Coming Soon!—August 5, Date of the Annual Summer Workshop

August 2, 2023
Featured Happenings

This year’s Annual Summer Workshop, to be held Saturday, August 5, will focus on the topic “How to Grow Orchids Outside on the Gulf Coast.” An all-day event from 8:30am to 4:30pm, the workshop will be held at our usual meeting place at First Christian Church, 1601 Sunset Boulevard in Houston.

Speakers include Alan Koch of Gold Country Orchids in California; Dotty Woodson, PhD, a Landscape Water Conservation Specialist at Texas A&M University; and local Houston-area outdoor orchid growers who will share their own tips.

In addition to the classes there will be AOS judging, plant sales, and an auction. Lunch is included in the $65/person registration fee. Please use the form below to register.

Workshop Agenda—
How to Grow Orchids Outside
on the Gulf Coast

8:30 amRegistration and social
9:00 amOpening remarks: Sarah Bentley
9:05 amIntroduction of speakers: Don Ghiz
9:15–10:00 amDotty Woodson: “Water Resources”
10:00–10:15 amBreak
10:15–11:00 amAlan Koch: “Miniature Cattleyas for a Warm Climate”
11:00–11:15 amAOS President Jay Balchan
11:15 am–1:15 pmLunch, AOS judging, silent auction, sales
1:15–2:00 pmDotty Woodson: “Orchid Insect Control”
2:00–2:15 pmBreak
2:15–3:00 pmAlan Koch: “Species Habitat, Hybrid Culture”
3:10 pmSilent auction ends
3:20–4:00 pmPanel discussion/questions/wrap-up

Download a printable version of the agenda

AOS judging will be held during lunch, and a Friday night social will take place at around 6pm at Father Ted Baenziger’s home (registrants will receive an email with more information).

You may register for the workshop using a credit or debit card by scrolling down. If you prefer to pay at the workshop, please send an email to Sarah Bentley with your intention to attend so that we have an accurate head count for lunch.

About the Workshop Speakers

Dotty Woodson, Ed.D.

Orchid Grower, Writer, Photographer, and Lecturer
D & B Orchids, 5608 Boat Club Road, Fort Worth, TX 76134
dottywoodson@gmail.com
Facebook: D & B Orchids

Dr. Dotty Woodson has grown orchids since 1973. Woodson’s goal is to share her knowledge and enjoyment of growing orchids. Phalaenopsis are the most popular orchid because the flowers last for months. These beautiful orchids are sold everywhere. Unfortunately, research shows many orchids are usually thrown away after all the flowers drop. Orchids are perennials. Orchids will grow and flower every year for many years. Don’t throw away your orchid.

Dotty has won many awards for orchids and orchid exhibits. She and her husband, Berry Woodson, have registered many Phalaenopsis hybrids. They grow orchids in 3,000 square feet in greenhouses in Fort Worth, Texas.

Dotty has presented orchid programs to orchid growers and gardeners in many states, at four International Master Gardener Conferences, four International Phalaenopsis Alliance Conferences, California Speakers Day, Texas, New England and New York Speakers Circuits, and to international audiences on Norwegian and Holland America Cruise Lines. Woodson is a member of the Fort Worth Orchid Society, Greater North Texas Orchid Society, Southwest Regional Orchid Growers Association, and the American Orchid Society.

Dotty has also written articles about orchid culture and orchid pest control for many newspapers and magazines and appeared on many television and radio shows to discuss growing orchids. In addition, she produced several orchid videos and contributed orchid material and photographs for several books.

She holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Horticulture from Tarleton State University and doctoral degrees from Texas A&M and Texas Tech universities.

Before retirement, Dotty taught landscape water conservation by design, plant selection, and irrigation efficiency for 32 years at Tarrant County College, TCU, UTA, and for Texas A&M Extension as a County Extension Agent in Tarrant County and Water Resource Extension State Specialist. For 21 years, Dotty wrote a weekly horticulture column for the Fort Worth Star Telegram. Dotty appeared weekly on NBC News and other television programs for 25 years.

Alan Koch

Alan Koch owns and operates Gold Country Orchids in Lincoln, California, where he specializes in miniature and compact Cattleyas along with miniature species. Alan started growing orchids in 1969 with three Cymbidiums given to him by an aunt. While in college he became interested in other orchids and discovered many would grow outdoors in Southern California.

He has moved five times as his orchid obsession has led to the need for more growing space. With the last move, he purchased 10 acres of land in Lincoln, California, for his 250,000 orchids. He is recognized as an expert in the Brazilian Cattleya alliance and a trendsetter in miniature compact and Cattleya breeding.

Alan has been published in Orchid Digest, the American Orchid Society Orchids magazine, as well as many international publications. He has also been published in several proceedings of the World Orchid Conference. He is an internationally known speaker. He is a past member of the AOS Judging Committee and the Research Committee, as well as an Emeritus Judge, and is Training Coordinator for the California Sierra Nevada Judging Center. Alan also served two terms on the Orchid Digest Executive Committee and three terms on the Board of Directors, as well as two terms as a Trustee for the AOS. He is currently the First Vice President for the International Phalaenopsis Alliance. Alan is also well known for the many AOS auctions he has done.

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