March 2013 - Expert Grower Panel

Submitted by Helge W. on Mon, 03/04/2013 - 11:00am

Potting Mixes: A variety of different potting media and mixes can be used to successfully grow orchids. Everything You Need to Know About Basic Orchid Culture and More

Our March speaker program is an exciting opportunity for both new and long-term POS members to learn about or become reacquainted with the fundamentals of orchid culture presented by our own panel of advanced POS hobbyists. The program should help prepare orchid growers for the upcoming Spring/Summer growing seasons. This program is in response to suggestions that our society provide more basic orchid cultural information to the membership. The expert panel consists of Renate Schmidt, Jerry Spencer, Merle Robboy and Alex Nadzan, who collectively have over 100 years experience in growing a variety of orchid genera. Each panelist will review specific aspects of orchid culture as highlighted below, then address questions members and guests may have on any topic of orchid culture. Members are encouraged to submit questions in advance if they like (to anandzan@mac.com) or just raise them at the meeting. Participants also welcome to bring in their problem plants for diagnosis; however, please bring plants in either paper or plastic bags if they appear to be infected with a disease in order to minimize transmission to other plants. This is a very timely program that will aid members in producing healthy, vigorous plants and reward their owners with copious displays of flowers.

Black Rot: Detecting and treating diseases (black rot shown) and pests early can avoid spreading to other orchids in your collection .The opportunity table will be supplied by Rex Foster Orchids and, undoubtedly, will include a number of their novel cattleya alliance hybrids and some select species.