Sensitive Mexican desert skunk seedlings showing issues early on.

[Lugo]

These seedlings are the first 3 seeds germinated from a cross of 2 different, imported Mexican skunks.

Both the parents were quite sensitive to water and definetely preferred being on the dry side and were fed very lightly by top dressing with a layer of worm compost and seemed to prefer misting a somewhat exposed root zone. Also when I rec'd the plants one of them had its roots busting out of its fabric pot so I think they are gonna need a pretty sandy soil mix with real good drainage.

At the moment they are in a very airy, organic soil/rice husk mix top dressed with a thin layer of worm castings and only water being added.

Growth is a bit slower than what i'm used to but yellowing cotyledons and a bit of a burn on the first set of leaf tips haz me worried.


Also they are under 24h mixed /light.

Never grown anything like this out here in tropical Colombia before. I'm pretty sure this is a drastic change of enviornment for these desert skunks.

Anybody have experience with dry, desert skunks before? Any and all advice welcome. After the initial breeding I was unsuccessful in revegging either parent which really surprised me and let me know these plants are something else entirely.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Creeperpark]

Don't run your lights 24 hrs and that will help. The reason is that the 24-hour lighting will dry out the leaf tissue on tiny seedlings because the stomata are not developed yet. Also, the larger plant photos show the need for a lower pH with more base nutrients.

 

[Lugo]

Don't run your lights 24 hrs and that will help. The reason is that the 24-hour lighting will dry out the leaf tissue on tiny seedlings because the stomata are not developed yet. Also, the larger plant photos show the need for a lower pH with more base nutrients.

Appreciate it!

 

[Lugo]

Don't run your lights 24 hrs and that will help. The reason is that the 24-hour lighting will dry out the leaf tissue on tiny seedlings because the stomata are not developed yet. Also, the larger plant photos show the need for a lower pH with more base nutrients.

What would you recommend I add to the soil? More nitrogen, calcium? I'm a bit weary of adding too much of anything at this point but I am contemplating an 100% organic, sandy, well ammended future soil mix. I'm pretty sure these guys where on a salt diet too so how can adjust the soil organically without them going crazy? TIA!

 

[Creeperpark]

When I start seeds I start them on a 12/12 photoperiod and slowly add hours to the photoperiod weekly. When I hit my desired daylength I stop adding hours. During veg I run 16 to 18 hour Max.

Seedlings are very sensitive and need equal dark time to be healthy. All plants have to have night darkness in order to complete their metabolizing.

Plants, shrubs, and trees use sunlight for photosynthesis during the daytime, but at night they need darkness to regenerate a key compound - phytochrome. Nighttime lighting can reduce vegetation's ability to properly create this compound.

Phytochromes are red (R)/far-red (FR) light photoreceptors that play fundamental roles in the photoreception of the light environment and the subsequent adaptation of plant growth and development. There are five distinct phytochromes in Arabidopsis thaliana, designated phytochrome A (phyA) to phyE. Google

Darkness is as important as light and the more darkness the more phytochromes.

 

[Creeperpark]

What would you recommend I add to the soil? More nitrogen, calcium? I'm a bit weary of adding too much of anything at this point but I am contemplating an 100% organic, sandy, well ammended future soil mix. I'm pretty sure these guys where on a salt diet too so how can adjust the soil organically without them going crazy? TIA!

I give my plants a very low dose of fertilizer in quality water with every watering. It can be organic or synthetic nutrients. I keep a steady low ppm or EC and the plants adjust easily because it's constant without swings. Using water-soluble nutrients in small amounts with clean water is the key.

 

[Lugo]

I neglected to mention these babes are very attractive to bugs, which I will take as a good sign for these skunk genetics. Even attract fruit flies.

Woke this morning to find that 1 had been chomped through by a little hopper

 

[St. Phatty]

When I start seeds I start them on a 12/12 photoperiod and slowly add hours to the photoperiod weekly. When I hit my desired daylength I stop adding hours. During veg I run 16 to 18 hour Max.

Seedlings are very sensitive and need equal dark time to be healthy. All plants have to have night darkness in order to complete their metabolizing.

Plants, shrubs, and trees use sunlight for photosynthesis during the daytime, but at night they need darkness to regenerate a key compound - phytochrome. Nighttime lighting can reduce vegetation's ability to properly create this compound.

Phytochromes are red (R)/far-red (FR) light photoreceptors that play fundamental roles in the photoreception of the light environment and the subsequent adaptation of plant growth and development. There are five distinct phytochromes in Arabidopsis thaliana, designated phytochrome A (phyA) to phyE. Google

Darkness is as important as light and the more darkness the more phytochromes.

Had to look that up.

Phytochrome - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Lugo]

Update on this MexiSkunk Double Cross. The sister skunk could'nt hang and was culled. And this one never grew out of the leaf curling, not even after transplant. Starting to flower, no scent yet, starting to think about reusing that soil these plants have been great teachers but...

 

[Lugo]

Ok, so then theres this lovely weirdo which I refer to as Double Mexi Skunk. The original aim of this cross was not the rancid males profile but conserving the mothers vanilla/burnt rubber/rotting meat profile which is something that in my life ive never smelled.

This plant has been one of the most interesting, odd looking things ive ever grown.

This is my own cross of 2 very different Mexican import skunks. One a tiny and dark green leaved, woody stemmed, vanilla/rubber/rot smelling skunk.

The other a rancid, lanky very NLD looking, old school smelling skunk which you could smell meters away outdoors. There are pics in the thread

So this curly leaved plant has been displaying that characteristic since the first set of leaves. I was told a million things but ive come to the conclusion its a trait. And its been a pleasure to watch.

Now, prior to the Mexican plants arriving I had done a germ test on a regional accession of Colombian Punto Rojo I call the incense accession. The plant revealed itself to be male and was just starting to drop pollen when the Mexicans arrived so they shared the same space for at least a day or so before I decided to chop him. I'm OCD so I understand me lol and also its in the interest of full disclosure, its very hard (impossible) to judge a cross by one plant, so the possibility exists. Thankfully I got a good amount of seed from the initial cross.

When you see this weirdo you'll see why i'm disclosing everything about it.

No scent whatsover which is actually a good sign because the mom was basically scentless until she started passing gas and then it was an unmistakable scent.

I have never seen 4 bladed leaves before either.

This is what I get for bitchin about freakshows and mutants, my kharma

 

[acespicoli]

@Creeperpark I see our friend is in good company already
Nice plants @Lugo

 

[Lugo]

This is the lone CPR incense male germ test that was just starting to drop and the only other possible suspect in all this extreme NLD madness in which the offspring looks more NLD than either parent.

 

[BruceNCG]

I give my plants a very low dose of fertilizer in quality water with every watering. It can be organic or synthetic nutrients. I keep a steady low ppm or EC and the plants adjust easily because it's constant without swings. Using water-soluble nutrients in small amounts with clean water is the key.

Creeper park do you do that with sativas too. ? If it’s a dry area cultivar feed and water are your enemy.
Lugo I would use a sand gravel fifty fifty mix for your first pots so they drain fast and dry out between watering. I would put the bottom layer of soil and inch or two with good organic soil. They’ll find the nuits and adjust and with each repot mix a little more organic into the soil so by the time you’re repotting for flower you’re adding only organic soil to the pot.
I don’t feed unless they need a little tea or top dress. For my style organic has been very successful

 

[Lugo]

@Creeperpark I see our friend is in good company already
Nice plants @Lugo

Thanks @Creeperpark

 

[Lugo]

Creeper park do you do that with sativas too. ? If it’s a dry area cultivar feed and water are your enemy.
Lugo I would use a sand gravel fifty fifty mix for your first pots so they drain fast and dry out between watering. I would put the bottom layer of soil and inch or two with good organic soil. They’ll find the nuits and adjust and with each repot mix a little more organic into the soil so by the time you’re repotting for flower you’re adding only organic soil to the pot.
I don’t feed unless they need a little tea or top dress. For my style organic has been very successful

I actually had to adjust and create a sandy, high drainage but light retention soil mix for these Mexican plants. I also use ant hill sand in the mix like 80/20 but only on the first potting. Also realized that watering from the bottom up works best and alternating a top to bottom top dress feeding. Also use rice husk and a bunch of other dry ammendments. Hadn't grown anything this sensitive to over watering before.

 

[rolandomota]

Its probably not Mexican or skunk you should rename it

 

[Lugo]

Its probably not Mexican or skunk you should rename it

As soon as you give me the lotto numbers.

 

[Lugo]

Its probably not Mexican or skunk you should rename it

This is you brah..?

YOU are a trip

 

[elchischas]

I saw your first seedlings photos of your plants and probably isn't "skunk" or hybrid
I grow many mexican hybrids and they looks pretty different as a seedlings stages

 

[Dime]

These seedlings are the first 3 seeds germinated from a cross of 2 different, imported Mexican skunks.

Both the parents were quite sensitive to water and definetely preferred being on the dry side and were fed very lightly by top dressing with a layer of worm compost and seemed to prefer misting a somewhat exposed root zone. Also when I rec'd the plants one of them had its roots busting out of its fabric pot so I think they are gonna need a pretty sandy soil mix with real good drainage.

At the moment they are in a very airy, organic soil/rice husk mix top dressed with a thin layer of worm castings and only water being added.

Growth is a bit slower than what i'm used to but yellowing cotyledons and a bit of a burn on the first set of leaf tips haz me worried.


Also they are under 24h mixed /light.

Never grown anything like this out here in tropical Colombia before. I'm pretty sure this is a drastic change of enviornment for these desert skunks.

Anybody have experience with dry, desert skunks before? Any and all advice welcome. After the initial breeding I was unsuccessful in revegging either parent which really surprised me and let me know these plants are something else entirely.

Thanks in advance!

I think you have too much going on in your mix,maybe try promix and high quality 3 part fert to get them established.Looking at pic 6 it looks like an easy cloner,best of luck.