F1 Brandywine x Valley Ice

[Farmers_Hat]

Feb 5, 2025

Last year I grew a single Brandywine plant, in the greenhouse. I crossed it with a purple F3 Valley Ice male. My intuition was telling me that the two strains were not going to be very compatible. This has proven true.
(Pics of parents below)

The outcross was intended to create a separate line of Valley Ice, that will later be crossed back into the original line. This will help reduce inbreeding depression. Inbreeding depression is a phenomenon that occurs when plants with a similar genetic makeup are bred together repeatedly, resulting in a loss of genetic diversity and a decrease in fitness. This can lead to various problems, including:

1. Reduced vigor: Inbred plants may exhibit weaker growth, reduced yields, and lower potency.
2. Increased susceptibility to disease: Lack of genetic diversity makes inbred plants more vulnerable to diseases and pests.
3. Decreased fertility: Inbreeding can lead to reduced seed production, lower germination rates, and decreased pollen viability.
4. Increased mutations: Inbreeding can cause the expression of recessive mutations, leading to undesirable traits.
5. Reduced adaptability: Inbred plants may struggle to adapt to changing environments, making them less resilient.

Plant #1 has some of traits of the deep purple Valley Ice. Fruity stem aroma and plant structure. The only big difference ive noticed is that this plant in particular has much sturdier stems. This actually is an improvement, because the deep purple Valley Ice plant has really flimsy branches. The leaf structure is similar to the purple father.
Ive taken clones of plant #1

Plant #2 is leaning more towards the traits of the purple father. The stem aroma is quite unique. It is sweet and extremely floral. Ive taken clones of this plant as well.

Plant #3 is not worth going into detail, right now. So far it is not doing anything special. It took forever for it to show its sex.

The 3 female plants that are exhibiting the round leaf Brandywine trait, have been tossed out into the greenhouse. They will receive minimal attention. LOL

I would like to have 6 females that are exhibiting strong Valley Ice traits, ready for my next indoor cycle. So, ive started 12 more seeds.

[Farmers_Hat]

Some relevant info.

“So there are two issues that we as a community are confusing. There is the system of notation used to track a gene pool over multiple generations where P1 and F1 F2 etc are just generic shorthand to keep notes. Then there is the system for selecting and naming commercial and breeding stock that we have adopted at least in part from the commercial hybrid corn industry which uses F1 and P1 to refer to breeding stock and commercial seeds. P1 is a generic denotation that means nothing more than to demarcate a starting point of a gene pool. That said a P1s of any commercially sold F1 hybrid corn seed will be comprised of two uniform stable varieties.”

[Farmers_Hat]

Gene chart for Brandywine. I didn’t know the strain had such a strong GDP lineage. It is exciting, however, to see that there is some Durban Poison and Big Bud in the genes. Ive grown both of those Sensi strains.
Ive decided that I will try to unlock those genes, by crossing Brandywine x Durban Poison (sensi seeds).

Below are pictures and more info regarding the F1 VI x BW seedlings.

So far Ive kept 3 female plants that will go into the flower tent on the next run. If more plants show sex before the next cycle, they will be shuffled into the tent also.

Plant #1
Showing strong Valley Ice traits. Long internode spacing, correct leaf structure, fruity stem. This plant has been pruned back several times.

Plant #2
Strong VI characteristics. Basically the female version of the Purple Father. Leaf pattern is SFV OG dominant.

Plant #3
Pretty much an exact copy of the Brandywine mother. Compact in structure and slow growing. Stem smells floral and fruity. And no surprise that she is very susceptible to powder mildew, just like the mother. Ive been treating this plant with baking soda water, and its all im willing to do at the moment. Its all under control. Pm is not ravaging my veg tent.

Below is more info on new seedlings. Ive spotted 2 plants that are going to be used in some way. One of them is showing all the characteristics of the MTF, especially the slow growth. The leaf structure is very easy for me to identify, since ive been working with this plant for practically a decade. If this plant turns out to be a female, I will back cross it to the f3 MTF male. If this plant turns out to be a male, it will be used to make the
F2 VI x BW.

The seedling below is displaying incredible vigor. Its quite distinct compared to all the F1 seedlings ive grown so far. I find the structure of the leaf quite attractive. Super curious to see how this plant develops.

So far ive grown out 27 F1 seedlings. Im basically chucking all the male plants that are not showing strong Valley Ice traits, especially the males that have the round leaf pheno (Brandywine). I dont want this trait to carry over into the Valley Ice.
This is selective breeding in a nutshell. Only 2 plants out of 27 are showing strong Valley Ice traits. One is a female, the sex of other plant is to be determined.
(Pic of unwanted leaf pheno . Trait of brandywine)

The last thing I will include, is quite comical. This seedling is growing so compact, its impressive. If my goal was to breed a super compact strain, this seedling would be a unicorn

Thats all for now. Cheers

[Farmers_Hat]

Im including a pic of my F3 Valley Ice mother, as a reference. She posseses all the traits ive been selectively breeding since 2014.
The Leaf structure seems ruderalis x Sativa dominant. Plant has long node spacing and a nice open haze structure. Responds really well to lst and scrogging. Medium sized plant, Indoor and outdoor.

[Farmers_Hat]

I just harvested a crop (9 plants (6 strains) in a 2x2 tent - #61 by Farmers_Hat).

The tent has been cleaned and reset. I shuffled in 9 F1 plants, and took all the tops for clones.

I am doing this to sex the plants, and kill some time. Im waiting for the Durban Poison seedlings to sprout and mature.

I will scrap all the F1 plants around week 3 or 4. By then the clones will be rooted and the best phenos will be shuffled in to the tent for a serious run.

Day 1 on 12/12

[Farmers_Hat]

Week 1 on 12/12
Ive identified 1 plant as male, the others are still not showing sex.

All of the F1 plants have recovered from the topping. I expect all plants to be showing sex by week 2.

I shuffled into the tent 3 additional plants.
Super Silver Haze, Valley Ice clone, and a Malawi clone. All three plants have been dusted with a SSH male.

The Malawi has some beautiful variegated leaves. Seed development should be more apparent in a week.

The Valley Ice clone was pollinated several weeks ago.

Super Silver Haze clone was also pollinated several weeks ago. Im expecting at least 100 seeds from this plant. The terps are pine and menthol. Really simple and clean.

[Farmers_Hat]

3 males have been removed.

The most vigorous plant turned out to be a male, and it is way ahead of all the F1 plants in flower. I will be using this male to make F2 seeds. One of the female plants is displaying all the same traits of the male. It should produce a really uniform F2 lot.

Everything is looking good and on track. Ive supper cropped the Malawi multiple times. LOL

[Farmers_Hat]

Week 2
Some flowers are developing. The Malawi is fully pollinated with SSH

[Farmers_Hat]

A lot of time has passed. All of the F1 females are showing purple flowers and pink pistils. Pretty uniform plants.

Ive tossed everything into the greenhouse. Im still getting my plans in order for this years grow

Hope your all doing well. Im finally bouncing back from a terrible winter slump.

Cheers

Ps. I harvested a few hundred SSH seeds. Whooo!

[Farmers_Hat]

Ive decided to keep plant #8 for the outcross. It has good trichome production, beautiful color, and smell. The terps seem to have gotten a little sweeter. The Valley Ice mother has a fruity terp profile with a hint of sour diesel. It shouldn’t be too difficult to stabilize that terp profile again. The only thing that bugs me a little, is that the leaf structure on this plant has lost the serrated pattern that I really like. Im confident that I can fix that with an MTF male.

All other F1 Brandywine x Valley Ice plants are going to be scrapped. They have terrible and uninteresting terp profiles. I believe it is coming from the Grandpa’s Breath strain, because that is how I would describe the terp profile. Really boring and musty.

My plans for the outcross have changed. I suspect that the majority of the F2 lot will most likely have the Grandpa’s Breath terp profile. So ive decided to cross plant #8 with a F4 Valley Ice Male. I will then assess how that progeny turned out and decide weather it is wise to make F2 seeds.

Ive taken a fresh clone of plant #8. Earlier in the month, I culled everything and kept only my grafted mother plant. I had to refocus and remember that the Valley Ice strain is my top priority. I simply had too many projects going.

Memo to self: My intuition is telling me to cross plant #8 with an MTF male. It might be the quickest way to reinforce all the desired traits.

[BudWhisperer]

@Farmers_Hat

F1 Brandywine x Valley Ice

I know you did not like the terps. But what was the effect like?
As i have seeds of this that you made. And effect is of most importance to me. Thanks!

[Farmers_Hat]

I haven’t sampled any of them, yet. They still need several weeks to finish.

[Farmers_Hat]

@BudWhisperer Im going to wait a few more weeks before I cut them down and sample the flowers. This is how the remaining 3 plants look right now. I scrapped one the plants early, because trichome production was pathetic.

[Farmers_Hat]

Plant #8 is starting to look ripe. It smells like a purple jolly rancher.

Im planning to take some clones off her, once she revegges.

[TheMystified420]

I love the color of the hairs against the purple buds, beautiful flowers!

[Farmers_Hat]

One of the F1 plants is starting to reveg. It must be more sensitive to the photoperiod. The other plant is looking ripe and will be harvested today. @BudWhisperer I will let you know what kind of effects the flowers produce. If its anything like the mother Brandywine plant, it should be a mellow well balanced high.

[BudWhisperer]

Thank you for a future smoke report. Is it revegging because the days are getting longer?

[Mattman]

It’s a real treat popping in and reading up on all the information you share with us here in Overgrow. I’m really grateful for you @Farmers_Hat. Thank you.

Also, you really do grow beautiful plants my friend.

[Farmers_Hat]

@BudWhisperer

Is it revegging because the days are getting longer?

Indeed. I think the plant that is revegging is most likely an early finishing plant. Plants that are more sensitive to the photoperiod , usually flower sooner than the plants that are not as sensitive.
Unfortunately its not a very frosty plant and I dont like the terps on it. I dont plan to pollinate it.

[Farmers_Hat]

Harvested plant #8 and repotted her. Brought her inside to reveg and propagate.