Hempy Headquarters

[TorturedSoul]

So what exactly is a hempy? Anything filled with Perlite?

No, "hempy," AfaIK, means a container that, instead of having the traditional set of multiple drain holes (or one large one) on the bottom, has a single hole partway up from the bottom. This creates a small reservoir, of sorts, in the container.

The medium can vary. People use perlite, coco coir, a mixture of perlite and coco coir, a mixture of perlite and vermiculite, and the like. Basically a more or less inert medium instead of soil.

Hempy is hand-watered hydroponics. So most people aim for a pH of ~5.8 instead of the ~6.5 that they would use for soil grows. It's, well... just another form of hydroponics.

Tead has a hempy grow; the link is in his .SIG. SweetSue... has so many wonderful threads that I would just ask her if she'll suggest one, lol. There are probably other members who've posted in this thread that have hempy grow journals. Those are just the two that I thought of right away.

Oh, and there's a grow journal by someone who is no longer a member, but I bookmarked it because, well... You'll see . He liked two-liter soda pop bottles. Liked them a lot:
Come SOG with Me - 112 Plant - 2 Liter - Hempy SOG

 

[Skullman420]

Ok. I would of course add an airpump/airstone to that mix to make sure the roots got properly aerated, but yeah - I like it. Perhaps I will cook up an "invention"

No, "hempy," AfaIK, means a container that, instead of having the traditional set of multiple drain holes (or one large one) on the bottom, has a single hole partway up from the bottom. This creates a small reservoir, of sorts, in the container.

The medium can vary. People use perlite, coco coir, a mixture of perlite and coco coir, a mixture of perlite and vermiculite, and the like. Basically a more or less inert medium instead of soil.

Hempy is hand-watered hydroponics. So most people aim for a pH of ~5.8 instead of the ~6.5 that they would use for soil grows. It's, well... just another form of hydroponics.

Tead has a hempy grow; the link is in his .SIG. SweetSue... has so many wonderful threads that I would just ask her if she'll suggest one, lol. There are probably other members who've posted in this thread that have hempy grow journals. Those are just the two that I thought of right away.

Oh, and there's a grow journal by someone who is no longer a member, but I bookmarked it because, well... You'll see . He liked two-liter soda pop bottles. Liked them a lot:
Come SOG with Me - 112 Plant - 2 Liter - Hempy SOG

 

[Tead]

Ok. I would of course add an airpump/airstone to that mix to make sure the roots got properly aerated, but yeah - I like it. Perhaps I will cook up an "invention"

Yaknow..... we don't usually see hempy growers implement this idea. I think many of us have toyed with it.
I'll be uber-curious.

 

[Tead]

Let's see.... lots of words about perlite and other various mediums 'round here.

I'm in a very hot/humid world and perlite alone has worked well for me. I need the added water motility since the humidity leads to low evaporation rates. The res at the bottom of my pot holds the nute mix.... it wicks up thru the medium as evaporation dries the top. For me, the lighter medium aids that migration. Growers in other regions exposed to cooler/drier environments see to do better in a thicker mix incorporating vermiculite.
Coco is a bit different. It seems to have an "active" bit to it. I think the coco supports some minimal level of bio-activity giving slightly different interaction betwixt medium and nute mix. While I have no personal experience with it, I have seen it in play elsewhere many times.
There are old school ideas as well. Folks using pea gravel or other inert mediums.
One's mix is quite personal really. It should be tailored to your local weather and world.

One CAN over water some of the mediums. If you're running a thicker mix or running a cool garden, you should be aware of the issue.
Some growers try to get a much better wet/dry cycle than I do. You can check it out yourself with a moisture probe or your finger.... I often push a finger an inch or two down into the top of the medium to gauge the moisture level.

Lots of different nuances to the issue as you can see. I've really only touched on on some of the big ones. Various types of mediums and additions can play out in many different ways. Personally, Tead's been wanting to add lime to his mix in hopes of avoiding CalMag'ing.

 

[TorturedSoul]

Yaknow..... we don't usually see hempy growers implement this idea. I think many of us have toyed with it.
I'll be uber-curious.

I was thinking that I'd seen several people determine that they were going to do it a few years ago, but that I don't remember any results. I kind of wondered if (assuming that some did actually try it) maybe there just wasn't any appreciable improvement. IDK.

In theory, it ought to provide a boost in dissolved O₂ in the reservoir area. But the entire container isn't going to be flooded - as in "waterlogged" - because the excess would tend to run out of the drain hole. Then the volume above the hole would be damp (as would that portion of the roots), but there'd be a lot of air space, too. If the top (portion) dries, any roots that have gotten to the reservoir would be able to access moisture while all of the rest of the root system would be surrounded by a lot more air (along with the medium, of course).

So... IDK. I'm a big fan of getting the DO level as high as can be done without heroic effort, and I'm sure there's an unused air pump around here somewhere (if someone didn't tell me they needed one at some point :icon_roll ) - but, even so, I'm in no hurry to set up an experiment. I just don't think I'd see significant increases in either yield or plant health. YMMV, of course - and I wouldn't mind being proven wrong.

 

[TorturedSoul]

Personally, Tead's been wanting to add lime to his mix in hopes of avoiding CalMag'ing.

Or gypsum? IIRC, dissolving it in water adds calcium (and sulfate) ions, but neither adds nor removes hydrogen ions - so it shouldn't affect pH. Err... I think. Some of the brain cells, lol... They blink, man - like a poorly maintained sign.

 

[TorturedSoul]

Hey, I just noticed we joined the forum in the same year/month!

I thought you looked familiar .

grumblegrumbleprocrastinategrumblegrumble. I was going to repot something and then go to bed. I seem to have forgotten to do either. Doggone it!

 

[Lady Antheia]

The idea of an air stone was discussed on a thread at another website. The general consensus was that there was no difference, but it would be interesting to see a side by side comparison run on clones from the same mother.

 

[Tead]

Or gypsum? IIRC, dissolving it in water adds calcium (and sulfate) ions, but neither adds nor removes hydrogen ions - so it shouldn't affect pH. Err... I think. Some of the brain cells, lol... They blink, man - like a poorly maintained sign.

I've not seen gypsum used in passive hydros. Dunno why. One of the things I'm worried about with my lime addition is the lack of water movement. It would seem to the logical mind that additions like lime in passive hydro configuration would suffer some challenges. Logic can be a fickle mistress however.

Baked eggshells, a DIY solution, seems popular in many gardens. I went for the bag of garden lime instead. Now I just gotta open it.

 

[TorturedSoul]

I went for the bag of garden lime instead. Now I just gotta open it.

Are you talking about the powder or the pellets (I'm so tired...)? If pellets, you can use a coffee grinder to turn them into powder.

IDK if that's what you're supposed to do to the stuff or not, lol. I just recall turning a bunch of pellets into powder one night. I remember it because that's the last night I had a working coffee grinder.....

Yep, feeling punch-drunk.

 

[SweetSue]

Are you talking about the powder or the pellets (I'm so tired...)? If pellets, you can use a coffee grinder to turn them into powder.

IDK if that's what you're supposed to do to the stuff or not, lol. I just recall turning a bunch of pellets into powder one night. I remember it because that's the last night I had a working coffee grinder.....

Yep, feeling punch-drunk.

If you need another grinder, I can help you with that. I don't grind coffee anymore, and I was just looking at the grinder yesterday thinking "this needs a new home."

 

[SweetSue]

The idea of an air stone was discussed on a thread at another website. The general consensus was that there was no difference, but it would be interesting to see a side by side comparison run on clones from the same mother.

Perlite as a medium tends to increase oxygenation of the water simply by the wicking action involved. That's why there's no appreciable difference with the air stone. I believe I read that same thread Lady A, and they determined it was a waste of resources.

 

[SweetSue]

TS, you make it real challenging to find the post worthy of the reps. Somewhere along the 24-hr path I already tapped you. Please accept these heartfelt hugs instead.

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Seems to me, the reason we, well Me, tried and do hempy is the ease of it and the great results
So again, to me, adding a pump makes it more if a true Hydro grow and takes away from the ease of the Hempy process and grow

Like I said, that's me, easy is good , goes well with lazy,

 

[MagicJim]

Let's see.... lots of words about perlite and other various mediums 'round here.

I'm in a very hot/humid world and perlite alone has worked well for me. I need the added water motility since the humidity leads to low evaporation rates. The res at the bottom of my pot holds the nute mix.... it wicks up thru the medium as evaporation dries the top. For me, the lighter medium aids that migration. Growers in other regions exposed to cooler/drier environments see to do better in a thicker mix incorporating vermiculite.
Coco is a bit different. It seems to have an "active" bit to it. I think the coco supports some minimal level of bio-activity giving slightly different interaction betwixt medium and nute mix. While I have no personal experience with it, I have seen it in play elsewhere many times.
There are old school ideas as well. Folks using pea gravel or other inert mediums.
One's mix is quite personal really. It should be tailored to your local weather and world.

One CAN over water some of the mediums. If you're running a thicker mix or running a cool garden, you should be aware of the issue.
Some growers try to get a much better wet/dry cycle than I do. You can check it out yourself with a moisture probe or your finger.... I often push a finger an inch or two down into the top of the medium to gauge the moisture level.

Lots of different nuances to the issue as you can see. I've really only touched on on some of the big ones. Various types of mediums and additions can play out in many different ways. Personally, Tead's been wanting to add lime to his mix in hopes of avoiding CalMag'ing.

80 lbs of dolomite lime gave Jim all the exercise he needed this morning as I'm on a mission to curb any and hopefully all moss in my small yard. After I read the bag's details I wondered if I could avoid cal/mag altogether. I don't have any cal/mag and did not need it in my last soil grow as it's contained in my KIS Organics nutrient pack.

I saved a bit of the lime and may do some experimenting. There are a bunch of other chemicals in the lime also. Needs study.

 

[Drogon]

These are my two clones in hempy, they are 8 days post flip and are stretching like crazy. I'm running GH Micro, grow, bloom, DN, cal mag, and liquid kool bloom.

The bushier looking one is a super glue clone. It has been all kinds of contorted as this was my first time trying LST, I'll have better pictures of the mess once I do a light defoil at 2 weeks post flip.

The smaller one is a 3x Crazy OG clone that I experimented with. I basically trimmed it to a mainline shape as best I could with two growth tips, let her heal for a week, and then flipped it.

I know there's a ton of room in the tent, that's because I'm starting a perpetual set up .


These are some "Jack x Jack" seeds a buddy got from a booth at some cannabis expo. No info on the strain or wether its feminized , so I'm assuming they aren't. I popped 6 in rapid rooters in a clone tray and transplanted as soon as I saw roots. I think I transplanted too early because the seedlings did not grow much and looked wilted for about a week. Things seem to be looking better today as the leaves are nice and perky

Anyone know why this seedling is taller than the rest and has broader leaves? I'm thinking it's a male, but can you know for sure at this stage?

My newest hempy courtesy of some random juice bottle haha. This is a clone of the 3x Crazy OG. It had nice roots before putting it in this small hempy, hopefully that solves the wilting and slow growth problem.

 

[Gauge Steel]

TS, you make it real challenging to find the post worthy of the reps. Somewhere along the 24-hr path I already tapped you. Please accept these heartfelt hugs instead.

I got your back girl. TS is the man!

 

[Gauge Steel]

These are my two clones in hempy, they are 8 days post flip and are stretching like crazy. I'm running GH Micro, grow, bloom, DN, cal mag, and liquid kool bloom.

The bushier looking one is a super glue clone. It has been all kinds of contorted as this was my first time trying LST, I'll have better pictures of the mess once I do a light defoil at 2 weeks post flip.

The smaller one is a 3x Crazy OG clone that I experimented with. I basically trimmed it to a mainline shape as best I could with two growth tips, let her heal for a week, and then flipped it.


I know there's a ton of room in the tent, that's because I'm starting a perpetual set up .


These are some "Jack x Jack" seeds a buddy got from a booth at some cannabis expo. No info on the strain or wether its feminized , so I'm assuming they aren't. I popped 6 in rapid rooters in a clone tray and transplanted as soon as I saw roots. I think I transplanted too early because the seedlings did not grow much and looked wilted for about a week. Things seem to be looking better today as the leaves are nice and perky


Anyone know why this seedling is taller than the rest and has broader leaves? I'm thinking it's a male, but can you know for sure at this stage?


My newest hempy courtesy of some random juice bottle haha. This is a clone of the 3x Crazy OG. It had nice roots before putting it in this small hempy, hopefully that solves the wilting and slow growth problem.

I am loving the little one in the background. It looks like a perfect little Sativa leaf.

 

[Tead]

Are you talking about the powder or the pellets.

Powdered "Garden Lime". Not the same stuff as Dolomite ("It's Dolomite baby!") Lime. I hear tell the Dolomite Lime is much more powerful and thus a bit touchy to use in a garden.

Seems to me, the reason we, well Me, tried and do hempy is the ease of it and the great results
So again, to me, adding a pump makes it more if a true Hydro grow and takes away from the ease of the Hempy process and grow

Like I said, that's me, easy is good , goes well with lazy, 

Tead can surely appreciate some laziness! You could call it KISS, but I'm more of a fan of lazy.

80 lbs of dolomite lime gave Jim all the exercise he needed this morning as I'm on a mission to curb any and hopefully all moss in my small yard. After I read the bag's details I wondered if I could avoid cal/mag altogether. I don't have any cal/mag and did not need it in my last soil grow as it's contained in my KIS Organics nutrient pack.

I saved a bit of the lime and may do some experimenting. There are a bunch of other chemicals in the lime also. Needs study.

See previous words regarding Dolomite Lime vs Garden Lime.

My newest hempy courtesy of some random juice bottle haha. This is a clone of the 3x Crazy OG. It had nice roots before putting it in this small hempy, hopefully that solves the wilting and slow growth problem.

Roots and hydro res's are not fans of light. Wrap some duck tape (yes, you can call it duct tape... don't get us started!) around your juice bottle.

 

[Drogon]

Roots and hydro res's are not fans of light. Wrap some duck tape (yes, you can call it duct tape... don't get us started!) around your juice bottle.

After reading through this thread I realized that. Priority number 1 as soon as lights turn on. Not sure what to do with this one. It's a clone of a clone. If the strain is good I would like to keep it around. Would it be in poor practice to keep this as a mother? Or would the amount of times it's been cloned not make a difference?