Ducksfoot double trouble

[Crow River 9,760]

1 hour ago, crazy-sheep said:

Why don't you cross a purple auto with the duck to see if you can get a few off springs to finish in september 

 

The only worry there would be losing the ducksfoot leaves trait. I have some Auto Duck beans, based on the same strain, but doesn't have purple buds. I also have regs of other ducksfoot strains, but again no purple. I think the purple came from the Frisian Dew.

 

I suppose one way of doing this would to be to cross to something like Purple #1, then maybe to Auto Duck, then back cross to Frisian Duck. Selecting for purple and webbed leaves as you go...

 

Edited November 12 by Crow River

[BluePeter 156]

Can't you take that bucket indoors and reveg so you can take loads of cuttings to cross with purple strains whilst keeping the mother going for more cuttings for crossing your crosses back with. Might increase the chance of keeping them crazy shape leaves.

 

Just a thought as i'm not a breeder

[Crow River 9,760]

5 minutes ago, BluePeter said:

Can't you take that bucket indoors and reveg so you can take loads of cuttings to cross with purple strains whilst keeping the mother going for more cuttings for crossing your crosses back with. Might increase the chance of keeping them crazy shape leaves.

 

Just a thought as i'm not a breeder

 

Yes I could do. Still have another clone outside too, not really flowering so could take cuts. I also have some Frisian Duck R2s (two clones crossed, one reversed) I can play with. I also have fem seeds from the same strain.

 

The main problems with bringing plants from outdoors inside are lack of space, and the risk of bringing pests with it that can infest indoor plants. So I prefer not to unless it's really necessary.

 

The only reason I'm leaving these girls outside to overwinter (and a bunch of others from another late flowering strain) is just to see what happens.

 

P.S.:- In fact yeah I really should take a few cuts from this lot, as apart from relatively late/slow flowering most of the traits I want are there.

 

Edited November 12 by Crow River

[MidgeSmith 1,942]

Crazily cool experiment @Crow River overwintering those plants outdoors.  If they survive it will be amazing! <3

I remember the smell and taste of Frisian Duck was absolutely unique and delicious.  I found them almost beyond fluffy, beyond 'ancestoral-landrace skimpy', but I chose a fairly bad year to grow it.  There was little actual bud on mine to be honest, though what I had was delicious.  I've read a couple of comments elsewhere about the marvelous hash they produce though, not sure if dry sift or bubble.  I can believe it with the delicious flavours.

I have to say, if I was more secure growing outdoors, I'd be tempted to try beefing her up in a breeding process.  I have a feeling though that the unique flavour would be very hard to preserve through breeding WITH the ducksfoot leaves.  I think the chances would be far less than 1 in 4!! (Which was my first attempt at guessing).  I am a complete breeding novice though, so what I say is worth nothing on that score.

Best of luck!  It is always a pleasure to read your adventures.

Edited November 12 by MidgeSmith

[Crow River 9,760]

@MidgeSmith, thanks for the perspective on the strain and the kind words.

 

I'm not really sure if overwintering will work, but I've been reading a few tales on the interwebs of growers keeping plants outdoors for several years, including one in Scotland, by a railway line...  So it seems that hardy strains can survive over the winter outdoors, even at northerly latitudes. We'll see in due course I suppose...

 

I suspect one of the reasons why Frisian Duck and Auto Duck are not available as regs is they're probably based on reversals of a unique mother plant. Possibly because it's a lot of work to get the mix of traits just so...

[Crow River 9,760]

Weather is Baltic here now, and forecast is sub-zero nights  for about a week. Not sure my girls will survive it, but I plan to visit tomorrow, see how they're getting on...

[Crow River 9,760]

Arrived at the apple tree plot after sunset. Still light to see by, and just about enough to take photos. My phone was on low battery so wouldn't let me use the flash.  Anyway, you'll just have to imagine... 

 

Frisian Duck mum seems to still be alive. The clone in the polytunnel, looking half dead. We'll see what happens come the spring, I suppose.