"Orchid Universe: Selecting and Growing Orchids in BiOrbs"
This talk will focus on various miniature and small orchids, culture and at-home growing tips and techniques. Additionally, you will learn how to put together simple setups for your miniatures.
Tomas Bajza is a self-proclaimed orchid lover and addict. Originally came to the USA from the Czech Republic and settled down in Miami, FL. He adored orchids during his teenage years, but at that time there were not many to see in his country.
Since then, he's been bitten by a “huge” miniature orchid bug and in the last few years has been fortunate to collect hundreds of micro and miniature orchid species, many of them pretty rare. He considers himself a very stubborn grower and faced with the challenge of “impossible” to grow cold and intermediate species in South Florida, he decided to accept the challenge. Through research, trial and error he is getting these orchids to grow and thrive.
What used to be a “hobby” slowly grew to a small business that has expanded. Tomas is also an avid photographer. With a growing miniature orchid collection, there were endless opportunities for taking pictures of these amazing, sometimes microscopic blooms.
Vicki Hallock is an AOS award winning exhibitor, noted for growing miniature orchids in orbs. She has earned six Artistic Certificates for her miniature creations. Even before she became the president of the Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society, Vicki Hallock had always loved plants.
During her childhood, she would explore remote islands with her father, discovering the natural beauty of the landscape and making displays with the plants she found. Later, after she married, their travels opened up a whole new world of plants.
“And since then, I had traveled and experienced plants growing in different habitats, came to love the plants and what they mean to me and how they enrich my life and how we cannot live without them.”
