Don Ghiz Beckons Members to Prepare for the Upcoming Show
Dear Fellow Orchidists,
March is a big month for orchidists here in Houston. It starts next week with our annual show at Memorial City Mall. I’m hoping we can count on each of you to bring plants for the display as well as volunteer for the various needs to successfully pull off the show.
With the weather turning warmer, it’s time for us to make time for our greenhouses or growing areas in the house. Plants are beginning to show new growth again after a winter cooldown—and so are the pests. It’s a good idea to inspect your plants for signs of unwanted insects and treat appropriately. Towards that end, it is advisable to follow dosage strengths and repeat applications per the manufacturer’s instructions for whatever treatment being applied. Generally, it is recommended that growers follow a rotation of at least two, preferably three pesticides to avoid insect immunity to any particular product.
Also, since often only a small amount of a chemical is needed for our individual needs, I recommend teaming up with your friends to buy larger sizes at discounted prices. While effective, patented insecticides are often pretty expensive and come in minimum sizes that are often too large for small collections.
Another note on a different subject is to please remember to renew your membership, if you haven’t already. And joining or renewing your AOS membership is greatly encouraged. I recognize that each year our time gets spread thinner and becomes more valuable, even more stressful, but those are the exact reasons we should maintain our social contacts and hobby affiliations. They help us cope with stress.
All the best,
Don Ghiz