Come to one of our meetings!
Courtney Hackney gives culture tips from the Show Table
SAOS Resources for events, newsletters and library
If you are just learning to grow orchids, check the Beginners tab
Culture pages address orchid growing basics and different orchids
Having a problem? Info in the Problems section can help
Month by month advice for growing orchids
Beautiful orchid pictures, if only we could include their fragrance!
August 18: Virtual Show Table
Courtney in Cyberspace. Courtney will Zoom into Cyberspace to weave his orchid stories on August 18th at 7 pm. All members will be sent an invitation link to the Zoom presentation.September 1 SAOS Meeting. Our very own Walter Muller will share his orchid growing secrets with us. You've all seen those incredible phalaenopsis he brings to the Show Table. He grows them in his back yard without a greenhouse. His green thumb extends to other genera too, based on the vigorously growing and flowering plants that he's sent in for our Virtual Show Table presentations. Come learn his tricks!
George Hausermann of EFG Orchids will be joining us, hosting the sales table. He will be selling plants as well as providing raffle plants. We will have our normal raffle at the end of the meeting. Friends and guests are always welcome!
Covid Considerations. We are limiting attendance to a maximum of 50 people, four people can space themselves about 6 ft apart at each of the large 8 ft diameter circular tables. Face masks will not be mandatory, but you may wish to bring one, just in case. Hand sanitizers and multiple cleaned pens will be available at the Welcome Table, Sales and Silent Auction Tables.
When: Tuesday, September 1, 6:30 pm
Where: Memorial Lutheran Church
Enter Hall from Back Parking Lot
3375 US 1 South
SAOS News and Activities
Coronavirus Update. We are resuming in-person SAOS activities. Everyone has been schooled on the guidelines on social distancing during the pandemic, and we want all our members to stay healthy. Take your temperature before attending events to make sure you do not have a fever (<100.4 F). We are looking forward to having our regular meetings, with all the personal interactions, beautiful plants and knowledgeable speakers.2020 Programs It looks like our program schedule is going to be very fluid this year. Some of our speakers have rescheduled to next year. Some of our members are preparing programs describing how they grow orchids, sharing their tips for growing during the summer and winter months.
SAOS Items for Sale. Potting mix, plant tags, and more. Click for more info.
Become a Member. The dues are $20 for an individual or $30 for a family... Click for more info.
Keiki Club. Our beginners programs include culture classes, monthly repotting clinics, a mentoring program along with Keiki Club road trips and growing area tours. We're on summer vacation now. We'll be meeting again in September for a growing area tour at the Schimmel's.
Culture Class. Before the pandemic, we added a beginner's culture class at 6:15 before the main meeting begins. We resumed our physical meetings in July, but attendance has been limited. We hope to resume culture classes in 2021 once we have bid the virus adieu!
Monthly Meetings
Members Choice. Our July Members Choice is Zygopetalum Blue Blazes 'Barrie Ford' grown by Walter Muller. Walter bought the plant last year at one of the meetings, it had 2 spikes with 4 to 5 blooms on each. This year 6 spikes with total of 32 blooms. He'll be telling some of his secrets at September's meeting!Monthly Meetings. When not in the middle of a pandemic, we meet on the first Tuesday of each month. We have a beginners culture class at 6:15 before the main meeting, which starts at 6:30. The meeting begins 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. It's fun and informative for growers of all levels. Join us, visitors and guests are always welcome!
Repotting Clinics. Normally, the first Saturday of the month from 9 am til noon, February through October, St. Augustine Orchid Society members are available to talk with you, answer questions and help you repot orchids. Starting in September, we are relocating our repotting clinics to the pavilion at the Memorial Lutheran Church. August is a dangerous month for repotting with all the stress induced by high heat and humidity, but plants have a growth spurt in the fall when temperatures mediate, so we'll be repotting in September and October.
When: Saturday, September 5, 9 am til noon
Where: Memorial Lutheran Church
Pavilion Across from Back Parking Lot
3375 US 1 South
Turn west at the blinking light across from the new fire and police station on US 1 and drive around to the back of the church.
Cultural Tips for Orchid Growers
Bob Scully's Month by Month Orchid Growing:
August in St. Augustine. August is the hottest month so be prepared to work diligently to ensure sufficient air circulation. Spray water on the floor, benches and outer surfaces... read moreDr. Courtney Hackney Tips, Redux:
Orchids in Summer. It has been a wonderful summer so far with no hurricanes and relatively cool conditions, i.e. no 100-degree days. There are few years when evening temperatures ... read moreDr. Martin Motes Notes:
Progress of the Season. This July began and ended on a dry note, but overall was exceptionally wet. This wet month, in a wet year, is not good news for our orchids. Even if one has been ... read moreOrchids in August. July and August are the two most similar months in South Florida. Most of the advice on watering, disease and pest control in last month's calendar still apply... read more
Culture Article by Sue Bottom:
Rats. The summer shade house is a great environment for growing orchids. The buoyant air movement, purifying rainwater, filtered light, and nighttime temperature drop encourage vigorous... read moreJoin or Renew Your Membership
The St. Augustine Orchid Society is a dynamic group of orchid growers having all levels of experience, from those who just brought their first orchid home to those with overflowing greenhouses. All members have one thing in common. We love to share our experiences, our knowledge and our orchid divisions with other orchid growers. Come to one of our meetings so we can get to know each other. If you would like to join, you can complete this interactive form.Join the Club or Pay Your Dues
The dues are $20 for an individual or $30 for a family if paid by check (mail c/o Linda Stewart, 1812 Diana Drive, Palatka 32177). For an extra dollar, you can pay using the PayPal links below.Individual Membership
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Catasetum Competition Grow
Fred Clarke sent us 20 plugs for the raffle table in January 2019. We are going to have prizes for the first one to bloom this hybrid, the one with the nicest flower, and the best grown one. Here's more information about the cross and how to grow catasetums.
Jim Roberts Deflasking Project
At our August 2019 meeting, Jim Roberts of Florida SunCoast Orchids showed us how to deflask orchids and pot them up in either plug trays or compots. Five caretakers are nurturing them until they grow up to a size where they can be planted individually.