Episode 91: Dahlia Hybridizing with Kristine Albrecht of Santa Cruz Dahlias
About this episode
Kristine Albrecht discusses her extensive experience in dahlia hybridizing and breeding techniques.
There are people who grow dahlias, and then there are people who spend two decades quietly shaping what dahlias can become. Kristine Albrecht is one of those people. From a weed-choked quarter acre in Santa Cruz, California, Kristine has built an extraordinary breeding program, growing 1,500 seedlings a year and selecting only about 50 to carry forward. Her cultivars (all marked with the K.A. prefix) have won some of the highest honors in the dahlia world, including multiple Daryl Hart Awards and the Stanley Johnson Medal. She was the first California breeder to receive that honor. In this conversation, Kristine walks us through how she got started (giant pumpkins played a role), what hand pollination actually looks like in the field, why she keeps organza bags on everything in August, and what traits she's breeding for right now. We also get into soil health, virus testing, the Juicy Fruit gopher trick, and why your soil test matters more than any recipe you'll find online. Key Takeaways * Hybridizing is a numbers game and a patience game. Kristine starts with 1,500 seedlings and keeps about 50 by season's end. * Hand pollination gives you more control over traits. Open…
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