Hemp - chopped stems and fibres

[ALToronto]

Has anyone used hemp as a potting medium? I'm planning to look into it, since there are a few hemp growers in Ontario who are desperate to find new applications for their products. But I just wanted to post here in case someone has tried it and had a bad experience with it.

It's supposed to be quite resistant to rot, and it contains silica, so it may eliminate the need for a potassium silicate additive.

[tucker85]

I've never heard of anyone growing in hemp but I think it's certainly worth a try. I would love to hear about your results.

[camille1585]

I'm a bit dubious. I use coarsely chopped hemp as a mulch in flowerbeds, and I get the feeling that used pure it would be too tightly packed and maybe too water retentive for orchids. I could see it being tested with moisture loving orchids (masdies for instance), or test it as part of a mixture with other stuff. I'm not sure how much water it holds, but maybe it's less than i think. I also use hemp as a top layer over the shavings in my guinea pig's cage. Urine flows right through it, leaving the bedding surface dryer than if it was only pine shavings.

[InspirChid1712]

That would be great to grow in chopped hemp! Awesome!