December 7 - Christmas 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. Lady Di is planning an Italian smorgasbord this year, with lasagna,m eggplant parm and more! 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 2022 calendars and orchid plants for sale. We’ll finish up the evening with an orchid auction where you can bid on a nice variety of different types of orchids. When: Tuesday, December 7, 6:30 til 9 pm
Where: Memorial Lutheran Church
3375 US 1 South, St. Aug 32086
SAOS News and Activities
Questions? call or text Sue at 904-501-0805 or email info@StAugOrchidSociety.orgSAOS TShirts for Sale. Available for $20 at our monthly meetings. Email us for availability in sizes, colors and styles. We'll ship to you.
Monthly Meetings
Members Choice. Our November Members Choice is Cattleya wallisii var. rubra, grown by Allen Black. This cattleya used to be known as Cattleya eldorado, and it is one of the rarer cattleya species in cultivation.Monthly Meetings. We meet on the first Tuesday of each month. The 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. It's fun and informative for growers of all levels. Join us, visitors and guests are always welcome!
SAOS Items for Sale. Potting mix, fertilizer, fertilizer baskets, vinyl plant tags, butterfly clips and more. Click for more info.
Cultural Tips for Orchid Growers
Bob Scully's Month by Month Orchid Growing:
November in St. Augustine. Short days and cold nights necessitate adjustments for both plants and growers. Reduce water and fertilizer gradually until you reach your winter target... read moreDr. Courtney Hackney Tips, Redux:
Culling Your Orchids. Real cold arrives this month requuiring those that grow outside all summer to take some permanent action. Windows, enclosed porches, and every possible... read moreDr. Martin Motes Notes:
Progress of the Season. Fortunately, this October has been much drier than usual. Coming at the end of an exceptionally wet rainy season, the well-spaced rainfall of this October provided relief... read moreOrchids in November. In November we can no longer afford to be dominated by the illusion, so easy here at the northern edge of the tropics, that summer will never end... read more
Culture Article by Sue Bottom:
Sprays vs. Drenches. Other things being equal, it is preferable to drench a plant with a chemical to treat a problem rather than spray the plant. Drenching is easy, you simply mix 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. The summer growths are maturing now and you may start to see some of the oldest leaves drop.
Best Grown. Glo MacDonald won the best grown casetum award at the September 2020 meeting. She won a Ctsm. Sue Bottom she had been coveting, red with a fimbriated lip.
Best Flower. Send pictures of your catasetum in bloom to info@StAugOrchidSociety.org for entry into the best flower contest. Fred Clarke will judge the photo submittals in November 2021 during his trip to St. Augustine.
Culture Tips Here are some of Fred Clarke's culture tips for the season.
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.