Contents of Newsletter
- Report on the September Meeting.
- Details for this coming meeting:
- Information Session: Panel takes Questions on Your Bromeliad Problem, and Your Favorite Bromeliad.
- Guest Presenter: Garden Shadehouses with Peter Ball.
- Popular Vote Winners.
- Upcoming Events.
- 2021 Meeting Information.
Editor: Maxim Wilson maxim.wilson@internode.on.net.
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President Pam Butler opened the meeting and welcomed new members
Our Christmas Party is on Saturday 4th December, 12:00 to 4pm, at the Victoria Park Golf Clubhouse, and you need to book with TryBooking Link is https://www.trybooking.com/BTQPK
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| Members Meeting 21st October. |
Members Meeting 18th November. |
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Info Session –
Panel Discussion: Bring your Problems or Favorite Plants. |
Info Session –Clay ball Aquaponics with Barry Kable.
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Plant of the Month
Wallisia with John Olsen. |
Plant of the Month –
Billbergia with John Smits. |
| Guest Speaker - Peter Ball. |
Guest Speaker – Andrew Devonshire |
Topic -The for & against of growing Bromeliads in the Garden compared
to a Shadehouse, |
Topic-His Neoregelia Hybrids. |
| Competition - Mini Show(see below) |
Competition - Popular Vote.(see below) |
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Information Session:
Growing Tillandsia from Seed with Steve Molnar.
‘fresh is best’: you get the best results with fresh seed.
Steve has difficulties with seed 3-4 months old.
The seed pod is usually green in early stages.
As it matures, the seed pod turns brown, then develops a line along it
that will crack open and release seed.
The coma is the tuft of hair, ‘the fluffy bit’ of the seed, the parachute.
Steve uses small jewelry bags to collect seed.
The screen: Steve uses a square of galvanized aviary mesh, covered with shade cloth.
The aviary mesh is best aged, so that the protective layer of zinc
does not leak, and be toxic to seedlings.
Steve finds hessian works, but lasts only 6 months- no good.
And flyscreen is also unsatisfactory.
Shade cloth give better attachment for the coma.
The mesh plus shadecloth is soaked in a bath with
an antibacterial Milton tablet.
Sowing the seed:
Steve soaks the seed overnight before sowing.
Then seed is spread out over the shadecloth.
Best conditions for seed growing:
- adequate moisture
- a base material that can dry out in 2 hours.
- bright light, but not full sun which kills young seedlings.
- good air circulation.
- tank water seems to be better than town supply.
Maintenance of seedlings:
they grow slow for the first 2 years, then take off.
When trichomes are visible, seed growth accelerates.
Steve then adds 1/4 strength fertiliser.
Steve has a shade house dedicated to his seedlings.
To make better use of limited space in this shadehouse, Steve mounts his seedlings onto nylon rope suspended vertically.
He has automatic misting, once daily in winter, 4 times daily in summer.
Here is Steve's first batch of seedlings:
Many thanks, Steve, for a talk full of information, and well prepared.
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Information Session:
Growing Tillandsia from Seed with Steve Molnar.
‘fresh is best’: you get the best results with fresh seed.
Steve has difficulties with seed 3-4 months old.
The seed pod is usually green in early stages.
As it matures, the seed pod turns brown, then develops a line along it
that will crack open and release seed.
The coma is the tuft of hair, ‘the fluffy bit’ of the seed, the parachute.
Steve uses small jewelry bags to collect seed.
The screen: Steve uses a square of galvanized aviary mesh, covered with shade cloth.
The aviary mesh is best aged, so that the protective layer of zinc
does not leak, and be toxic to seedlings.
Steve finds hessian works, but lasts only 6 months- no good.
And flyscreen is also unsatisfactory.
Shade cloth give better attachment for the coma.
The mesh plus shadecloth is soaked in a bath with
an antibacterial Milton tablet.
Sowing the seed:
Steve soaks the seed overnight before sowing.
Then seed is spread out over the shadecloth.
Best conditions for seed growing:
- adequate moisture
- a base material that can dry out in 2 hours.
- bright light, but not full sun which kills young seedlings.
- good air circulation.
- tank water seems to be better than town supply.
Maintenance of seedlings:
they grow slow for the first 2 years, then take off.
When trichomes are visible, seed growth accelerates.
Steve then adds 1/4 strength fertiliser.
Steve has a shade house dedicated to his seedlings.
To make better use of limited space in this shadehouse, Steve mounts his seedlings onto nylon rope suspended vertically.
He has automatic misting, once daily in winter, 4 times daily in summer.
Here is Steve's first batch of seedlings:
Many thanks, Steve, for a talk full of information, and well prepared.
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- The revised edition of Starting with Bromeliads is now available for purchase. Each member is entitled to purchase a copy for $5.00 plus postage. They can be collected at meetings.
- Commencing in September, the committee has allocated a further lucky door prize of an annual BSI electronic membership. The membership lasts for 12 months and includes electronic delivery of the BSI journal. This draw will last for 11 meetings.
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