b'Hybridizing Dahliasto Withstand TimeBreeder Kristine Albrecht reflects on different dahlia markets and looks to the future of dahlia breeding. Alex MartinA STAPLE INmany gardens, dahlias are a fan favorite. Theyre the national flower of Mexico and are found in the mountains of Mexico and Guatemala. These native flowers are the source of genetic material for the dahlias most gardeners work with today.While you might admire the beautiful petals and colors of the modern dahlia, the hybridization process is complex and some-what unknown. Growing the flower from tubers is most common, however, hybridizing dahlias to receive seed to create new, differ-ent varieties has become a passion of Kristine Albrecht.The Secrets of the DahliaWhile Albrecht didnt major or specialize in plant breeding in school, she elevated her garden hobby with dahlia hybridization.Her start in dahlia hybridization might surprise you.I really learned a lot about how to grow things from giant pumpkin growerswe used to grow giant pumpkins for our fair, she says. Its a lot about soil and keeping your soil healthy and full of nutrients for you to grow something that giant.It wasnt until she received some dahlia tubers from a friend that she developed an interest in the flower. Dahlias were new and exciting, Albrecht says, as prior to this she worked mostly with gourds. I joined our local Monterey Bay Dahlia Society, which is where I learned about growing dahliasbut its also where I learned about breeding. We had hybridizers in our local society that could hold my hand and teach seminars.What was interesting to her was there werent any books written about dahlia hybridization in 2006. As a new hybridizer, it was mostly word of mouthand a fair amount of people were kind of secretive of it, Albrecht says. Its all about showing in the dahlia world, so it was hush-hush about the standards and traits people were working towards.It wasnt showing dahlias, however, that caught Albrechts eye. She realized quickly there was another market for dahlia: the PHOTO: BRION SPRINSOCK florist.12/ SEEDWORLD.COMFEBRUARY 2022'