| Join Our List |
 |
|
|
Greetings,
We have almost recovered from last weekend's Chicagoland Orchid Festival. We lucked out with good weather, and folks showed up by the van-load and coach bus-load. The event was an unqualified success once again, thanks to all of you who came to visit us. We hope you enjoyed the festive atmosphere as much as we did. Check out the seven gift-certificate prize winners, drawn from a total of 206 applications submitted by those who visited all four nurseries during the festival.  |
| |
Phal Mini Mark
|
|
This month we are offering two NEW specials, in addition to holding over the Phalaenopsis Mini Mark special from last month. The Mini Marks are now in very short spike. Get one now! The other two specials offer a package of Laelia species and a couple of Vanilla varieties at reduced prices. Check out the details in the article immediately below.
 | |
Laelia purpurata carnea
|
Oak Hill Gardens will be participating in the Fall AOS Trustees Meeting and Show, hosted by the Alamo Orchid Society in San Antonio, Texas. It's being billed as Orchid Fandango! The dates are October 26-30th. We hope  that you will be able to travel to this amazing show and be part of the action. Retail pre-orders of plants for delivery at this show will be eligible for a 10% discount! I hope to see you there. Best regards, Greg |
|
Specials of the Month
| |
 | |
Laelia tenebrosa
|
Laelia Species Special
Buy two Laelia species, and get a third one for free. This month, if you buy a purpurata and a tenebrosa at the regular price, you'll get a purpurata v. carnea (rose-colored lip) for FREE! That's three plants for only $19.98. Click on the link below:
Vanilla Species Special
 | |
Vanilla planifolia
|
Buy two different Vanilla species ( planifolia and albo-marginata) and save a total of $7.52 of the regular prices. Two plants for only $19.98! Click on the link below and scroll down the page to see the details.....
|
|
Growing Tip of the Month - by Liese
| |  The Fall Transition
There is a definite chill in the air! The daylight hours have become shorter and cool nights have moved into the Midwest. The leaves are changing colors and I've had to pull out my warm quilts, sweaters and jackets to replace my shorts and T-shirts. Fall is here!
As the seasons change, so must our orchid growing routines. Now is the time to move your orchids inside if they have been in an outdoor growing area for the summer. Warm-growing varieties, especially, should already be indoors (depending on exactly where you live). Phalaenopsis, Paphs, and other warm-growers will rot out quickly if they get too chilly at night, especially if they are damp due to rain or a recent watering.
Cymbidiums and other cool-growing varieties can still be left outside safely -- usually until the night time lows reach the mid to upper 30's. Make sure to keep your outdoor plants on the dry side, especially when night-time temps drop below 50 degrees.
When moving your plants inside, it is a good idea to spray or treat them for bugs, mites and fungus. Bayer Insect, Disease and Mite Control is a good product to use, as it targets all of these potential problems in one swell foop! Systemic granules, Phyton27 and BoNeem Insecticidal Soap also come in handy this time of year.....
Fall is a good time to re-pot cool-growing orchids. Phalaenopsis and Paphs can also be re-potted this time of year if they look as if they have outgrown their pots, or if their organic mix has broken down.
As the temperature and sunlight decrease, orchids usually require less water. Even here in the greenhouses, we have noticed that large Cattleyas and Dendrobiums stay wet much longer and only need an occasional watering rather than the thorough soaking they receive during their active growth cycles in spring and summer.
If you're growing in a home, and your heat kicks on often during the cold fall and winter months, you may actually need to water more often! The hot air being blown through your home can dry out your plants very quickly. Sometimes an extra watering per week may be required.
October is also the month that we switch to a blossom booster food. Phalaenopsis, Paphs, Catts, Oncidiums and Intergenerics all start to set buds during the fall and early winter months. Blossom booster food (such as Dyna-Gro Liquid Bloom 3-12-6) helps to push these vareities into spike and produce optimum bud development.
Watch your plants carefully during the changing seasons and work your way into a new routine that works well for both you and your plants. Dig out your sweaters and enjoy the crisp fall air, colorful leaves, and orchid flowers that arrive with the fall season!
Good growing to you,
Liese
|
|
|
May your pumpkins be smooth and shiny and your gourds covered with warts!
Sincerely,
Greg, Liese and Hermann |
|
|
