I am in the "generation" of growers that started during COVID. Every stage I am going through as a grower seems to be shared by this boom of social media growers. Starting in year 1 with latching on to those most popular social media hybridizers/prefixes and the most English-cottage-colored blooms. So Bloomquist Tory P and KA's and PNC and so on.
Then when we had one or two years with tubers under our belt we began with cuttings and now everyone I follow has a large indoor grow. More growers are finding ways to import from AU/NZ and the UK.
Then 3-4 years on we are all cuttings experts buying our tubers in early winter and venturing into hybridizing and therefore the boom in waterlily collectors making our own Kelgais, although I feel I have also seen pompons and stellars go very quickly so long as they are not red. And a large trend toward very dark varieties for those breeding their own Czarny Charakter. Not to mention dahlia seeds from known parents selling out immediately.
What is next, I don't know, maybe more people attempting tissue culture cuttings at home. If you look at the similar stages of growth in tropical houseplant collectors I think you can see where it's going. They are definitely doing tissue culture and live streaming auctions and have their own collector apps.
