The Santa Barbara International Orchid Show, now in its 70th year, is delighted to welcome Bruce Kidd as the 2015 Orchid Doctor.
Orchid experts and hobbyists know only too well the pest problems that affect orchid collections. It has been said that there are two kinds of growers: those who already have pest problems and those who will! A lot of the critters that live within orchids are too small to see with novice examination, and the damage they do to orchids is hard to recognize during the early stages.
Bruce Kidd and his wife, Yasue, have grown orchids for more than 15 years on the edge of the Mojave Desert in California. Kidd has also served as horticultural pest control adviser for Dow AgroSciences for 30 years, which brought him a great deal of expertise consulting commercial orchid growers in Hawaii and California. Kidd was the past president of the San Diego County Cymbidium Society, and is an avid orchid enthusiast who currently grows about 500 temperamental orchids in greenhouses and outdoors.
“Pest management in orchids is about identification and control of common orchid maladies,” Kidd said. “Using cultural techniques and a few ‘miracle’ cures help prevent orchid pest frustrations.”
At this year’s Santa Barbara International Orchid Show, Kidd will share examples of orchids and the wildlife they attract. He will also share helpful tips on how the pests behave and the best ways to discourage pests safely.
New to this year’s show is access to the Orchid Doctor through the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show Facebook page. Orchid experts and hobbyists are welcome to post questions and “sick orchid selfies” to Kidd, so that the Orchid Doctor may share diagnosis and possible remedies.
The Santa Barbara International Orchid Show returns to the Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara on March 13-15. With over 150,000 orchids on display in a 35,000-square-foot exhibition space, the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show is the premier orchid show in the United States. This year marks the 70th year with the theme “Celebrate with Orchids.”
Gardeners, photographers, artists, florists, landscape architects, professional growers and those who simply enjoy the captivating beauty of orchids will marvel at the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show’s diverse and complex orchids on display. Show visitors will be amazed by the spectacular garden exhibits and floral arrangements created by top international, US, and local growers. A juried exhibit managed by the Santa Barbara Art Association allows visitors to experience orchids as the focus of fine art and photography. The extensive sales area includes vendors from around the world, offering thousands of blooming orchid plants, orchid-related art and growing supplies for sale.
General admission to the show is $12. Seniors and students with ID pay $10; children age 12 or younger are free with a paying adult. Individual tickets can be purchased at the show box office or through Ticketmaster.
Group sales information is available on the website by clicking here, via email at sborchidshowpublicity@gmail.com or by phone at 805.403.1533. The show is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, March 13, Saturday, March 14 and Sunday, March 15.
The Santa Barbara International Orchid Show is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to bringing the enjoyment of orchids to the public. The venue is easy to reach at the Las Positas Road exit from Highway 101 in Santa Barbara.
Click here to find out more about the 70th annual Santa Barbara International Orchid Show.
— Nora Miller is a publicist representing the Santa Barbara International Orchid Show.