Marin Orchid Society Newsletter Non- profit 501(c)3 Corporation Paul Chim: Can An Old Dog Learn New (Orchid) Tricks? New Meeting Place thru April

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1 Marin Orchid Society Newsletter Non- profit 501(c)3 Corporation Paul Chim: Can An Old Dog Learn New (Orchid) Tricks? March 2017 March 28, PM Orchid Doctor at 6:45 Congregation Kol Shofar, 215 Blackfield Drive, Tiburon, CA In This Issue President's Letter Show & Tell March Open Houses, Events CSNJC Awards Shop Amazon for MOS Meeting in Tiburon Paul Chim Bio March Meeting Details Big Winners at POGE! February Meeting Review POGE Pictures Mary Nisbet on Repotting March- April Cultivation Orchid Doctor Purpose & MIssion Share Your Passion President's Letter Greetings! You are receiving this newsletter because you are a current or former member of the Marin Orchid Society or because you asked to be added to our mailing list. Should you no longer wish to receive our newsletter, please send an to marin.orchids@gmail.com and write Unsubscribe in the subject line. Thank you New Meeting Place thru April MOS Meeting in Tiburon thru March or April. In case you have not yet been to this lovely location, MOS temporarily meets at Congregation Kol Shofar, 215 Blackfield Drive, Tiburon, CA. Drive through the parking lot to the upper lot for the most convenient parking. (If useful, click here for the website of Kol Shofar.) By the way, the MOS 2017 calendar is found near the bottom of each newsletter. It is updated regularly so that you can review future speakers and events. And, if you have not yet used it, there is a table of contents called In This Issue to the left, above the picture of Ron. Click a title to go to that article.

2 Mary Nisbet's article on repotting is excellent! Use the index to locate it easily. Paul Chim on March 28 About the Speaker and Talk MOS Friends, My Orchids in March: All this wet weather has done wonders for my outdoor cymbidiums. I have a number in bloom; almost all with multiple spikes; II hope that one of our meetings will correspond with one or more of my cymbidiums being in bloom so I can finally bring something to Show and Tell (especially considering that I forgot to bring in my one Paph., with 3 blooms, in for the last meeting). I have some back bulbs that have finally sprouted (a couple of these were purchased at POE last year... one year to sprout seems excessive). I also had to do some emergency repotting as two of the plats had split their pots. When they are done blooming, they'll need to be split. All in all, it's nice to be able to do some gardening and, because I have really not been too successful at growing cymbidiums, to Paul Chim has been growing cymbidiums since He is an orchid addict who just won two significant awards at POE Paul Chim The Program What happens when a seasoned grower and multiple award winner finds out there may be a better way? Can an 'old dog learn new tricks'? Paul is making changes with media and fertilization. And bringing 'doomed' orchids back to health (including one of the BB editor's...). Come learn how Paul is moving beyond some 'proven' ways! Paul's Bio Since they started entering their Cymbidiums for judging in 2012, Paul and Phyllis are grateful that their orchids have received awards. Featured in an AOS monthly Orchids magazine, in 2013, two of their orchids were nominated for the prestigious Ernest Hetherington Cymbidium Award: Cymbidium Kelly's Winter 'Phyllis' AM/AOS and, as a backup, Cymbidium Emeralds and Rubies 'Phyllis' AM/AOS. The Hetherington Award, established in 2006, is granted annually to the most outstanding example of the Cymbidium Alliance during the previous calender year. The Trustees of the American Orchid Society awarded the 2012 Hetherington Award to the Chims for Cym. Emeralds and Rubies 'Phyllis' AM/AOS! And then they won the Hetherington Award it again in 2014 for Cym. Memoria Marvin Gaye 'Royale', AM/82 pts., a plant he bought from Cal Orchid as a 2" seeding.

3 see these plants growing and flowering. I did pick up some goodies at POE this year. I probably did not really need to purchase anything (I probably have more than enough plants) but there were a number of Pleurothalids that simply looked so cool I felt I needed to relieve my wallet of some cash. In putting these plants into my collection, it is abundantly clear that one of my orchidariums is overgrown with Ludisia. Apparently, the conditions in that tank are REALLY favorable for these plants. Right now, the tank is purple with Ludisia and probably half of them are flowering. Anyway, I'm going to need to do some thinning which means I may have a bunch of pieces to give away at one of our meetings. Good news for MOS: Our POE exhibit was beautiful, although in a much smaller space. Thanks to good planning, If you were not there, enjoy the pictures in this issue. Julie has also put together a nice video showing the display and the work that went into it. You may not know that Paul is a co- founder of the Golden Gate Cymbidium Society. In prior years, he has served as president of orchid societies such as the San Francisco Orchid Society, the Orchid Society of California, and MOS. Until he resigned in 2013, Paul has been an accredited judge with the Cymbidium Society of America and has served as head judge for the Pacific Central area. He and his wife, Phyllis, lead groups of orchid lovers on trips to China and other South Asian destinations. Paul gives educational seminars on growing techniques to enthusiastic orchid lovers around the USA and in Asia. His presentations are always down to earth yet full of information, so this is an excellent time to invite guests to our MOS meeting. March Meeting Details Details About the MOS Meeting Refreshments and Set- Up: Members whose last names begin with C- H are asked to bring refreshments at 6:30 for the meeting. Special NOTE: Because we are meeting in a synagogue, all food served must be kosher. Opportunity table: Paul Chim will supply a fabulous selection of orchids for the Opportunity Table. Speaker dinner: The location will be held at Thep Lela Thai in Strawberry Shopping Center, Mill Valley. Time will be 5PM. Show & Tell: Share your blooming orchids and let members know about their origin, culture, and any growing tips. Please limit your time to 3 minutes so that the meeting keeps on schedule. Thank You!! Many thanks to the members who helped with set up and take down at our last meetings. Special appreciation to those who brought refreshments in February: Susan Anderson, Gail Beach, and Cathy Thompson. And also to anyone who forgot to sign the sheet because the treats were yummy and plentiful!

4 We'll try to get that posted so you can see it. We had a much smaller space this year (the whole venue was much smaller) and the display was much simpler. But, thanks to excellent planning and coordination, and with the contributions of a number of MOS members, we received the award for 'Best Exhibit By A Visiting Society'. Thank you, Julie, for the design and coordination of the exhibit. Thanks to Susan for the plant arrangement. Thanks to Sandra M., John, Sandra K. and her Curtis for help in building, setting, up, and taking down the display. Thanks to Gail for getting all the plant labels printed. Thanks to Lynne, Susan, Linda, Cathy, Solveig, and Paul for contributing their plants. As always, if you have suggestions to improve Marin Orchid Society, please send a note to the MOS address I look forward to seeing you at the March MOS meeting. Ron Ludwig If you have not yet been to our temporary meeting space, you may want to allow extra time for getting there. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ All unpaid MOS 2017 Memberships are now past due. Please see Julie Morelli or use the form at the end of this issue to download the membership renewal form and mail it in. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ POE 2017 MOS and Three Members Were Big Winners at POGE! MOS was awarded the Best Exhibit by a Visiting Society, thanks to the ingenious design by Julie Morelli and the hard work by Curtiss Kim who build the display ladders. Three of our members received special awards. Paul Chim received two awards: Best Cymbidium in Show and also Best Cymbidium by a Commercial Grower. Lynne received an array awards, including the most impressive Best of Show. That award is based on the judges looking at all of the plants that received "Best of..." awards and then selecting the one outstanding plant from among them. It is quite an honor. (Lynne now moves from Novice to Susan Anderson won Best in Class for Open/Commercial Cymbidium. MOS offers our warm congratulations to each of you. Much appreciation to the members who helped with setup; see Ron's letter for details (left column). POGE Awards Lynne Murrell: Phalaenopsis Schilleriana won Best Phalaenopsis by Novice Exhibitor Dendrobium Andree Millar x convolutum won Best Dendrobium by Novice Exhibitor Photo: Gail Beach

5 Show & Tell March 2017 Ansellia africaana var alba won Best Plant of Other genus by Novice Exhibitor Odontioda Ruby Palace won Best Oncidium Alliance by Novice Exhibitor Paphiopedilum micranthum var eburneum won: o Best Paphiopedilum Alliance by Novice Exhibitor o Best Paphiopedilum Alliance in Show o Best Plant in Show Susan Anderson: Lc. Trick or Treat x C. schroderae won Best in Class for Open / Commercial Cattleya and a blue ribbon. C. Amethystoglossa palha 'Gloriosa' x C. amethystoglossa 'Palhina' won Blue Ribbon Maxillaria variabilis 'Yellow' won Blue Ribbon Paph Winston Churchill 'Indomitable' won Blue Ribbon Paph Gaulois won Blue Ribbon Also won 3 red / white ribbons Paul Chim: Best Cymbidium In Show Best Cymbidium by a Commercial Grower February Meeting in Review Tom Pickford What a treat to watch Tom quickly and effectively mount orchids on cedar shingles! The mounted plants he brought with him were evidence that this is indeed a viable treatment. Tom pointed out that we first had to Tom Pickford determine which direction the orchid was growing, then place that side closest to the shingle for the most effective result. He used a drill to create holes through which he pulled a few strings of horticultural green wire and attached the plant. As appropriate, a small amount of moss can be used to protect the plant from the wire. It made a tidy mount and got away from the loops of plastic line we have used in the past. Next,

6 he attached the plant tag to the mount. To hang it, he used a four- wire pot hanger and cut off one of the wires. In addition, Tom performed a 'rescue' of an orchid that had been mounted on cork with way too much moss and loose plastic line. When finished, the plant was much more attractive. Amazing what works for a mount! Have an old racquet hanging around? Orchid- ize it. Contact Tom if you are looking for untreated shingles. They are hard to find now that fire regulations require the treatment. Old cedar shingles last a long time and some have been rescued from roofing projects. P O G E Pictures MOS Display at Pacific Orchid and Garden Exposition Despite working in a small space, MOS members banded together to create a stunning exhibit that celebrated the 2017 theme of 'Big Ideas for Small Gardens'. Having only a few hours for delivery and setup, it all worked smoothly thanks to lots of pre- planning. Here are Best in Show some pictures for your enjoyment. - Pictures by Gail Beach OPEN HOUSES, EVENTS California Orchids Spring Sale! Saturday, March 25th 9am- 4pm We will have a great selection of Orchid species and

7 hybrids, in and out of flower, seedlings to specimen sizes, repotting supplies, and 30 years' worth of orchid growing advice! 515 Aspen Rd. Bolinas., CA (415) ********************** *** Sonoma County Orchid Society Annual Show & Sale Orchids in Wonderland April 1 & 2, 2017 Santa Rosa Veterans Bldg. Click for More Info ********************* Gold Coast Cymbidium Growers Orchid Show & Sale April 22-23, Roosevelt Ave. Redwood City Cymbidium Show & Sale ********************** * Central Coast Orchid Show & Sale Five Cities Orchid Society April 1-2 Arroyo Grande, CA ********************** ** - Photos by Julie Morelli Expert Growers Share Tips Mary Nisbet: How I Learned Repotting

8 FREE Spring Plant Exchange Sat. March 25th, 11am - 4pm 4500 Lincoln Ave. in Oakland; click below: Free Plant Exchange MOS Board of Directors President: Ron Ludwig Vice- President: Mary Ann Aleandri Treasurer: Julie Morelli Secretary: Sandra Merlo Membes at Large: Cathy Thompson, Sandi Kim, John Merlo You may reach the MOS Board by calling: Webmaster John Merlo Upcoming Board of Directors Meeting April 6, location TBD. Board meetings are open to all members to observe. If you want to attend, please give Ron a call for details and directions. MOS Treasury Report The February report from the MOS Treasurer can be downloaded by My first task at the Rod McLellan Co. (1978, yikes!) was to repot several hundred bare root Paphs, piled high on a table. There were some clippers, a Bunsen burner with a little flame on continuously, and a hill of fine bark and perlite mix that filled a potting table 6 feet long and 4 feet deep. With minimal instruction and ongoing quality checks I did nothing but a little morning watering then repotting day in and day out for several weeks. It was a formative experience, and taught me that good repotting is not only very satisfying but also essential to the ongoing health of an orchid. Repotting is a skill that comes close to being an art. Things happen that connect you to the details of the life of the plant. Is it the proper time in the growth cycle of the plant? To get it out of its pot safely you must figure out where you can grab it, where is the most tender area? Differentiate between older tougher growths and younger more delicate growths. Where is the next growth coming from? What direction is it moving? Once it is out of its pot, are the roots healthy or should some be cut? What sheaths to clean off, what media to use and what size and shape of pot or mount to use? How high or low do you place the plant in the media? Then how do you get the plant in the pot firmly enough that it will not wiggle when watered but without damaging good roots or tender areas? More questions come up when plants are growing in different directions or when parts of a plant are weak or rotted. Repotting a rangy, multi lead, overgrown Cattleya can be a formidable task. Sometimes it seems like you need all the arms of Vishnu! Proper repotting is very hard to learn from books no mater how articulate and detailed, but it is an essential orchid growers skill. The best way to learn it is to watch different people who are good at it. Every potter has her/his particular approach. Notice how healthy plants are potted, pot size vs plant size, orientation of the stem, where the new growth will emerge. If you can, do a lot of the same kinds of plants at the same time to hone your skills with one genus. For instance, repotting Paphs is very different from repotting Cattleyas. Take the time to set up a comfortable area with all your

9 clicking here Quick Links... Marin Orchid Society American Orchid Society San Francisco Orchid Society Online Orchid Species Identification CSNJC AOS Awards The most recent AOS awards from the California Sierra Nevada are now available for viewing at: Shop Amazon through MOS When you place an Amazon order, Amazon pays MOS for advertising their services. What a great way to benefit the MOS mission and activities. Our newsletter will not accept the link, so please go to the MOS website to find it. And thanks for helping us grow. supplies and look at your plant. It can be quite a joyous experience. AOS Monthly Check List AOS Experts Share their Cultivation Tips In case you missed the AOS a March and April growing tips last month, please click for the details: March and April Tips The (Orchid) Doctor is in! Have a problem plant, or maybe just need a little advice on which orchids might grow well in your conditions, when to water, or why your orchid just will not bloom? Ask the Doctor! Just send us an with your orchid questions. Simply write "Orchid Doctor" in the subject line of your marin.orchids@gmail.com Attention Amazon Shoppers Remember every time you shop at Amazon you can make our society money!! Just visit our web site marinorchidsociety and click on the Amazon link and start your shopping. A percentage of your purchases is given to the society!! Purpose and Vision of Marin Orchid Society The purpose of the Marin Orchid Society, our Mission and Vision, is: To provide support for those having common interests in the appreciation and culture of orchid plants, to broaden their interests and improve their knowledge

10 To acquire and distribute to the members practical and scientific information about the collection, culture and propagation of orchids To arrange the dissemination of information through exhibits, lectures, access to publications, and any other means, for the encouragement of orchid growing To cooperate in and take part in activities of other Societies with purposes similar to those of this Society. Please share your passion and ideas with other readers! The Back Bulb welcomes your articles about orchids and orchid cultivation. Member and expert articles appreciated. Please bring your ideas for articles to the next meeting or me at Sandra Merlo BackBulb Editor (Temporary) Marin Orchid Society 2017 Marin Orchid Society Calendar March 28: General Meeting with Paul Chim: Can an Old Dog Learn New (Orchid) Tricks? April 25. General Meeting with Pierre Pujol on a scientific look at Cymbidiums May 23: General meeting with speaker June 27: Ice cream social and orchid cultural presentation July 25: General Meeting with Chris Mende of Tiny Garden on Paphs August TBD: Members Only BBQ September 26: General Meeting with Speaker October 24: MOS Fall Auction November 28: Members' Digital Show & Tell; Webinar December 7: MOS Holiday Party, McInnis Park, San Rafael MOS Membership / Renewal Application Name new renew Address City ZIP Phone(H) (W) e- mail

11 Dues are $25 per person per year, including two at the same address. Because MOS is a non- profit, you are invited to add a charitable donation. Please make checks payable to the Marin Orchid Society. Amount enclosed Mail to: Julie Morelli, PO Box 2434, San Anselmo, CA , or bring this form to a meeting. OTHER ORCHID SOCIETIES' MEETINGS First Monday: Carmel Orchid Society meeting; The First Presbyterian Church, 501 El Dorado Street, Monterey; Carmel Orchid Society First Tuesday: San Francisco Orchid Society meeting; San Francisco County Fair Building, Golden Gate Park, 9th Avenue and Lincoln Way; San Francisco Orchid Society First Wednesday: Sacramento Orchid society meeting; Odd Fellows Hall, 1831 Howe Ave. ( ), Sacramento; First Wednesday: Santa Maria Orchid Society meeting; Veterans' Memorial Center, 313 W. Tunnell Street; Contact Chuck Scheitaur at Second Tuesday: Sonoma County Orchid Society meeting; Veterans Building, 1351 Maple Avenue, Santa Rosa (across from the Fairgrounds) Sonoma County Orchid Society Second Tuesday: Monterey Bay Orchid Society meeting; Lincoln Ave Presbyterian Church, 536 Lincoln Ave, Salinas; (831) Third Monday: Orchid Society of California; Lakeside Park Garden Center, 666 Bellevue Avenue Oakland; California Orchid Society Third Tuesday: Coastal Valley Orchid Society; Lompoc, CA; Coastal Valley Orchid Society Third Friday: Gold Coast Cymbidium Growers meeting; San Mateo Garden Center, 605 Parkside Way, San Mateo; Weegie Caughlan at goldcoastcymgrowers@gmail.com; Gold Coast Cymbidium Growers.

12 Second Friday: Napa Valley Orchid Society; 7:00 pm at Napa Senior Activities Center 1500 Jefferson St. Napa CA os.org ********************************