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Ep.39: How Vonda VandeHoef Hybridizes Dahlias In Her Backyard Cutting Garden
2k Plays3 months ago
Are you curious about what it takes to hybridize dahlias in your own backyard? Tune in to hear how Vonda VandeHoef, PNW gardener, has become a backyard dahlia hybridizer.
In this episode we are joined by Vonda VandeHoef, a passionate backyard gardener from the Pacific Northwest. Vonda shares her journey from growing up around flowers to becoming a passionate backyard dahlia hybridizer.
Vonda's love for flowers is deeply rooted in her family history, having grown up with a mother who ran a flower shop. She recounts how her early experiences in the floral industry planted the seeds for her current passion. Despite facing significant personal losses, including the sudden deaths of her sister, mother, and brother-in-law, Vonda finds solace and healing in her garden. Her story is a testament to the therapeutic power of gardening.
Listeners will be inspired by Vonda's detailed process of hybridizing dahlias, from saving seeds to growing out new varieties over several years. She discusses the challenges and joys of cultivating a diverse range of dahlias, including her favorite anemone types and the unique seedlings she has developed. Vonda also touches on her plans to name some of her dahlias in honor of her loved ones and her aspirations to support her family through her gardening endeavors.
Tune in to hear Vonda's heartfelt journey, her expert tips on dahlia hybridization, and how she manages to grow over 1,300 dahlias in her backyard. This episode is a beautiful blend of personal stories and practical gardening advice that will leave you feeling inspired and eager to let your own backyard bloom.
In This Episode You’ll Hear About:
00:03:14 - Vonda's Early Passion for Flowers
00:05:45 - Transition from Interior Design to Floristry
00:07:09 - Color Theory in Floristry and Photography
00:09:29 - Vonda's Current Home and Garden
00:16:14 - Coping with Loss & Finding Healing Through Gardening
00:26:06 - Process of Hybridizing Dahlias
00:31:06 - Evaluating and Saving Dahlia Seedlings
00:32:50 - Favorite Dahlia Varieties
00:37:16 - Family Support and Business Aspirations
00:41:07 - Evolution of Vonda's Garden
00:43:39 - Sharing Flowers with the Community
00:44:47 - Plans to Release Hybridized Dahlias
Show Notes: https://thefloweringfarmhouse.com/2024/10/16/ep-39-vonda-vandehoef-backyard-dahlia-hybridizer/
Learn More About Vonda VandeHoef:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vondavhoef/
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Transcript
Introduction to Backyard Bouquet Podcast
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to the Backyard Bouquet podcast, where stories bloom from local flower fields and home gardens. I'm your host, Jennifer Galitzia of the Flowering Farmhouse. I'm a backyard gardener turned flower farmer located in Hood River, Oregon. Join us for heartfelt journeys shared by flower farmers and backyard gardeners. Each episode is like a vibrant garden, cultivating wisdom and joy through flowers.
Podcast Goals and Listener Engagement
00:00:28
Speaker
From growing your own backyard garden to supporting your local flower farmer,
00:00:32
Speaker
The backyard bouquet is your fertile ground for heartwarming tales and expert cut flower growing advice. All right flower friends, grab your gardening gloves, garden snips, or your favorite vase because it's time to let your backyard bloom.
The Dahlia Patch Community
00:00:55
Speaker
Hey, fellow dahlia growers, as the seasons start to change, it's almost time to put our dahlias to bed for the winter and start planning next year's gardens. Interested in joining a community of supportive dahlia enthusiasts? Be sure to check out the dahlia patch. To thank my podcast listeners, I'm offering a one-month,
00:01:14
Speaker
free trial, just click the link in the show notes to join. The Dahlia Patch is an interactive online community focused on hands-on learning featuring monthly live trainings, interactive Q and&A sessions, and regular monthly live chats to keep our green thumbs busy all year round. Whether you're new to Dahlias or a season grower, you'll always find new techniques to master and planning tips for the season ahead.
00:01:41
Speaker
Join the Dahlia patch today by following the link in our show notes and grow your Dahlia gardening network. Hope to see you in the Dahlia patch.
Meet Vonda Van de Hoof
00:01:53
Speaker
Welcome to another episode of the Backyard Bouquet podcast, where we celebrate the beauty of blooms and the stories of those who nurture them. Today, I'm excited to introduce you to a special guest, Vonda Van de Hoof, a passionate backyard gardener from the Pacific Northwest who has a special knack for growing and hybridizing stunning dahlias.
00:02:14
Speaker
Vonda's love for gardening shines brightly on her Instagram page, where she shares the vibrant colors and intricate forms of her favorite blooms. Married to her high school sweetheart and deeply influenced by her family, Vonda's garden is not just a place of beauty, but a sanctuary filled with love and inspiration.
00:02:34
Speaker
She cherishes pink flowers, her adorable pug, and the simple joys of life surrounded by nature.
Dahlia Hybridization and Gardening Tips
00:02:40
Speaker
In today's episode, Vonda will share her journey into the world of dahlia hybridization, process for cultivating new varieties, and the joys of gardening in the Pacific Northwest.
00:02:51
Speaker
Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting to dip your toes into the floral world, Vonda's insights and experiences are sure to leave you feeling inspired. Vonda, it's so wonderful to have you here today. Welcome. Thank you for having me. Absolutely. I can't wait to chat with you today. Could you start by telling us what sparked your passion for cut flowers?
00:03:13
Speaker
um Well, my mom always grew um a lot of flowers and then we actually had a flower shop for almost 20 years and so I had gone to school for interior design um for just a little bit and then she wanted to open a flower shop so then I came back and um yeah I got married and And we had the flower shop together. And so um I just have always loved flowers. And um I didn't start gardening here until, you know, more a few years ago. But um yeah, I just might probably my mom. Yeah.
00:03:56
Speaker
Where did you grow up? um Right here in Linden. So you're in Linden, Washington, which is in the northern tip yeah yeah of Washington. Yes, very northwest tip of Washington. yeah Almost to the Canadian border. Yes, yeahp a few minutes away. yeah So paint a picture for us. What's your growing zone like there?
00:04:17
Speaker
Well, um we're supposed to be like 8B, I do believe, um but we can get like these ah crazy northeastern wind and snow storms. And so um it can can get like really, really cold sometimes. You don't know if you're going to get them or not, but if you do, it's really cold. So yeah.
00:04:41
Speaker
So by really cold, is that like below zero or? Yes. Yes. And with, especially with the wind chill. Okay. Yeah. And what's your weather like right now? We're chatting mid September. Right now it's really pretty. It's, i I mean, we've had a little bit of rain this year, but you know, like six, mid sixties, seventies, you know, yeah, kind of right around there. Gotcha. Yeah. Sometimes we get like a beautiful, beautiful September. This year has been,
00:05:10
Speaker
not quite as nice, but still pretty. I was looking at the weather forecast and it looks like in Oregon we're supposed to go up to almost 90 degrees next week. It's like summer's coming back after we've been in the 70s and 60s. Oh wow. Yeah, that would be, I wouldn't mind a little bit more summer. I'm a summer person, spring, summer.
00:05:30
Speaker
I need my sunshine. Yeah, sunshine is nice. Well, if you grew up around flowers, I'm sure that the sunshine
Design Aesthetics in Gardening
00:05:36
Speaker
is super important for growing the flowers and being out and enjoying them. Let's go back in time a little bit. So you went to school for interior design. Yes, just for a short time. I thought that's what I wanted to do. I still love that. but yeah But that probably helped you develop an eye for detail that helped you when you went to help your mom with the floral shop. Yes, and I think the whole color. you know i love um For me, like when I'm planting things, I probably am not always practical where I don't plant 10 of the same plant together.
00:06:12
Speaker
I'm thinking, okay, well, I want some pink over there and I want some peach here and I want more pink over there. So everything's kind of scattered. But visually for me and when I'm taking pictures that um I think sometimes I just kind of grow how I want things to look instead of what's probably easier or more practical.
00:06:35
Speaker
which is why your pictures are always so beautiful. Thank you. When I used to do newborn photography, I did an intern, well not an internship, I went to a workshop and one of the things the instructor said was to study color theory theory if you wanted to be a good photographer and it's carried over into photography, or I can't talk today, it's carried over into flowers where I think about what colors will work well together when I'm putting palettes together. Yeah.
00:07:04
Speaker
So did you find that you were incorporating a lot of that into the flower shop as well? Yes. Um, I did a lot of the bouquets and we did a lot of weddings and then, um, just, yeah, I think it just helped, you know, just with color. And like, I really didn't, um, have a lot of color here when we moved here and we kind of had a clean slate. And so over 22 years, we've, I kind of at, we had a different structures and then, um, Probably about eight years ago, I um i started growing more flowers here. so
00:07:41
Speaker
Yeah. So you said 22 years, that's how long you've been in your current home. Yes. That's a long time. So you probably have a very established garden. Yes, it's getting there. A lot of like the, you know, like we planted like wisteria and like trumpet pine and, um you know, we have these Italian cypress up in front, which I don't think anybody thought would make it up here, but I loved them.
00:08:06
Speaker
um You know, so I'm like, Oh, I'm going to try it. And we have a lot of boxwood everywhere and just kind of enclosed our space. um We didn't have a lot of um houses around us. We moved here. So we kind of We knew that everything was coming so we kind of made a little you know enclosed back area. yeah How much space do you have at your house? We're on a corner so probably I think we're a little over half an acre. I think we're supposed to be close to three-fourths of an acre but with the sidewalks and roads it's not quite that much anymore. but
00:08:45
Speaker
yeah That's a good amount of space though so you can grow a lot of plants and a lot of flowers. yeah i you know I have people ask me, they see the all of them growing in the front yard and I go, oh, there's actually more in the back. So John used to really love his lawn, but you know as the kids grew up and and you know moved out. you know We didn't need like the trampoline and the the swimming pool and those things kind of leave like those you know those dead patches in the lawn. I'd go, hey, can I like have that spot for a garden and that spot for a garden? Yeah. I love that. so Did you move into this house when you were working at the flower shop with your mom? No. We had, I'm trying to think,
00:09:34
Speaker
Yes. I think we, yes, we were, we still had it then. um We closed it in, I do believe it was 2005. The flower shop. Yes. And we moved in here 2002. Okay. Yeah. So I know I'm still sticking with the flower shop. I wanted to chronologically through your history here. Yeah.
00:09:59
Speaker
Did you grow flowers for the flower shop also, or did you bring in flowers? How did that work? Yeah, i I wish now. That would probably be what I would have loved to have done more than um even like the bouquets and the weddings and all that. like I love the growing, and I think that I probably would have taken that on, but I don't think there was as many people doing that back then. um So we had we called him um our flower guy and he would go up to the Canadian market and get us really fresh stuff that they were growing right across the border and stuff then. And then we did have to order some stuff in.
00:10:37
Speaker
But um he would just find us the most amazing things. Remember, I always loved like the ranunculus and the selosia. And now I've like been able to try to grow all that stuff even just for for fun. you know And just for myself, it's been neat to just try all the different things that I used to just you know gawk over on the truck. I was just like, oh my gosh, they're so beautiful. And yeah, so that's fun.
00:11:01
Speaker
I love that. So back then at the flower shop, there were little seeds being planted in your life, yeah literally, that made you eventually want to grow your own garden, it sounds like. Yeah, definitely. And it helps me remember um ah just the neat times. you know i i um My mom and I started it, and then um my youngest sister She joined us like the last five years because she was um boy was she like 12 years old maybe when we started and then um she would like help with my My kids because we um we have four kids and they're all grown up now, but um So the flower shop is actually on my parents property And so that was really neat because the kids could just you know and Run around and kind of sort of grow up a little bit where I did too as well
00:11:53
Speaker
um So yeah, so that was that was really neat. We made a lot of fun memories there, even just for the kids, you know, because I, I wanted to be present in their lives too. You know, they grow up so fast and yeah. Oh, that's beautiful. How neat that you got to grow up there.
00:12:12
Speaker
And then you opened up a flower shop with your mom and then your kids got to run around while you and your mom were running the flower shop. Yes. So did the flower shop mostly cater to weddings and events or did it also do daily orders for flowers? It was a lot of daily orders. um We had a, yeah, just the sweetest
Gardening as Healing and Connection
00:12:31
Speaker
following of people, you know, um that would, you know, call us on,
00:12:36
Speaker
Mother's Day or Valentine's Day, you know, we knew if they hadn't called yet, we knew we had to have some stuff saved for certain people because we knew that they would be calling. um And so and then we did um like some events, you know, like at Christmas and stuff. And, um and then lots of weddings, we, our summers got really booked. And I think that was kind of when we realized too, I think the last summer we were open, we have, like, only one weekend where we could have done something, you know? And you realize, like, that's when the kids are home is the summer, and um my sister was going to have twins. And we just were like, Okay, we've been doing this for a long time. And yeah, I think my mom too, we just kind of all realized we needed
00:13:24
Speaker
to focus on other things. Yeah. I think that's beautiful that you guys all recognized where your priorities were and that you were able to make that change over to focusing on your family. Yeah. When you closed up the flower shop, did you transition into anything else in the floral industry or what happened after that? You know, I really didn't um for a while. um So my my sister um It was it was really hard. She had her little twins and then um She was pregnant with her third um Little baby and he was a little boy and and she passed away really unexpectedly um Yeah, it was sorry really hard um But um so my mom, you know, it was kind of just devastating to to all of us and um
00:14:19
Speaker
So my mom kind of, um i I helped her with her gardening. um I could tell that that I think that was, she just needed to be outside in the flowers. And so we kind of, kind of built, she built this whole um garden where she had like a section for each of us, kids and my dad and brother built her like a pond. So she had these cooing and then she made um like each section of the garden, like our colors and what we would love. So um she did that kind of in memory of, of my sister and her little baby and,
00:14:56
Speaker
Yeah, and so you know I helped her for for quite a few years. um And then, um I'm sorry, then we um we lost my mom and suddenly to pancreatic cancer um back in 2016. And then, sorry, my brother-in-law passed away, my my sister's husband, four months later after a routine surgery. So it was a really difficult time.
00:15:25
Speaker
Um, and I think that's when I, I realized that I needed to be looking for her something, you know, for beauty and for something just, um, you need to look, you know, really, it's really easy to get really dark and sad. And, um, you still have those moments. Um, but I realized like when I'm outside in the flowers, like, I think it helps me feel closer to them. Um,
00:15:55
Speaker
yeah I'm so sorry for your losses. yeah That is so hard and that's so many amazing people in your life to lose in a short period of time. What stands out to me is how you all shared this love for flowers. yeah You have been able to continue that and you get to carry out some of their legacy. Yes, I'm definitely going to be naming some after them if I can figure out how to get you know them released. The seedlings, I've got a couple um that i I've kind of got that I'm and thinking might be for them at this point already. so Those are dahlias that you are referencing. Yes, dahlias, yes. So at what point did you get into growing dahlias and hybridizing them from seed? um Okay, so it's really funny. but um
00:16:44
Speaker
i started I actually think I got my first dahlia tubers from the little high school um plant sale that um my son was taking like the you know the class there. And so they always have like this this spring sale and somebody was selling these little dahlia tubers. And I'm like, oh, you know I've never grown dahlias. um It's really funny because my mom never grew dahlias. It just wasn't her thing. And so I think I always kind of was watching what mom did, you know, and I'm like, well, I kind of think they're really pretty. And so I grew those and, you know, I don't even know which ones they were at this point. They were just in this little back corner of the garden where it was
00:17:26
Speaker
way too shady, you know? and um But I was like, those are fun. And so I think it was the next year, maybe. i Maybe, you know what, I think we had a year in between. um My husband was um diagnosed with leukemia in 2017. And so we spent almost the whole summer in the hospital down in Seattle. And um it was a very,
00:17:55
Speaker
um it was It was really hard to be you know just away from the kids and um you know just not and knowing you know what was going on. and um but they They're amazing down there. and and There was like a garden at the hospital and if I was overwhelmed, I would just take a little walk outside. and walk just through the flowers a little bit. But um what happened was our our lawn pretty much just died that summer. It was so hot. And John was always so good about watering everything and keeping everything green. That was his thing. And so then um it was actually the next year, I think, where there was like all this this this, you know, the grass looks horrible. And I'm like,
00:18:41
Speaker
hey could we like maybe to dig that part up and can I have you know I'd like to grow a garden he's like yeah sure go for it you know and so I ordered um tubers from like triple ren and uh the flower hat and some of them you know and I think I maybe started out with 40 you know how that goes and um and so then the next year I just I ordered more and um and then we added a second bed farther down and then after that it was like a third bed and um yeah and then I think it was in um
00:19:17
Speaker
2020, I think it was um that the Discovering Dahlia's book and then the Dahlia Breeding book from Christine you know came
Passion for Dahlia Hybridizing
00:19:28
Speaker
out. And so my son had gotten me, when ah when my oldest had gotten me the um the book from Christine Albright about Dahlia Breeding. And so i am I'm like, I'm going to try this. This looks fun. I think sometimes just I don't know, just all the new you know the new stuff. it's just It's just fun. It's like this just this little gift you go out there and you know there's just something that's never grown before. you know um And so I saved some seeds and then I i planted them out. I didn't have a ton of them, just a few, because I didn't know what I was doing. and um And then I had this beautiful pink one. I still have her. She's the only one
00:20:14
Speaker
left that has made it from then. But um I was like, wow, this is you know this is amazing. Of course, there's a bunch after that now that are not that pretty. But um it bloomed right before um Yeah, my my husband, the leukemia came back and so we ended up having to go back to Seattle again. and This was in 2021? This was in 2021, yes. And so, um you know, the first time we had
00:20:46
Speaker
Yeah, spent um you know two months down there and then um he needed a stem cell transplant. So we actually had to go back and we spent like Christmas down there. And um then we were down there for three months after that, just because we had to make sure he was okay. And um it takes a while just for that whole process. So he was clear for over four years. And so we thought everything was you know good. And then, um yeah, came back in 2021.
00:21:14
Speaker
But um you know, that little just bit of beauty, I don't even know how my dahlias made it through that year because I um was only home for a couple of days. I had to, might set my boys, older two boys came over and we dug them up. That was the, um it was the weekend, I think it was that it flooded that nook, sack and sue mass. I don't know if you remember hearing about this a huge flood.
00:21:41
Speaker
And, um, you know, we're in Linden, but the roads, I was home for, I think for two days. And so we were digging up in the rain and I just shoved everything in crates and just threw it in the garage and like, okay, you're on your own, you know? But I remember I was like leaving town because I had to get back to Seattle and some of the roads were shutting down as I was trying to get out, um, oh my go onto the freeway. It was just crazy. And then I was, you know, down in Seattle for a while again. Um, but he,
00:22:10
Speaker
He got in remission again. They are just amazing down there. um And we had this this amazing doctor. We actually want to possibly name one of our first dahlias after her because we just She was so amazing. And we we would like to you know be able to, I don't even just give back to Fred Hutch, maybe to part of like a donation type thing. What is Fred Hutch? It's where um they treated John. it's it's um It used to be Seattle Cancer Care. And now it's a Fred Hutch is in cancer research. And they're um connected with like the University of Washington Medical Center. And that's where like they did all of his um
00:22:53
Speaker
stem cell transplant and um his chemotherapy and um all of that. They are like his follow-up team and we you actually still go down there and see them, um you know, and check in with them. And yeah, they're amazing. And so we would like to be able to just, um you know, give back at some point in some way and when we're able to.
00:23:16
Speaker
you know And so we had actually kind of talked about um maybe this pink Dahlia, possibly naming that one after her. and What's the doctor's name? um almost I'll say her first name is Elizabeth. OK. Yeah, so we kind of and we kind of had another name picked, and um that one kind of got taken. So we're we're thinking we might go this route instead, and it was kind of on our hearts. Yeah, so we'll see. And yeah, I need to name one after my mom.
00:23:46
Speaker
um But that one will have to be like a corally orange or something. That was her favorite color. And my sister's favorite color was yellow. So I've kind of got specific colors, you know, picked, yeah, for them. You've got a list or an order, an order of what you got to yeah stick with to make sure you honor them and their legacy. I love that.
00:24:07
Speaker
out of such heartbreak and sadness, you have found this beauty and this way to really feed your soul and share beauty with others and hope, I think is a big part of it. Yes. I am. Yeah. I think, you know, when you can Sometimes I just need to catch my breath. And so I think when you can go outside, when it's spring and summer and things are blooming, I think you can go out there and just kind of like ah take a deep breath and and just be thankful for the beauty and and you know the life around you. And um there's so many little bees and butterflies and a lot of green lawns around here. but
00:24:47
Speaker
I think there's more people growing flowers too. And and I love that um my kids have all kind of just taken up, um they've all got like little garden you know little gardens that they've planted and some of my family, my sister, um you know, i would I would love to be able to somehow, um you know, I don't wanna be I don't want to be a big flower farmer, but I would love to be able to help support her in a way too. You know, when she lost her husband, she's got um three girls too. And so, yeah.
00:25:22
Speaker
Thank you for being vulnerable vulnerable there and really sharing subjects that are so close to the heart and to your family. I think so many of our listeners can relate as the garden can be such a place for healing. yeah and It's amazing that you have found healing through dahlias and now you're getting ready to share this amazing thing with the world. You have been hybridizing dahlias since 2001, is that correct?
00:25:51
Speaker
Yes. I think I got my first seeds in 2020 and so I saved them and then grew them out in 2021. Yeah. I've got to do the math in my head. Is that four years in? You have some fourth year seed? I've got one fourth year and then I've got, gosh, is there six, three, third year, I think, and then quite a few new ones that I've just been you know, growing out again this year. So yeah, so I should have six or seven of them ready here, hopefully in the next couple of years, if I can, yeah, figure out, um trying to, I want to make sure I have enough to share, you know,
00:26:36
Speaker
yeah That's really exciting. So for those that are listening who have not dipped their hands or their toes into hybridizing dahlias, it is a process. It's not like you can just grow a dahlia from seed and then next year distribute your flower into the world. Well, you could, but yeah that's not the recommended path to take. Can you walk us through that a little bit? So the first year you grow the dahlia out and then you're going to save it for another year?
00:27:02
Speaker
Yes. And then you're good if it's good, then yes, you're going to save it. And um a lot of times it's just a smaller clump and then grow it out the next year. um And then you can start kind of dividing you know the tubers. And um I did almost lose but my pink one um with one of our Northeast storms. um I thought it was OK. And I had it divided.
00:27:30
Speaker
and um I realized the tubers were kind of slowly shriveling up. That's why it's very important to check on your tubers in the numerous times in the the winter and storage. yeah yes And so I had read the section on how you can take cuttings. So I potted up the last three and took cuttings or I would have lost it.
00:27:51
Speaker
But um anyway, yeah, so you just, you grow it out. It's best to grow it out for, they like it to be four years. So this is the fourth year for, yes, for one of mine. um Some people, I think you can introduce them after three. um But like I said, you would want to have enough. I did take quite a few cuttings. I think I took like 50 cuttings of that one this year, just so I had more plants. And I'm hoping,
00:28:20
Speaker
um I don't think we have enough property here for me to make enough tubers. you know so i'm kind of checking into having um I've been talking with a few people to see if they would want to grow out the tuber part or if somebody else would want to help with the cuttings for sales. if um Yeah. How many dahlias are you able to grow on your property? Um, okay. So we kind of have them crammed everywhere right now. Um, I probably have, oh goodness, in the front lawn, I think there's probably like 400, 450. I know it's kind of crazy.
00:29:00
Speaker
I plant them very close together. And then in the back, we've got a bunch of raised beds in the back. And so I added those up and what I do back there is I plant all my seedlings and I've got some that are second and third. I've got like two big raised beds and then they've got like the second and third year seedlings in. And then um so I think back there I figured out I've got, um boy, there's probably over 800 in the back.
00:29:29
Speaker
just um yeah so I've probably got over 1,300 between like seedlings and and um large for you know the larger ones. But yeah, I know Microflower Farm even even had more on her land than I do and I'm like, I don't know where you put all yours, but I'm trying. Yeah. It's hard when you have limited space and you want to grow them all. Yeah. So are you growing first year seedlings this year as well? Yes, there's probably over 600 of those out there in the back.
00:29:59
Speaker
Wow. That's amazing. But I got them planted pretty late this year. So that was that was my own fault. I did take on too much and I realized that. But all of Erin's florets, hers are all starting to bloom now. um When you say hers, ones that you grew from her seeds? Yes, from her seeds. Amazing. There are so many good ones in there. i They are just so pretty. It's They're just beautiful, so many pinks, which you know I love. So yeah, and I've got a couple of mine that um have opened now. I think I've got ah got three this year so far that are looking really good and a ton of them that have not even bloomed yet. So hopefully we get another you know at least six weeks of sunshine maybe.
00:30:46
Speaker
I know it's been such a weird season this year. I have some of my first years that I planted late as well that are just starting to bloom. and It's so hard when you see a beautiful one and you you know that you're maybe only going to get one or two blooms before the season ends and it's really hard to evaluate a seedling with only a couple flowers. I know. And then you don't know like if you should take cuttings or just you know divide that little chunk and maybe grow two or three of them. That's kind of what I did this last year was I just grew, you know I cut it in half and just grew a couple
00:31:21
Speaker
you know, of each one because they definitely, some of them definitely change, um you know, after that first year. But it's just really fun to me. I just, and I can't really take the credit for mine. i My bees are my hybridizers and I just kind of, um, I probably do it a little bit different. I, I just have a really wide variety of dahlias out there and I know like you're, you're kind of supposed to keep some of them separated, but visually I just need them all out there all mixed and in, you know? And so, um, but I've gotten a really,
00:31:59
Speaker
different range of, you know, dahlia seedling varieties. um And I get a lot of open centers, but like, I love um the anemones, too. They are just one of my favorites. And I've had some really pretty little seedlings. there Some of them are in their second year, some are in their first, that just popped up this year, but oh my goodness, they're pretty. But I just kind of pick certain varieties that I love, if I love their color or their shape. And I'm like, you know what, I'm just gonna save those seeds. And then I'll just do like one whole raised bed of like just that variety or something, just to see what I get. And you know, it's just amazing the range of color and and shape. And they're just so pretty, yeah.
00:32:44
Speaker
So your favorites are anemones. Do you have a favorite named variety? Oh, that's really hard. um
00:32:54
Speaker
but i you know I love um well what's supposed to be Bracken Rose just because she's She's pink, you know, and she's so perfect and so pretty. um And that's the mother of my fourth year seedling. oh awesome yeah And I've gotten some really pretty seedlings from her. um But I also just love, um like, there's one called caramel corn that's like this with ah bigger with the little fringed edges that she's kind of this golden.
Favorite Dahlia Varieties
00:33:26
Speaker
with this touch of pink. And um I had the most amazing seedling from her that's a second year that, um I don't know, I just, yeah, I just love them. They're so pretty. It's hard to choose a favorite. It is, isn't it? Poka's fun, too, just because she's so different. and some of them, it just seems like, you know, you, you try them a couple times and they're so pretty for other people. But I've realized too, like ah my space is getting limited and I'm gonna have to let some of them go probably, you know, but then I'm always like, Oh, I need to try that one. And um like this year, I was able to get KA Cinder Rose and oh my goodness, that one is so pretty. It's such a beautiful color. It's,
00:34:08
Speaker
I did not get that one and now I'm kicking myself. I'm like, oh, I should have gotten that one because all the pictures I'm just now astonished at how beautiful it is. She's so beautiful. Yeah, very beautiful.
00:34:20
Speaker
Yeah. So you grow over 1300 dahlias. Do you sell tubers? You know, I did, um, uh, I did a couple of years, so but, um, you know, just kind of here locally and stuff. Um, but I'm kind of in, i and then I lost a few, um, just with everything going on. And we had some really cold winters. And so then I kind of had to build my stock back up. And I also realized I wanted to get a little more,
00:34:49
Speaker
maybe serious and professional about it if I'm going to do it. um And so we're working on, yeah, you know, getting the name and the license. I didn't know if I want to go that route just because I enjoyed just the gardening and the, I don't want to add stress. I had the gardening to help me get rid of stress, if that makes sense.
00:35:11
Speaker
Yes, so if I I probably just need um a little bit of encouragement and maybe help from other people letting other people help me figure some of that out, you know. And um we have talked to the kids, um to our older, and you know, our kids are all older now. And um so I said, Hey, if any of you want in on this, you know, um yeah, because one one has done like a lot of um business communications work and he's done websites and
00:35:44
Speaker
different things. They're all very smart. And then our our daughter loves to um help me in the garden when she's home too. She's actually started her own little garden this year. It's just the sweetest.
00:35:54
Speaker
Oh, she's off on her own now. Yes. Yes, they are. so So are you an empty nester now? Not quite. We have we have one here yet, but pretty close. So okay yeah, the other three, we have four. So yeah, the other three are all out and yeah. And so are the kids supportive of you growing this into a business?
00:36:18
Speaker
Yes, they are very. And so and I, I've also told them to I want to like, you know, name, you know, a Dalia after each of them or let them pick a name. um And I just want to give them the proceeds of that one the first year for the first sale. um I just feel in my heart, and I would love to be able to do that with them and give them a little you know thing to go off of and just um you know be able to share. We had a lot of people you know help us through different things in different times. And um even for my my sister that lost her husband, I would love um you know even to maybe build in where she can help
00:36:59
Speaker
me and not have to work so hard a different way on her own. So that's kind of and been in my heart. and We want to just, you know, be able to help take care of her. And so we'll see where this goes. um I definitely need help with like the technical part of it and the computers and the website.
00:37:16
Speaker
That part is the hard part. And I don't think people realize when we talk about like dahlia wars and everyone wanting to get the dahlias is we are small growers and farmers. We are not tech people and we're doing our best to build friendly websites, but it can be expensive to build a website and we have limited resources. And when you have 20,000 people coming to your site,
00:37:43
Speaker
you're not prepared to keep it from crashing or it can be very expensive to have the bandwidth to support that kind of audience. So there's a lot that goes into building it that's not part of what you signed up for as growing a dahlia. It's very different. Yeah, that's, I know. And that's the part that I am, I don't want to like, you know, upset people and you don't want to, um, you know, I think I'm more of like, um,
00:38:11
Speaker
I think even in the flower shop, I was kind of the person in the back room. I didn't really do a lot of the talking. I just did more of the the flowers, you know, and I let my mom and my sister were like the people, people, if that makes sense. And so um I just want to make sure that if i if I decide to go ahead with, you know, releasing some of them, that that people are happy with them and that i I have all of that figured out first, you know.
00:38:41
Speaker
yeah A lot of work just to grow the dahlias and keep them alive. yeah thank And then we're also documenting them and sharing them with the world on social media. yes You have help out in your garden?
00:38:53
Speaker
Um, you know, John helps wrote a tale in the spring. If we wrote a tale some to some years, we don't depending on how he has felt, you know, in the past. Um, and then, um, the boys will help me a little bit with the compost, um, if they're in year or, you know, around a certain day. And, um, some of them do help me dig them up in the fall because that is a lot of work. And then if my daughter, um, comes in for a visit,
00:39:22
Speaker
you know will will do little things i don't. x I don't want to like expect the help from them but i do like all of the planting in the starting you know um and i was able to get a ah couple of little greenhouses um last year and we put one together last fall and one together this spring i've been saving up for them for.
00:39:42
Speaker
a while and So then I had a place you know instead of just in the house, dahlia seedlings everywhere and all the other flowers that you want to grow everywhere. It was really nice to have the greenhouses to put them out there. So yeah, a lot more room. It allows you to get started a little bit earlier. I know my greenhouse is always packed full. I've got an 8x12 greenhouse from Northwest Green Panels. Nice. I'm sad we're moving in a week.
00:40:11
Speaker
and And just leave the greenhouse behind. We are getting another one, but it's um it's so handy in the spring because yeah your you don't want hundreds of seedlings inside your house, but it's not warm enough outside. So that greenhouse really allows you to grow out those seedlings before it's safe to put them outside. It does, yeah. yeah sir um So you do almost all of this by yourself.
00:40:37
Speaker
How are you learning a lot of it by yourself? There's a lot that goes into it. i mean it's it's but Is it your full-time job keeping up the garden, would you say? Yes, yes. Plus, I do own my husband's book work for his businesses and stuff too. that yeah and that's That's part of it too, is I don't know if I want more book work, if that makes any sense. um Totally. but Yeah, I love being outside though. I love just being out in the garden. and Was your garden this large when your kids were younger?
00:41:07
Speaker
No, nope no, no, not at all. Like I said, we kind of had built a foundation here. There were only a couple trees here when we moved onto our place. And so we slowly just added kind of these, yeah, I guess I would call it foundation pieces. And then I really didn't start growing dahlias till probably, yeah, 7, 8.
00:41:27
Speaker
Years ago just little bits and then it just gradually the last few years has really taken off so for a lot of people though, I think yeah, I think people were home and and Yeah, I've always loved flowers. I always grew like sweet peas, you know and different things like that and roses I moved roses a couple different times With us and so we did add a bigger rose garden two years ago, too. So that was really neat Yeah to be able to do that so you have Your primary flowers you're growing are dahlias. You have roses. What else do you grow in your garden? um Well, I do. We do have this whole little sweet pea. We have a couple little sweet pea arches that we, you know, arbors that we grow. um And then, like, I love zinnias. So the floret zinnias, oh, they were so pretty this year. theyre Some of them are, like, taller than me. They're just absolutely beautiful. and then the still the um
00:42:22
Speaker
Let's see what else did I grow. Oh, the selosia was so pretty. um And then I've got cosmos growing out there. And then I grew a bunch of little things in some other raised beds way up by the road. I did um some yarrow and feverfew, some status. So just kind of some filler, you know, filler flowers and Yeah. You can never have enough filler flowers. Right? I know. That's kind of what I told myself. So I kind of grew more of that this year too. And I hadn't done as many of those before. So I know that took more of my time. space Oh, and snapdragons. Gotta have snapdragons, right? Those are always beautiful.
00:43:01
Speaker
I did not have snaps this year and oh, I miss them. They really add so much to a bouquet. They do. Oh, and then tulips, right? You've got to do like the tulips and the, you know, plant fall plant and they're blooming in the spring. And I know there's just so many beautiful flowers. There just is. It's hard to know when to end peonies. I've got you know some peonies and it's hard to know when to tell yourself so okay you you don't need to grow all of that this year but you want to because they're so pretty. Absolutely. Well with as many flowers as you grow and you're not selling commercially right now what do you do with so many flowers?
00:43:39
Speaker
um you know I do have a little flower stand there's quite a few little flower stands around here so they're used to not be as many but it's pretty sweet so there's one every. you know and Yeah there's a lot that's amazing i love yes yeah it's really sweet and so i do put some out there and.
00:43:58
Speaker
um you know I'll make them just for people. If you know if God puts someone in my heart you know and I think, oh, you know I'm thinking of them, i'm like maybe they need flowers, so sometimes I'll just i'll bring somebody a bouquet or um you know stuff like that. and you know i give I give a lot of them away. um Yeah. It's always amazing when you share flowers. You just never know what someone's going through at the moment and how much they can truly brighten or change their day. Yes. And I think I realized that when we had the flower shop, how many people would order flowers for people. And so I think for me now too, like I just realized, you know, if somebody might be going through something, flowers just they, I think they do help brighten someone's day. Like you said, they just, um I think they're good.
00:44:47
Speaker
Absolutely. I know they always brighten my day. i I'll take flowers any day of the year. Mine too. So so let's go back to your dahlias a little bit more. Yes. Because that's what I primarily see on your Instagram. Yes. Drew me to you. You have so many beautiful ones.
00:45:03
Speaker
Thank you. How are you planning to release them to the world? Do you have a name as a hybridizer? that's what i've I've had one tucked away for a while. um I know I was trying to decide if it's time to share it, but we don't have everything like locked in place. Okay. And it's it's kind of based, I guess I can say it's kind of based off of a book that um Some of my boys read when they were younger and it was about all these little animals. um And so I just have to make sure that we're allowed to use it, I guess, yet. you know
00:45:45
Speaker
yeah But I also don't know. um I know we have to decide about like the prefix of the dahlias. There's just so much that goes into it. you know There's a lot, absolutely. And then giving the dahlia a name and making sure it's not already used. Yes, I know because there's a lot more people and you know getting into the hybridizing and releasing them and So you'll kind of go, oh, maybe that name is already taken, you know, and you don't want to yeah double up on a name either. And there's there's a lot of pretty there's so many pretty new ones out there, you know.
00:46:19
Speaker
Oh, it's so hard. i My list just keeps growing. And I'm like, I don't have space for more stuff. But it's so exciting. It is yeah so many beautiful introductions. Do you find that you are breeding more of a particular style than others? Or do you have an assortment of styles? I've got it. It's an assortment. It is definitely an assortment. um Yeah, the there are Boy, there are some that are like you know larger with more of the curly petals. there's um I've got a little one that's a second year that's kind of this... um Oh, it's almost like a watermelon, but a little bit of raspberry in the middle of this little ball. It's like a smaller ah smaller one. and She's a really pretty color. And then um I've got this one that's a third year. um
00:47:10
Speaker
I don't even exactly know what to call it. um A friend stopped by yesterday too and she was like, the petals just go on and on and on. There's just like a thousand petals in this thing and you never see the middle of it. and But it's got a good strong stem and it actually shimmers in the sun. And she, it was really sweet because she actually caught that when she was looking at it. And I'm like, I didn't even tell you that, but you saw it. So that was really neat. um I kind of wanted her input on it and I've asked a couple other people just to stop by and, um you know, because I haven't had a lot of time to, um you know, study, you know, and and go to the shows. And um I've just, I've had a lot of other life things going on. And so I'm not even
00:47:54
Speaker
you know, sure what all their classifications would be and I should be more knowledgeable in that, but I i just started growing them for the beauty of them. um And I realize I have a lot to learn, you know, um in that area yet.
00:48:08
Speaker
Yeah, but a wide variety. Yeah. So you're growing more for cut flowers versus show flowers i would yes at this point.
Creative Dahlia Breeding and Naming
00:48:15
Speaker
Yes. h Which I think is what a lot of the trends are going towards too, because so much, well, i I say Instagram is to blame for that. I mean, cause everyone's saying Instagram, you want it for your cut flower bouquet. And I think what fits in today's current trending palettes is very different than what you see at the Dahlia shows. Yes, I think so, too. um I know. I think some of the ones that are like really different colors, I've got a couple of them right now, too, that honestly, the pictures don't capture the color. One is um it's it's so pretty. It's got this kind of a burgundy background. But um the top part of it is almost like a tan-ish peach. But it's it's so pretty. it's um We call her Spice Girl right now. Oh, I love it. Yeah, the mom was Ferncliffe Spice, which is a yellow.
00:49:04
Speaker
Yeah, um it it made no sense when this one came out. I was like, wow, you know, I had to double check the tag a couple times, but um it's so it's a really pretty color. People that come through, they're like, oh, which one's that? I'm like, that's a seedling, so thank you for noticing it, you know? um So yeah, we'll see how she does. She's done really well again this year. So Yeah, that's exciting. Well, I can't wait to see what you release to the world in the future. Yeah. Going back to your flower stand. I'm starting to see more flower stands pop up in my area too. And I love the idea. I was talking with a friend about this last week, how neat it is that instead of having to go to the grocery store and buy flowers that were harvested in another country and flown here to the US, I know you can literally be driving home from work these days and stop in your neighborhood and buy a bouquet of flowers. Yeah, yeah, it's it's it's really sweet. I know
00:50:04
Speaker
How long have you had your flower stand? um Probably, I would say probably the last um maybe three or four years, I think. And does it just sit at the end of your driveway or how does it work? We just kind of have it set up um with some of these, um we have like this big beautiful umbrella that I've had for a long time. And then I've got like, right now I have a big table out there, but we used to have some of these, um these beautiful wrought iron pieces that we had from the flower shop. I would set like the buckets and stuff on there under the umbrella. And and so that's kind of how I just started it and we just have our little ah little box out there and
00:50:46
Speaker
and So you have an umbrella over your display. yeah Yes. Yes. We should like build an actual box. or I told John we could probably use um the little greenhouse actually that's up in front too um you know now because we do have this we have like a big front area too with ah a drive-through driveway on the corner there. So I said I could probably incorporate you know the greenhouse into it as well. It just gets really hot in there in the summer. So yeah.
00:51:14
Speaker
I love that you use i will you set a flower stand. I was picturing that you have like the wooden box structure that you see, but to the fact that you have an umbrella with a cute little setup makes it even more attainable for other backyard gardeners to set up something cute and be able to sell their flowers also.
00:51:34
Speaker
Yes, I just have to make sure I ah put the umbrella down if it's windy, right? it's Yeah, absolutely. That would be a problem in my area. ah We were getting like 40 something mile or gusts the other day and I was frantically trying to get all my dahlias corralled. I had them on the lower amounts.
00:51:50
Speaker
But they're up to my shoulders now and I'm I had to add more layers they were flopping into the aisles and I'm like please don't break right now i I need you for a few more weeks. I know I was doing that too we had some wind and rain we had a bunch of rain and I went outside and I put up another row of twine around all of them I did it really quickly because there was a lot of them out there but Yes, I didn't want to lose them either. you know They're all starting to bloom now. I got them in so late and I'm like, oh they're looking so pretty and then we got a ton of rain. Yes. Isn't it amazing how we wait so long for them to bloom? But I don't know about you, but for me, it's like all of that time where I was like, man, this isn't working out. They failed or I'm not going to have many blooms this season and I second guessed it. It's like nature knew what to do.
00:52:39
Speaker
yes And now my field is in full bloom and I just stand there in awe. And I'm like, why did I ever second guess this? I know, me too. And sometimes there is only like a two week timeframe where, you know, you kind of also walk out the door in the morning and go, Oh my goodness, this is why I do this. You know, this is, this is what I needed today. This is my little, you know, just that peaceful, I don't know, just that beauty is, um,
00:53:07
Speaker
I think that's why we do it, right? Absolutely. Do you feel like you are making a difference in this little space that is yours, that you can create beauty and grow beauty is such a special thing. What would you say, Vonda, to people that are listening today that are inspired by your story and want to start growing their own cut flower garden? What advice would you give them?
00:53:31
Speaker
you know I think it's always um good to start growing something that you love yourself. you know um and I think you also need to do it in... i don't you know I think everybody tries to find out how everybody else does everything. and If you walked um through my gardens, so I'm not doing things how I should. um I do it really different, but it works for me. and um I fit a lot of things in and it doesn't always work every year, but I think then you try something different the next year. and um i just think it I just think you need to try things that you love.
00:54:09
Speaker
you know That's beautiful advice. Try things that you love, which could be sunflowers or it could be zinnias for someone or snapdragons. It doesn't have to be dahlias. Yeah, and with dahlias, I think what's so neat about dahlias is um you can say dahlias and a different version of a Delia pops up in everyone's mind because everybody has a different favorite. I mean, I i probably have 20 favorites. um And I think people are so different and Delias are also different. And there's a Delia for everyone. You know, it's just, um they're just so fun. Definitely. yeah Well, this conversation has been fun too. I've loved chatting with you. I appreciate how you have shared your story and
00:54:54
Speaker
how you have grown from a backyard gardener and now you are exploring the option of selling your dahlias and becoming a licensed seller so that you can share your dahlias with the world, which you have some beautiful ones that I'm sure there's many chomping at the bit to grow them in their gardens.
00:55:12
Speaker
And we can't wait for when you're ready to announce what your prefix will be and what your seedlings will be named. It's a big deal to name them. It is. I know it is. Yes. I've been superstitious of wanting to name mine. I'm like, I think it's too early. I have some third year seedlings. I'm like, maybe I need to wait one more year. No, I can do it. No, I need to wait. And I keep going back and forth.
00:55:35
Speaker
I know. And i I had said a name of one and then I lost it. And so now I'm really like, okay, I need to be really careful and not say it. I totally understand. Absolutely. I respect that.
Balancing Priorities and Therapeutic Gardening
00:55:50
Speaker
Vonda, we have touched on a lot of different things today. Is there anything we haven't talked about that you would like to share with our listeners today? um You know, I think I think there's just there is a lot of um of pressure out there that everybody's trying to do everything. And your and I think um you just have to realize that with the timing, like you know if you've if you've got stuff going on in your life or you you've got your little kids or um like my you know with my husband and our family, um
00:56:26
Speaker
you know You have to like pick your priorities, and your family is always just the most important. And um you know the flowers will be there, and they'll be there the next year, and there will be new ones the next year. and um you know But i I do think it is important, too, to find something that inspires you if you're going through a really hard um you know time. I just think i'm in to have you know, your people that will be there for you and that even that you can share flowers with them, you know. That's beautiful. Thank you for sharing that. Now, as you're getting your business started, where can our listeners find you? You know, I i know I need to get a web website. I need my my son to help me with that. but um So right now I'm only on Instagram and it's just under Vonda V. Hoof, I do believe.
00:57:18
Speaker
Yes. Well, we will include a link in the show notes so our listeners can hop over and follow you so that they don't miss out when you launch your website and have details to share with us about your dahlias that you have hybridized. that's kind of be My bees have hybridized, right? I have to give the bees all the credit. They are just the sweetest out there. I just love them. Yeah. I know I go out and I just stand in awe of them. I i strategically place things next to each other that I want to cross.
00:57:48
Speaker
Yes, I do that too. Our season is too short to hand cross. i' I've been disappointed each time we get a rainstorm or a wind that breaks the ones that I've hand crossed and then it doesn't work out. So I've said, you know what? The bees do such a great job. They do.
00:58:03
Speaker
I got some special these i think you do too ah absolutely i was watching earlier today and on one of them i i pull back some of the back pedals to help open up the flowers it starts to fade. And there were these three bs and i just watched as they had their little back legs full of pollen in the pockets and i was like so you guys go.
00:58:23
Speaker
I know. It's so special. i I make sure they're all, you know, safe out there too and um that they have a safe place here, you know, and I just think that's so but's so special. Absolutely. I was scared of them when I started six years ago and now it's like I put my hands in and someone told me that they recognize you.
00:58:41
Speaker
And I really believe that I feel like I can be within inches of them. And I mean, I'm not going to try and grab them, but... Yes, especially the bumblebees and the honeybees are so sweet. um One of our boys was actually allergic to honeybees when he was younger. So that was another reason I probably didn't have a lot of stuff growing here. But he's he's an adult now and he hasn't been stung a very long time. We have epi pins. But Yeah. So that is something you have to take seriously. Yes. I understand that. Well, this has been such a fun conversation. I'd love to leave the door open if you'd like to come back when you are ready. If you announce your name and your hybrids, we'd love to hear more. So thank you for joining. Oh, it's been an honor. Thanks for joining us today. Happy gardening. Thank you.
00:59:32
Speaker
Thanks for tuning in for another episode. If you're eager to deepen your Dahlia knowledge and connect with like-minded Dahlia growers, you're invited to join the Dahlia patch. We're offering a one month free trial exclusively for our listeners. Just click the link in the show notes to get connected with our thriving community. Hope to see you in the Dahlia patch.
00:59:55
Speaker
Thank you Flower Friends for joining us on another episode of the Backyard Bouquet. I hope you've enjoyed the inspiring stories and valuable gardening insights we've shared today. Whether you're cultivating your own backyard blooms or supporting your local flower farmer, you're contributing to the local flower movement, and we're so happy to have you growing with us.
01:00:17
Speaker
If you'd like to stay connected and continue this blossoming journey with local flowers, don't forget to subscribe to the Backyard Bouquet podcast. I'd be so grateful if you would take a moment to leave us a review of this episode. And finally, please share this episode with your garden friends. Until next time, keep growing, keep blooming, and remember that every bouquet starts right here in the backyard.