Message from the President - January 2025

Happy New Year all!   I apologize for not getting this out a little sooner but it's been a bit hectic the last several weeks.

If you weren't at the January meeting this past Sunday you missed a great opportunity for information sharing.  Mark gave a very informative opening presentation on orchid culture and then we had an open Q & A session for orchid culture & care.  Lots of useful tips shared by multiple members.  We will look to add a section to our website for member tips in addition to other reference links we have already. As always, if you have a question about culture, or plant pests, or whatever you shouldn't hesitate to reach out to fellow members.   

It's gotten mighty cold and very dry the past several weeks.  While many of your plants may be in a winter rest period, keep an eye on shriveling pseudobulbs if you haven't watered in a while.  Humidity trays under your plants can help keep the humidity up a bit, but unless you run a humidifier in your home it's still going to be very dry.

If you have plants beginning to spike, remember to not move them relative to their light source once buds begin forming.  Otherwise you may end up with flowers pointing in multiple directions.  Orchids can be very persnickety that way!  And as buds fatten up make sure you are watering sufficiently so flowers open up fully.

Stay warm and whisper sweet nothings to your budding/flowering orchids so they may help us put on a great display at the upcoming Cape & Islands Orchid Show coming the weekend of Jan 25 (with display set up on Thu Jan 23rd).  More to come on that soon from Sandy and Barb, our away show dynamic duo!

--

Ginna Plude

President - Nutmeg State Orchid Society (NSOS)

Message from the President - December 2024

Greetings all!  I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  The fall has flown by this year and it is hard to believe we are only a month away from a new year.   

A couple of announcements:

Welcome to our newest member, Gaby Rivera-Del Rio! 

And big congratulations to Barb Putko, our treasurer, on being accepted into the AOS judges training program as a student judge.  It is a life long commitment and we in the Northeast Judging Center are happy to have Barb join us. 

Happy 100th Birthday to Belle Ribicoff!  Thanks to Fred Clarke's (Sunset Valley Orchids) generous assistance a Lycaste hybrid has been named & registered in her honor.   Jeanne McDermott presented Belle with a framed registration certificate and two Lyc. Belle Ribicoff plants this past week.  Belle was tickled pink!

Our scheduled January speaker, Greg Griffiths, will not be able to be here.  He has a good excuse though!   "I have recently been named the next Curator of the Eric Young Orchid Foundation. The Eric Young Orchid Foundation is a large (~30,000 orchids) collection focused on breeding and hybridizing which is located on the Island of Jersey, UK, which is one of the islands in the English Channel. https://ericyoungorchid.org/ "  Greg will be leaving Longwood Gardens at the end of December and relocating to the UK.   So the January speaker is TBD.

The Holiday Party is this coming Sunday, Dec 8th from 12:30pm to 4:30pm.  Thank you all who RSVP'd.  If you can help with set-up Sunday morning and/or at the party please let Barb Putko and John Scheckton know, if you have not done so already.  

We're coming into show season soon with the following upcoming shows, in addition to our own in March:  CAIOS (Jan), Amherst (Feb), and NHOS (the weekend following our show).  Sandy Myhalik and Barb Putko are our away show coordinators so you'll be hearing from them as these shows come up.

Reminder, we have moved our show out a week from our usual 3rd weekend in March to avoid conflicts with other orchid and non-orchid events.  Our show will be March 22nd and 23rd with set-up on March 21.  PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS!    We will be starting to ask after the first of the year for volunteers to help make this show a success.   We cannot do it without your help.  The show chair this year is "by committee" with the Board working as a team.  Feel free to reach out to me or any of the board members with any questions you might have.  

Many orchids are moving into a more dormant period this time of year so it is important to reduce watering and feeding if your plants are not actively growing.  Some may even go without water for several months (e.g. Catasetums, some Dendrobiums).   There is a link on our website to the AOS culture sheets that are helpful to learn what your plants need.  

Remember to take the time to enjoy the company of friends and family during this coming holiday season!

With warmest wishes, 

Ginna Plude

President, NSOS

Congratulations to Ginna Plude - Best Phal at MOS

Phal. Dragon Tree Paradise

Congratulations to NSOS President, Ginna Plude who received the award for Best Phalaenopsis at the Massachusetts Orchid Society show Nov 8, 2024.