The Pollinator Patch

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The Pollinator Patch The Pollinator Patch is a specialty flower farm, selling cut flowers, especially dahlias.

My first bridal bouquet, a gift to my cousin’s daughter, Salem. I am prouder than a peacock, having grown every bloom an...
08/01/2026

My first bridal bouquet, a gift to my cousin’s daughter, Salem. I am prouder than a peacock, having grown every bloom and having bred most of the dahlias. I am also delighted by the honor. Thank you for your faith in my hands, Salem. I wish you and Adam the happiest of days! With love, Janell

***Edited to add the flowers in the bouquet***

Dahlias: unnamed seedlings (white, pale apricot, orange waterlily), River’s Can’t Elope
Lisianthus: LisAdora Apricot, Sabrina Orange, Voyage 2 White
Tweedia ‘Heavenly Blue’
Apricot/Peach Strawflower
Feverfew ‘Magic Single’
Snapdragon ‘Cannes Orange’
Yarrow ‘Ballerina’? ‘Peter Cottontail’?
Eucalyptus: Silver Dollar, Baby Blue
Prairie Sage

Thank you so much for the very kind feedback!🥹

The summer blooming natives are hitting their stride in the pollinator patch. Each evening stroll reveals something I ov...
07/21/2026

The summer blooming natives are hitting their stride in the pollinator patch. Each evening stroll reveals something I overlooked the night before. Occasionally a child creeps behind me in the smoky haze, and I catch the creeper unaware.

The dahlias are also blooming but multiple heat domes in July have curbed their enthusiasm. Mine too?

My thoughts are on those most affected by the current wildfires. While the smoke and haze here are relatively mild, I have itchy eyes and morning runs leave me gasping and congested. My daughter asks me to look at her sore throat most mornings.

Fingers crossed for fine weather for our local “festival”, the North Star Picnic, and the Angel Run this weekend.

📷
1 Rattlesnake Master
2 Wild Bergamot
3 Black Eyed Susan
4 Obedient Plant
5 Purple Coneflower
6 Gray Headed Coneflower
7 Hoary Skullcap
8 Prairie Blazing Star
9 Compass Plant
10 Helianthus

Today is a big day at the Pollinator Patch. I was a recent guest on the Dig on Dahlias podcast, and that episode dropped...
02/24/2026

Today is a big day at the Pollinator Patch. I was a recent guest on the Dig on Dahlias podcast, and that episode dropped this morning. With hosts Allison and Joann, I recount why I naively started a quest for healthier dahlias and what benefits and successes have kept me going.

For those interested in dahlia virus testing, I offer testing tips and cost-savings suggestions. I close with a plea to dahlia breeders. The Dig on Dahlias podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music.

Adding to the day's excitement is that I am filing my income taxes today. Looking through the tables and forms, I spotted that charitable donations exceeded profits in 2025, and I feel gratified.

The tubers that I harvested in greatest quantity — KA's Cinder Rose, Levi's Blue Smoke and Hollyhill Pink Parfait — were earmarked for fundraising. The purchase of those tubers in my November sale benefitted local food pantries and UNICEF.

It's with gratitude that I close the books 😉 on another year in which your support flowed into my community and advanced healthier dahlias. Thank you! 💗🙏

Several acquaintances have knowingly asked if I have planted anything yet. Here’s a peek of what has sprouted in my base...
02/15/2026

Several acquaintances have knowingly asked if I have planted anything yet. Here’s a peek of what has sprouted in my basement. Once the rest of the snow melts and mud season sets in, there is a small pile of seed packets that need sprinkled outside.

Today I am testing all of my dahlia pot tubers for To***co Streak Virus (TSV) and Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV). TSV and TSWV are the two most prevalent RNA viruses that infect dahlias. So far, so good. Zero infections detected.

Once a few more tubers wake up, I’ll send dahlia leaf samples to Agdia’s lab for Dahlia Mosaic Virus (DMV) testing. DMV, a DNA virus, is the most common virus in dahlias.

From the tubers that are negative for all three viruses, I propagate cuttings. And with those cuttings I plant my field, ensuring a healthy start to my dahlia growing season.

Keeping the dahlias company in the basement are many native perennial starts, which are squarely in their “cute as a button” phase.

Behind the scenes though I am obsessively planning where all the dahlias will be planted in my beds in order to maximize the opportunities for favorable breeding crosses. I am also studying catalogs, and querying the web for similar photos to identify varieties to add to my breeding plots with the goal of amplifying interesting traits that popped up in prior years’ dahlia seedlings. It’s going to be a beautiful year.

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North Star, OH

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