MOS

Newsletter of the Michiana Orchid Society

September, 2006

Editor Shirley Keim sak12000@aol.com

 

SEPTEMBER MEETING AT SANDY’S

 

     The September 9 meeting of the Michiana Orchid Society will be held at Sandy’s Rolling Prairie home.  If you remember, the scheduled August meeting at Sandy’s was replaced with our participation in the orchid show at the Indiana State Fair and the Michigan Road Trip…so we’ll have another chance to tour Sandy’s orchid-growing areas, and Sandy will have another chance to get those orchid-growing areas cleaned up before the MOS arrives.  Will she do it?  Come on over and find out. 

     The meeting will begin at 1:30 EDT on Saturday, September 9.  Address:  3888 East 600 North, Rolling Prairie, IN  Questions?  (219) 778-4457 or sohlund@csinet.net. 

     Directions to Sandy’s home:  from South Bend, take highway 20 or 2 west.  After New Carlisle or Bendix Woods, at “the crossroads” stoplight where 20 and 2 change directions, continue west on 20.  Shortly after the flashing yellow light of Rolling Prairie, turn right onto 350 East.  (There’s a Methodist Church on the left.)  Go 1 ½ miles to the end of 350 East; turn right onto 600 North.  Go approximately half a mile to the only driveway on the right side of the road.  There’s a new brick mailbox replacing the duct-taped, bashed metal one, and a long, winding driveway.  Please park in the field along the driveway before you get to the house.  Thanks!  See you soon!

 

No vendors at this meeting make it a good time for members to bring orchids for sale.

Shirley

 

 

 

MOS EXHIBITS AT INDIANA STATE FAIR!

 

     The Michiana Orchid Society put in a lovely exhibit at the Central Indiana Orchid Society at the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis on August 10.  Deb, Sandy, Ron, Katie and Brittany set up our exhibit very early in the morning, and participated in ribbon judging in the afternoon and AOS judging in the evening.  Sending orchid plants or photographs were Deb, Sandy, Sylvia, Ron, Katie and Brittany.  Our display collected many ribbons and Sandy’s Phrag Knick Knack received an AOS award, a 79 point HCC. 

     Deb and her husband Nick returned to Indianapolis on Sunday to enjoy a bit of the State Fair and to take home our exhibit.  Thanks, everyone, for making our participation in the Indiana State Fair orchid show possible!

 

MICHIGAN ROAD TRIP!!!

 

    Our annual pilgrimage to the orchid growers of Michigan took place on Saturday, August 19.  Carpools were organized to Green Acres; judges took in the monthly judging in Ann Arbor before trekking off to Green Acres and Porter’s Orchids.  Some were saving their orchid-buying dollars for the Chicagoland Orchid Festival in September.

 

Three S’s, an A, and a D attend Green Acres Open House

 

Sylvia, Sherry, Ann, Deb and I, met at Sherry’s house.  We all got into Deb nice big van and headed down to Green Acres, to participate in their open house.  We were not the first arrivals, but we were early enough to get almost first pick on the bargain stands outside.  In the greenhouse, I managed to find an Angraecum with a really big sturdy spike, before Sylvia saw it.  To show she was a good sport, as well as a good orchid finder, Sylvia found me an Angraecum mounted on a stick with a nice small spike that is blooming right now.  By the time the food arrived, the bargain stands as well as the greenhouses were starting to look a little empty.  The food was excellent and it was good to see orchid friends from other clubs and shows.  After we ate, we had another look around to see if we had missed anything.  Sherry managed to beat someone before they got both of the really big Cymbidium orchids that were on either side of one of the green houses doors.  It was so big, it was a good thing that we came in a van and Cindy had a very busy young man to help carry things to the vehicles.  Ann got a really good deal on some blue ceramic pots that were marked lower than any blue light special I ever saw.  We loaded up the van with our purchases and needed to do a little arranging to make sure that nothing fell over or got smashed.    With Deb at the wheel the rest us could relax and discuss our finds.  When we arrived at Sherry’s we did a garden walk to check the progress being made in her new gardens.  Considering that the area was an apple orchard a short time ago, it looks like the start of an even better garden than she had at the other house.  All it need is some time for the things to grow.   We all agreed that we had a good time.

Shirley

 

FALL MID-AMERICA ORCHID CONGRESS

IN LEXINGTON AUGUST 25-27

 

    The Fall Mid-America Orchid Congress, sponsored by the Blue Grass Orchid Society, was held in Lexington, Kentucky, on August 25-27.  Representing the Michiana Orchid Society were Ron, Katie and Brittany.   Speakers included Claude Hamilton of Hamlyn Orchids LTD, Jamaica; Weyman Bussey of Abunda Flora, Texas; and Harry Phillips of Andy’s Orchids, California. 

 

 

ANOTHER ROAD TRIP!

 

    Get your carpool organized and plan to go to the Chicagoland Orchid Festival on Friday through Sunday, September 22-24, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm.  This year is the fourteenth annual orchidfest---can you believe it?  and there are four destinations:  Hausermann’s, Windsong, Oak Hill and Natt’s.  Klehm’s will not be participating in the festival this year.  Here are the guest vendors and the schedule of speakers: 

 

Oak Hill Gardens  37W550 Binnie Rd. Dundee, IL 60118  (847) 428-8500

Andy’s Orchids (CA)

Whippoorwill Orchids (AR)

Water Orchids (Taiwan)

Cal-Orchid (CA)

Orquídeas Del Valle (Colombia)

Parkside Orchid Nursery (PA)

 

Sylvia’s Plant Swap.  Most plant swaps include house plants, and orchids are house plants, so this might be a good time to make some room in your growing area for orchids from our upcoming show.

 

SHADY NOOK FARM

 PLANT SWAP

SATURDAY, SEPT. 30, 2006 1PM TO?

RAIN DATE: Sunday Oct. 1 at 2pm

 

YOU ARE INVITED TO THE 1ST FALL PLANT SWAP

AT THE HOME OF GARY AND SYLVIA GROAT

Located at 9258 Chapel Rd, Niles MI.

 

Directions

North from Niles: 140 north to Chapel Road turn right; go through the stop on Pucker.  Continue on Chapel to the Centennial Farm sign.

South from Berrien Springs: Go east on Pokagon  to Pucker Street (first stop sign) turn right onto Pucker and then left on Chapel the turn is on a corner with a small white church. Continue on Chapel to the centennial sign. There will be a sign at the mailbox.

 

PLANT SWAP! WHAT IS IT?

A friend of mine and some of yours, Sherry, started a spring plant swap a few years back.  It has become such a successful and fun thing to do I decided a fall swap would be great so we could cover both planting seasons in the garden.

 

Fall is a great time to divide spring blooming plants, plant trees, bulbs, bushes and collect seeds. As you garden through the summer and fall months.. pot up those extras. Don’t throw away extra perennials or pull up those tree and bush seedlings. Pot them and save for the plant swap. I love anything that is green and growing and I hate to throw away those plants that have outgrown their spot. I know you do too.

 

What we do is bring anything extra from the garden.  This does not have to be just flowers.  Bring extra fruit plants, berry canes maybe grapevines. Vegetables such as jerusalem artichokes, horse radish or rhubarb.  Bulbs you are digging for storage or dividing.  Maybe the water plants have overgrown the pond? (They tend to do this). Seeds are also great.  Gather from annuals, perennials, hostas and different grasses.  Maybe I can get my daughter to tell how she starts seeds over the winter in milk bottles outside.  HOW ABOUT ALL THOSE POTS AND TRAYS. Bring them along, don’t throw them out.

 

When you bring your plants they can be in pots or bare root (I put the bare root plant and small amount of soil in grocery bags with a little water, this works well for keeping them for a short time). If you have a few extra bags bring them along to put the plants in and keep your car clean. Label the plant with name, color, light requirements, height and soil conditions. This is not a requirement but nice to know.

 

To keep things organized, fair and not confusing the actual swap of plants will start at 1:30pm.  This allows everyone time to get here at 1:00 and set up before the feeding frenzy.  The setup will be similar to Sherry’s. You will have a marker with your name. The plants for swapping in front of the marker and the plants that go home with you behind the marker. You may show up earlier if you want to tour the gardens and ponds.  If you have any questions please call 269-684-0708 or e-mail sngroat@prodigy.net.

 

Drinks and cookies will be provided.  I want to make this a very informal and fun day for all, so bring a friend and come for a great day of chatting and sharing stories with other gardening enthusiast.  Sylvia

 

My Favorite Orchid

 

Sept..Ann Kuntz

Oct..Rick Rydzynski

Nov..Show

Dec..Party

 

Refreshments

 

September Sandy’s House

October Sylvia

November Show

December