president's message

January 2025

Dear OSSC Members,

I hope you have all had a wonderful holiday season and am wishing you all the best for the new year. This month we are going to be having Fred Clarke from Sunset Valley Orchids talk about Australian Dendrobiums. Fred is an accredited AOS judge, and among his many awards are the Norito Hasegawa Hybridizer Award and the Catasetinae Breeding Award, both from the AOS. Fred is a phenomenal speaker and is not to be missed! He will also be bringing plants for our auction table; if you wish to purchase any plants or supplies from his nursery, reach out to him at https://www.sunsetvalleyorchids.com/ . SVO has very affordable high quality bark that is not easy to find. It is sold in 40 liter quantities for around 40 dollars last time I bought it and comes in various sizes. Consider buying a bag with a friend and splitting it up if this is more than you need.

The month of January can be rough for us orchid growers but taking a little care now will ensure you get good blooms in the next few months. Are your plants secured for the rain and high winds? Consider anchoring plants with rocks, wire or plant holders. Get a tarp to block the rain. Is it cold? Bring your temperature-sensitive plants indoors. Be ready to treat plants for bacterial and fungal infections with products like Physan20 and Phyton27. Finally, be on the lookout for things like slugs and bush snails that always seem to thrive in wet weather and feed on emerging blooms.

Have a great week and we look forward to seeing you all in January!

James