Cultivating Unique Dahlias and the Art of Hybridisation with Kristine Albrecht

Text Agony Aunt Roz with your Cutflower Questions.

Welcome to the Cutflower Podcast!
In this episode, Roz interviews Kristine Albrecht, an award-winning Dahlia hybridiser, farmer, and vice president of the Monterey Bay Dahlia Society. Kristine shares her journey into dahlia cultivation and hybridisation, as well as insights into her unique approach to developing new dahlia varieties. With over 1,800 dahlias on her urban quarter-acre farm in Santa Cruz, California, Kristine has become a sought-after expert, particularly in creating colours and forms that captivate both exhibitors and florists.

Episode Summary

• Kristine’s Journey: How Kristine turned a quarter-acre plot into a dahlia haven.
• Hybridising Dahlias: The art and science of creating new dahlia varieties, including Kristine’s techniques and goals.
• The Dahlias Genome Project: Kristine's role in an ambitious project to decode the genetic blueprint of dahlias.
• Challenges of Flower Farming: Insights on managing viruses, cross-pollination techniques, and more.
• Innovations and Inspirations: Kristine’s ongoing quest for unique dahlia colours like brown and Coco Loco-inspired shades.

Key Takeaways

1. The Art of Hybridisation
   Kristine details the hybridisation process, including hand-pollination techniques and how to create new, vibrant varieties. Hybridisers can start by letting dahlias naturally cross-pollinate or manually selecting pollen sources to reach specific goals.
2. Building Florist-Friendly Varieties
   Kristine emphasises breeding dahlias for florists with versatile colours like blush and antique tones, meeting the demand for trendy, event-worthy flowers.
3. Navigating Challenges in Farming
   Handling dahlia viruses and preserving healthy stock for clients are major challenges. Kristine shares her methods, from sterilising tools to testing for virus-free plants.
4. Community and Collaboration
   By working with licensed sellers to multiply and distribute her varieties, Kristine sustains her business. She also collaborates closely with florists for feedback on new Dahlia traits that resonate with designers.

Resources

• Follow Kristine on Instagram: @SantaCruzDahlias
• Books by Kristine Albrecht: Available on Amazon
  • Dahlia Breeding for the Farmer, Florist, and Home Gardener
  • Dahlias: Seed to Bloom

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