Question 1

August 15, 2018 - Preparing for your Winter Garden

Tree Amigos Growers is an Organic nursery for vegetable, flower, culinary & medicinal herbs, perennial forest garden seedlings, and plants in Davie Florida. You may remember them from their last location several years ago when they were named Tree Huggers Farm, also in the western communities.

Preparing for your Winter Organic Garden It is almost that time for all the plants everyone wants to grow in their organic garden! As farmers, we believe the first, second, and third principle to organic gardening success is preparation, preparation, and preparation. How can you go wrong when you prepare properly? You've had the pleasure of growing a great summer time garden and now it is time to start looking ahead to what is next. Many summer plants will stay, and many summer plants will go. None the less, our winter season is around the corner and it is time to get ready. This class will cover topics such as what to plant, cover cropping, mulching, revitalizing, or even solarizing new areas or locations with heavy pests and disease. By following the concept of preparation, your friends and neighbors will be asking "How did you grow all of these veggies and why on earth do you keep sharing so much to us every week?”

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Presenters From: Tree Amigos Growers

Question 2

July 18, 2018 - Introduction to Landscape Design

July's speaker is Guillermo Salazar. His presentation will give a general overview of the field of Landscape design, touching on different important aspects like definitions of the art of landscape design, and the history of landscape design. He will also discuss the different elements and basic principles that should always be present and incorporated when trying to achieve a cohesive and harmonious garden in South Florida.

Guillermo Salazar was born in Miami and grew up in El Salvador, Central America, as a child of a landscape contractor and nursery owner Father and an interior and floral designer Mother, Guillermo was able to develop his natural design ability and appreciation for plants and flowers even before attending college. Later he followed his dream of becoming a professional landscape designer in Florida, receiving his degree in Landscape Design & Management, later he received a Master’s in Science in Environmental Horticulture from the University of Florida. As a 9 year-old living in Central America Guillermo found tropical plants and orchids were very attractive plants living in this tropical environment and he started collecting them. During his college years back in Florida, he learned the importance of protecting natural resources especially native plants and orchids in nature. He is an American Orchid Society speaker; board member of several orchid and plant societies in South Florida. A Florida Master Gardener, Guillermo has worked for several years as a professional Landscape Designer in private, municipal and governmental capacities in the South Florida area. He currently works as a private landscape designer & consultant in South Florida, Landscape Plan reviewer & Inspector for City of Hollywood and Horticulture & Orchidology Instructor for Fairchild Botanic Gardens in Miami and Adjunct Faculty for the Landscape Technology Department for Miami Dade College. His work entails reviewing all construction projects for the City to ensure landscape code and tree compensation for removed trees are in place, ensuring existing trees are protected creating a functional & environmentally conscious approach to design. He has published several articles on home gardening, design and orchid articles for South Florida and international magazines. His credentials include: ISA certified Arborist, Certified Landscape Inspector and Certified Horticulturist. His true passion as a collector are orchids, succulents and cactus species from all over the world. In his spare time, Guillermo is a breeder of pedigree Persian and Himalayan cats, enjoys gardening & exploring tropical regions of the world.

Answer

Presenter: Guillermo Salazar

Question 3

June 20, 2018 - Exotic Orchids 101

Our June Speaker is someone many of us know from multiple Plant Fairs and from our shared friendships and memberships in the Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society. Mac Rivenbark, of Mac's Orchids is going to teach us the basics of what we really need to know to be successful with growing orchids. He will also bring a wide assortment of interesting plants that will do well in our South Florida weather. In "Exotic Orchids 101", Mac will provide culture and growing advise as well as answering any questions we might have.

Mac and his wife, Helen Rivenbark, started their orchid business over 17 years ago after many fascinating trips to the Philippines. With extensive study, Mac is becoming an expert in Philippine and other Asian orchid species and currently grows and blooms over 300 types. He also served our country in the U.S. Marine Corps and he was the Past President of the Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society. Mac enjoys giving lectures and educating others about orchids. Come see this interesting and exciting lecture.

Answer

Presenter: Mac Rivenbark

Question 4

May 16, 2018 - In Search of the Blue Amaryllis

At our May 16th meeting, Dr. Alan Meerow will be giving a presentation on one of his collecting trips. He has quite an impressive Bio. Dr. Alan W. Meerow is a Senior Research Geneticist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service at the National Germplasm Repository in Miami, Florida, and an honorary member of the Montgomery Botanical Center. He was formerly Professor of Environmental Horticulture at the University of Florida’s Fort Lauderdale Research & Education Center. He received a B.S. degree in botany and environmental horticulture from the University of California at Davis and his M.S. and Ph. D from the University of Florida in horticultural science and botany. He has published over 200 scientific peer-reviewed journal articles, 4 books, numerous book chapters, and over 100 extension and trade magazine articles. He has been recognized by the Florida

Nurserymen and Growers Association as Horticultural Writer of the Year in 1990, and Educator of the Year in 1991. He was named 1998 recipient of the International Bulb Society’s William Herbert Medal in recognition of his work on Amaryllidaceae. In 2005 he received the Peter H. Raven Award of the American Society of Plant Taxonomists in recognition of his scientific outreach to the public, and the David Fairchild Medal for Plant Exploration in 2017 from the National Tropical Botanical Garden. He is the author of "Betrock's Guide to Landscape Palms", “Betrock’s Cold Hardy Palms”, "Betrock’s Landscape Palms”, and, with Timothy K. Broschat, "Betrock's Reference Guide to Florida Landscape Plants", and “Ornamental Palm Horticulture” (University Press of Florida). Dr. Meerow works on the genetics and systematics of tropical ornamentals and has introduced numerous tropical ornamentals from around the world for possible introduction to the trade. Dr. Meerow is an internationally recognized authority on the amaryllis family and has published numerous scientific papers on the taxonomy and phylogeny of that group. Meerow is widely recognized for his expertise in the horticulture of ornamental palms, and has authored or co-authored books and book chapters, refereed journal articles, and cooperative extension bulletins on this subject. He is also internationally recognized as a leader in the population genetic study of cycads, and molecular systematics of palms.

Answer

Presenter: Dr. Alan Meerow

Question 5

April 18, 2018 - Rare Plant Auction

Presenter: Peter Kouchalakos

From: PCK Orchids & Exotic Plants

There will be something a little different for our group, at our April Meeting. We will have a Rare Plant Auction as it's been on our radar for years. Practically every plant society in South Florida does one. It's fun and very educational. We have Peter Kouchalakos as our auctioneer for the night. Peter is a fascinating and lively guy who is kind of famous in South Florida for being the auctioneer at Rare Plant Auctions. He actually has a following, and some of you may remember him from our February 2017 meeting when he gave a presentation on Tillandsias.

Peter is a law school graduate who found his true calling in growing and teaching others to successfully grow orchids and other exotic plants. He specializes in Phaius, Spathoglottis, Epidendrom, Oncidium, and Tillandsia and he is the owner of PCK Orchids and Exotic Plants, which is south of Miami. For the auction we are getting plants from nurseries all over South Florida, which will go for anywhere from $5 to perhaps hundreds of dollars. Just because it's rare does not mean it has to be expensive. We're excited to have someone of Peter's caliber do our first Rare Plant Auction!

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In an effort to stay connected and continue our tradition of amazing plant auction, we have decided to have a LIVE BROADCAST VIDEO AUCTION. We have been working hard to make this meeting as easy to access as possible. We believe that the virtual auction will help to lighten missing our regular monthly in-person get-togethers and to continue having a great exchange of information for all of us gardeners until “normal times” return.

Do unusual and uncommon plants pique your interest? Whether it’s the bloom, color, fruit, texture, or plant itself, the unique is always compelling. Come one, come all! Here’s your chance to add to your collection! Equality Garden Club is a not-for-profit organization that brings plants and people together while respecting diversity. Not every member is a plant guru and that is perfectly okay. Many people who join are simply trying to gain knowledge about plants that are grown successfully in South Florida. Through fundraising efforts, the Club provides funding for research, education, and other environmental projects throughout our community. The Unique & Unusual Plant Auction is one such fundraising event. Everyone who would like to participate must:

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Rick Leitner is an avid gardener, whose first love is palms. A member of the International Palm Society for over 30 years, Rick has explored many native palm habitats in Central and South America as well as the Caribbean and Hawaiian Islands.

His garden possesses over 45 Genera and some 275 species of palms along with tropical shrubs, orchids, and bromeliads.

His talk will be sharing his expertise of proven palms for South Florida, as well as spotting nutritional deficiencies- often seen in the fronds. Additionally, interesting points about palm health and growth will be discussed.

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At our August meeting the guys from Tree Amigos presented us with how to grow what you eat. At our October meeting Nina "Raw Chef" Kauder will present to us, “Eating from what you are growing”. Whether you grow your own, or buy it from the supermarket Chef Nina gives an informative and entertaining presentation on preparing our fresh produce.

Nina Kauder, is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, former chef for Ambassadors to the United Nations, professional food tour guide in New York City, and master chocolatier. Chef Nina also has successful experience as a corporate event planner, and finally, as a local community organizer who has started vegan communities, and community gardens, all for non-profit organizations.

This chef-educator, remains perpetually passionate about homegrown, organic, and local, non-GMO food, and will make sure you know how to use every part of your produce–skin, rind, peel, pot for #zerowaste, sustainable living, all while you conquer kitchen fears. Her presentations are designed to elevate your skills, bringing you to confident cooking, shopping, and meal planning

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The year 2015 marked the 100th anniversary of the creation of Florida’s Broward County. To commemorate the centennial, native orchid enthusiast Chuck McCartney prepared a program giving us a look at all the orchids that have been reported as growing wild within the boundaries of the county. Some were historic and have disappeared in the wake of development, but a number still can be found in the isolated pockets of natural areas that remain in our highly suburbanized county.

Chuck McCartney is a third-generation Floridian raised in Homestead, with 2018 marking the 100th anniversary of his family’s presence in South Florida. Among the first flowers he remembers as a child growing up in southern Dade County were orchids, including several of our native species. Although trained as a high school English teacher, he spent most of his career in journalism, including 5 years with the publications of the American Orchid Society. He has lived in Hollywood since 1976 and retired in 2009 after nearly 19 years as a copy editor with the Broward Edition of the Miami Herald. He joined the Florida Native Plant Society in 1986 and in 2002 received the society’s Green Palmetto Award for his educational efforts. He writes and lectures often about native orchids and other wildflowers, and he has photographed most of the approximately 60 orchid species native to the southern end of the state. He also photographs orchids and wildflowers in the Southern Appalachians, where he has a summer home.

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Our January speaker is Joel Crippen, the Horticulturist at Mounts Botanical Garden. Mounts has been around for 40 years now. It has always had a good reputation, but since Joel became the Horticulturalist there, big things have happened and the gardens are more beautiful than ever.

Joel's presentation will show us the easiest and most successful ways to propagate many of the tropical plants that we all know and love.

Don't forget that from now till November our regular meetings will be held the third Tuesday of each month. This months meeting is January 15th.

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Our January speaker is Scott Abrahamson, a horticultural landscaper and maintenance expert with decades of experience. Scott will give a talk on shade plants in a variety of situation. From indoors to patios, from balconies to in the ground, you will learn how easy it is to care for and maintain shade plants in South Florida.

Scott will be showing a variety of plants and ways to display them.
About Scott Abrahamson
Scott grew up on a farm in Illinois and that upbringing is where his Green Thumb started to develop. Soon he turned to a career as a Landscape Gardener full time. His first job at age 16 was at the Geneva Illinois Greenhouse growing bedding plants and cut flowers.

Scott attended Dupage Horticulture School in Dupage IL., in connection with the Ball Seed Co. One year college.

Deciding to go south he moved to Naples, FL where he worked as a landscape helper at Naples Beach Club hotel and golf course.

He continued his career working in retail garden centers and guest houses after moving east to Fort Lauderdale and a sub-tropical environment. Scott worked for Royal Palms and Cabanas guest house.

Finally, he began his own business with WSA Landscaping Inc., almost 19 years ago and he has been in horticultural landscaping and maintenance ever since.

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From December to early January 2018, Chad Husby and Brett Jestrow of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden explored the markets, nurseries, and gardens of Thailand in search of promising new introductions for South Florida horticulture. In addition, they explored some of southern and northern Thailand's spectacular natural areas. This presentation will chronicle selected highlights of the trip, the plants found, and the rationale for plant exploration in the 21st century. About Dr. Chad Husby
Dr. Chad Husby is Botanical Horticulturist at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. His main focus is finding, cultivating, and propagating new plants to enhance horticulture and botanical collections. He focuses on plant groups that have not received adequate attention, from conifers and ferns to foliage, flowering trees, and unusual fruits. Chad also enjoys educating students and the public about plant exploration, horticulture, and botany. His scientific research ranges from plant ecophysiology and horticulture to conservation and systematics.

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The month of April each year brings us the Equality Garden Club's Rare and Unusual Plant Auction. Our own Rick Leitner will be the Auctioneer this year. Dozens of unique plants and garden items from more than 50 growers and vendors throughout South Florida will be presented for you to bid on Tuesday, April 16th at 7:00 p.m.

The plants will be available at 6:30 for your preview. There will be several knowledgeable people answering your questions about individual plants during this 1/2 hour as there is no time for answering questions during the auctions dizzying pace. As always, please don't think you won't be able to afford anything.

There will be some plants that will sell for $5.00 and some that will go in the $50.00 range.

There will be something for everyone!

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Dr. Mannion will discuss pests of ornamental plants in our landscapes, their management, as well as the problem we have with invasive pests.

Catharine Mannion is a Professor and Extension Specialist with the University of Florida, Tropical Research and Education Center. She has been with the University of Florida for 18 years. She is responsible for developing a research and extension program on integrated pest management of ornamental plants with an emphasis on invasive pests.

Dr. Mannion's research has focused on the biology and management of several introduced pests such as whiteflies, scales, thrips, and weevils in both the landscape and in production. She received a B.S. degree in Biological Sciences from University of California, an M.S. degree in Entomology from North Carolina State University, and a Ph.D. in Entomology from the University of Florida.

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Learn how to turn food scraps and yard clippings into rich compost within a couple of months rather than a full year or more.

David Stack has been an avid gardener most of his life. His fascination with horticulture and plant propagation began as a child growing up on a small farm in Southern California. While in high school, he took summer jobs propagating plants and grafting kiwi. When his father built a greenhouse David spent much of his spare time in his father's greenhouse, basically taking it over. When he moved to Fort Lauderdale it wasn't long before he realized South Florida gardening is vastly different mainly when it comes to growing food. David quickly embarrassed the Mel Bartholomew's Square Foot Gardening when a Master Gardener friend lent him the book.

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On July 16th our speaker will be John Goss from JG's Tropical Plants. He will speak on: "Growing Heliconia and Ginger varieties, including edible Gingers!"

Florida is subtropical, even the central areas, so why not let your yard reflect your climate?

JG’s Tropical Plants offers a stunning collection of colorful Heliconia and Gingers.
A resident of Florida for more than 40 years, owner John treks the jungles of Central America to locate new and unique plants that thrive in our similar Florida climate.
Plants are started from seed and rhizomes and are carefully grown under John’s watchful eyes prior to being offered to the public.

Familiar with the needs and growth habits of each variety, John looks forward to offering advice in plant selection and is glad to answer questions about enhancing your existing landscape.

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Bats & Gardens: A Natural Connection - This program discusses bat biology, lifestyle, and busts common myths and misconceptions while revealing the multitude of environmental services bats provide to gardeners and farmers. Includes discussions about the conservation status of bats and simple methods growers can use to encourage bat activity in fields and gardens.
Live Florida bats will be shown after the presentation.
Shari Blissett-Clark loves bats, and her life revolves around them! Shari is currently the President of the Florida Bat Conservancy and operates Bat Belfrys, a non-profit organization focused on bat house research and development. She builds and installs bat houses throughout Florida with the superhuman help of her husband John, aka Batman!

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Cool Roses is a full-service nursery located in Palm Beach County, Florida. Founded in 1985 by Geoff and Debbie Coolidge. Cool Roses installs and maintains some of the most gorgeous gardens and grounds in the area.
Known for their strong, healthy and gorgeous roses, the Coolidges grow and sell a wide variety of roses that flourish well in the South Florida environment, including the popular and and hardy hybrid tea, floribunda, shrub, and climbers that are well suited for the hot and humid weather of our growing zone.

All roses are grown on their own root, or grafted onto fortuniana root stock.
Pre-orders & Day of Sales
If you would like to pre-order a selection of roses just give us a call at 561-313-0077 to discuss our availability.

We will also be bringing a supply of roses that will be available for purchase during our visit, as well as extra bags of our own custom blend fertilizer, crafted specifically for our area.

We are consulting rosarians for the American Rose Society and are happy to discuss your rose needs and answer any questions you may have. We may be reached at 561-31-8508 or geoffcoolidge@comcast.net

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Michael is responsible for coordinating educational outreach and CEU programs for Broward’s diverse nursery, landscape and pest control industries. Mike has held this position since 2005 and received tenure and promotion from UF/IFAS in 2011.

Mike has been an ISA-certified arborist for 17 years and directs the county’s tree trimmer licensing, pesticide application and Green Industry Best Management Practices (GI-BMP) certification programs. In 2009, his extension program received the Outstanding Public Educational Program award from the Florida Urban Forestry Council (FUFC). In 2011, Mike was named FNGLA Outstanding Educator. In June of 2019 he received the Florida Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture’s Award for Excellence in Education. Mike is also a long-term ISA exam proctor and is an active member of the Landscape Inspectors Association of Florida (LIAF).

B.S. degree in Agronomy, M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Weed Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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Adam Pollak is the owner of White Fences Equestrian Center: a 26-acre dressage show and boarding facility in Loxahatchee, FL. His education background is mechanical engineering and he is not an equestrian himself. In 2014, he discovered a latent interest in plants...particularly tropical flowering trees. He is now involved with the Palm Beach Palm & Cycad Society and the Tropical Flowering Tree Society. Over the past 5 years, he's worked to build White Fences Arboretum as an overlay integrated into the existing equine facility.

Even with the land available, size does matter. Allowing every tree to grow to its full size would severely limit the quantity planted. There are many ways flowering trees can be added to your garden, even when space is a concern. Cultivar selection, grafting, selective pruning, and the use of growth regulators can all help make the most of the space you have.
The Floss Silk Project
A favorite tree of his is the Floss Silk tree. He will discuss his hybridization program for floss silk trees, goals of the project, and results that have been obtained so far. There will be White Fences hybrid floss silk trees distributed for free for those who would like to participate.

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Starting by planting the wrong plants in the wrong place I grew to understand well what it takes to create a comfortable, safe living space for songbirds. As their habitats vanish and their refueling stations are paved over, more and more, Back Yards Matter. YOUR Yard Matters! Learn beautiful and effective landscaping principals that help these jewels and songs of the sky on their epic journey for survival.

Ann moved to Florida in the mid 80’s developing an interest in south Florida wildlife and ecology. She’s worked in sea turtle conservation for 30 years; tagging, measuring, excavating, rescuing & releasing green, leatherback and loggerhead hatchings disoriented by coastal lighting. She works as an ecological tour guide leading private tours throughout south Florida and the Greater Everglades System. She’s a regular lecturer for Road Scholar in Florida and encourages others to created backyard landscaping that supports songbirds and life.

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Rick Leitner obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a minor in Botany. His intentions was a career in forestry, and while his plans changed, his passion for plants remain steadfast.

Collecting palms for over 25 years, along with the unusual tropical plants, his garden will be opened for the Spring Garden Tour on Saturday, February 22.

Having traveled to many countries, he seeks at least one experience in a botanical garden, forest, or private garden in all.

This month he will feature his travel log of one of the most amazing public botanical gardens ever visited: The Auckland New Zealand Botanical Garden. This interesting climate zone encompasses conifers to cold hardy palms to tropicals, set amongst inactive volcano ranges.

Leave your passport at home. This journey is pure botanical pleasure!

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Scott Abrahamson grew up west of Chicago on a farm and attended DuPage Horticulture school in DuPage, Illinois at the Ball Seed Company greenhouses. Over the years, he has worked for numerous florists, garden shops and golf courses. He has owned his landscaping business in Fort Lauderdale since 1992, and is looking to retire and propagate rare endangered species and work in my garden later this year.

Scott’s talk will be on pots and plants, tips and tricks to container gardening on balconies, patios and small yards. He has today plants for sale that are great for containers and easy to grow, along with a special surprise plant giveaway.

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It was with great disappointment that we were forced to cancel the 2020 Tropical Plant Fair because of COVID-19, but always the safety of our members and participants is paramount. Over the next weeks, we all need to limit exposure and the possibility of transmitting the disease, reminding ourselves that “this, too, shall pass.” As gardeners, we can all appreciate the rewards of determination and patience.

As we protect ourselves, we need to remember that social distance is not isolation; we have our friends, loved ones and neighbors to share our thoughts and concerns. We can and should maintain contact via our phones and through the internet (even the archaic form of letter writing). It’s a time to be thankful that we have the safety of our homes with many amenities that make our daily lives bearable.

Alone time need not be lonely…Stay in touch.

While indoors:

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