Home

Our Annual Show

Newsletters

Meetings and Minutes

Membership

Further Information

Newsletter: August 2006

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN IRIS SOCIETY Inc.

These days everyone talks about Christmas in July – Well what about Christmas in August! That’s how I felt when our first box of items we had purchased, throughout the Portland Iris Convention, arrived. Books, magazines, catalogues and other items were too heavy to carry for a further six weeks, so we decided to ship them home.  It took nine weeks to arrive. I was wondering if it would ever get here. What a thrill! After all that time I had forgotten a lot of the items that were in the box – it was like a box of soft centred candy – each item was a delightful surprise.

Library Highlights  by Ann Head

. “The Australian Revolution”.  Those who do not grow many Louisiana irises may not have borrowed “The Louisiana Iris” book from the library.  However, you may be interested to read about the impact that Australian hybridizers are making on Louisiana irises.  See pages 114 – 118 of The Louisiana Iris book, 2^nd edition by the Society for Louisiana Irises.  Unfortunately our own Peter Jackson is not mentioned, but I am sure that if a 3^rd edition is published, he will be, as some of his lovely creations are now available in the US.  There are also photos of some Australian hybrids in the photo section.

Items currently overdue or missing from library:

Books:

• The World of Irises (American Iris Society publication, edited by B.Warburton and M. Hamblen)

• Iris Culture for Amateurs

• The Gardener’s Iris Book by William Shear

• Book on bulbs

Videos:

• Video on aril irises, produced by the Albuquerque Iris Society

Checklists:

• 3  American Iris Society Registration and Introduction checklists:  1970-79 (1 hardcover book), 1991 booklet, 1992 booklet

• 1  Iris Society of Australia Registration and Introduction checklist:  1995

Yearbooks / Bulletins

• 3  British Iris Society Yearbooks:  1991, 2000, 2001

• 3  Aril Society International Yearbooks:  2001, 2002, 2003

• 1  NZ Iris Society Bulletin – March 2003, No. 159

• 1  Iris Society of Australia Yearbook:  2003

Catalogues

• 4  US Iris Nursery catalogues:  Suttons 2002, Suttons 2003, Roris 1995, Wildwood Gardens

• 1 NZ Iris Nursery catalogue:  Waimate Gardens

Folders

• 1  Display Book / Folder with articles on hybridizing / germination.

If you currently have one of these items or any other overdue iris library item in your possession, please return to the library as soon as possible.  There will be a one-month amnesty before bills are sent out for the replacement costs.

Bus Tour  - Sunday 12 November  -  Fleurieu Peninsular Gardens.

Members - make your booking intentions known to John Turner (8387-4647) before or by the next Iris Society meeting on14 September. Members free - guests $40 all inclusive.  Members of community will be invited to join our tour to make full use of the 50 seater coach.  For quick service at our lunch stop a pre ordered menu is requested. Choices  - Main Course – Quiche or Lasagne.  Dessert – Apple and Rhubarb or Cheese Cake. Please have your menu choice selected with your booking.

Show Time- is drawing near. 21 October 11am – 5pm and 22 October 10am – 4pm. at the Goodwood Community Centre, Rosa Street, Goodwood. Keep an eye on your plants; protect them from snails and other nasties so that they will be in top form when it is Showtime.

Member News  from our Treasurer Margaret Kuchel

Descended from a family of flower farmers and fishermen on the island of Bryher in the Scilly Isles off the coast of Cornwall, it is not surprising that Margaret always had a fascination with flowers. She started her gardening careerin Strathalbyn growing succulents and cacti in pots at the age of eight. From there she soon graduated to her own garden bed inin the front where she grew flowers

Next Month – 10 August 2006

Guest Speaker – Mr. David Barrington  - Pacific Coast Iris 

Floral Design  - Spring on the Wing. – Let your imagination take flight and create a floral Flight of Fancy while the spring flowers are still in abundance eg. dutch iris, ranunculi, anemone, babiana, tulip, stock, freesia. You may have other exciting spring surprises in your garden. Accessories can also add an interesting dimension to your design.

Supper Roster   -   Peg Lane and Edna Pongrac

Thought for the Month. – According to the laws of aerodynamics, the bumblebee cannot fly. Apparently no one bothered to tell the bee. Keep Flying!!

South Australian Iris Society

Minutes 10 August 2006

Meeting opened 7.40pm

 President Julia Jacobs welcomed 18 members. Special welcome to new members John and Rosemary Field and guests Pat and David Harmer.

Apologies  Karl Meredith, Terry Pomeroy, Margaret Douglass, Nancy Kopunic, Colleen Modra, Gwen Alexandrou.

Minutes of the previous meeting were accepted as correct.  Moved Sue Stribley, seconded Luke White.  Carried.

Correspondence: 

Western Australian Iris Society, Iris Society of Aust. NSW Region, GCA Bulletin (Weeds) and Travel Club brochure, Aust. Bulb Ass. Inc., Iris Show Brochure, Aril Society International Plant Sale Catalogue, British Iris Society Newsletter, Murray Bridge & Districts Orchid Club, State Flora, S.A. Cottage Garden Club Inc., Constitution Of Iris Society of Aust., Ian Stainer, Goodwood Community Centre, Darrelle Watson.

Betty Parsons distributed to members seeds from the Aust. Bulb Ass. Inc.

Treasurers Report

Moved Marg Kuchel, seconded Belinda Meredith that the above report be accepted. Carried.

Business Arising:

Show bottles:  Nancy Kopunic kindly offered to store the green show bottles at her place. Nell Tanner and Belinda Meredith offered to transport the bottles to and from the show.

President Julia brought to our attention an article in Section Happenings by Jim Morris regarding the disease Phytophthora cancer disease. This disease is very virilent and there is no known cure. Sections of high rainfall areas in SA have been isolated due to this infestation. Further information is available from Julia.

Trial Garden

Judging of the Trial Gardens at Impressive Irises results are as follows:

                                  Seedlings      -     1^st     Ann Head             - 147 points

                                          “            -     2^nd    Margaret Kuchel  - 144 points

                                          “            -     3^rd     Sue Stribley         - 143 points

Congratulations to participants !!

Show Bench results:  Judge  -  Ann Head.

                Single Blooms    -     1^st     camellia     - Pat Crouch

                                                2^nd    daffodil      -  Julia Jacobs

                                                3^rd    cyclamen   -  Margaret Kuchel

                Bearded Iris        -     1^st     Royal Remembrance    -   Julia Jacobs

                1 floret                       2^nd    Golden Reprise            -   Marlene Gibson

                Iris Stems           -      1^st     Royal Remembrance    -   Julia Jacobs

                                                  2^nd    Royal Remembrance    -   Julia Jacobs

Multiple Spikes  -      1^st    Bulbinella  -               John Turner

                                 2^nd   Standard Cymbidium Orchid  - Marlene Gibson

                                3^rd    Heleborus               -               Julia Jacobs

Iris Species        -       1^st    Reticulatus                -               Julia Jacobs

                                  2^nd  Ungularis  -               John Turner

                                  3^rd    Ungularis                -               John Turner

              Floral Design    -   Interpretive   -   Prelude to Spring

                                              1st      -             John Turner

Show and Tell

Natalie shared with us a postcard received from Gwen and John Alexandrou from New York depicting Central Park.

John shared books, catalogues and memorabilia collected at the AIS Convention in Portland, Oregon, USA

Raffle was drawn.

Supper

Guest Speaker    Mr. David Harmer  presented us with a talk and power point presentation on
Pests encountered in our home and gardens.

David has had a long time experience as a builder in rural communities dealing with the good and bad insects.

Scale – two types, Brown the armoured and waxy coat, this is found on top of leaves.

White scale – they hide and breed under a fuzzy cover beneath leaves. They move slowly and yellow sunken patches on leaves indicate their presence. Brown sooty fungal patches produces honey dew which attract ants.

To counteract and eliminate the problem, move compost away, space plants and aerate the area and it is quite effective to wipe with a mixture of milk and water. Spray with a mixture of 2mm malathion to 1 litre of water.

Mealy Bug – two types – White – long tail and births live young and have long legs.

                               Pink  - twin tail, lays eggs. Their needle like mouths suck at the leaves of the plants. They are found in the axils and leaves of plants. Methylated spirits applied with a cotton bud or as a spray can be helpful. Confidor is also a useful eliminator.

Snails – Hermaphrodites. They lay eggs six times a year and take two years to mature.

Slugs – lay three to forty eggs and take three to six months to mature.

To reduce their numbers and eliminate, keep the garden as free from debris as possible to reduce their hiding places. Hand pick them and treat with 5% - 10 % of household ammonia, this kills them quickly, or use snail baits in the garden but protect your pet animals.

Garlic Snails – these are very hard to kill. Measurol watered in two to three times a week helps to control them.

Spider Mite – Two types

                                         Two Spotted Spider Mite – has four pairs of legs

                                          Red Spotted Spider Mite

Dry warm conditions are suitable for them to multiply. They spin a thin silk web and leave a silver sheen on the leaf.

Control – physically wipe or sponge them off. Water with hose to keep the humidity high. Control with sprays but change brands often as they become immune, which then renders the spray ineffective.

White Fly – produce lava and excrete honeydew. Spray with insecticides.

Thrip – these change colours to what they are feeding on. They damage leaves and buds and cause leaf curl. Eggs are injected through a thin tube to the inside a leaf cell.   Control by hosing off or spraying with malathion.

Aphids – soft flying insects that travel about and can transfer from one place to another on items of clothing. All aphids are female and forty to sixty hatch in a batch and mature in seven to ten days. Ants collect the honeydew left by the aphids. Control with insecticidal sprays or wash off with the hose.

Wood Lice – These are similar to a slater but smaller. They love to attack Stag-horns and Elk-horns. They chew the roots till one day you will find your Stag or Elk Horn on the ground.

White Moth – Manifest themselves firstly as green grubs on new green growth. Three or four generations are produced in one season. Seen flying around the vegetable garden.

Monarch Butterflies – Firstly manifested by the pretty woolly grub intent on going from one luscious plant to another. The male Monarch has forward wings; where-as the female has backward wings.

Control with carbaryl.

Cockroach – there are four different types – German, Oriental, American and Australian. They are all different in shape and colour. All but the Oriental is a food eater and house dwellers. The Oriental eats plants and is busy at night. German cockroach is black, American is small with a red head and the Australian also has a red head but is smaller. Control with Sisilian 10 and insecticides.

Earwigs - eats anything living or dead and flower petals are a delightful delicacy. (That’s why we find them in our best flowers, particularly when we want to show them. Ed.) Killing them by stomping on them and using residual sprays like carbaryl and malathion.

GOOD GUYS

Lady Bugs - These are territorial. One eats 1000 baddies in a life cycle. These can be purchased from a farm and before they are released in your garden spray them with a 50/50 solution of lemonade and water which adheres to their wings and prevents them from flying off. This will keep them in your garden and if they’re long enough they will not want to leave.

Lace Wings – orange/green in colour. Life cycle involves the egg – larvae – pupae – adult. They are a very active predator with their main meal being the aphids and other like insects.

Pirate Bug – These devour thrips, mealy bugs, spider mites and many insect eggs.

Blackbirds – Even though we don’t like the mess they make in our gardens we should welcome these creatures with open arms as they eat lots of grubs and nasties in our gardens.

Praying Mantis – These are a deadly predator and have chameleon like characteristics. They can rotate their head 180 degrees, which makes them a formidable warrior.

Normal Ants – They can carry five times their body weight and are very good at cleaning up.

Wasps – red and black mud wasp is a good guy as they attack other wasps.

Centipedes  (red) – these are rather good to have around as they kill all the baddies. (I still do not like to see them around)

Other insect pests mentioned were White Ants (termites), can be 100 to 1,000,000 in a nest. Railway sleepers combined with water is a suitable medium to attract these termites. Fire ants, these are very vicious and found in Queensland. Only certified plants can be brought interstate. Fungus Ants – attack African Violets and look like mosquitoes. Control over watering and allow the potting mix to dry out occasionally, but not to the detriment of the plant. Sticky fly traps and spider webs can be a help in controlling the pests. European Wasps have a yellow and black elongated body and about 100,000 wasps to a nest. They are unwelcome guests at a BBQ.  Slaters – these belong to the crayfish and crab family. These do not cause any problems and feed on decaying material. Nematodes- miniature wormlike creatures that like to feed on the roots of plants. Weevils, they like to feed on indoor and outdoor plants and love to get into our flaked oats. Dendrobian Beetle found in Queensland..  Millipede – these do not seem to bother the plants. Spiders – Black, Brown, Daddy Long Legs – these are very poisonous, but because of their small nippers are not an undue threat to humans. They kill the red back spiders. Red back Spiders – kill other spiders, crickets, lizards and they pinch prey from other webs. A bite from one of these spiders can produce pain, nausea, sweating and vomiting. Seek medical help if bitten. Silverfish, keep fresh Bay leaves in the cupboard to keep these at bay. Stick insect.  Fleas – can produce twenty-five eggs per day. Bites can inflict diseases.

Mice, Smiling Tree Frog, Dragonfly, Leaf Sucker, Grasshopper were all mentioned as well.

Summary –

• Keep records when you notice the different pests as they come at the same time every year and you can be prepared to take action.

• Keep all areas clean.

• Space plants and frequently inspect your plants.

• Record the date and treatment given.

• Keep your plants healthy as a healthy plant can withstand diseases and pests better than an undernourished one.

• Use sticky baits.

• Mavrik, Measurol and Rogor are good to have on your garden shed shelf. 

Julia thanked David for his informative presentation and on behalf of the society presented him with a gift. 

Meeting Closed – approx. 10:15 pm.

Back to the Newsletter list