February Message from the President

Hi all!   

If you weren't at the meeting Sunday you missed a great, very informative presentation by Beth Davis of Waldor Orchids, including a handy handout!    It was good information for both novice and experienced growers.

You also missed the presentation of the AOS Show Trophy to Barb Putko for the NSOS display at the Cape & Islands OS Show with the theme of "Orchids at Play".   To see the display check out the Kudos section of our website (link below).   It's no small feat to beat out the host society for the show trophy, so that makes it extra special.  We had a great turnout of plants and hands to help with the CAIOS show this year and I want to thank again all these folks who lent a hand: Karen Skuba, Sharon Palmiero, Linda Bates, Mike Wicki, Cyndee Lucas, Christine Baier, and Karen Timko.  Linda and Christine were also part of the 'construction crew' of the display itself.  Great job!  And of course thank you to everyone who sent plants for the display.  It was one of the best 'populated' displays at that show.

This is a BUSY time of year for the society so PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read below for all that we have going on and where we need your help:

FEBRUARY - 

*  CT Flower Show 2/19 - 2/22 - Sandy Myhalik (myhalik@comcast.net) is coordinating volunteers to man our table at the flower show.  This is a huge boost to publicity for our show in March.  Sandy will be sending out a notice looking for a few more volunteers.  If you can take a shift or two please let her know.  

* Amherst Orchid Society Show - It's the same weekend as the flower show.   Set-up day is 2/19.  Please reach out to Barb Putko (bwputko@gmail.com) if you can help with set up (transporting plants & supplies) or takedown on Sunday.  And of course, we'll need your flowering plants too!

MARCH - 

*  NH Society Orchid Show - Nashua, NH - Set-up day is 3/5, take down is Sun 3/8.  The society will pay for an overnight stay as well as a food per diem if you help with setup and/or takedown.  If you help with Set-up and stay overnight you can also do ribbon clerking if you're interested.  It's a fun way to see how other society's run their shows and their show judging.   Contact Barb if you are interested. 

* NSOS Show & Sale -  Set-up is Friday 3/20.  You'll be hearing much more about the details in the coming weeks, but we will need LOTS of volunteers to make the show successful.   There will be opportunities both on set-up day (plant prep, display set up, room set up, shed/move crew) as well as over the weekend (admissions, membership, kitchen, takedown, etc.)

Last but not least, apologies for not having sent out the NYBG Bus Trip interest survey sooner.  That will be out this week.  Complicating finding a suitable date before we can see if we have enough folks interested is the fact that we have two shows in March, and multiple members of the board in Germany attending the World Orchid Congress, a once every 4 yr event,  the week following our show.  The likely week, if there is sufficient interest would be, either the week of 4/6 or 4/13, mid-week.  The show runs through 4/26.  More to follow.

Ginna Plude

President - Nutmeg State Orchid Society (NSOS)

Congratulations to our CAIOS winners.

In spite of the inclement weather, our away team had success at the Cape & Islands Orchid Show.

The NSOS display won the AOS Show Trophy with 82 pts.  Designed by Barb Putko

Best Lycaste - Lycaste Geyser Gold x (Capricorn x Vulcan) - Mark Wendell - Rosette

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• Olga G. Hausser Memorial Award for the Best Peloric or Big Lip Phalaenopsis - Phal ign 'Burgundy Tri- Lip' - Ginna Plude - Rosette

Best Pleurothalid - Platystele umbellata

- Ginna Plude - Rosette

January 2026 Message from the President

January 2026

Happy New Year everyone!  

This past Sunday we had our first meeting of the season.  Turnout was lower than usual but understandable being so close to New Years Day.  We'd hoped to be able to move it to the following weekend but the senior center wasn't available.

I personally want to thank those who attended for sitting through my talk on orchid judging.  I tried to keep it informative but not coma inducing!   There were some great questions and follow up discussions.  As promised I'm providing a list of sites I mentioned in case you ever get curious about some of your orchid babies and want to learn a bit more.  Don't hesitate to reach out my myself, Karen Timko or Barb Putko if you have any questions about orchid judging!

Also, as I mentioned at the meeting, the public is always welcome at the monthly AOS judging sessions.  The Northoro, MA location is only about an hour from Hartford.

I also provided the most current statistics from our fundraiser table survey.  We've only received 44 responses so far but they break down as follows:

If you have not done so already you are encouraged to share your preferences and any suggestions you may have.  Fundraiser Table Survey

Yesterday's fundraiser table (about 35 or so items) included items from the top 5 categories.

IT'S SHOW TIME!!    

Our next show is the Cape and Islands Orchid Society show in Hyannis, MA, so we'll be looking for your plants and your help.  If you can help with transporting plants and/or supplies to set up (Thu 1/22) that would be HUGE.  Since it is a long drive, the society will cover the cost of an overnight at the host hotel, but you must be able to help transport plants and supplies.  Please contact Barb Putko, Away Show chair, if you can help out (bwputko@gmail.com).  Remember, if you help with set up and stay over, you can clerk during judging Friday morning and enjoy a wonderful lunch.

MEMBERSHIP DUES ARE DUE!  You must renew by end of February at the latest.

Links to Orchid Websites - 

* If you want to look up your plant's "ancestry" (the plant needs to have a label) checkout https://orchidex.org/.  You can enter the plant name and you'll get a family tree.  Knowing your plant's background can help with understanding the growing conditions it requires.

* If you are an AOS member, click on your account and OrchidPro will be in your list of options.  You can look up your named plants to see what kinds of awards that species or hybrid may have won in the past.

* Other websites - 

   Plants of the World Online - https://powo.science.kew.org/  Here you can look up orchid species.

   International Orchid Registry - https://apps.rhs.org.uk/horticulturaldatabase/orchidregister/orchidregister.asp  Here you can look up hybrids to see when they were registered and what the parent plants are.

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Ginna Plude

President - Nutmeg State Orchid Society (NSOS)