TRIAD ORCHID SOCIETY MAY NEWSLETTER
Triad Orchid Society meeting will be held on May 13th. Set up at 12:00, lunch at 1:00.
Our guest speaker will be Gene Crocker. His talk this month will be “Unusual Orchids I Have Known”. Mr. Crocker will have plants to sale.
April Best Species
Onc. Variegatum lobbii
‘Snowflake’ Goldberg
April Best Flower
Masd. Sernae
Goldberg
April speaker Keith Davis.
Keith has been a member of the Triad Orchid Society for many years.
We all know the beautiful Cattleyas that Keith has but he surprised us
with Cymbidium Little Black Sambo.
Keith’s talk was Tips for Better Growing and Happier Orchids.
Keith uses heated clippers to make any cuts on his orchids and finds
that it is the best way to keep from spreading any diseases. When repotting
your plants do not cover roots that have been above the potting mix.
He suggests to put the plant in a pot with no mix until new roots start.
Then add mix , a small amount at a time until the roots are covered.
Keith suggested that if you have not had your water checked for the amount salt
this would be a good idea. Keith recommends using ¼ tsp. of fertilizer per gallon of
water every time you water.
Gene Crocker grew up in the northwestern part of South Carolina, not far from where he now works as Vice-President of Carter and Holmes Orchids in Newberry, S.C. He obtained his first orchid plants in 1956, when he was 15 years old. These first plants were cattleyas, his first love, but he has an interest in any and all orchid genera.
After graduating from Clemson University in Textile Chemistry, he obtained a second degree in Meteorology from Penn State and served as a weather forecaster in the U.S. Air Force. He worked as Laboratory Manager for Cannon Mills, famous manufacturer of sheets and towels, for twenty years before joining Carter and Holmes in 1986.
As an amateur orchidist, Gene developed an interest in hybridizing, producing his first cattleya hybrids in 1961. One of his early hybrids is Blc. Kitty Crocker (Blc. Fortune x C. luteola), named for his wife. The creative aspects of orchid breeding have been very enjoyable and rewarding for him, always giving something to anticipate. He is now carrying on the breeding program at Carter and Holmes started in the 1950's by Bill Carter. He has traveled extensively, representing Carter and Holmes at various orchid conferences around the world. Perhaps Gene's greatest claim to orchid fame is the fact that he coined the term, "mericlone", in 1964.
Gene and his wife Kitty, who also works at Carter and Holmes, have three children: Mary, Bill, and Michael, and four grandsons, Spencer and Paxton Brooks - Brady and Brett Crocker.
Our speaker for May will be Gene Crocker
April 2012 Show Table Awards
Cattleya Alliance Species
1. Brogdon Enc. Bractescens **Best Specimen
2. Richman C intermedia
3. Brogdon C. aurantiaca
Cattleya Alliance Hybrids, Small
1. Costello Epi Mabel Kanda ‘Miydo’ x Epi. randianum
2. Costello Blc Sun Coast ‘Sunspots x C Mark Jones
3. Brogdon Epc. Kyoguchi M Sauno x L. Seagull Tangerine ‘SVO’ HCC/AOS
Cattleya Alliance Hybrids, Large
1. Davis K. Slc. Pumpkin Festival
2. Davis K. Pot. Hawaiian Prominence ‘America’
3. N/A
Phalaenopsis
1. Costello Phal cornu-cervi ‘Red’
2. Goldberg Phal Tsay’s Evergreen ‘Nobby Jade’ HCC/AOS
3. Goldberg Phal Taisuco Suzanne x Carmela’s Pixie
Paphiopedilum
1. Brogdon Paph. Druid Spring ‘790’
2. Costello Paph Dugueslin
3. Costello Paph Supersuk ‘Eureka’ x Paph Raisin Pie ‘Hsinying’
Phragmidedium
1. Brogdon Phrag. Lucy Robbins
2. Brogdon Phrag St. Peter
3. N/A
Dendrobium
1. Richman Den aphioglossum ‘Magnifico’
2. Costello Den primulinum ‘Eubanks’
3. Richman Den Micro Chip
Oncidium
1. Goldberg Onc. variegatum lobbii “Snowflake’ *Best Species
2. Davis K. Onc. Natalie Warford 1
3. Davis K. Onc. Tiffany ‘Sundance’ HCC/AOS
Vandaceous
1. Richman Ascocenda Marly Brice
2. Goldberg Ascovandoritis Prapin
3. Anglin Neofinetia falcata
Cymbidium
1. Davis K. Cym Little Black Sambo ‘Black Magic’
2. N/A
3. N/A
Miscellaneous
1. Goldberg Masd sernae ***Best flower
2. Goldberg Mts. hildebbrandtii ‘Gold Country’
3. Costello Bulb lobbii Jean Webster x sumatranum ‘A-Doribil’
SHOW TABLE RULES
Orchid Member’s Show Table is a great way to see orchids other members have grown and share growing tips and ideas. To encourage members to bring in plants the society offers awards for the most and best plants brought in.
Members are separated into large and small grower. Members who have less than 200 plants in their collection are considered small growers and those members with 200 or more plants are large growers.
Commercial grower members are encouraged to bring their plants for educational purposes but are not eligible to acquire points and should display their fine plants on a separate table.
Show table plants must have been owned by the grower for a minimum of 30 days.
Plant may only be entered once for the specific bloom. Plant may be reentered when it blooms on new growth.
To gain points, member must register plant on show table form with legible handwriting and species column checked for extra half point.
(If plants are not registered or handwriting cannot be read, points cannot be given)
SHOW TABLE POINTS
1st place = 5 points * Best species = 15 points
2nd place = 4 points ** Best specimen = 15 points
3rd place = 3 points *** Best flower = 15 points
Honorable Mention = 2 points
The judging year runs from the December meeting to the following November meeting.
An exhibitor is only eligible to receive one FIRST PLACE award in their class and then must sit out one year for award consideration, although they may still enter plants for the monthly competition. There is no limitation on Second or Third place winners.
The following annual awards are granted at the December meeting:
First place - AOS & TOS dues paid
Second place - AOS dues paid
Third place – TOS dues paid
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