Come to one of our meetings!
Courtney Hackney gives culture tips from the Show Table
SAOS Resources for monthly meetings, 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!
March 3: Growing Specimen Plants
Bill Thoms, Bulbophyllums.comBill will talk about Growing and Showing Specimen Plants. Bill Thoms and his wife, Doris Dukes, have been growing orchids around Central Florida for 40 years and have received almost every award granted by the AOS as well as more Awards for Culture than anyone else in the world. His talks are spiced with funny stories and funny associations. Whether you grow thousands of orchids or only a few, you will have a wonderfully entertaining time and be able to grow anything better.
Bring your flowering orchids to the show table. There will be plants available on the vendor sales and raffle tables. Friends and visitors are always welcome!
When: Tuesday, March 3, 6:30 pm
Where: Memorial Lutheran Church
Enter Hall from Back Parking Lot
3375 US 1 South
Monthly Meetings
Members Choice. Our February Members Choice is Dendrobium Red Senator 'Maxim', brought in by Susan Smith. This is one of the nobile-type hybrids that requires a coolish dryish winter rest before it bursts into its spring blooms.Monthly Meetings. We meet on the first Tuesday of each month. 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!
Culture Class. We have a beginners culture class before the main meeting, starting at 6:15. In March, we'll have a demonstration on staking your orchids.
Ace Repotting Clinics. 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.
SAOS News and Activities
SAOS Items for Sale. Potting mix, slotted clay pots, fertilizer, plant tags... Click for more info.Renew Your Membership. 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), or for an extra dollar use these PayPal links.
Individual Membership Family Membership JOS Exhibit Committee. Janis Croft is assembling her team to put in the exhibit at the Jacksonville Orchid Society in March, click for more details.
Keiki Club - Growing Area Tour:
February 16: Winterizing Your Growing Area
Susan and Doug grow their orchids on a screened porch and under a pergola in summer, setting up portable greenhouses in winter. See how others meet the challenge of winter cold weather.
Where: Susan and Doug Smith's Home
148 Sarah Elizabeth Drive, St. Johns 32259
When: Sunday, February 16, 1 - 3 pm
Cultural Tips for Orchid Growers
Bob Scully's Month by Month Orchid Growing:
February in St. Augustine. Spring is around the corner. Order your potting supplies early to make sure they are not sold out when it's time to repot. Observe plants carefully for pests... read moreDr. Courtney Hackney Tips, Redux:
My Favorite Cattleyas. Last month’s column was a list of my favorite orchids, but since cattleyas are my favorite group, I’m devoting a whole column to them. With over 500... read moreDr. Martin Motes Notes:
Progress of the Season. This January has been warmer than average much to the delight of our orchids which have enjoyed day time temperatures hovering around 80 degrees and falling 15 degrees... read moreOrchids in February. Despite the bloom on the avocados and the burgeoning new leaves on the live oaks, February is not spring in South Florida. Danger of freeze continues past mid month... read more
Culture Article by Sue Bottom:
Virus Testing - Do You Really Want to Know. There are different philosophies on testing orchids for virus. Approaches range from the person who simply does not want to know to the person who wants... 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.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
Family Membership
Newsletter Subscription.
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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.