Seminars 2025

Date Time Speaker Topic
Feb. 8th, Saturday 12:30 pm Alla Linetsky Lighting your Orchids
Learn how to select the right Grow Light for your orchids and other houseplants.
Alla has been growing orchids since the 1990s, but with renewed commitment since 2012. She has been working with LED lights as part of her day job since they arrived on the home decor market in 2005, and she has been using them for her own orchids for the past 12 years.
Feb. 8th, Saturday 1:30 pm Alla Linetsky Fertilizers and Water Quality
Learn how to mix fertilizers and how to test water quality in your house.
Same as above.
Feb. 8th, Saturday 2:30 pm Rob Vanderheyden Growing Catasetinae Orchids Indoors
Catasetinae orchids are interesting to grow and can be grown successfully at home. Experience the yearly cycle of these orchids from potting to blooming. Focus will be on repotting along with basic growing tips.
Rob has been growing Catasetinae orchids since buying his first one, Catasetum Marsh Hollow, in February 2018. Now, he has about 70 of this sub-tribe in his house. The death rate among these orchids under his care is minimal and the bloom rate is great.
Feb. 8th, Saturday 3:30 pm Alexsi Antanaitis Imported Orchids - First Steps for Bare Root Orchids
Do I need to repot this brand new purchase? And how?
Alexsi, a horticulturalist, has been growing orchids and houseplants for over 20 years.
Date Time Speaker Topic
Feb. 9th, Sunday 11:30 am Inge Poot Organic Pest Control
How to get rid of the most common pest attacking orchids in a way that does not harm you or anything else.
Inge has a Masters degree in Mycology from U of T and has grown orchids for 61 years. She has been an Accredited AOS Judge since 1981. Currently, she answers culture questions from SOOS members and transcribes most of the SOOS talks for the newsletter.
Feb. 9th, Sunday 12:30 pm Synea Tan Growing Orchids Successfully in your House
Tips and tricks for growing amazing orchids at home.
Winner of the SOOS 2020 Grower of the Decade Award. In her 30 years of growing orchids, Synea has received 25 Quality Awards and 8 Cultural Awards from the AOS.
Feb. 9th, Sunday 1:30 pm Jean Hollebone Seven Easy Steps for Growing Healthy Slippers
Jean will talk about the cultural requirements for growing healthy and happy slipper orchids in the Canadian environment. What works for her may also work for you.
Jean grows orchids in a solarium in her house in Ottawa which is ruled by a very chatty and noisy Siamese cat called Cookie. Slippers have always been her favourite orchid although she grows other kinds too. She is an AOS judge in the Toronto Judging Center and enjoys judging at international shows in central and south America where she has a chance to see orchids growing in their native environments. She is program chair for the Ottawa Society, and volunteers on the American Orchid Society Governance Committee and chairs their Awards Committee.
Feb. 9th, Sunday 2:30 pm Andrew Geimar Repotting Moth Orchids
Focus will be on repotting moth (Phalaenopsis) orchids. Andrew will also talk about his journey of growing (and killing) orchids, and how that shaped his attitude towards growing orchids at home.
Andrew lives in Toronto, Canada and is co-owner of Roehampton Orchids. In the last three years, Andrew has received 26 Quality Awards and 3 Cultural Awards from the AOS.

Times and speakers subject to change without notice.

Feb 8th, Saturday 12:30 pm

Speaker: Alla Linetsky

Topic: Lighting your Orchids

Feb 8th, Saturday 1:30 pm

Speaker: Alla Linetsky

Topic: Fertilizers and Water Quality

Feb 8th, Saturday 2:30 pm

Speaker: Rob Vanderheyden

Topic: Growing Catasetinae Orchids Indoors

Feb 8th, Saturday 3:30 pm

Speaker: Alexsi Antanaitis

Topic: Imported Orchids - First Steps for Bare Root Orchids

Feb 9th, Sunday 11:30 am

Speaker: Inge Poot

Topic: Organic Pest Control

Feb 9th, Sunday 12:30 pm

Speaker: Synea Tan

Topic: Growing Orchids Successfully in your House

Feb 9th, Sunday 1:30 pm

Speaker: Jean Hollebone

Topic: Seven Easy Steps for Growing Healthy Slippers

Feb 9th, Sunday 2:30 pm

Speaker: Andrew Geimar

Topic: Repotting Moth Orchids

Times and speakers subject to change without notice.