KGB's 1st LED grow

[bluter]

At its basic, the hempy method is a hard plastic pot or bucket that has a small built-in reservoir created by a hole about 2” above the bottom.

gee i thought i nailed it ..

As far as media - when a user named “Hempy” (on an old message board) began promoting the method back around 2000-something, he recommended 1 part vermiculite to 3 parts perlite. He since has changed to perlite up to the hole and coco as the main medium.

pretty sure the method actually pre-dates that time.
oddly i only learned of it here on this board. i grew both passive and active hydro previous, so it wasn't a stretch. i had done passive hydro as early as late 80's / early 90's.

I still just use 100% perlite, but will be experimenting with coco for additional moisture retention when I grow outdoors. Other growers have successfully used pumice, turface, aquarium gravel, hydroton, glass beads - whatever will wick moisture up from the reservoir.

the coco idea might have some legs. coco and hempy are very similar in style already. i can see it having advantages in an outdoor hempy.

i ran once with vermiculite and that's it. i just run straight perlite now.

The small reservoir provides for more time between fertigations than the even more basic drain-to-waste, which is what you have using a nursery pot with multiple holes in the bottom.

this would be a great flood and drain like @Jack420 's set up.

you got a good thing going on here @KGB
i'd check out a flood table, you might like that, or go have a look at jack's journal. it must get tiring if you're hand watering a drain to waste.

i'm also wondering what you're temps are like. have a guess i might be looking at maybe a little heat stress.

I find it to be very easy and forgiving - and it’s my method of choice.

it's worked out great for my circumstances. a few locals are now running hempy here. everyone one was knocked out over what i could get a 2L bucket to produce.

 

[KGB]

Hola KGB!

Rockwool can hold a lot of water - I would use coco instead if you are going for better moisture retention than 100% perlite. I’ve seen references to hempy - but it looks like you are using regular nursery pots with holes around the bottom - n

perlite, a bucket, and

LOL - well, to elaborate just a little..

At its basic, the hempy method is a hard plastic pot or bucket that has a small built-in reservoir created by a hole about 2” above the bottom.

As far as media - when a user named “Hempy” (on an old message board) began promoting the method back around 2000-something, he recommended 1 part vermiculite to 3 parts perlite. He since has changed to perlite up to the hole and coco as the main medium.

I still just use 100% perlite, but will be experimenting with coco for additional moisture retention when I grow outdoors. Other growers have successfully used pumice, turface, aquarium gravel, hydroton, glass beads - whatever will wick moisture up from the reservoir.

The small reservoir provides for more time between fertigations than the even more basic drain-to-waste, which is what you have using a nursery pot with multiple holes in the bottom.

I find it to be very easy and forgiving - and it’s my method of choic

LOL - well, to elaborate just a little..

At its basic, the hempy method is a hard plastic pot or bucket that has a small built-in reservoir created by a hole about 2” above the bottom.

As far as media - when a user named “Hempy” (on an old message board) began promoting the method back around 2000-something, he recommended 1 part vermiculite to 3 parts perlite. He since has changed to perlite up to the hole and coco as the main medium.

I still just use 100% perlite, but will be experimenting with coco for additional moisture retention when I grow outdoors. Other growers have successfully used pumice, turface, aquarium gravel, hydroton, glass beads - whatever will wick moisture up from the reservoir.

The small reservoir provides for more time between fertigations than the even more basic drain-to-waste, which is what you have using a nursery pot with multiple holes in the bottom.

I find it to be very easy and forgiving - and it’s my method of choice.

Thanks for the explanation, comments about water retention have piqued my interest. Do you hand water plants plants with this method?

 

[FelipeBlu]

pretty sure the method actually pre-dates that time.

I think you’re right - it just got its current name due to the constant promotion by “Hempy “

i ran once with vermiculite and that's it. i just run straight perlite now.

My brother tried the mix with vermiculite and found that it held too much water for an indoor grow. One of the benefits of hempy is the possibility of fertigating daily without concern about over-watering. Vermiculite messes that up. Using just perlite - if I mess up a mix (say it’s too strong) - I can immediately flush it out and replace it with the correct mix. Not so easy with vermiculite holding on to the first mix.

 

[bluter]

had another look and noticed you are direct feed @KGB
good job.

that's pretty much what we did all old school. used old washing machine pumps and mixed barrels of nutes at a go.
i bet you're a bit more advanced ...

 

[bluter]

yes hempy is hand water. that's what has me musing about flood tables lol

 

[FelipeBlu]

Thanks for the explanation, comments about water retention have piqued my interest. Do you hand water plants plants with this method?

At its most basic - but I have set up drip fertigation from an outside reservoir with a timer.

And also a flood and drain that refilled the internal reservoir every day.

 

[Jack420]

flood tables are the way to go super simple I run coco n promix n cheap nutes come check out my set up glad to give pointers !!! Thanks @bluter for the props n u started hydro in the 80s 90s shyt I was born 92 u could be my pops cheers fam

FE189082-3D52-4069-A068-A4DB61A9AC97.jpeg

• Jack420
• Oct 31, 2021

Here are my girls

 

[bluter]

u started hydro in the 80s 90s shyt I was born 92 u could be my pops cheers fam

yeah i was an old punk rocker lol
most who meet me think i'm younger than i actually am too

edit : it's cause of all the weed.

 

[Jack420]

Nice brother I’m a old soul wished I lived tru the 70s n 80s some of the best bands came out that era jimmy hyndrix Kurt cobain journey just the list goes on lol

 

[bluter]

Nice brother I’m a old soul wished I lived tru the 70s n 80s some of the best bands came out that era jimmy hyndrix Kurt cobain journey just the list goes on lol

there's always good bands. right now everything industry is singer-songwriter focused, but there are still tons of good bands.

 

[Jack420]

there's always good bands. right now everything industry is singer-songwriter focused, but there are still tons of good bands.

Agree brother

 

[Buds Buddy]

LOL - well, to elaborate just a little..

At its basic, the hempy method is a hard plastic pot or bucket that has a small built-in reservoir created by a hole about 2” above the bottom.

As far as media - when a user named “Hempy” (on an old message board) began promoting the method back around 2000-something, he recommended 1 part vermiculite to 3 parts perlite. He since has changed to perlite up to the hole and coco as the main medium.

I still just use 100% perlite, but will be experimenting with coco for additional moisture retention when I grow outdoors. Other growers have successfully used pumice, turface, aquarium gravel, hydroton, glass beads - whatever will wick moisture up from the reservoir.

The small reservoir provides for more time between fertigations than the even more basic drain-to-waste, which is what you have using a nursery pot with multiple holes in the bottom.

I find it to be very easy and forgiving - and it’s my method of choice.

Sounds similar to what @Morda Grown is doing... but not the exact same thing. Sounds like it's basically just a wicking feed type grow. Looks like I'm seeing a lot more people getting into the bottom feed stuff here lately. It should be fun to watch this journal to see how it all works. Thanks for the description. Now I know.... lol.

 

[Buds Buddy]

yeah i was an old punk rocker lol
most who meet me think i'm younger than i actually am too

edit : it's cause of all the weed.

I'll bet it is. Look at Willie Nelson.... he's 100 now. Got to be the weed.

 

[Morda Grown]

Sounds similar to what @Morda Grown is doing... but not the exact same thing. Sounds like it's basically just a wicking feed type grow. Looks like I'm seeing a lot more people getting into the bottom feed stuff here lately. It should be fun to watch this journal to see how it all works. Thanks for the description. Now I know.... lol.

Yeap same principle. My res is a little different but, yeah same concept. My girl seems doing great in that bucket indoors. I wasn't sure how it would work indoors but, I'm liking the results.

 

[KGB]

Thanks for the explanation, comments about water retention have piqued my interest. Do you hand water plants plants with this method?

At its most basic - but I have set up drip fertigation from an outside reservoir with a timer.

And also a flood and drain that refilled the internal reservoir every day.

Yeap same principle. My res is a little different but, yeah same concept. My girl seems doing great in that bucket indoors. I wasn't sure how it would work indoors but, I'm liking the resul

Both Felipe, and Morda have Id'd buckets with reservoir systems, I'm more of a 'visual learner' any photos of this set up without plants or medium in them would be most appreciated.

 

[Morda Grown]

Both Felipe, and Morda have Id'd buckets with reservoir systems, I'm more of a 'visual learner' any photos of this set up without plants or medium in them would be most appreciated.

Sure not a problem...

 

[FelipeBlu]

Oh.. Highya KGB!


Stepped out for a jay


The hempy bucket is just a bucket (or tub) with a hole about 2” above the bottom (a 1/2” diameter hole about 2-1/4” above the bottom of the tub in these photos)

 

[KGB]

Oh.. Highya KGB!


Stepped out for a jay


The hempy bucket is just a bucket (or tub) with a hole about 2” above the bottom (a 1/2” diameter hole about 2-1/4” above the bottom of the tub in these photos)

PhilipeBlu~
After reviewing your old journal I noted some fairly high outside temps >100F. Here in Phoenix we see an avg summer temp of 110, sometimes in the mid teens. What are your thoughts for an outside grow?

 

[FelipeBlu]

The hempy method works well outside - the reservoir helps keep them going when it gets hot.

Next time, I will add some coco to the final bucket - maybe 20-25% - that will help with moisture retention.

Make sure to shade your bucket. If it’s going to be over 90F on a regular basis, consider putting some shadecloth (maybe 20%) over the plant during the hottest 2-3 hours of the midday sun. It’s going to get plenty of DLI anyway.