Orchid Events - 2024 Monthly Meetings
We normally meet on the first Tuesday of each month. The main meeting begins at 6:30 with a plant sale followed by a review of the show table plants and presentation by an orchid expert. The meeting closes with a plant raffle where members can expand their collections. Members bring their orchids for display on the monthly show table. If you have some divisions or extra plants you would like to share, feel free to put them on raffle table. It's fun and informative for beginner and experienced growers. Join us, visitors and guests are always welcome!When: First Tuesday of Each Month at 6:30 pm
Where: Memorial Lutheran Church, Enter Hall from Back Parking Lot
3375 US 1 South, St. Augustine
January 2 - Tale of Two Cattleyas
Francisco Miranda, Miranda Orchids
Francisco Miranda will talk about the dynamic duo, Cattleya walkeriana and Cattleya nobilior. These Brazilian cattleyas grow in dry habitats. Francisco will have lots of pics showing how they grow in situ, to guide you in growing them.
February 6 - Photographing Orchids
Terry Bottom, Terry Bottom Photography
Terry will talk about photographing your orchids, whether you use a big camera or the camera on your phone. He'll focus on settings, lighting and backgrounds to get the best images of your orchids.
March 5 - Growing Specimen Plants
Bill Nunez, Orchid Hobbyist
Bill, who is also known as the Rhizome Cowboy, will talk about how to grow a specimen cattleya. The steps involve picking the proper plant, choosing the right potting materials and growing it to its maximum potential.
April 2 - Moir's Weeds: Tolumnias
Courtney Hackney, Hackneau Art & Orchids
Courtney 's talk is titled "Moir's Weeds: Domesticating Equitant Oncidiums, aka Tolumnias". These twig epiphytes with colorful flowers have adapted to the Caribbean climate, where morning rains and dews wet them and the trade winds dry them by nightfall.
May 7 - Multifloral Paphs
Dave Sorokowsky, Paph Paradise
Dave will talk about multifloral paphiopedilums.They require a bit more space but the spectacular display of flowers they provide makes them worth it! These large bright light loving paphs can be grown next to your cattleyas.
June 4 - Giant World of Miniature Orchids
Tomas Bajza, Tarzane Group
Tomas will show amazing pictures of various miniature and small orchids, talking about their needs, growing tips and techniques. He'll show simple setups for your new orchid babies, how to feed them, mount them and care for them.
July 2 - Bulbophyllums
Julien Baruch, Krull Smith Orchids
Julien will talk to us about bulbophyllums, those unusual orchids with a hinged lip. He will discuss different species and hybrids of these popular oddities. The Krull Smith collection includes
Bill Thoms plants in addition to their hybrids, so get ready to bring some home!
August 6 - To Mount or Not to Mount
Thanh Nguyen, Springwater Orchids
Thanh always has the most unusual orchids in his sales booth, some seem to grow better in pots and others on mounts. Thanh will explain how you can learn whether to pot or mount based on plant growth and rooting habit.
September 3 - Becoming an 80 Percentile Grower
Fred Clarke, Sunset Valley Orchids
Learn about the underlying reasons of how and why orchids grow as they do. Then explore the fundamentals and advanced growing techniques to best grow them. Orchid plant culture is explained as you have never heard it before.
October 1 - Angraecoid Orchids
Edgar Stehli, Windswept in Time Orchids
Edgar will talk about Angraecoids, including Angraecum, Aerangis, Eurychone, and several other genera that are predominantly found in Africa and Madagascar. The flowers tend to be white and fragrant at night.
November 5 - Bingo for Orchids
We're going to have some fun on election night... and play Bingo for Orchids! We'll have bingo sheets in groups of ten for a $10 donation so you will have a chance to win some great orchid prizes. We'll have some laughs, vote for our slate of 2025 officers and get you home in time to watch all the election returns!
December 3 - Christmas Orchid Auction
We’re looking forward to our Christmas party and auction where we get to kick back, have fun and spread holiday cheer with our orchid buddies... and come home with orchids. Hope to see you there!
Our Christmas orchid auction is on our normal first Tuesday meeting night. Drive around to the back, closest to the hall entrance. We'll be there setting up around 5:30. We’ll start our social hour at 6:30 pm. This will give us a chance to exchange holiday cheer before we hit the vittles. Bring your beverage of choice. The club will provide the low octane water, iced tea and coffee, but if you enjoy a cuppa with your meal, feel free! One thing you can always count on is all the good food. Wonder what Lady Di will conjure up for the main courses this year! Bring a dish to round out the meal. Salads, potato and pasta side dishes, vegetable side dishes and desserts have been big favorites in years gone by.
We’ll have calendars and seedling orchid plants. We’ll finish up the evening with an orchid auction where you can bid on a nice variety of different types of orchids.