FROM THE PRESIDENT
August 2010
We’ll start this month’s newsletter off with a commercial. The Manatee Orchid Society wants you! If you haven’t renewed your membership, remember to do it right away. This will be the last newsletter you will receive until you renew. Where else can you get these pithy words of wisdom and encouragement? OK, that’s a bit of a stretch, but the value you get for your membership isn’t. Every month we have speakers, growing tips, interchange with other orchid growers, and refreshments! No matter how much or little you think you know, you should be able to leave every single meeting with at least one good idea to try. So send the check, OK.
Jerry Meola from Pelican Coast Farms was our speaker last month. His topic was alternative fertilization methods. Specifically, Jerry uses worm tea, liquid steeped in worm casings. Whether you tried it or not, believed it or not, it should have opened your eyes to the fact that there are alternative ways to provide nutrition to your orchids. I’ve tried it with mixed results. No they didn’t grow like Jack’s beanstalk in the fairy tale, but they did grow and flourish. Maybe it was the tea, maybe just the attention of being fertilized on a regular schedule with something. The bottom line, be open to trying something different on a few plants that aren’t growing to your satisfaction. You might be pleasantly surprised. (Or you may end up with a few more dead plants)
As midsummer approaches, we battle the heat and excessive moisture if we grow outdoors. Vandas and their relatives and anything that is mounted need water every day. Twice a day if you get out early the first time is better still. A cool shower in the afternoon is a relief to the plants if they have time to dry before sundown. Of course if we would ever get our regular afternoon showers, we could skip the afternoon watering. I mix a very light fertilizer mix in the morning watering. I use about one tablespoon of 20-3-14 for every 5 gallons of water. As light and water increase, if you want growth, you need food.
In July and August, I’ve switched my regular fertilizer routine a bit. Every other week they get a ½ strength application of regular fertilizer. I’m using 20-3-14 now, but 16-16-16, 20-20-20, or whatever you use except bloom booster is OK. Alternate weeks, I use potassium nitrate and magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts) at the rate of 1 tablespoon each per gallon of water. To that I add Southern AG 20 (Physan 20 equivalent) and Southern AG 50 (manzate equivalent) to prevent fungus and rot. Use them as directed. I use them with potassium nitrate because there is no phosphorus in the mix. Phosphorus and fungicides don’t work together. The phosphorus diminishes the effectiveness of the disease preventers. Once a month the potassium nitrate mix gets a small dose of micro nutrients added as well. These are the trace minerals the plants need but don’t need in large quantities. Any commercially available mix will work, but I suggest ½ to ¼ strength if used monthly.
Our August speaker will be Guillermo Rivera of South America Nature Tours. Guillermo will present a program on the Orchids of Ecuador. Be sure to be there on August 10th. He will not have plants for sale, so members are welcome to sell. Remember 10% of the sale price gets donated to the club.
We could also use a little help with raffle plants. The ones I have are still in recovery, so donations will be gratefully accepted.
See you at the next meeting.
Good growing,
Roy
FROM THE SECRETARY
The Society's induction of new officers for 2010-2011 was held at the Anna Maria Oyster Bar Landside Restaurant and was attended by 47 members and guests. President Roy Krueger thanked the members for their varied contgributions to the Society during the year. Roger Miller gave a brief history from the founding of the Society through the present day.
Ken Anderson inducted the officers all of whom are serving for a second year. President: Roy Krueger; First Vice President: Barry Reese; Second Vice President: Evelyn Terry; Recording Secretary: Mercedes Kratz; Corresponding Secretary: Carole Douglas, who was unable to attend, and Treasurer: David Hewitt.
Mercedes