December 2 - 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. 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. We'll have a Mexican themed dinner, featujring chicken enchiladas and pork fajitas. 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 2026 calendars and orchid seedlings. 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 2, 6:30 til 9 pm
Where: Memorial Lutheran Church
3375 US 1 South, St. Aug 32086
Drive around to the back entrance
3375 US 1 South, St. Aug 32086
Not from St. Augustine? Sign up for a $7 annual online subscription. We'll deliver our newsletter packed with advice right to your inbox and you'll help us maintain the quality of our website and newsletter!
SAOS News and Activities
Questions? Call or text Sue at 904-501-0805 or email info@StAugOrchidSociety.org.Click to join the St. Aug Orchid Society.
November 12 - Virtual Show Table.
Courtney Hackney will zoom into cyberspace at 7 pm to tell us about the orchid pictures sent in last month for the virtual show table. An invitation will be sent to your email address. If you want to share images of your beauties in bloom, send high res pictures by the 21st to info@StAugOrchidSociety.org. Here's a link to Courtney's October Virtual Show Table on Rumble and YouTube.
Culture Notes. The prime repotting season is over for most of the orchids cultivated in our area. Phals should be exposed to temperatures into the mid 50’s this month, which will trigger the flowering process. By mid-November, they should be moved to their winter homes. Shorter day lengths and cooler temperatures are causing the growth rate of most orchids to slow, so watering and fertilizing rates should be reduced. Winter dormant varieties like Catasetums and Habenarias are either dormant or entering dormancy, no fertilizer and water sparingly, if at all. The spring blooming Dendrobiums are looking forward to a coolish dryish winter. We’ll resume our repotting clinics in February of 2026, hope to see you there!
Monthly Meetings
Photo of the Month. Our October selection is Cattleya (now Guarianthe) bowringiana forma alba 'Hamlyn' CHM/AOS grown and photographed by Claude Hamilton. This is a very rare color form of the fall blooming species.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!
Where: Memorial Lutheran Church
3375 US 1 South, St. Aug 32086
When: First Tuesday of Month, 6:30 til 9 pm
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, about half that of the summer levels. Don't fertilize winter... read moreDr. Courtney Hackney Tips, Redux:
Coold Hardiness. Most orchids grown by hobbyists are tropical in nature. That term was once thought to mean “hot and steamy” and tens of thousands of orchids imported to Europe... read moreShare Your Orchids. There is a saying among orchid hobbyists that “there is no such thing as a greenhouse too large”. For those addicted to orchids this will not come as a shock... read more
Dr. Martin Motes Notes:
Progress of the Season. After an exceptionally wet start, October has come to an exceptionally dry conclusion. This is blessed relief for our orchids from disease pressure after... 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
Join 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 Zelle (904-501-0805), Venmo (to St. Augustine Orchid Society under charitities) or check (mail c/o Linda Stewart, 1812 Diana Drive, Palatka 32177). For an extra dollar use the PayPal links below.Individual Membership
Family Membership
Newsletter Subscription
Not from St. Augustine? Sign up for a $7 annual on-line subscription. We'll deliver our newsletter packed with advice right to your in-box.Donate to the Nonprofit SAOS
Donate to the Nonprofit SAOS
Donate to the St. Augustine Orchid Society and PayPal waives all fees. Select the St. Augustine Orchid Society as your favorite charity by clicking this link.Ebay for Charity Add St. Augustine Orchid Society as your favorite charity on eBay today!