GARDEN CLUB

Southland Times, Issue 21831, 7 October 1932, Page 9

GARDEN CLUB

INTERESTING LECTURES. ORCHIDS AND CHRYSANTHEMUMS. There was a large and appreciative audience at the monthly meeting of the Garden Club in “Everybody’s” Rooms, Tay street, when the speakers were Mr P. A. Plumer who took the subject of “Orchids” and Mr Stapleton, who spoke on “Spring work among Chrysanthemums.” Mr J. L. Lennie presided. Mr Plumer, who had a very fine set of illustrated plates depicting various species and types of orchids which were an added attraction, first exploded the popular theory that orchids are only the "millionaire’s flower” by stating that although many varieties cost sums ranging up to £l5O each this was no indication of their real worth as price was governed by rareness and the price was usually kept up as those varieties, being more delicate, did not increase very quickly and consequently never became plentiful; in fact a plant had often to be kept from 10 to 15 years before it was possible to divide it into two plants, hence their rareness. “Apart from these varieties many really good orchids can be bought for quite reasonable sums, ranging from 1/- upwards, even the cheaper ones being quite good, as it is only the fact that they have become plentiful that has brought the price down,” he said. “Another popular fallacy is that they require a great deal of expense and skill to grow them. This, too, is quite wrong as most of the varieties are grown in an ordinary greenhouse with no artificial heat except sufficient to keep out frost in winter and this is no more than is required by many of the plants in general cultivation under glass. While it is true that some varieties, notably those from Mexico, require intense heat and all the sunlight possible and others from the high altitudes require skill and care to keep the temperature down to a 50 degree maximum, a very fine collection can be obtained from other types which are not so fastidious. No fancy soil mixture is required either, as for most types a mixture of spagnum moss, peat and charcoal is all that is required. Although there are many native orchids in New Zealand the speaker never encountered one of the New Zealand natives during his career in England. (Mr Plumer was for some years in charge of some large orchid houses in England). This was accounted for by the fact that most of the flowers are very insignificant compared with those from other countries, although probably there would be many in the collections of some of the growers whose collections were chiefly of botanical interest.”

At this stage the speaker read*a descriptive list of the New Zealand varieties some of which are to be found in so handy a place as Otatara and Sandy Point. The best varieties are obtained from such countries as India, Burma and the Philippine Islands, but by this does not indicate that they require tropical heat as they are usually found at high altitudes where the temperature is more temperate, the varieties being collected by skilled men who make periodical visits to these places and with the aid of a party of natives mark all the best specimens and collect them at their resting period. The speaker went on to describe the method of distribution, hybridization etc., giving a lucid description of their rare colourings, shapes and forms and their many uses for cut flower work. He said that as they would last, when cut from the plant from two weeks to two months it will readily be realized that they were very much sought after by florists and in the gentlemen’s gardens of England they were very much appreciated because they flowered well during the hunting season when other flowers were becoming scarce.

At the conclusion of Mr Plumer’s address Mr Stapleton took as his subject “Spring work among Chrysanthemums.” His remarks were as follows: By this time all plants have been propagated from the offshoots from last year’s plants and should be sturdy plants in 3-inch pots. Their present requirements are careful attention to watering and keeping free from greenfly by spraying with an insectide if the pest should appear. Towards the end of this month they will be ready for their second shift into 5 or 6 inch pots in a soil mixture composed of two parts good fibrous turf to one of horse manure with a small amount of fine bonedust added. At this stage each plant should be provided with a light stake to prevent it being broken off with wind and should be stood in an open sunny place to prevent soft sappy growth and the pots should be stood on a board or bed of unders, preferably the latter, to prevent worms from entering the pots, paying careful attention to watering. About the second week in November, if the plants are not making a natural break, the tips should be pinched out to cause them to break and the resulting shoots, which should be reduced to three, are each, as it develops, carefully trained up a neat stake which should be provided for each shoot, care being taken not to tie too tightly so as to damage the stem. The best tying material is raffia which can be obtained cheaply at any seed shop. About the first or second week in December the plants will have filled the pots with roots and will be ready for their final potting into 9 or 10 inch pots, or if these are not available into petrol tins or boxes of about the same size. When using boxes or tins care must be taken to make a number of holes in the bottom to allow for drainage.

The soil mixture for this final potting should consist of two parts of turf chopped to about the size of a walnut, one part of horse manure with an addition of sharp sand to keep the mixture free, adding a six-inch potful of bonedust to each barrowful of the mixture. This should be kept moderately dry before being used. A layer of oyster shells or broken brick should be placed in the tin to make drainage and Some of the coarsest pieces of the mixture placed over them. The tin should be now three parts filled and the mixture made very firm with a blunt stick like a small rammer and the plant, after being removed from its six-inch pot should be placed in the middle of the tin and the tin filled to within two inches of the top, firming the soil as it is added. After adjusting the stakes the plant should be stood in an open situation, to get all the sun possible. If the row runs east to west a wide board should be stood on edge in front of the tins to prevent the sun from overheating the tins and burning the roots within the soil. From this stage the main requirements will be attention to watering, which should be daily in dry weather, tying the stems to the stakes as growth is made and breaking off all the side shoots which will be made from the three main stems. This will take the plants on to February A pest which is becoming very prevalent is the leaf rolling grub which hides itself in between the leaves and eats out the centre of the growing points. A careful watch should be kept and the grubs destroyed. This pest is more common about places having live hedges, particularly white escellonia, and care should be taken not to stand the plants near hedges of this type. Another pest is the fungus rust which if not controlled will ruin the plants. Growers should not wait for its appearance before making an effort to stop it as once it gets a hold it is incurable. The best method to prevent its appearance is to spray with lime sulphur or sulphide of potassium loz to two gallons of water every two 'weeks during the growing season. Any

effort in this direction will be amply repaid by clean, healthy plants in the flowery stages. As broad beans are very liable to attacks of rust it would be as well to keep the plants away from the row of beans. Mildew is sometimes troublesome, especially in damp or draughty places. This will not appear if the plants are kept in an open sunny place and the spraying for rust will also keep away the mildew. The speaker also dealt with chrysanthemums in the open border and single varieties in pots. At the conclusion of their addresses both speakers were accorded a hearty vote of thanks.