Dig on Dahlias – Details, episodes & analysis

Join Joann and Allison chat with Heidi Zierdt. She is the North Central Trial Garden director as well as the ADS Chairperson for all Trial Gardens. We discuss what an ADS Trial Garden is as well as how to go about entering hybridized blooms to be evaluated. 

Join Joann and Allison chat with Jean Heeringa of Vista Dahlias! Her niece Lindsey, of IA Flower Farm, joins in on the conversation.  Jean truely has a love for growing this beautiful flower, paired up with her innovative husband, Ron, the two grew thousands of dahlias in Whatcom County. 

Jean no longer sell hers tubers. You can find them with Lindsey at www.iaflowerfarm.com and another family member, Stacy, https://dillndahlia.wixsite.com/home. 

You can read more about Jean's dahlia history at the Dahlia Legacy Project webstie here: https://www.legacy.nwdahlia.org/person/heeringa-jean-and-ron/. 

Join Joann and Allison chat with Eugene Kenyon and Rosie Cooper-Vert of River's Dahlias in Oregon. We discuss what they are up to on the farm, how they are invovled with their local club and what breeding goals they currently have. 

You can find out more about River's Dahlias on their website www.riversdahlias.com and on social media Instagram: @riverswbdahlias Facebook: River's WB Dahlias. 

Join Joann and Allison chat with Jim Kassner. Jim is the Show Chair for the 2025 ADS Nationals in Chicago. He is responsible for making sure everything is in order for another fantastic national show. While we didn't spend much time discussing it, Jim is an excellent exhibitor and senior judge.

Jim covers a few of the differences between exhibiting dahlias in the Pacific Northwest compared to exhibition in the Midwest. We also get a sneak peak into the speaker line up. 

Join Joann and Allison interview Marryn of The Farmhouse Flower Farm. Marryn shares with us a bit of her journey starting up a flower farm and how it has transitioned to focusing on dahlias and sweet peas.  Marryn has recently released her book Sweet Pea School: Growing and Arranging the Garden's Most Romantic Blooms. They are also beginning a new adventure in agrotourism remodeling a nearby farmhouse to offer some in-person flower farm experiences. 

You can find out more about Marryn on her website www.thefarmhouseflowerfarm.com and on Instagram @thefarmhouseflowerfarm.

Join Joann and Allison interview Adrienne of Tah-Dahlia! Adrinne is back on the podcast and gives us an update on her meristem and tissue culture experiment with Hapet Old Charm. 

You can find her first interview here: https://digondahlias.libsyn.com/ads-nationals-wenatchee-adrienne-with-tah-dahlia

To follow Adrienne's dahlia journey, follow her Instagram account @tahdahlia. 

Join Joann and Allison interview Joe Morse of Wood Lily Farm. Joe recently married into a family of dahlia giants and is taking on growing the legacy of his wife's late grandfater Lewis Bloom. Lewis has many introductions under the Bloom prefix that Joe is working hard to find and grow out. Joe didn't stop there and has been on the hunt for nearly lost varieites of the past. 

You can find out more about Joe on instagram @WoodLilyFarm. 

Join Joann and Allison interview Ellen Frost. Ellen owns a local flower cooperative, Local Color Flowers, shares a weekly newsletter and hosts an online community of growers called FlowerMore. Ellen shares with us how dahlia growers can effectively market themselves to local florists.

To find out more about Ellen, visit www.ellenfrost.com or on instagram @ellenfrostflowers. While you're there, don't forget to sign up for her newsletter that provides weekly tips for florists and growers at no cost!

Alison is back for a second episode! Join Joann and Allison interview Alison Kutz of Sound Horticulture discuss biological controls for pest and disease managment. She is a wealth of knowledge and always a delight to have on the show. A little of what we cover today includes soil dwelling pests and the symbiotic relationship among plants.

To find out more about Sound Horticulture, visit their website www.soundhorticulture.com or follow along on social media @SoundHorticulture. 

To listen to Alison's first episode with us, visit https://digondahlias.libsyn.com/allison-kutz-of-sound-horticulture-interview. 

Join Joann and Allison interview Emily of Idlewild Blooms discuss how she incorporates data collection into her growing and hybridizing of dahlias to help her more effectively make growing decisions. 

You can find out more about Emily and her farm and her data collection system at www.idlewildblooms.com as well as on social media @idlewildblooms.