Come to one of our meetings!
SAOS Resources has the events calendar, newsletters and library info
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 6 Monthly Meeting
Jim Roberts of Florida SunCoast Orchids will talk about Hybridizing Our Orchids. Jim will talk about how orchid hybrids are made and what it takes to see them through to flowering. He will show how orchids are pollinated, talk about how the seed is flasked under sterile conditions and then deflasked when the plantlets can survive on their own. His talk includes a demonstration of deflasking orchids with seedlings given to club members for a competition grow.Jim grows his beauties in three gutter connected greenhouses encompassing 10,000 square feet of growing space. As always, he strives to grow and sell the best quality orchid plants and to build a lasting reputation in the industry as one of the very best.
Date and Time: Tuesday, August 6, 6:30 pm
Where: Watson Realty, Enter from Back Parking Lot
3505 US 1 South, St. Augustine
Monthly Meetings
Members Choice. In July, we had a tie for the Members Choice. Penny Halyburton and Michael Rourke brought in the Grammatophyllum scriptum 'Grasshopper II' pictured above. Suzanne Susko brought in the Miltoniopsis Kelly 'Bull's Eye' pictured above right. Bring your flowering orchids to exhibit on the Show Table.Monthly Meetings. We normally 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!
Here's a video of one of our meetings!
SAOS News and Activities
New Meeting Location. Many thanks to Jeanette Smith and Watson Realty for the use of the conference room over the last 13 years. We are evaluating new meeting locations, like the Memorial Lutheran Church where we have our picnic and Christmas Party. Stay tuned, it could happen in August!Ace Repotting Clinics. The first Saturday of the month from 9 am til noon, February through October, St. Augustine Orchid Society members will be available to talk with you, answer questions and help you repot orchids.
Keiki Club is on Summer Vacation. Keep watering and fertilizing your plants and watch for pest and disease issues. SAOS members are available at the repotting clinics at Ace Hardware through the summer if you have any questions or problems.
Cultural Tips for Orchid Growers
Bob Scully's Month by Month Orchid Growing:
July in St. Augustine. Spring's mild days are gone. The heat and humidity of summer are here. When day time temperatures rise above the 90 to 95F range, you’ll see orchid growth start to slow. Water... read moreDr. Courtney Hackney Tips, Redux:
Summer Growing Tips. Now is the time when many Orchids put on most of their growth. Those with pseudobulbs often have very discrete growth periods when they add new roots and leaves... read moreDr. Martin Motes Notes:
Progress of the Season. An exceptionally wet June has more than made up the deficit of rain in May. Coming in the expected pattern of late afternoon thundershowers, the heavy rain often followed... read moreOrchids in July. Although it mostly passes unnoticed to millions locked in their air-conditioned bubbles, July in South Florida is quite different from June. While the pattern of afternoon showers... read more
Culture Article by Sue Bottom:
July in St. Augustine. It’s July in St. Augustine. The spring chores have been completed, the plants have been moved to their summer homes and all the repotting has been completed, except for those... 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 Bill Gourley, 807 Kalli Creek Lane, St. Aug 32080). If you prefer to join or renew your membership on-line, you can pay using PayPal. The on-line dues for an individual are $21 and for a family $31, which include the PayPal fees.Individual Membership
Family Membership
Newsletter Subscription.
Not from St. Augustine? Sign up for a $6 annual on-line subscription. We'll deliver our newsletter packed with advice right to your in-box.Catasetum Competition Grow
Fred Clarke sent us 20 plugs of this new hybrid, Ctsm. Portagee Star 'Brian Lawson's Sunrise' x Ctsm. lucis and they were distributed to raffle ticket winners at the January meeting. 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.
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The SAOS is a Section 501(c)(3) not for profit organization so all donations are tax deductible..
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