Next Regular Meeting: Friday,October 10, 2025. Note new start time 7:00 p.m. Live Oak Grange Hall, 1900 17th Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA.
October Program:
At this month's meeting, Tanya Lam will be sharing her successes using coconut mixes on various orchid genera, how to prepare the coconut, and formulas for the mixes. She encourages orchid growers to try using coconut as a natural organic and inexpensive medium due to its natural resistance to pests and diseases. Orchid growers can nurture their plants while also supporting eco-friendly horticultural practices. With the recent shortage and quality problem of other medium such as bark and moss, coconut husk is a superior choice for orchid medium. Many growers are skeptical to using coconut in their mixes due to its ability to hold too much water. Tanya will provide many tips for success and share photos of the amazing root growths on her talk.
Tanya has been growing orchids since 1996 in San Jose California. She listened, experimented, and was creative in adjusting her growing methods to provide her orchids with their healthiest root systems, and in turn she enjoys their best performances in flowering. During the first few years of growing orchids, her job required extensive travel, which required her to have good planning and orchid mixes that stay moist exactly 7 days. Tanya created her own orchid mixes using coconut as the main medium. These mixes were designed to fit her weekly watering schedule and condition. Her orchid mixes turned out to be outstanding and magical.
Tanya belongs to many orchid societies in the San Francisco Bay area, was the past Vice President of Santa Clara Valley Orchid Society and past President of Malihini Orchid Society. Wherever she travels, she makes time to visit the local orchid society and learns how orchids are cultivated in different parts of the country. She traveled to see orchids in Australia, Brazil, China, Ecuador, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. She has recently downsizing her orchid collections to prepare for retirement, as she dreams to visit more orchid habitats of the world.
Meetings:
Meetings are held the second Friday of every month at the Live Oak Grange Hall, 1900 17th Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95062.
Guests are welcome to attend.
Meetings include:
A speaker presentation or panel discussion by an orchid expert(s)
A show & tell table of blooming plants brought in by members who gladly share information on how they grow them.
Chance to win an orchid from the opportunity table.
Light refreshments.