDING CO-SECRETARYMEMBERSHIP CHAIRPERSONCORRESPONDING SECRETARYEDITOR, LIBRARIAN/HISTORIANAOS REPRESENTATIVECONSERVATION CHAIRPERSONSPECIAL EVENTS COORDINATORREFRESHMENT CO-CHAIR
WEB MASTER
2016 Connecticut Orchid Society Officers & Posts
Cheryl MizakGeorge SabolcikJudy ArthBen EsselinkRebecca SchwartzCarla KochTom RussellMary RamponeSharon SmithDelisleSharon SmithDelisleJudy BeckerVacantCheryl MizakChris & JulieSantarsieroMary Rampone
(203) [email protected](860) 633-2876(203) [email protected](203) 272-8121(203) 298-4574(203) 263-2831(203) 744-1849
(860) 435-2263——
(203) 264-6096(203) 879-0782
(203) 263-2831
Mentor ListThe following COS members are available to an-swer your culture questions and help you with anyorchid growing problems you may have:
Judy Becker [email protected] (860) 435-2263 (8:00--8:00 pm) Greenhouse growing meth-ods: Wide variety of species & hybrids
Sam Hinckley [email protected] (860) 688-0943(After 7:30 pm) Windowsill growing methods: Species & hybrids
Glenn McGeough [email protected] (203) 482-3973. Spe-cializing in Cattleyas.
Jeffrey Richards [email protected] (Contact anytime).Greenhouse growing methods: Specializing in Paphiopedilums.
Sharon SmithDelisle [email protected] (203) 744-1849(Contact anytime) Under lights & windowsill growing methods: Bul-bophylums, Cymbidiums, Dendrobiums, Paphiopedilums, Milto-niopsis & mixed genera.
David Tognalli [email protected] (860) 521-7249 (Contactevenings & weekends) Windowsill & outdoor growing methods:Warm growers, Cattleyas, Dendrobiums & mixed genera.
Content Acknowledgement All information, opinions, reportingand recommendations that appear in this newsletter are those of theeditor (unless otherwise noted) and do not necessarily reflect those ofthe Connecticut Orchid Society. The editor is deeply indebted to theAmerican Orchid Society for the free reprinting of articles, photos, tips& tricks, advice, checklists, etc. from its monthly magazine Orchidswithout which the COS newsletter, and its membership would be thepoorer.
COS Membership Information : $20/yr. Individual $25/yr. Family$200 Individual or $250 Family Lifetime Membership (never paydues again!) Visit www.ctorchids.org to apply for/renew mem-bership. We accept Paypal. Contact Membership ChairpersonMary Rampone at [email protected] formore details.
Membership Policy Membership is open to anyone inter-ested in orchids. Members join the Society by payment of annualdues. Memberships may be individual, student, family, life or hon-orary. Honorary membership is for life and is made by nominationof the Board of Directors and majority vote of the membership pre-sent at a regular meeting. The newsletter is published each monthexcept July and August. Annual membership includes electronicdelivery of the newsletter.
www.ctorchids.org 2 Dec. 2016
Upcoming Events
“ To see a world in a grain of sand,And hold a heaven in a wild flower,Hold infinity in the palm of your handAnd eternity in an hour.”
— William Blake“Auguries of Innocence”
www.ctorchids.org 3 Dec. 2016
November’s Show Table BeautiesAll photos were taken by Jan Lesnikowski, with many thanks.
www.ctorchids.org 4 Dec. 2016
www.ctorchids.org 5 Dec. 2016
www.ctorchids.org 6 Dec. 2016
Thank you, JanLesnikowski for a fan-tastic job photograph-
ing the Show Table!
www.ctorchids.org 7 Dec. 2016
American Orchid Society Northeast Judging Center
OrchidAuction& HolidayParty
December 17, 2016
Bartlett ArboretumStamford, CT
10:30 amAuction Preview 9:30 am
- Auction of many rare and choice orchids- Special Raffle of a Premier Orchid Plant- Complimentary Buffet Lunch
Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens151 Brookdale RoadStamford, Connecticut,
1.5 miles north of the Merritt Parkwayand 6 miles from downtown Stamford.
All Photos © 2016 Uli Lorimer
www.ctorchids.org 8 Dec. 2016
Meeting Minutes
Merry Christmas to everyone ---
Congratulations to everyonewho brought plants to the lasttwo meetings. Our speakers(both of whom travel the world)have commented on the quality, number, and varietyof plants on our Show Table. You should be proud ofthis recognition.
Make sure to check in with Mary about your mem-bership renewal. Time to make sure your dues for2017 are current. The board is feeling like happyChristmas elf’s for all current members because therewill be a nice plant for all members who attend ourholiday party.
We will also be holding election of officers for 2017 atthe Dec. 14th meeting. If there is an office you wouldlike to learn more about, please contact Dave Tog-nalli, as he heads up the nominating committee.
Look through your recipe box and dust off your favor-ite holiday specialty to bring to the meeting. OurChristmas pot- luck is always a fun, relaxing time toenjoy everyone else’s cooking and talk orchids. Al-ways plenty of food. Appetizers will be served at6:00pm and main dishes at 6:30 pm. Don’t forgetthere are microwaves, ovens and kitchen facilities atour meeting location.
See you all in Farmington on the 14th.
—Cheryl
President’sMessage
Cheryl Mizak
Fred Clarke: Catasetums and How to Grow Them
Fred is the proprietor of Sunset Valley Nurseries in Vista,California. He is a leader in the hybridization of catase-tums. His nursery also offers cattleyas, sarcochilus, austra-lian dendrobiums, and paphiopedilums.
Catasetums are members of the cymbidiae tribe, are NewWorld orchids, and have been in cultivation since the1800s. They like it hot and humid in the summer and cooland dry in the winter. In nature they are often foundgrowing on palm trees, which provide morning and after-noon sun, but mid-day shade. Their primary habitat issemi-deciduous forests with dry winters.
The male and female flowers are completely different, anexample of sexual dimorphism. Male flowers are showy,with pollen-ejecting anthers. All female flowers are hel-met shaped. Male and female flowers of a type smell ex-actly the same. Flowers are pollinated by male euglossinebees, which attach floral fragrance compounds to theirlegs to act as an attractant to female bees.
Catasetums can flower from one to five times per sea-son. Catasetum pileatum is the largest and showiest of thetribe. Ctsm expansum has a broad lip and wide petals, andcomes in many colors, including green. Ctsm tenebrosumhas dark flowers with a contrasting light lip. Ctsm spitziican have 35 flowers per stem, in red and yellowshades. Ctsm vinaceum has wine colored flowers. Ctsmdenticulatum is miniature-growing, with toothed lip mar-gins and lots of flowers. Ctsm tigrinum has spotted, widepetals. Ctsm fimbriatum has a fringed lip. Ctsm callosumhas beautiful colors and flower shape. Ctsm lucis has tallupright stems. Ctsm roseo-virens has gorgeous colors andflower shape. Fred is currently growing seedlings of Ctsmdenticulatum x tigrinum, a very promising cross.
Catasetum culture includes frequent watering when in ac-tive growth ("like a monsoon"), with a half teaspoon offertilizer per gallon with each watering. A well drainedpotting medium is essential. If using moss, it should be amaximum of three inches deep. Plants should remain drythrough the winter dormancy, or watered just once ifpseudobulbs are very wrinkled. After a plant breaks dor-mancy, wait until roots are three to eight inches long be-fore starting to water for the growing season. At the endof the season, reduce watering when leaves start to yel-low. Don't stop watering all at once. When dividingplants, keep two pseudobulbs per division. — Tom Russell
Looking for a good website for helpful cul-ture tips? Try www.akatsukaorchid.comThis website has numerous pdf culture sheets availablefor downloading and printing about many orchid spe-cies.
www.ctorchids.org 9 Dec. 2016
HumidityOne of the problems with growing orchids indoors in the winter is thatcentral heating really dries out the air. Orchids with stiff, waxy leaveswill grow OK in dry air, but thin leaves like miltonias can come out crin-kled. Worse, flower buds may dry up and fall off: this is common in pha-laenopsis. And you can't compensate for low humidity by wateringmore often. That will just rot the plant's roots.
To measure humidity, you need a hygrometer. An inexpensive com-bination thermometer-hygrometer is sufficient. This type isn't terriblyaccurate (it may be off by 5 or even 10%), but it will show changes inhumidity quite well and will give you a rough idea of the absolute hu-midity.
How much humidity is enough? There's no need to turn your houseinto a steamy jungle. I aim for 50%. It's hard to get much higher thanthat indoors in the winter, anyway. 40% is adequate and will not hurtthe orchids. If it's much lower than 40%, you should look for ways toincrease it. For comparison, humidity in the summer is usually over60%, up to 90% on really muggy days.
The time-honored way to increase humidity around your plants isby setting them on pebble trays filled with water. This has two draw-backs: first, the pebbles accumulate algae and are hard to clean, andsecond, it doesn't work very well, because the water just doesn't evapo-rate fast enough. The measurable increase in humidity is negligible. I dogrow some of my orchids over trays of water, but I don't use pebbles (Iset the pots on "egg crate" shelves), and the primary purpose of thearrangement is to allow watering in place. Any minor increase in humid-ity is a bonus.
Another time-honored method of questionable effectiveness is togroup many plants together, so each can benefit from the water tran-spired from the others' leaves. However, most orchids don't give offmuch water compared to other plants because they mostly have waxyleaves and snail-like metabolisms. Growing other leafy plants such asbegonias next to the orchids may help a little.
Another approach is to spray the orchids and the air around themwith water from a hand-held spray bottle. This is especially good fororchids with aerial roots. However, the increase in humidity is only tem-porary.
Finally, and most effectively, you can use a humidifier. For years Ihad a big, console-type humidifier, which evaporated water from a(Con’t. on the next page)
Editor’s note: These columns were written by our previouseditor Larry Kuekes and were run quite regularly over thepast years. Larry’s perspective is refreshing and some ofour new members may welcome this introductory advice.
Beginner’s Corner
Larry Kuekes
Interested in borrowing a book that justdeals with one specific type of orchid?Our library has many books that coverthe entire genera of orchids. Some-times those books are a little over-whelming and annoying when all you want to readabout at the moment is culture information on onespecific type of orchid.
Here are a few examples of books in our library thatare only about one type of orchid:
You Can Grow Cattleya Orchids, by Mary Noble.Mary Noble is a well known author of orchidbooks. This book has chapters on cattleya habits,environment, parts and functions of their flowers,repotting chapter with excellent drawings, cattleyapropagation and a chapter identifying problems.There are numerous color and b/w photos.
Culture of Phalaenopsis Orchid, by Bob Gordon isa spiral-bound softcover manual containing chap-ters on the basics of phalaenopsis growing, bestculture practices, places to grow phalaenopsis andgood information about light, temperature, air andhumidity control. There are numerous b/w photosand drawings.
Bulbopyllums, The Incompleye Guide; From A toWhy?, by Bill Thoms. This is an autographed copyof his book. Bill was a speaker at COS a few yearsago. He is quite a character and his book reflectsthat personality. There are many, many color pho-tos demonstrating important aspects of bulbopyl-lum culture. I even found a photo of my favoritebulbo Elizabeth Ann ‘Buckleberry’ FCC/AOS. Thename amuses me and my plant has been a de-pendable, easy bloomer for many years. I grow itmounted.
A Culture Manual for Angraecoid Orchid Growers,by Fred Hillerman. This plant has magnificent verydelicate looking flowers with a star-shaped blos-som, a long spur and a lovely fragrance. Fred’slittle book has many drawings and b/w photosalong with detailed information about culture, dis-ease prevention, media & mixes for potting, flask-ing, bloom time, etc.
If you are interested in borrowing any of this books,please contact me at [email protected] or 203-744-1849.
LibraryNews from the Catts hiding in the stacks
www.ctorchids.org 10 Dec. 2016
(Beginner’s Column: Humidity con’t from page 10)
moving wet pad. It was noisy and a nuisance to have to fillevery day with a bucket or two of water, but it did the job.It kept the humidity near 60% at one end of my living roomwhere some of my orchids grew. But it kept breaking down,and I eventually bought a new, silent, "cool mist" type hu-midifier. I only used it on two occasions, a few weeks apart.Both times, it visibly filled the air with white dust, as bad asany smoke-filled room. The instructions inside the boxwarned that the dust could damage electronic equipment;they didn't mention this on the outside of the box, ofcourse. (I had a TV, VCR, stereo, and computer in the sameroom.) What's worse, the night after each time I used it Ihad fever and chills. I don't know if it was due to inhalingthe dust or to some Legionnaires' Disease-like bacteria, but Ihave since read that this is a common problem. My adviceis: stay away from "cool mist".
Later I got a "warm mist" humidifier. It causes no prob-lems with dust or bacteria since it boils the water, but it'smore expensive to run (345 watts versus 45 watts for "coolmist"). Finally I had a whole-house humidifier attached tomy hot-air furnace. It's completely automatic, connected tothe water supply. It struggled to keep the humidity at 45%during the winter, but the orchids did fine, and so did I.
— Larry Kuekes(Editor’s note: This column first appeared in the Nov. 1990 edition of theCOS newsletter)
AOS corner
MaudiaePaphs: Past, Present, and Future with Dave Soro-kowsky, Tuesday, December 13, 2016@ 8:30 PM - 9:30PM ESTMembers OnlyJoin Dave Sorokowsky, owner of Paph Paradise, as he dis-cusses the interesting history and hybridizing of this de-lightful Paph. So many of the Paph.hybrids have Maudiaein their background; learn how it has influenced hybridiz-ing over the years.Register now using this link:https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/35
(AOS Corner con’t on next page)
www.ctorchids.org 11 Dec. 2016
(AOS Corner con’t. from previous page)
Judging Phalaenopsis with Tom Harper ofStones River OrchidsThursday, December 8, 2016@ 8:30 PM - 9:30PM EST Members onlyPlease join Tom Harper, a senior AOS Judge, owner ofStones River Orchids. Tom is a founding member ofthe International Phalaenopsis Alliance. Tom will dis-cuss judging phalaenopsis. This program will qualifyto fulfill one hour of the requirement of 12 educationhours required annually for AOS judges.Register now using this link:https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/regis-ter/28620215541957965223967028332393218
Trivia Fun
Vanilla Cookbook, by Patricia Rain.In our wonderful library we have a great cookbook aboutgrowing the vanilla orchid and harvesting its valuablebeans. The recipes are very interesting, too.
I thought it would be fun for this holiday season to includea recipe from this book for some special holiday cookiesusing pure vanilla extract.
Chewy or Crisp Chocolate Cookies
1 1/4 cups butter, softened 1 3/4 cups sugar 2 eggs 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract 2 cups unsifted flour 3/4 cup cocoa 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup finely chopped nuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Cream butter and sugar in large mixing bowl. Add eggsand vanilla and blend well. Combine flour, cocoa, bakingsoda and blend into creamed mixture. Stir in nuts if de-sired.
Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for8 to 9 minutes. Do not overbake. Cookies will be soft.They will puff during baking and flatten upon cooling. Coolon cookie sheet until set, about 1 minute. Then cool com-pletely on wire rack.
Makes about 4 1/2 dozen. Enjoy!
These cookies are very chewy if taken from the ovenslightly early; they are crisp if prepared according to thesuggested baking time and then placed in an airtight con-tainer when cooled.
More vanilla trivia …..
Between 1 and 2 TBSP. of vanilla extract per gallonof paint will help mask the odor of the paint aswell as help diffuse the fumes. (Less vanilla isneeded for latex paint than for oil-based paints.)
(Vanilla Cookbook, by Patricia Rain)
Veteran fishermen use vanilla extract to wipe theirhands before lake or stream fishing as it masks theodor of their hands and bodies from the fish.(Vanilla Cookbook by Patricia Rain)
Synthetic vanillin is used by manufacturers to helpreduce the overpowering smell of new tires.(Vanilla Cookbook by Patricia Rain.)
www.ctorchids.org 12 Dec. 2016
Best wishes to you and your familyfor a wonderful holiday season.
Stay safe and warm.
