Hybridizing Dahlias

Bessie · 2023-09-14T03:43:02+00:00

Krista to discover if seeds are growing in the seed pod, after there are no remaining anthers on the pod, gently squeeze the pods between your thumb and fing...

Teddahlia

My old picture of Odyssey, the miniature ball that makes lots of seeds and it's seedlings have won many awards.

JessieC

Teddahlia I’m still hoping to see some blooms off of Odyssey. Two of mine were afflicted with mites. The other one gave me a couple of sub par blooms during the worst of the heat wave. I was really looking forward to it!

Juliarugula

Teddahlia I got exactly one seed from Odyssey last year, but this year the pods are looking pretty good. (To be fair, I hadn’t even planned on saving seed last year so I wasn’t really letting pods form at all). We’ll see how it goes.

Teddahlia

I used to collect a couple hundred Odyssey seeds and always let the flowers get to the 4th or 5th flush and small flowers made fine seeds. It must be very difficult to get seeds in your climate if Odyssey does not yield them.

Juliarugula

Teddahlia It must be very difficult to get seeds in your climate if Odyssey does not yield them.

I don’t particularly think so. I only left one pod on odyssey last year and I think it was poorly timed/bad luck/coincidence. I’ve left five pods on this year and they feel very full.

Teddahlia

Dahlia varieties vary in the number of seeds per pod that ripen. Odyssey small flowers may not have lots of seed but there are lots of pods. My record for a fully double dahlia is 122 seeds and that is from an "A" sized flower of our breeding. That one pod was exceptional and 40 seeds per pod would be about average for that variety. One of our varieties that makes nice seedlings averages one seed per two pods. If a pod has any seeds, there is generally just one. Many varieties make so few seeds that it is a lost cause and I no longer even check for seeds. I consider Odyssey to be an above average seed maker.

Juliarugula

Any words of wisdom in regards to breeding for variegation? From examples of seedlings/seed parents I’ve seen, it seems like a variegated seed parent is (unsurprisingly) the best bet for variegated seedlings. Any more details I should be aware of?

Teddahlia

90% of dahlia of breeding is to select the parents and as they say "The apple does not fall far from the tree." We initially used Rolf, the best example of a variegated flower of all. So good that a year or so ago that the Dahlia Diva( I did not give her the name and it was used in advertising for her dahlia talk at a National show), Debra Dietz showed the old timer flower to a big award in a show in California. Rolf has the best variegation and those genes have been installed into our variegated selections. Variegated flowers produce some variegated seedlings(% is a guess 20%) .
Having said that. some solid color varieties have been known to sport to variegated.
Second year seedling we recently marked to keep.

Juliarugula

Teddahlia thanks for the info! I love that seedling - hope it makes it out to the public.

Juliarugula

Teddahlia it’s interesting - I have a strong memory about a discussion regarding Rolf, and the image of it is very familiar too. But I can find very little info about it online. Was it discussed on this forum at some point in the last couple of years? It’s going to be nagging at the back of my mind now.

Ah - I found it. Just had to dig a little deeper. Looks like it was mentioned here when Cowlitz had it in 2023.

MissyWeitzel

More of my collarette seedlings are opening. I'm breaking Ted's rules again and posting immature 1st blooms of 1st year seedlings. If you've grown Bumble Rumble, then you know what I mean when I say this seedling has the same kinda cupped petals and sturdy compact kind of bloom when still opening just like Bumble Rumble does and the colors are definitely interesting. Unfortunately I see 9 uneven petals and petal splits.

This one is pretty and terrible.

This one looks like it might be good, but every time I think that, it isn't, so I'm telling myself it's terrible and I'll look at it again tomorrow.

Some day I'll find a winner in my seedlings. Just not today. 😊

Juliarugula

MissyWeitzel I really like that cutesy yellow one though.

Teddahlia

Collarette breeders must have infinite patience.

BackyardBouquets_17

A seedling I’m especially fond of. I have a lot to learn on dahlia breeding and what makes good dahlias but it’s been the most fun I had all season.

Teddahlia

Bloom is a bit immature but appears to have a tight center.

Teddahlia

My old picture of Rolf, my favorite variegated flower. Have not grown it for many years however.

Juliarugula

Teddahlia that’s such an amazing flower. I didn’t see that anybody had it last year unfortunately. I’d love to get my hands on it.

Teddahlia

Rolf was entered(and won big time) in a show last year by the Dahlia Diva, Debra Dietz.

Not a good picture

Juliarugula

Teddahlia what a stunning arrangement! So bright!

MissyWeitzel

2308 - 1st year 2nd bloom
Cute but did not really improve much from the first bloom. After wasting spots in my seedling beds growing out all 6 of my awful 2nd year maybe waterlily seedling, I think it's becoming easier for me to say no to keeping 1st year seedlings I think are pretty but have more than 1 minor flaw. This one has splits and the petals don't all overlap the same way.

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