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...

bloomhjelm

Teddahlia

The actual truth is that I think they have a very marketable form, and these teases of photos will make it a highly sought-after flower once it is sold. But. Maybe I am in the minority but I prefer a lighter color and a slightly smaller bloom. It is a very good achievement anyway.

Krista

Teddahlia I believe I saw this at the ADS National Show last year in Portland possibly? When I did, I thought it was a bloom that just hadn’t fully opened and the shower plucked and entered it anyway. I think the colors are lovely and it has the potential for contributing nice textural appeal in an arrangement. I’m a fan, it’s nice to see unique bloom forms when they appear!

Juliarugula

I suspect it will be popular. But it looks like a waterlily that is permanently closed up, and I don’t really like it when they do that!

But most waterlily fans seem to love that feature, so I’m sure it will sell like hotcakes.

blown_dry

Teddahlia I think it's really interesting. I'm not a breeder at this time, but I would be really interested to see more like this one.

Justafewdahlias

Teddahlia I like the look of this flower, and would also predict it to be popular if offered for sale. Flowers like tulips or peonies are only available for what feels like a short window of time. So having these “spring” flowers out of season in the summer (even as a look alike form & not the real deal) would be in demand. The dahlia Kelgi Ann was (maybe still is) one of those hard to snag varieties and I think it has a lot to do with it being often described/ marketed as a peony look alike and it closing at night.

magucci

bloomhjelm l like Mariposa!

calico20hill

I would like a discussion on "Stock Drift" for want of a better term (Is there one?). I have been focusing on my Salish Twilight Girl but I am pretty sure this happens with others also, When I started out with her she had a deep dark red violet back to her petals that contrasted beautifully with the pewter silver sheen on the tops of the petals, Now that she has been in production by the masses I am seeing way too many of them that have lost this color contrast. The petal backs are a much lighter shade of red violet and the upper surface of the petals is more of a pale pink than a pewter silver. It is still a nice flower but it lacks the drama. How does one handle this on a national level? It is sad to see people happy with this compromised stock but I don't want to burst their joy.

In my own garden, I have been selecting for the original color and have some nice one again but only a few....certainly not enough to sell. I will continue as long as I can garden working to keep the original look but I have only 6 raised beds of dahlia to work with. I also have a promise to my distributor that I will not sell to anyone else and I get paid some nice money for that. I will Ttlk to them about the color issue but I know they are dealing with a health crises right now and don't want add to their stress.

I have one of my "improved" version sitting here by my chair in a bouquet and I can't keep my eyes off of it...it satisfies me right down to my toes!

Bessie

calico20hill I like the topic of "Stock Drift". My intuition tells me the problem may be multifaceted, with part culture and part genetic changes involved. We all know how temperatures and direct sun can change the coloring of some varieties, with Sweet Nathalie being the first that comes to my mind. She can be a dark pink with purple to almost white. In addition, it seems that part shade and consistent watering(in my garden) will reduce her "clockface" blooms.
I'd be interested to know if you take the nicest stock of Salish Twighlight Girl and make cuttings(therefore all genetically identical), and see if they show diversity if grown in different growing environments chosen for heat, sun exposure, moisture, soil temperature, fertilizer treatment and soil pH to name a few variables. I'd look for a grad student in need of a research project.

MissyWeitzel

calico20hill I have so many dahlias looking different from usual in all sorts of ways (including color) due to weather and other stressors. Is it possible the stock hasn't broken down, but instead the growers are experiencing powdery mildew, spider mites, and crazy weather like me?

Right now my Fiona blooms are yellow all over rather than the normal peachy orange with yellow only at the very center. And a bunch of other varieties are presenting much different than usual right now!

calico20hill

Bessie Bessie, what a great idea! I don't have any grad students waiting in the wings but could certainly have friends grow cuttings in different environments and soil here in the Pacific NW, plus my daughter in Maine.

Krista

calico20hill I’d be happy to trial her under the hot,Yakima sun in central Washington!

Teddahlia

There are several possible issues in the lack of color situation: (1) the color itself may have sported to a slightly lighter color. (2) Shade may be needed to get intense colors.

Teddahlia

Two pictures of a second year really bright orange seedling that grows 6 feet tall.

blown_dry

Too much cloud cover can also lead to washed out color. I see beautiful photos of Candlelight, but it's just light yellow when I grow it. Some pigments need a certain amount of UV on the bud at the right moment.

drewtheflorist

Teddahlia Didn't get the "weeding" done in this area ????

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.

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