Dec 302016
Dec 012016
SFOS Members are requested to bring a canned food item or unwrapped toy which will be donated to those less fortunate in our community this holiday season!
Nov 112016
Growing Catasetums, featuring Mark Margolis
Mark Margolis
Mark Margolis, Brooklyn born in 1951. Received my Bachelor of Science at University of Wisconsin. Masters degree at Barry University. Taught Science in Dade County Public schools for over 30 years. Married for 20 years and counting, I have a daughter, Caroline, 14 years old. I was introduced to orchids by Phylis Lerner, who made the famous cross Catasetum Raymond Lerner. And while touring Jones & Scully, fell in love with the Catasetum group. 36 years later I am still in love with the group. I am a backyard grower in Kendall and I have received over 80 awards for my plants. Still hoping for more.
Mark will share his passion and extensive knowledge of his favorite orchids with us in our next meeting, November 16th. He will bring some of his plants for private sales.
The raffle plants will be provided by OFE Orchid Supplies. And they will try to bring some catasetums in the mix.
We will have a silent auction, so bring your plant for sale.
Oct 222016
Oct 182016
Dan Christensen: ‘How to Grow Award winning vandas in South Florida’
Dan & Margie have been growing orchids first as hobbyists for over 35 years and as Commercial Growers for nearly 20 years. Dan & Margie’s business name is Dan & Margie Orchids located in
Dan Christensen
West Broward just 3 miles west of I-75, approximately ¼ mile north of the intersection of Sheridan Street & 185th Way.
Dan and Margie Orchids have over 12,000 square feet of covered growing space. Currently there are five greenhouses.
The nursery specializes in growing Vanda/Ascda. Crosses, Cattleya hybrids, warm growing Oncidium, Dendrobium, and some species.
Dan & Margie Orchids is a family owned business and cater to the small grower, but is capable of handling wholesale inquiries.
The nursery sells orchids, some supplies and will assist any orchid grower with information and re-potting instruction.
The nursery is currently open by appointment Tuesday thru Sunday, 12 noon to 5 p.m.
Dan & Margie Orchids can be reached by phone, fax, or e-mail. (damorchid.com)
Dan and Margie have visited with growers in Thailand and have first have first hand experience on how to grow healthy vandaceous orchids.
Dan Christensen has been speaking on general orchid culture, Vanda culture and various subjects related to orchids for over 30 years. He uses the ‘common sense’ approach to growing. He has been guest lecturer at all local orchid societies. Margie runs the day-to-day business and is an accomplished pottery artist.
Together they run the business, participate in local shows from Tampa to Key West.
Dan is a member of the South Florida Orchid Society Board of Directors for over 15 years and has served as the president of SFOS for two consecutive terms. He is the SFOS Show Chairman and Treasurer of South Florida Orchid Society.
He has served as a board member of several local societies, Miramar, Gold Coast & South Florida serving in various capacities. He has also auctioneered at SFOS, North Dade, Gold Coast, Sunrise, Plantation, Coral Springs & Flamingo Orchid societies for several years.
Dan & Margie Orchids will kindly be providing plants for our raffle table and Dan will also have plants to sell!
Sep 222016
SFOS Show Lecture Schedule
Friday:
- 1 PM — Gail Miller -Miller’s Way Orchids-Subject: “Easy Orchid Growing”
- 2 PM — Mac Riverbark-Mac’s Orchids-Subject “Mounting Orchids”
- 3 PM — Carlos Cahiz-OFE International Orchid Supply-Subject “How to Care for your Orchids”
Saturday: Lectures in English/Spanish
- 1 PM — Axel Cahiz-Amazonia Orchids- “Subject ‘Cattleya Culture”
- 2 PM — Carlos Cahiz- OFE International Orchid Supply-Subject “How to Care for your Orchids”
- 3 PM — Luis del Pino-RIO Orchids-Subject “Landscaping with Orchids”
A PDF with clickable links to all the show vendors can be found in the SFOS 2016 Show Vendor List tab above.
Sep 162016
Some Like it Hot (Brazilian Miltonias that WILL grow in the heat).
Brian Monk
Our September 21st SFOS meeting will feature Brian Monk of Blu Llama Orchids. Come to our new venue in Pinecrest Gardens, 11000 Red Road (57 Ave.), Pinecrest 33156, directly across from CTK church on Killian Parkway (112 St).
Doors open at 7:00, presentation starts at 8:00pm. Brian will bring his top quality plants for sale, plus provide the plants for our evening’s raffle. Do not miss what promises to be a great presentation.
Brian Monk was born in Milton, Florida in 1969. Shortly after his birth, Brian’s family moved to Charleston, West Virginia where he spent the next 18 years. As a young man, Brian’s intense passion for nature led to his profession and his many hobbies including bird-watching, orchid growing and photography.
In 1992, Brian received his degree from Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia followed by a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Virginia Tech in 1997. In 2005, while working as a Veterinarian in Orlando, Florida, Brian met the love of his life, Mary-Margaret, in Ft. Lauderdale. Because of Brian’s passion for all things orchid, he and Mary-Margaret formed Blu Llama Orchids, Inc. Brian and Mary-Margaret now reside in Naples, Florida with their cats and their ever expanding orchid collection.
Brian started growing orchids at age 14, and started hybridizing orchids in his backyard. This has recently expanded to 3000 square feet of new greenhouse space. He will grow anything green, but focuses on his hybridizing projects, which include the development of multi-floral white and pink Paphiopedilums, warmth-tolerant intergeneric Oncidiinae, and a standard pink Cattleya with an all-white lip.
Brian’s photography has won awards online, in the 2007 Miami International Orchid Show, and at the 2008 World Orchid Conference. His work has been displayed in solo shows at the American Orchid Society headquarters in Delray, and at the Harry P. Leu Gardens in Orlando. Brian has been published in the journal of the International Phalaenopsis Alliance, online, and in the American Orchid Society journal Orchids, where he won the Gordon-Dillon essay prize in 2010. You can view his work at www.BluLlamaOrchids.com and read his writings on orchids at his blog at www.Wordpress.com.
Encouraged by his wife and inspired by his orchids, Brian continues to pursue and perfect his orchid culture and photographic skills.
New SFOS Meeting Location!
Aug 112016
Peter Kouchalakos
Peter Kouchalakos, along with his wife Clara, are the owners of PCK Orchids and Exotic Plants.
Peter is a law school graduate who found his true calling in growing and teaching others to successfully grow orchids and other exotic plants.
Peter Kouchalakos likes to call himself the Johnny Appleseed of orchids.
As he told a Miami Herold reporter, “I just want to spread the joy. I’m lucky to get to do what I love and get paid for it.”
We should all be so lucky!
Learn how easy it is to add these orchids to your landscape. With proper care, you too can introduce fabulous ground-growing orchids that add just the right touch to your tropical garden or your pool patio.
Peter will talk about the types of garden habitats these orchids require and what you can expect in the way of performance.
This group of garden orchids includes members of the Phaius, Spathoglottis, Epidendron and Oncidium genera.
Meeting is this Wednesday, August 17th at 7:00 pm. (Presentation starts at 8:00pm) at CTK Lutheran church in Red Road and Killian Parkway.
A variety of orchids will be available for sale after the presentation.
Peter will also provide the plants for our raffle table.
We will also have a silent auction.
Holiday Inn of Coral Gables has traditionally been the preferred hotel for our out of town participants. Once again this year they will be providing special rates for the show period (September 30 – October 02, 2016). Those rates are $99.00 plus tax, which includes a 50% ($5.00) discount for parking. If any guests are IHG Rewards members, parking is free. Anyone can sign up.
Above is the booking link so that participants can to make their reservations on-line. Just click on the Holiday Inn logo and then on the Holiday Inn Coral Gables web page select your dates and click on “Check Availability”. The block code “ORC” will show up. Use that code. If you would rather make your reservations via telephone to the hotel directly or by calling 1 800-HOLIDAY, use the same code “ORC”.
Jul 092016
John Odom — Odom’s Orchids
John Odom graduated from the University of Florida with a BA in agriculture. John worked in citrus management for Cassens Grove Service in the Indian River area for twelve years and then went to work for Rohm and Haas in agricultural sales for twelve years. He then joined Ocean Spray Cranberries and retired after twenty years.
What started as a small back yard business grew to more than 90,000 square feet of greenhouse. Odom’s Orchids, Inc.is one of the top retail shippers in the United States. Odom’s has many types of orchids, but the Cattleya orchid is John’s absolute favorite! He has a lab and do many of our own crosses, always looking for that special flower that no one else owns!
For years, John was involved in teaching beginners orchid classes and various talks at orchid societies, and garden clubs. John’s enjoys orchids so much that he wanted to share knowledge with other growers; that started the annual Odom’s Cattleya Symposium. The symposium, which is now in it’s sixth year, is recognized as one of the premier events in the orchid world.
Odom Orchids has been a supporter of our Annual Shows for many years. Odom Orchids is only a 2 1/2 hours drive north of the Miami area and is very easy to find
John’s topic tonight is “Best Catts of 2013 from each Judging Center.”
Odom Orchids will kindly be providing plants for our raffle table
and will also have plants for sale!
There will be no silent auction this month.
- 7:00PM Doors open. Plant judging registration begins.
- 7:30PM Plant registration ends. Plant judging begins.
- 8:00PM Program begins.
If you are bringing plants for judging, please have them registered by 7:30PM. No plants will be accepted for judging after that time. This allows our judges time to properly evaluate your plants and also allows them to enjoy the main program with you.
Remember to have your plants cleaned and properly presented. They should be free of debris, insects, spider webs, etc. Although not absolutely necessary, leaves should be wiped with either Leafshine or a little milk and water solution. This makes for a much better presentation and will show when the plants are photographed.
Jun 122016
South Florida Orchid Society’s Annual Awards Presentation Ceremony
This month we take time out to honor our members who have been the most successful growers during the past year.
We’ll also be swearing in our Officers and Board of Directors for the coming year.
There will be no plant judging this month!
However, we will be having our usual monthly plant raffle with plants courtesy of Dan & Margie Orchids. A big THANK YOU to Dan Christensen for providing raffle plants this month and for being such a great president and show director!