Dig on Dahlias

Joann Hartwell and Allison Lingbloom

All things dahlia

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66 episodes
Updated July 14

Episodes66

Newest first

January 13 · 52 min
Part 1: Steve and Sandy Boley, of Birch Bay Dahlias, Discuss Mentors
Steve and Sandy Boley of Birch Bay Dahlias are back! This time our converstaion focuses on how the many mentors of theirs influenced their journey to become the incredible hybridizers that they are today. Part 1 goes over mentors: Dr Kieth Hammett, Gordie Leroux, Richard Raymond, Evie Gullikson, Curt Sell and Bill McClaren. You can find out more about Steve and Sandy's breeding on their website www.birchbaydahlias.com or on their facebook page.
Dec 2, 2025 · 48 min
Deanna Kitchen with the Growing Kindness Movement
Join Joann and Allison chat with Deanna of the Growing Kindness Movement. Driven by a mission to use flowers as a way to connect and show kindness towards others, the Growing Kindness Movment has become a worldwide effort. To find out more about the Growing Kindness Movement, check out www.growingkindndessproject.com or on social media @growingkindnessproject. You can listen in on their new podcast, Growing Kindness, on all the major podcast platforms.
Nov 25, 2025 · 51 min
Rich Gibson of 20th Ave Dahlias
Join Joann and Allison chat with Rich Gibson of 20th Ave Dahlias. Rich shares with us all about his dahlia hybridizing from history to technique. You can find Rich's new introductions for sale through www.crazy4dahlias.com.
Nov 11, 2025 · 58 min
Heidi Zierdt ADS Chairperson, Trial Garden Director
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.
Oct 28, 2025 · 38 min
Jean Heeringa of Vista Dahlias
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/.
Oct 8, 2025 · 28 min
Joann and Allison: Chatting about the season coming to an end
Join Joann and Allison chat about our recent adventures and our emotional preparation for the seasons end.
Sep 23, 2025 · 43 min
Melissa of Bee Merry Farm
Join Joann and Allison chat with Melissa of Bee Merry Farm talk all things running a dahlia farm while simultaneously working two other jobs. Melissa's love for dahilas and compassion for others is very apparent in all the wonderful things she does. Listen in as she shares what she is up to! You can follow Melissa on social media @beemerryfarm and on her website www.beemerryfarm.com. Follow her newsletter and her social media page to recieve updates on her tuber and seed sales.
Sep 16, 2025 · 37 min
Nina of Trillium Finch and Heart Song Roses
Join Joann and Allison chat with Nina about her new rose business Heart Song Roses. While Nina has been in the floral industry for years as Trillium Finch, she is braching out with a renewed love for old heritage roses selling varieties that are nearly impossible to find. Follow Nina on social media @trilliumfinch to find out more about Heart Song Roses and where to buy these roses and to find out information about Nina's annual tuber sale.
Sep 9, 2025 · 46 min
Senior Judge and Dahlia Hybridizer Connie Young-Davis
Join Joann and Allison chat with Connie Young-Davis. Among many other talents outside of the garden, Connie is an exceptional dahlia exhibitionist and dahlia hybridizer (prefix Connie). She shares with us how she plans and tends her garden so her blooms can end up on the head table time and time again. Connie's garden is up in Canada, her varities are more easily accessible through Canadian tuber stores, however, they are starting to trickle down to the states. Check out the Dahlia Legacy Project's article here: https://www.legacy.nwdahlia.org/person/connie-young-davis/ for more information!
Sep 2, 2025 · 50 min
Dahlia Hybridizer and Book Author Bec McConnell
Join Joann and Allison chat with Bec McConnell of Serenade Dahlias over in Australia. Bec is growing primarily for the cut flower market and hybridizing beautiful traditional and new and interesting dahlia forms. Bec has released a couple books about growing and hybridizing dahlias. You can find out more about Bec and Serenade Dahlias on social media @serenade_dahlias and online at https://serenadefarm.com.au.
Aug 26, 2025 · 33 min
Senior Dahlia Judge and Hybridizer Wayne Lobaugh Discusses the Market Bunch
Join Joann and Allison chat with Wayne Lobaugh, senior dahlia judge, exhbitior and dahlia hybridizer discuss the new ADS show entry, the Market Bunch. Wayne discusses a little history of how the market bunch came to be and how it has been going with the clubs that have added it to their show entries. Wayne runs Lobaugh's Dahlias www.lobaughsdahlias.com. You can see his beautiful new intorductions by following him at his website or on social media IG @lobaughsdahlias.
Aug 12, 2025 · 1 hr 17 min
Senior Dahlia Judge and Exhibitor Paul Howard Interview
Join Joann and Allison chat all things dahlia exhibition with well accomplished dahlia exhibitor and senior judge, Paul Howard. Paul and his wife, Cheryl, will surely be on the head table at each show they attend. They carefully grow and tend to their plants to perfection. Paul shares with us how to also be successful at growing dahlias for exhibition. While, at the current time, their focus is not on hybridizing, they have introductions under the Lulu prefix. We just right into conversation with Paul! We hope you enjoy as much as we did.
Jul 9, 2025 · 30 min
Joann and Allison: Current Garden Happenings
Joann and Allison discuss what is currently going on in our gardens and how we are adapting to new spaces and new garden challenges.
Jun 24, 2025 · 52 min
Eugene and Rosie of River's Dahlias
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.
Jun 17, 2025 · 1 hr 4 min
Jim Kassner: 2025 ADS Nationals Show Chair
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.
Jun 3, 2025 · 47 min
Marryn Mathis of The Farmhouse Flower Farm
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.
May 6, 2025 · 33 min
Adrienne of Tah-Dahlia!
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.
Apr 29, 2025 · 44 min
Joe Morse of Wood Lily Farm
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.
Apr 22, 2025 · 55 min
Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers and FlowerMore
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!
Apr 8, 2025 · 1 hr
Alison Kutz with Sound Horticulture
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.

Dig on Dahlias

Part 1: Steve and Sandy Boley, of Birch Bay Dahlias, Discuss Mentors

Deanna Kitchen with the Growing Kindness Movement

Rich Gibson of 20th Ave Dahlias

Heidi Zierdt ADS Chairperson, Trial Garden Director

Jean Heeringa of Vista Dahlias

Joann and Allison: Chatting about the season coming to an end

Melissa of Bee Merry Farm

Nina of Trillium Finch and Heart Song Roses

Senior Judge and Dahlia Hybridizer Connie Young-Davis

Dahlia Hybridizer and Book Author Bec McConnell

Senior Dahlia Judge and Hybridizer Wayne Lobaugh Discusses the Market Bunch

Senior Dahlia Judge and Exhibitor Paul Howard Interview

Joann and Allison: Current Garden Happenings

Eugene and Rosie of River's Dahlias

Jim Kassner: 2025 ADS Nationals Show Chair

Marryn Mathis of The Farmhouse Flower Farm

Adrienne of Tah-Dahlia!

Joe Morse of Wood Lily Farm

Ellen Frost of Local Color Flowers and FlowerMore

Alison Kutz with Sound Horticulture