With spring comes Modesto Tropical Plant Society’s April show

Spring is in the air – officially, as of Friday – and members of the Tropical Plant Society of Modesto are preparing for their big annual show next month.

The society’s 35th Orchid Show and Sale will be April 11-12, the weekend after Easter, in the Stanislaus Elementary School multipurpose room, 1931 Kiernan Ave.

Dozens of types of orchids, along with other tropical plants such as bromeliads and African violets, will be on exhibit, and there also will be a sale table, said Jane Snyder, a founding member of the society. She anticipates having about 30 exhibitors at the show.

The majority of visitors to the Orchid Show and Sale are novices looking to learn more about the plants and get advice on trouble-shooting problems. Visitors can see potting and other demonstrations, Snyder said, and society members are happy to answer questions.

Tropical plants have entered the mainstream, readily available at stores, she said, “and some people may buy them or get them as gifts and are not sure what to do when they stop blooming.” That’s the kind of knowledge society members love to share.

And folks really interested in greening their thumbs might consider joining the group. The Tropical Plant Society of Modesto meets the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at Stanislaus Elementary. It regularly hears from guest speakers – among them American Orchid Society judges – and has a show-and-tell table of blooming orchids and tropical plants.

For more information on the show or society, call Susan Wedegaertner, the orchid show chairwoman, at (209) 545-4732.

This story was originally published March 20, 2015 at 4:56 PM with the headline "With spring comes Modesto Tropical Plant Society’s April show."