Hempy Buckets - Jack's Classic or Dyna-Gro

[georgyboy]

I'm looking to do a low maintenance grow as I'm working more hours now and the next semester is just around the corner. I've decided to do a 5 gallon "Hempy" style grow, using 50/50 chunky vermiculite and perlite. I'll be using tap water. I have a ph meter and ph up/down. I want this to be a straight forward grow, 1 fert in veg and 1 fert in flower. Would you recommend Jack's Classic All Purpose 20-20-20 with Jack's Bloom Booster 10-30-10 or Dyna-gro Foliage Pro 9-3-6 with Dyna-gro Bloom 3-12-6. Dyna-gro is a more complete formula, but I don't really mess with hydro so I don't know left from right. I should also mention I'm not doing a typical hempy. The bucket will sit in a large cat litter box. I'll add water to the litter box, not the top of the bucket, and let it soak up from the bottom. There's holes in the bottom of the bucket and also on the sides along the bottom.

 

[Moebius]

I'm looking to do a low maintenance grow as I'm working more hours now and the next semester is just around the corner. I've decided to do a 5 gallon "Hempy" style grow, using 50/50 chunky vermiculite and perlite. I'll be using tap water. I have a ph meter and ph up/down. I want this to be a straight forward grow, 1 fert in veg and 1 fert in flower. Would you recommend Jack's Classic All Purpose 20-20-20 with Jack's Bloom Booster 10-30-10 or Dyna-gro Foliage Pro 9-3-6 with Dyna-gro Bloom 3-12-6. Dyna-gro is a more complete formula, but I don't really mess with hydro so I don't know left from right. I should also mention I'm not doing a typical hempy. The bucket will sit in a large cat litter box. I'll add water to the litter box, not the top of the bucket, and let it soak up from the bottom. There's holes in the bottom of the bucket and also on the sides along the bottom.

Sounds interesting, how will you prevent algae from growing in cat litter box? Have you made a lid so light won't enter?

I do 140 x 2liter hempys. under 3x600W

 

[DustBomb]

monibus y dont u double or triple up per pot to cut down on how many u use... for example 4 in 1 5 gal bucket

 

[Moebius]

monibus y dont u double or triple up per pot to cut down on how many u use... for example 4 in 1 5 gal bucket

I prefer 1 plant 1pot. 2liter works perfect for the root size for a plant switched to 12/12 from clone. All my plants go into flower straight from the cloner.

I'll post a pic in 4.5 hours when the lights go on.

edit:
In fact I'll start my own thread out of respect for the OP

 

[homebrewer]

Jacks doesn't contain calcium or magnesium and I don't know if lime can be added to your hempy buckets, I'd think it would get washed out really quickly. I think with your method, DG would be the better, lower maintenance choice. Since your method is a little closer to hydro than growing in promix, I'd recommend the grow (7-9-5) which could really be used from start to finish. I'd still recommend their bloom but I would never feed 100% bloom unless it's every other week in flower when your plants are lush and green from top to bottom.

You're still going to have to pH your solution before you feed your plants so you can either use pH up and down OR you can use DG's Protekt and depending on your water, a 1:1 ratio of base-protekt often times lands your pH right in the lower 6's.

Your water is another concern. What is the ppm? There is always the chance that your tap supplies enough cal and mag fro Jacks Classic to work really well. Odds are it wont which is why I'd go with DG.

 

[Moebius]

I use GH Flora for my hempy. ... very close to lucas ratio

 

[Nitegazer]

Georgyboy,I assume you were looking to keep the plants in a litter box to reduce the number of times you need to water. Why not consider a soilless medium like Promix or Coir? My 3' plants are in 3 gal buckets, and need watering/feeding no more than twice per week.

 

[Moebius]

Georgyboy,I assume you were looking to keep the plants in a litter box to reduce the number of times you need to water. Why not consider a soilless medium like Promix or Coir? My 3' plants are in 3 gal buckets, and need watering/feeding no more than twice per week.

Hes doing a soiless mix, read the OP again.

 

[Nitegazer]

... using 50/50 chunky vermiculite and perlite.

I did read it again (and posted it above). I recommended a Promix or Coir base mix that would retain water better.

 

[Moebius]

I did read it again (and posted it above). I recommended a Promix or Coir base mix that would retain water better.

Now re-read what you wrote .

Georgyboy,I assume you were looking to keep the plants in a litter box to reduce the number of times you need to water. Why not consider a soilless medium like Promix or Coir? My 3' plants are in 3 gal buckets, and need watering/feeding no more than twice per week.

 

[Moebius]

Whatever ... anyway, if you had used vermiculite before you wouldn't be saying better water retention.

It bugs me when someone decides to grow a certain way and then some fool who happens to be happy with their grow says 'Why not do it this way?' ... if we were all like that we would probably be all still growing soil.

 

[homebrewer]

I second Nitegazer as the OP is seeking a 'low maintenance grow'. Hempy needs a lot more attention than promix in that hempy will probably need watered every single day. With promix, you're looking at 2-3 times per week.

 

[Moebius]

I second Nitegazer as the OP is seeking a 'low maintenance grow'. Hempy needs a lot more attention than promix in that hempy will probably need watered every single day. With promix, you're looking at 2-3 times per week.

I have 140 hempys going right now, I water 2-3 times a week. ... Have you even done it yourself?

Mine are only 2 liters aswell and therefore have a smaller reservoir than what the OP suggests. In addition I do a 1:3 part Vermiculiteerlite, OP suggest a 1:1, this will make the mix more water retaining.

Not being funny but; Ive grown in using every substrate for years, my advice is from experience I hope you're not just regurgitating what you have read about hempy.

 

[homebrewer]

Is this a discussion about growing method or plant food? Let it go.

 

[Moebius]

Is this a discussion about growing method or plant food? Let it go.

True, sorry.

Im a little over-zealous when it comes to hempy.

 

[georgyboy]

Thanks for all tthe info guys. As far as the nutes go I am going with the dyna-gro as itis just as
affordable as Jack's but far more complete. I'm going to order the grow 7-9-6 foliage pro 9-3-6 and the bloom 3-12-6 and use grow with foliage in veg and grow with bloom in flower. I figure as long as I keep the ph right around 6 I shouldn't have any problems. To nitegazer and homebrew, I'm actually not worried about watering frequency at all. I ran a small 2 liter Hempy before and watering wasn't an issue. The cat liter box idea has two purposes. 1-top feeding the Hempy causes the perlite to rise to the top and the vermiculite to settle at the bottom and I'm hopin this would eliminate that. 2-it seemed like the easiest way to deal with the runoff you normally have in a Hempy bucket. I don't want to have to drag a 3' plant in a 5 gallon bucket to the bathroom every time it needs water, so I figured it'd be easiest to just let it soak up the water itself. I didn't think algae would be a problem in 3" of water.
And to moebius I'd love to see your Hempy plants, feel free to post those pics here or a link to your seperate thread. If you don't mind I am going to p.m. You tomorrow with a few questions about Hempy growing (it's getting late tonight and I'm feeling a lil too tipsy for all that anyway)

 

[indiapale]

Another alternative would be VitaGrow but it's three part. Basically just a micronutrient 4-14-24, a nitrogen "calcium Nitrate and a dab of urea" 17-0-0, and monopotassium phosphate 0-51-34. Add some epsom salts "magnesium sulphate" if needed and you're done. It's also the cheapest and most customizable available. Just follow the directions on the box and it's fool proof.

 

[Moebius]

Thanks for all tthe info guys. As far as the nutes go I am going with the dyna-gro as itis just as
affordable as Jack's but far more complete. I'm going to order the grow 7-9-6 foliage pro 9-3-6 and the bloom 3-12-6 and use grow with foliage in veg and grow with bloom in flower. I figure as long as I keep the ph right around 6 I shouldn't have any problems. To nitegazer and homebrew, I'm actually not worried about watering frequency at all. I ran a small 2 liter Hempy before and watering wasn't an issue. The cat liter box idea has two purposes. 1-top feeding the Hempy causes the perlite to rise to the top and the vermiculite to settle at the bottom and I'm hopin this would eliminate that. 2-it seemed like the easiest way to deal with the runoff you normally have in a Hempy bucket. I don't want to have to drag a 3' plant in a 5 gallon bucket to the bathroom every time it needs water, so I figured it'd be easiest to just let it soak up the water itself. I didn't think algae would be a problem in 3" of water.
And to moebius I'd love to see your Hempy plants, feel free to post those pics here or a link to your seperate thread. If you don't mind I am going to p.m. You tomorrow with a few questions about Hempy growing (it's getting late tonight and I'm feeling a lil too tipsy for all that anyway)

World Of Hempy​

​

 

[Moebius]

I figured it'd be easiest to just let it soak up the water itself. I didn't think algae would be a problem in 3" of water.

Algae can bloom in just a few mm of water mate, if left standing for a while. Not only that, but your lights will vape of some of the water in the litter-box, throwing out your EC/pH levels. In vaping off the water, it will also increase humidity in the grow room.

IMO ... Your litter-box idea sounds plausible with some tweeks, Come to the WOH thread and we can make this work.

 

[sparnicus]

HB could you give an idea of your DG feeding schedule/quantities? I picked up some pipette style eye droppers which hold approx. 1/2 tsp each to make liquid ferts easier. I have grow, bloom, and pro-tekt. When I tried Jack's in hempy I had nothing but trouble.