TRANSCRIPT
Mentoring the New Hobbyist
Moderator: Marilyn H. S. Light
Copyright 1999
Present were 24:
MarilyninOttawa
Jose41822 (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Kathy_in_N_Calif
Susan-from-Oregon
peeteilis (Tom - Algonquin Island KY)
Clare_in_Arcadia
Zeynep (Wilmington NC)
John_in_Arcadia,_CA
joflo (Joann - Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada)
paulav_in_Boca_Raton
Foxtail2 (Doug - Palm Harbour FL)
Barbara,_N._CA
Ed_in_SAT (San Antonio TX)
UncleEarl (Vacaville CA)
Jim Brasch (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
Jeanne23 (Queensland, Australia)
Jane5536 (L.I., NY)
MiamiBert (FL)
ahorchid (Al - Simpsonville SC)
Steve_in_the_Adirondacks (NY)
Fleur (Tasmania)
Marc! (need email and location)
neil_205 (Kibbutz Kfar Hanassi, Israel)
framer1 (Sharon IN)
MarilyninOttawa
Today's topic is 'Mentoring the New Hobbyist' and as you would have noted from the material already circulated, I want to approach the topic from a conservation viewpoint. I would like to hear from you regarding the topic and your personal experience with mentoring. The experience could be formal or informal, one-on-one or group activities. Let's share our experiences.
I remember some of my first mentors in the orchid hobby. They were senior members of the club and boy was I the new kid on the block. Some of the wisdom imparted included: "When you want to keep a plant be sure to give a piece away." Twenty years later I was able to return a piece of that same plant once shared with me by that member.
Peeteilis
Marilyn, I just read Orchid Thief. I wouldn't dare offer help, to anyone. *G*
MarilyninOttawa
Yes, there are mentors and then there are mentors but let us focus on the good side. I am sure that we all have positive experiences to share.
Susan-from-Oregon
My early mentors were AOS mags, and a few handbooks.
MarilyninOttawa
That is interesting, Susan. Your 'mentors' were not fellow hobbyists. Is this because there was no one that you knew that was interested in orchids when you started the hobby?
Susan-from-Oregon
Yes, Marilyn. I was a solo practitioner. Even now, I've yet to walk into an orchid club meeting. Present forum excepted! You guys are it!
Kathy_in_N_Calif
TOO TRUE!!! Marilyn, I too only had books and mags initially, till I found the local society. Of course you all know that about that at same time I found computers, the AOS, BBS and Lois, Andy, Fleur etc.
MarilyninOttawa
First I was given the Golden Guide to Orchids, then I went to a show (and bought 2 plants), then joined a society, then read everything I could in their extensive library.
Ed_in_SAT
I was just hanging around a commercial greenhouse and somebody invented orchids.
Susan-from-Oregon
Golden Guide was my first orchid book too. I still like it. Little bargain! "Your First Orchids and How to Grow them" publ by Oregon Orchid Soc, and a little orchid handbook. We have two benches at our society, novice and experienced.
Kathy_in_N_Calif
Now this is where my un-shyness comes out, I think they should jump in and get wet with the rest of us!! Novices that is!! Our society isn't so High Falutin' that anyone is going to laugh at anyone's plant, so when a plant gets a ribbon it is deserved in the club's opinion. Otherwise it's like taking championship in an asterisk season! The main thing you have to realize about our club's criteria for winning is that only they 'pick a pretty flower'. A guest, more likely than not, will be among that night's judges.
MarilyninOttawa
While I agree that the novice plants should be judged on the same standard as those of the experienced growers, and they are at the Ottawa OS, this is simply a way to encourage those beginners to break through their shyness. They just need to be encouraged that their efforts are worthwhile. We have had the Best of Show table from the Novice Section on 2 occasions!
neil_205
Marilyn-In your prediscusion letter, you said "to save a plant you give a division away" I'm a newbie - can you please explain that statement?
MarilyninOttawa
When we have a plant which is either a grower's dream, a blooming beauty or a rare and unusual sort, we might be inclined to covet it and not to share our bounty. We are not to know what the future might bring. Fire, flood, theft, disease, and any number of perils could befall that plant. Therefore it is considered wise by some to divide the plant or otherwise propagate it as soon as it is feasible and give (or trade/sell) propagations to other growers. The bounty and risk is then shared. Hopefully, if the original owner loses the main plant, they can return to one of the recipients to recover what was lost. I hope this explanation helps.
Kathy_in_N_Calif
Recently one of OrchidSafari's members lost her GH to fire, and friends of hers were able to give her back some divisions of plants she had given them!
MarilyninOttawa
I know of some societies who purchase a flask or compot for growing on and making the established plants available to members.
Susan-from-Oregon
That's good. I'm reluctant to buy flasks and compots because....How many plants of Laelia purpurata do I really have room for?????? These "mini-flasks" being offered by some growers are good.
janetteh
You know what would be a fun program? Is have someone talk about growing orchids from flasks. Have the society purchase several flasks and let the members deflask the plants and pot the plants up in compots. Then every 6 to 12 months, the members would have to bring in their compot and everyone would compare how their plants are doing.
Steve_in_the_Adirondacks
That would be fun. Wish I had a society to be a member of!
Fleur
I like the idea, wonder if I can get our society to do something along those lines?
janetteh
There are several folks in our society who will buy flasks and split the plants up, Susan. The other choice is to use the extra plants for trading.
Kathy_in_N_Calif
Janette, that could be fun! Fordyce let everyone repot some of his seedlings, then they got to take the plant they potted home as a gift. The one who blooms it first gets a prize!
Susan-from-Oregon
Neat! I LOVE contests and I LOVE gifts!
janetteh
That would be neat, too, Kathy. Could use phrags or phals so you wouldn't have to wait 5 or 6 years.
Kathy_in_N_Calif
Hehe!! Didn't think of that! These were going up into 2 1/2 inch pots! Nice hybrids too! Lc. Seagulls something or other....
janetteh
Gee, we are getting all kinds of neat ideas for programs. And I think that these ideas would help the new people in a society too.
MarilyninOttawa
You realize, I suppose, that there is no barrier to becoming a member of a society even if you cannot attend the meetings. You could interact with one or more e-mail contacts in that society. When the society takes part in group purchases you could do so also, and receive plants for the small additional cost of sending you the plants rather than you picking them up. Although this would not be feasible across international borders it certainly could be accomplished within one country.
MarilyninOttawa
Thank you everyone for the interesting discussion. We did come up with some great ideas for club activities. Good night!
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