South Florida Orchid Society

SFOS June 15th 2022 Members Meeting

Jun 102022

SOUTH FLORIDA ORCHID SOCIETY

Cordially invites all Members and Visitors to attend the 2022-2023 Installation Ceremony of the SFOS Board Executive Officers, Directors and Special Directors to be held on June 15th, 2022 at 8:00 pm at Pinecrest Gardens.

Awards will be presented this evening by the SFOS Judging Chair to Members in several categories for plants they submitted for judging during the 2021-2022 judging year.

Special Certificates of Recognition will be awarded to SFOS Members for their Volunteer service during 2021-2022.

A reception will immediately follow the Installation and Awards Ceremony.

There will be no SFOS Certified Judging on this evening, however Members are welcome to bring in their blooming plants to Display in the room and share with the guests.

South Florida Orchid Society Board will be providing several food platters for the Reception. Please consider bringing in food such as hors d’ouevres, fruit and cheese platters, desserts and bottled water to be served during the Reception.

We look forward to seeing everyone at this Special Event recognizing our Award Winners, and joining us in thanking our volunteers for their service to South Florida Orchid Society.

The South Florida Orchid Society Board

Motes Orchids will provide plants for our raffle.

SFOS May 18th, 2022 Members Meeting

Monthly Meetings

May 072022

Dr. Alexandra Revynthi

“Orchid Pests: Ecology and Management”

Dr. Revynthi is an Assistant Professor at the Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead, Florida. She comes from Greece and holds a PhD in acarology from the University of Amsterdam with specialization in the behavioral ecology of predatory mites. Dr. Revynthi has a keen interest in arthropod behavior, population dynamics, chemical ecology, biological control and integrated pest management (IPM) in ornamental crops.

Current research and extension efforts focus on developing an IPM program to control the Hibiscus bud weevil (Anthonomus testaceosquamosus), a new invasive species affecting the hibiscus industry in south Florida. Moreover, Dr. Revynthi explores the potential of a predatory mite as a biocontrol agent of the Ficus whitefly (Singhiella simplex). Additionally, she studies acarine pests of agricultural importance with the aim to develop IPM programs to control them.

Acarine pests of interest include new invasive species such as the Lychee erinose mite (Aceria litchii) and the Hemp russet mite (Aculops cannabicola), as well as established pests such as the Two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) and the flat mite Brevipalpus yothersi. Extension efforts are also focused on improving detection of the Horntail snail, an invasive species that is under eradication by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry.

R A F F L E T A B L E

The Raffle Table for our May 18th meeting will be provided by Mac’s Orchids. A little history – Mac and Helen are now at their new location – 6800 Appaloosa Trail, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33330. Mac and Helen have been vendors at our annual shows (when we were able to have shows) for many years. Maybe some day you can travel up to Broward County and visit them – I suggest you call Mac (954-410-8580) – as they are often going to Orchid Shows and/or Sales on weekends. Please come out and support the Raffle Table on May 18th.

Sally

SFOS April 20th, 2022 Members Meeting

Monthly Meetings

Apr 172022

Jim & Melana Davison

Jim and Melana Davison are AOS Accredited Judges. They have an extensive and diverse orchid collection that seems to be continuously growing. Not only involved in caring for their orchids, they are actively involved in several South Florida orchid societies. Melana is the current President of the Orchid Society of Coral Gables and past President of the South Dade Amateur Orchid Club. Jim is the past President of the Orchid Society of Coral Gables and the East Everglades Orchid Society.

Jim’s appreciation for orchids stems from his scientific background. Before his recent retirement, he worked as a Nuclear Chemistry Manager at the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant. Melana is more interested in the aesthetic qualities of orchids, especially the ones that look strange and other worldly. She owns her own Orchid Maintenance business and is known as “The Orchidiva.” They have opened their own retail nursery, Jim-N-I Orchids. Together, Jim and Melana have 7 grown children and five grandchildren. They live in Homestead with their 2 dogs, four of the five grandchildren and 5,000 plus orchids in their own collection, many more in the nursery.

They will be instructing on the many ways to mount orchids. Mounting orchids is a very natural way to grow epiphytic orchids. Not only does this presentation look nice, many plants appreciate it: their roots will get plenty of air, and for orchid types that care about drying quickly, this need can be easily accommodated too. Jim will be instructing us on various methods, differing types of mounts, and what is considered a ‘mounted’ orchid. He will also be bringing supplies that can be used for orchids.

Jim and Melana will also be providing plants for our raffle table.

SFOS March 16th 2022 Members Meeting

Monthly Meetings

Mar 132022

Please join us at our March 16th, 2022 SFOS Members Meeting at Pinecrest Gardens. We have a very special and unique program planned and we think you will find it not only interesting, but informative and interactive.

Three of our very own South Florida Orchid Society Members who have many combined years of experience and knowledge in the cultivation and care of Orchid Collections will be presented at our “FIRST ANNUAL SOUTH FLORIDA ORCHID SOCIETY SPEAKERS PANEL”.

Please welcome Steve Rodriguez, Julie Rosenberg and Jorge Merlo. Each Speaker will be giving a short presentation on the Orchid topic and tips they feel most knowledgeable about and would like to share with our Members and Guests.

Everyone attending will have the opportunity to participate by submitting questions. You may want to ask a question of a specific speaker or may have questions that are more general in nature. We will have a Moderator who will ask everyone to hold their questions until the end of all three presentations.

Whether you are a newcomer to growing and caring for your Orchids, or have been part of the local Orchid community for years there is always so much more to learn. You may have questions about what works best in the South Florida backyard environment, how to choose what orchid to add next to your collection, what about city water versus well water quality, potting containers and mediums versus growing bare root. And of course what recommendations does the panel have for fertilizers, disease and insect control.

All of the Panel Speakers have been chosen for their experience, not only in the successful cultivation of Orchids, but also in the submission of Award Winning Orchids to the judging process.

So, join us as we welcome our South Florida Orchid Society resident experts to our “FIRST ANNUAL SOUTH FLORIDA ORCHID SOCIETY SPEAKERS PANEL”

Don McDermott, SFOS Program Chair

South Florida Orchid Society

Raffle Plants for the evening will be supplied by local grower SOROA ORCHIDS

SFOS February 16, 2022 Members Meeting

Monthly Meetings

Feb 152022

John Romano: Types of Dendrobiums to grow in South Florida!

John Romano

John has been a licensed healthcare provider since 1986 specializing in pain management and sports therapy. He also teaches healthcare modalities in schools and colleges as well as continuing education for other licensed healthcare providers and is an international lecturer, most recently presenting at the International Pain Management Symposium in the Virgin Islands in 2019. He won Fort Lauderdale’s Best of for Healthcare providers in 2020, 2021, and 2022.

He started growing orchids in 1977 at the age of 11. He worked at Waterloo Gardens, Inc. in Exton, PA and Gilberties Garden Center in Delaware County, PA as tropical plant expert and orchid manager and purchaser. In 2002, he got hired at JEM Orchids in Delray as their grower and worked there until 2005.

John specializes in Sobralias, Dendrobiums, Catasetinae, and unusual species. In 2014, a new species of Sobralia, which was discovered in Guatemala, was named after him, Sobralia romanoi.

John is a member of FOG and Newbie FOG groups on Facebook; runs the Sobralia and Brasolia group, the Dendrobium Species group on Facebook as well as runs the corresponding website www.dendrobiumspecies.com, has the Let’s Talk Orchids group and hosts the YouTube show by the same name and is co-owner of J & J Unique Orchids with his business partner John Melecio. Their group on Facebook is J&J Unique Orchids and their Instagram account is unique_orchids.

He has had several orchids awarded and entered the AOS judging program and is a third year student judge

John will also kindly be providing plants for our raffle table!

SFOS January 19th Members Meeting

Monthly Meetings

Jan 162022

Erna Maxwell

Julie Rosenberg

A special program has been planned for our first South Florida Orchid Society Meeting in this New Year.

On Wednesday January 19th, 2022 our esteemed Certified SFOS Judges Erna Maxwell & Julie Rosenberg will be presenting an INTRODUCTION TO EXHIBITING and JUDGING to teach our Members & Guests what you need to do to prepare your Orchid plants for Judging. For those of you who have already entered plants at our meetings in the past, the information that our SFOS Judges will share during their presentation can serve as a valuable REFRESHER COURSE.

From best practices to use while you are growing your plant, to what you will need to do to prepare & enter your plant for judging, & what steps you will need to take once your plant has received a Culture Award.

South Florida Orchid Society has a long tradition of providing Orchid Judging at our monthly meetings. In addition to the opportunity to enter a plant you have spent time and effort nurturing & caring for, your plant will be photographed professionally by Ron Hunt & may be featured in our Monthly SFOS Newsletter.

Printed Handouts will be provided to all attendees with an outline of the information that will be covered. It is our hope that each of you will be able to benefit from this special presentation.

Following the presentation there will be time for questions.

Erna is an accredited American Orchid Society Judge, Julie is an accredited SFOS judge and editor of the SFOS culture book, “An Introduction to Orchids.”

Note: Please refer to Page 5 & 6 in your South Florida Orchid Society 2020-2021 Membership Roster for additional information on the South Florida Orchid Society Regulations for EXHIBITING and JUDGING.

Plants for our raffle table are being generously supplied by Sheldon Takasaki of Carmela Orchids.

SFOS December 15th Holiday Party!

Monthly Meetings, Special Events

Dec 032021

Due to the permanent closure of the former Shorty’s Restaurant located on NW 87th Ave in Doral, we have moved our event.

The new location for the SFOS Holiday Party on December 15th, 2021 will be at the Shorty’s Restaurant located near Dadeland Shopping Mall & the Dadeland South Metrorail Station.

The address is:

Shorty’s Restaurant
9200 South Dixie Highway
Miami, Florida 33156

We will be gathering from 7 to 9 pm.

Parking is free.

Cost for Members & Guests is $30.00 per person, & all SFOS Members attending will receive a gift Orchid plant from the Society. There will also be a Complimentary Raffle Ticket for the chance to win a blooming Orchid Plant given to everyone attending our Holiday Party.

We are asking that everyone who plans on joining us to celebrate the end of another year & enjoy a delicious Bar-B-Q dinner, to please make their Reservation in advance so that we will know how many Orchid plants to bring.

Reservations and Payment must be made in advance via Credit Card.

Call (954) 252-8116.

Hope to see everyone there!

Chris Alger, President
South Florida Orchid Society

SFOS November 17th Members Meeting

Monthly Meetings

Nov 132021

Yolanda Cuesta
Photo courtesy
Annette Rodriguez

OH NO – I just went into the orchid house and found 2 spikes from my favorite den (which was in full bloom) broken off and a beautiful catt bloom was also laying on the bench. What on earth

Can I do with the den spikes and catt bloom now? I know I’ll call Yolanda – I know she can help!

That’s right Yolanda Cuesta of Quest Orchids is coming to speak – I should say show us how to use orchids in arrangements for the holidays!

I don’t know what Yolanda will tell you about our relationship – I’ll just say it goes way back and let her tell you the rest. I regret I will not be at the meeting as I’m in Ocala for a dog show. Please come out and find out what you to can do with your orchids for the Holidays!

Yolanda said you can bring orchids, a vase and some greens, ferns etc. from your yard and work along.

I know Yolanda will have great ideas for you.

Sally Taylor
Acting Program Chair

SFOS October 20 Members Meeting

Monthly Meetings

Oct 072021

Jim and Melana Davison are AOS Accredited Judges. They have an extensive and diverse orchid collection that seems to be continuously growing. Not only involved in caring for their orchids, they are actively involved in several South Florida orchid societies. Melana is the current President of the Orchid Society of Coral Gables and past President of the South Dade Amateur Orchid Club. Jim is the past President of the Orchid Society of Coral Gables and the East Everglades Orchid Society.

Jim & Melana Davison

Jim’s appreciation for orchids stems from his scientific background. Before retiring, he worked as a Nuclear Chemistry Manager at the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant. Melana is more interested in the aesthetic qualities of orchids, especially the ones that look strange and other worldly. She owns her own Orchid Maintenance business and is known as “The Orchidiva.” When Jim retired, they opened their own retail nursery, Jim-N-I Orchids. Before Covid, they were doing the show circuit, selling their Florida grown orchids to shows in Florida including Tamiami and Redland. Fortunately, shows are starting to take place again in Florida and they are on the road again.

Together, Jim and Melana have 7 grown children and five grandchildren. They live in Homestead with 4 of their 5 grandchildren, helping to raise them.

Jim & Melana will be speaking on “Orchids of Mexico”,
lots of them familiar and able to grow here very well.

They will also be providing plants for our raffle table
as well as having plants for sale.

SFOS September 15th Members Meeting

Monthly Meetings

Sep 102021

Serena Roman, Lady Vanda

Serena Roman

Serena will talk to us about her orchid passion with Vandas. She will share her growing experiences as a new member of our Florida orchid community.

Lady Vanda Orchids is your premier online retailer, specializing in Vanda orchids.

Additionally, we cultivate several other genera such as Paphiopedilum, Phragmipedium, Dendrobium and Cattleya.

Customers are welcome to shop our online selection, message us with any questions or request recommendations based on your growing environment and experience. www.ladyvanda.com

Find us in person at OFE Sale Events.

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