SIGN UP EARLY FOR ORCHID FESTIVAL CLASSES

The 19th Annual Morongo Basin Orchid Festival is being held October 4 and October 5 at Gubler Orchids in Landers. One of the more popular activities is the orchid classes, conducted by the Orchid Society of Arizona. The first class is for children ages 6 to 15, which will start at 10:15 a.m. on October 5 and is free. Participants will learn about orchids and their cultivation and construct a miniature greenhouse out of a one-gallon container. On the same day, the dendrobium classes for teens and adults start at 11:15 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. The new phalaenopsis class is slated to start at 1:15 on both October 4 and October 5, where participants will select and transplant a blooming four-inch orchid into a six-inch container and will learn about cultivating orchids as well as caring for orchids at home. The fee is $12. The Orchid arrangement class is scheduled for 11:15 on October 5 and is $25 per person. Students will learn the ins and outs of creating the ideal orchid arrangement and receive all the materials to do so. For more information or to sign up for any of these classes, go online to www.gublerorchids.com.