New York Diamonds owner Patty Reece said she killed her first orchid – a gift from a friend – with kindness by watering it too much.

That gift however piqued her interest in orchids to the point that she grows her own and has been organizing the San Joaquin Orchid Society’s annual show and sale for a number of years.

The show is set for Friday, March 29, through Sunday, to March 31, in the Stockton Sherwood Mall with judging the last day of the event for the San Joaquin Orchid Society’s 65th annual show and sale at Sherwood Mall at 5308 Pacific Avenue.  Judging will take place at 11 a.m.  Show hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday as well as 11 a.m. t 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free

She said she has always loved orchid blooms and wanted to know the best way to treat the plants for the best results without killing them as she had done many times. 

Not only does Reece work in the organizing of the shows, she also teaches orchid lovers how to water and care for their plants and repot them for best, long-lasting results. The show is always positioned in the center of the mall in Stockton with many of the sale plants coming from Hawaii.

The show this year will feature her club’s 75 orchid enthusiasts who will be on hand to talk with the interested members of the public.  Eight are from Manteca, three from Salida and the remaining from Stockton representing the American Orchid Society with members from all over California.

She has received numerous other awards from the American Orchid Society. 

It was in 1994 – some 25 years ago – that a close friend gave Reece her first orchid “just because” she wanted to do something nice for her.  She said it took her only about two months to kill that orchid with too much water.  She said when that friend moved away, she gave her the green house from her own yard and then another friend gifted her another green house as well.

Reece now has a 20 x 30-foot greenhouse behind her rural South Stockton home that her husband Carl built originally for growing his choice tomatoes. 

“He liked to have fresh tomatoes all year,” she said of her late husband.

 A new orchid variety that brought Reece an award last year was named in Carl’s honor, she noted. The judges for the show are coming from all over California with one coming from Hawaii, she said.

Prior to taking over the tomatoes green house, she said that when friends came over for dinner the orchids had to be moved out of the kitchen to make room for the company. 

Reece is the owner of New York Diamonds located in the Walmart Shopping Center on South Main Street and the Highway 120 Bypass.

For more information about the show call Barry Barlow at 465-5454.    

To contact Glenn Kahl, email gkahl@mantecabulletin.com.