Dec 192012
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Oct 092012
Our October meeting will be a real treat. We have Greg Allikas presenting a new program titled “The 25 Best Orchids I Have Seen in the Past Three Years”. Greg photographs about 200 award winning plants per year which represents about 10% of the total given by AOS, so this will be a good overview of the best orchids judged by the AOS.
Greg has been a commercial photographer in the Palm Beaches and an orchid grower since 1970. He is the awards photographer for the AOS West Palm Beach Judging Center and the Florida-Caribbean Judging Center in Miami and many annual Orchid Shows in south Florida. His photos are regularly seen in the AOS publications including the annual calendar and Awards Quarterly and the Orchids magazine. He has written articles for both the Orchids magazine and Orchid Digest and has been published in the Russian magazine, World of Orchids. Together with Ned Nash, Greg has published three orchid books: Four Seasons of Orchids, The World’s Most Beautiful Orchids, and Pocket Guide to Orchids. In 2005, Greg was honored to consult on and supply photography for a United Nations postal administration endangered species stamp release featuring 12 endangered orchid species.
Greg has traveled internationally to photograph orchids in their native habitats as well as to do award photography at International Shows. He is a popular speaker in demand at orchid societies across the U.S. We are thrilled to have him here to present a program for us.
This will be a wonderful program and we hope you will all attend and be sure to invite your friends.
Carol
Sep 152012
SFOS will host its annual Speakers Day Event on Sunday, October 7, 2012 at University of Miami BankUnited Center, 1245 Dauer Drive, Coral Gables, FL. We have a wonderful panel of highly respected speakers and Speakers’ Day has AOS approval for judging seminar credits. Several of our speakers will be participating in the SFOS Show as well.
This year’s speakers are:
Cordelia Head – Cordelia has been growing orchids for more than thirty years and specializes in miniature orchids. She is an AOS accredited judge and has lectured both nationally and internationally including the World Orchid Conferences in Miami, France, Malaysia, Vancouver, Glasgow and many others. The title of Cordelia’s talk will be Warm Growing Miniature Orchids. This will be informative and entertaining and suitable for both the beginner and expert grower.
Howard Liebman – Dr Howard Liebman has been growing orchids since the age of 12. He has registered over 120 orchid hybrids and 41 of his hybrids have won awards from the American Orchid Society, Royal Horticultural Society and the Australian Orchid Congress. Dr Liebman is a certified AOS Judge and has served on the Research Committee of the American Orchid Society. The title of his talk is: The Spectacular Cyrtochilums: An under- appreciated member of the Oncidium Alliance.
Nina Rach – Nina is an Accredited AOS Judge affiliated with the Houston Judging Center and a past-president of the Houston Orchid Society. She maintains a varied collection of orchids, predominately species in a twin-walled polycarbonate greenhouse and a shade house on the Gulf Coast of Texas. She maintains the Sobralias pages website and the Stanhopeas pages website. The title of Nina’s talk is “What you need to know about Sobralias and Stanhopeas”.
David Horak – Since 2000, David Horak has been the Curator of the Orchid Collection and the Robert W. Wilson Aquatic House at Brooklyn Botanic Garden and currently serves as the chair of the AOS Conservation Committee. An accredited AOS judge, he has been growing orchids for more than 34 years. The title of David’s talk is: Catasetinae and other Deciduous Orchids.
Manolito Caluff – was born in Santiago de Cuba in 1945. In 1976 he began his studies in Botany, and the plant collection that originated the Fern Garden of Santiago de Cuba, institution adscript to the Cuban Sciences Academy, being its Director until today. Caluff is President of the Amateur Botanist Association of Santiago de Cuba from 1992 and of the Popular Gardening National Group from 2006. The title of Manolito’s talk is “Cuban Orchids.”
Tickets for Speakers Day are $45.00 per person. The price includes a continental breakfast and lunch. This is one of the major orchid events held annually in South Florida and tickets are limited and sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are not available at the door. To register, please send your check to the SFOS office: 10801 S.W. 124 St., Miami, FL 33176. For more information call (305) 255-3656.
Speakers Day Schedule:
8:00 – 9:00 Breakfast
9:00 – 10:00 Cordelia Head
10:00 – 11:00 Howard Liebman
11:00 – 1:00 Lunch
1:00 – 2:00 Manolito Caluff
2:00 – 3:00 Nina Rach
3:00 – 4:00 David Horak
4:00 – 5:00 Show and Plant Sales
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Name:___________________________________________________________________________
AOS Judging Center & Status:_______________________________________________________
Please reserve ________ seats @ $45.00
Total amount enclosed: ____________
Visa & MasterCard accepted: #____________________________________________
Expiration date: _________________
Address to mail tickets: __________________________________________________________
Please return this form to: SFOS, 10801 S.W. 124 St., Miami, FL 33176 or call (305-255-3656) to process your charge.
Sep 012012
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Fire Fighters Memorial Building
8000 NW 21 St., Miami, FL 33122
8:00 PM Meeting begins
Georgia Tasker, a long time member of the South Florida Orchid Society, will present our September program. Georgia will present a program titled “Biodiversity in Ecuador, including the Galapagos Islands”.
Georgia Tasker is a writer on staff at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Gardens in Coral Gables. She writes for The Tropical Garden magazine, has a gardening blog on the Fairchild website, and has written 3 handbooks in her on-going series, “Gardening With Fairchild”.
Prior to joining the Garden staff in 2009, she was a garden writer with The Miami Herald and the author of 3 garden books. She is a graduate of Hanover College in Indiana and received the first certificate in tropical botany from FIU in 1984. She was a Pulitzer Prize finalist and a Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford University. She has been awarded the Barbour Medal from Fairchild and the first lifetime achievement award from Tropical Audubon Society.
She is a photographer, amateur birder, butterfly gardener and passionate traveler, having been to the Arctic and the Antarctic, Madagascar, Africa, Borneo, Papua New Guinea, Australia, China, Japan, all of Europe, Central America and much of South America. Just recently, she watched whales in Baja California, Mexico and spent six weeks in Myanmar, India, Bhutan and Nepal.
We hope you will join us and bring a friend for this wonderful presentation by Georgia Tasker.
Aug 022012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Fire Fighters Memorial Building
8000 NW 21 St., Miami, FL 33122
8:00 PM Meeting begins
Our August program will be present by Carlos Cahiz of OFE Orchid Supplies. Carlos is currently serving on the board of SFOS as a Director and has been a long time supporter of our Society. The program Carlos will present is titled “An Introduction to Orchid Growing Supplies” and Carlos will be bringing actual samples of orchid growing products and explaining how to use them. The orchid growing products will include fungicides, fertilizers, insecticides, baskets and pots, and various orchid media, growing media, sprayers, and clippers.
Carlos was born in Valencia, Venezuela and graduated from the University of Kansas. He has worked in the family orchid supply business for the last twenty-three years.
OFE Orchid Supplies will provide orchids and supplies for the raffle table. He will also be selling supplies and you can also order supplies ahead for delivery at the meeting by calling Carlos at 305-253-7080.
We look forward to seeing everyone at this wonderful meeting. It is a great opportunity to ask questions from an expert in the field of orchid supplies.
Jul 092012
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Fire Fighters Memorial Building
8000 NW 21 St., Miami, FL 33122
Click here for a map.
8:00 PM Meeting begins
Kathy Whalen from St. Germain Orchids in Homestead, Florida will present our July program.
Kathy’s program is titled “Caring for Cattleyas” and will include a demonstration on how to properly repot Cattleyas.
With over forty year’s expertise and a bold presence in the agricultural life of Homestead, Florida, the family of St. Germain Orchids continues the legacy of superior quality orchids and warm genuine service. Founded by two siblings with tremendous entrepreneurial spirit, St. Germain orchids began as a roadside stall enticing passersby with vibrant, fresh blooms. Years of enduring effort and an unwavering passion for orchids expanded the family run business into what has become the region’s premier vendor of nearly 200 types of Cattleya orchids. While an extensive variety of orchids can be found at St. Germain’s, exotic Cattleya varieties is there specialty.
Bring your friends – we know everyone will enjoy this wonderful program!
Jul 052012
Outstanding Service, Judging Committee:
Dorothy Bennett, Carol De Biase, Ron Hunt, Erna Maxwell, Javier Morejon, Julie Rosenberg, Gladys Roudel, Ruben Sauleda, Sally Taylor, Joan Viggiani, Maria Wood
The following individuals were recognized for their Outstanding Service to the Society during the past year. They are:
Dorothy Bennett—Treasurer
Dan Christensen—Show Chair
Christa Collins—Hospitality Chair
Carol De Biase—Program Chair
Ralph Hernandez—Raffle Chair
Ron Hunt—Newsletter Editor
Judy Mezey—Membership Chair
Bonnie Riley—Judging Chair
Julie Rosenberg—Secretary
Angelica Ruggeri—Refreshments Chair
Ellen Hanson—Office Manager
Jul 042012
On June 20th, 2012 the South Florida Orchid Society held its annual combination awards ceremony and induction of officers for the coming year.
Congratulations to all our award winners and officers!
Medals:
Ascda. Mary’s Lemon Drop ‘King’ SM/SFOS
Exhibited by John King on September 21st, 2011
Ascda. Yarnisa Gold ‘Pure Gold’ BM/SFOS
Exhibited by John King on September 21st, 2011
V. Marianne Bertini ‘Brett’ BM/SFOS
Exhibited by Judy Mezey on September 21st, 2011
C. Newberry Luisa’ Love ‘Hot Stuff’ SM/SFOS
Exhibited by Julie Rosenberg & Ron Hunt on February 15th, 2012
Annual Trophies
Jones & Scully Award (Cattleya Alliance)
C. Newberry Luisa’s Love ‘Hot Stuff’ SM/SFOS
Julie Rosenberg & Ron Hunt
Del Ora Award (Vandaceous Alliance)
Ascda. Mary’s Lemon Drop ‘King’ SM/SFOS
John King
John D. Simmons Award (Other Genera)
Ctmds. Jumbo Rubytex ‘Crownfox Midnight’ AM/AOS
R.F. Orchids
Most Culture Ribbons: David Foster
Most Ribbon Points: David Foster
Most Medal Points: (SFOS Sweepstakes Award): John King
Jul 022012
What a meeting we had on June 20, 2012. Did you win a trophy, a raffle table plant, or did you get to buy a plant or two from H & R Nurseries?
If you didn’t get in on any of the above – then you either missed the meeting or you slept through it.
Let’s start at the beginning – yes, you might have had to brave the weather – but then the rain up my way stopped before I had to leave for the meeting. The traffic is always a night-mare! All in all we had a great turnout and saw some old friends (who have been missing for awhile).
We had some business to do – in the way of Installing the Officers and Directors for the year. Thank you Sandy Schultz, for doing that for us. Although, I for one can’t believe that you all wanted me to do this for another year. I guess you all have more faith than I do.
Then Bonnie Riley got to hand out the Medals won in 2011 – 2012, then the Annual Trophies (how did you like seeing the plaques and pictures on them?), then the take home Tro-phies, and then the Certificates for Out-standing Service and the Judging Committee. Bonnie has done an amazing job with the Judging and will be missed – but she is not off the hook – Erna Maxwell is taking over and will need her help. Thank you Bonnie!
Then I got to give the Committee Members and Board Members a Certificate of Appreciation and a little something from me. This SFOS Board of Directors is a special group of people and to say they are hard working – is an understatement! Thank you all, so very, very much for making my job easier.
By the time that was done – I think Roy Tokunaga was ready to get on a plane and head back to Hawaii. Roy had plants to sell and also provided the great raffle table. Not to mention his great program. Roy – to just say “Thank You” doesn’t seem to be enough. Just so you all know Roy gave back the Speakers Fee and the Raffle Table proceeds.
Did you get to the plant sales table Roy had? I did and found 2 things I just had to have. The Raffle Table had some great plants on it too – I got some – did you?
Don’t forget our next meeting is on July 18, 2012. We will be back to having judging – so get those plants ready! We don’t want to let Erna down. It’s the only way you can get in on the Trophies for next year.
We will be doing things a little different – in that when you bring refreshments you will get a ticket for a pick from the Raffle Table (refreshment tickets will be in a separate container – and it will be first pick). Everything else remains the same and the plants for judging need to be entered at 7:30 so judging can begin promptly at 7:45. Remember your refreshments, invite a guest (friend or foe) to come with you.
See you at the meeting.
Oh yes, were you expecting a puppy update – I still have three of them – getting bigger by the day.
If you are not going to be at the next meeting because you are on vacation – have a safe trip. And to Carol – who is having knee surgery – we wish you the best and a speedy recovery.
Sally
Jun 152012
by Susan Taylor
Originally published in BellaOnline
Foliar fertilizing promotes better growth
During the peak growing months of summer use a very dilute foliar fertilizer (half normal strength) with 1/2 teaspoon per gallon soap as a wetting agent so that the fertilizer will stay on the leaves long enough to allow the plant to absorb the nutrients. Be sure to spray early in the morning before the sun gets to the plants and provide excellent air circulation to allow for rapid evaporation to prevent rots. Be very careful with the crowns of Phals and Paphs.
Increase your watering for outdoor plants
Outdoor or greenhouse plants will need additional water during the warmest months of the year. In most areas this is their peak growing season. In the hottest areas they will almost go into a hibernation period. Watch out for under watering signs such as wrinkled pseudobulbs, especially on Oncidiums and Cattleyas. I put extra sphagnum moss around those plants that appear to have problems with the heat and then spray early in the morning making sure that the moss gets some water. You increase your humidity this way and the plants will pull water out of the moss if they need it.
Phalaenopsis or Moth Orchids
Phals can still be in full bloom by the middle of the summer. If you want them to re-flower next year, cut back the inflorescences around the middle or end of July even if they’re still looking good. This will allow the plants to concentrate on growing and gathering energy to flower next year. If repotting is necessary, go ahead and repot now. If you bought new plants make sure you repot. Many Phals are sold in straight sphagnum moss and this medium is too soggy for most plants for long. Repot in coconut husk or bark mix.
Paphiopedilum and Slipper Orchids
Phragmipediums will need constant moisture during the hot summer months. I grow mine in a saucer of water year round to provide this moisture. Semi-hydroponic culture is even better. They need lots of light in order to produce flowers. Paphiopedilums also like warm temperatures, but require low light so as to keep the leaves from burning. Check the pots often during warm months to make sure that the moisture they need is provided at all times.
Cattleya Alliance Plants
Watch for roots on your fall blooming Catts and when the roots are about 1/2 inch or 2 centimeters long, repot them if necessary in appropriate medium. Watch your plants for over- and under-watering problems and rots during this growth period. A monthly application of fungicide will help reduce the chances of all kinds of rots.