[starke]

This is going to be a slow and odd beginning to a grow diary and for that I apologize. I want to document this grow in real time. Unfortunately that means the grow will begin with a two week break after this initial post since I will be out of town until 6/25.

The Plan: Five Hawaiian Snow clones in original Hempy Buckets in a 5x5x8 tent. URSA Optilux LED full spectrum for light. Maxibloom KISS only for nutes. Should be a cake walk, right?

Anyway, these nine clones were cut on 5/24 and placed in my Rubbermaid TikiTorch Wick Cloner in pure perlite. All nine rooted well and were transplanted into Solo Hempy Cups today. The misses will keep them fed and under these off the shelf LEDs until I return. The five healthiest will then be selected, re-potted in two or three gallon Hempy Buckets and into the tent under the URSA LED for topping and training.

So say Hi to the girls. Next update on or around 6/25.

[starke]

Managed to cut the out of town trip from 14 days to 10 so here is a pic of the girls as of today. Not bad progress from 10 days ago. The misses nailed the feed schedule. Hempy cups are working like a champ. Picked up some three gallon buckets from the dollar store today and will begin setting them up tomorrow.

Peace.

[saitama]

My fellow optilux grower! I am pulling up a bean bag and a portable grill for this one. Best of luck! I'm sure you'll crush it.

And now I have to wait 5 more days....

[starke]

Glad to have you on board Saitama. If nothing else, this should be entertaining.

[starke]

As stated in the first post, this will be a grow done in Hempy Buckets. This grow is my first attempt at using this method. For anyone tuning in who is not familiar with the method and mediums, check out this thread if you are contemplating trying it or want to know the ins and outs of how it works:

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?threadid=98419

For the sake of having something to update and some pics to post, here is a down and dirty short version of my setup:

Find a bucket or other container between one and five gallons. (Mine are three gallon el cheapos from the dollar store.) Poke about a one half inch diameter hole in the side about two inches up from the bottom.

[starke]

Per post pic limit required me to break up this post.

Fill the bottom of the bucket up to the level of the hole with pure perlite. (I rinsed mine first to get rid of some of the dust.)

Make a mixture of about 75% perlite and 25% vermiculite by volume. Mix well and fill the buckets the rest of the way with this mixture. Insert plant and rock and roll.

[packerfan79]

Interesting use of the,vermiculite, and perilite. I have only done hempys with coco.

[starke]

Packerfan: According to the Hempy thread this was the original mixture. I guess most folks have transitioned to coco in some fashion, including Hempy himself. I'm still so new at the game I'm afraid to mess with coco. Just another nute, ph, watering schedule learning curve I don't feel like dealing with. After reading the Hempy thread from beginning to end, the original method sounded the most KISS to me. Maybe one day I'll find the courage to tackle coco. I know the results are second to none with coco. It's just the issues with coco that I keep reading about here that make me hesitant to try.

[packerfan79]

Coco is easy peasy. Basically like soil but no water, runoff 20%, and daily feeds when rooted through

[starke]

Picked out the five best looking ladies this morning and transplanted them into their Hempy Buckets. Fed a half strength dose of Maxibloom and into the tent they went. Shortest girl is eight inches, tallest is ten. Currently have the Optilux 36 inches above them but still going to have to keep an eye out for light stress as they are new to this light intensity and the Optilux is one powerful LED. Going to give them a day or two to adjust and then top. Peace.