Welcome to the Palomar Orchid Society Website!

General

• Short days and cold nights in December will slow down the metabolism of most of your orchids and initiate spikes on Fall/Winter blooming orchids.  Watch them very carefully and cut back on water and fertilizer as cooler days and nights prevail.
• As watering needs of most plants decrease during the winter, be sure to leach your plants thoroughly. Extend your last watering to remove any accumulated salt built-up in the substrate and root system. Excess mineral built-up prevent plants from absorbing the fertilizer and nutrients they need and may lead to deficiencies during dryer conditions. The St. Augustine Orchid Society hosts a very good collection of articles on water quality.
• Protect outdoor orchids from winter rains.  Keeping them on the dryer side will allow them to tolerate the cold winter nights we can experience in Southern California.
• Bring in cold-sensitive, warm growing orchids (phals, paphs, tolumnias, most vandas and some warm growing cattleyas such as violacea, dowiana and their hybrids) to protect them from night temperatures below 50o. An excellent article on ‘Cold Tolerance of Orchids’ by Sue Bottom of the St. Augustine Orchid Society can be found in their October Newsletter (pgs. 9-11)
• Cold tolerant orchids, including Odontoglossums, Miltonias, Pleurothallids, Masdevallias, and Draculas, will welcome the cooler weather and respond by initiating growth so continue to water and fertilize them during this period but also protect from freezing temps.
• Fall/winter blooming Cattleyas and Cymbidiums are now in bud or bloom. Provide adequate water and fertilizer, but do so in the mornings so plants dry out before nightfall. Stake cymbidium spikes to guide inflorescences for support of buds and blooms.
• Maintain good hygiene practices to minimize transmission of pests and viruses. Watch for fungus and bacterial rot in cold and wet weather.
• More details on specific genera can be found on the AOS website

Betty P. KelepeczGrowing Masdevallias

It is a pleasure to welcome back Betty Kelepezc to our society. Betty has been an orchid hobbyist in Southern California for over 30 years. She has grown orchids in Long Beach and Huntington Beach, and, since 2003, in the Point Loma area of San Diego. She started raising orchids in the early 1980’s when her husband and co-orchid grower Steve brought home a discarded cutting/keiki of a red Epidendrum he found in a trash bin in the alley beside their home in Long Beach. He planted the unimpressive and bloomless cutting on a moss-covered rock and confidently predicted that it would bloom beautifully in no time. When the Epidendrum actually did bloom and, in fact, never since has stopped blooming, the disbelieving Betty became an orchid enthusiast and both of their collection of orchids has since grown with the unwavering passion so often accompanying that first orchid discovery.    Read more »

General

• Shorter days and cooler nights in October will be the signal for orchids to slow down and prepare for winter’s rest.  Watch them carefully and cut back on water and fertilizer as cooler days and nights prevail. Protect outdoor orchids from the first fall and winter rains.
• Fall blooming cattlyeas and cymbidiums are beginning their blooming season. Provide adequate water and fertilizer but do so in the mornings so plants dry out before nightfall.
• Maintain good hygiene practices to minimize transmission of pests and viruses. Watch for fungus and bacterial rot as weather cools and wetter conditions prevail.
• More details on specific genera can be found on the AOS website