Enough rain already? We still have a month or two to go, so sit tight and keep checking your orchids for rot and snails. You can spray with a good fungicide and/or run fans to move air over your plants, especially at night. Cut back on the watering. Also go out at night & check for snails. One snail can destroy 2-3 plants or flowers every night. You can dispatch them with an object that will crack their shell, or better yet, use a commercial grade of snail bait & let them eat it. You should still check your plants in the evening, because all it takes is ONE!

Now is a good time to start grooming your orchids for our upcoming show. Along with AOS judging, we will also ribbon judge our members’ registered plants. Orchids awarded will receive double points towards the end of year totals. Don’t forget to continue fertilizing, grooming, and staking your prize-winning orchids. Please, we will need 3-4 Clerks to help out with the AOS judging at the show. Please contact David Schaffter so he can confirm. Selected Clerks get to learn first-hand about some serious judging and get to eat a free lunch with the judges!

Jim Lindberg brought in a Culture winning Trichoglottis brachiata this month. This five-stemmed plant was about 90 cm tall  and displayed 20 flowers and 4 buds on 3 stems. Flowers were typical of species, being deep maroon petals and sepals, with a white and fuchsia lip and a pale-yellow column. Other awards as follows: