With the rising growth of the CBD-infused things to marijuana becoming legal in more than 50 states, it wouldn’t be unsafe to say that “HEMP” is having its best moments.
However, the combination of hemp and marijuana with unclear laws and vague labeling has led to great confusion about what exactly the hemp is and how you can grow it!
Growing Hemp:
Just like marijuana, hemp is also a member of Cannabis Sativa L. plant species. While both marijuana and hemp grow from the same plants, they have different biological structures, which make both of them quite different.
However, whether you produce hemp for CBD oils, seeds, grain, or fiber, the process of cultivating both crops is the same (from seed to harvest).
Tips For Growing Hemp:
Choose The Right Agricultural Crop:
Industrial hemp is an excellent agricultural crop that you can harvest for getting seeds. Therefore, you should consider genetics depending on which part of the hemp plant you want to focus on. Today, most farmers grow hemp for extracting CBD. While the European strains have only 5% CBD, American strains extract over 10-18% of the CBD. Don’t get fooled by seed breeders who promise you 20%+ CBD genetics. You’re the best bet is to buy from USDA organic certified CBD hemp seed breeders.
Start From Small:
For beginners, hemp seed planting services suggest starting from a small crop. Of course, you might be having a huge land, but growing process also need a lot of preparation and nutrients. So, rather than going huge, start small and work slowly.
Know Your Soil:
Another notable thing to keep in mind when growing hemp is to measure soil quality. Only assuming that you have a huge plot doesn’t mean you will harvest good quality hemp. One of the most important things you need to do is to look into the soil.
Hemp grows in all environments; however, the only exception is a high mountain region and the desert areas. The ideal conditions for growing hemp is warm weather and well-drained soil. So, look for the ground with high fertility and minimal weed pressure.
Having The Right Plant Density:
Hemp doesn’t grow like cannabis; you have to plant them as close together as possible. The ideal hemp plan contains thousands of plants connected together, with each one having individual stalk. Also, experts suggest keeping the seeding rate between 250-400 viable seeds per square meter.
This measures about 50-60 pounds of hemp per acre. Also, this much amount of hemp depends on soil fertility and its type. Moreover, if you are planting hemp for grain, a lower seeding rate to about 45 pounds is preferred.
Nurturing The Hemp:
Nurture your hemp with lots of nutrients, and you will get the best crop at the time of harvest. Since hemp produces a huge amount of plant that too in a short period, it requires a lot of nutrients and feedings.
Give your plant an excessive amount of nitrogen in the first 6-8 weeks. At the time of seed formation and flowering, feed it with potassium and phosphorous.
Best Time To Harvest Hemp:
Get ready for high-quality harvesting fiber after the final pollen has shed. If you want to seed, wait for some time after pollen shedding to let the seeds fall completely. The ideal time for hemp to get ready for the harvest is within 70 days of seeding.
However, the maximum it can take up to 90 days. Also, hemp seeds mature at various rates on the same plant. This means you can expect the upper seeds to be immature when the lower ones are ready to harvest.
On the contrary, harvesting fiber hemp is more easy and straightforward. Fiber hemp is ready when the plant has finished producing pollens, and its first seeds start developing.
Retting:
Post-harvest retting is very important; it refers to the microbial decay of pectin. You can do retting if you want to produce high-quality fibers. Besides, it is of two types:
- Water retting
- Warm-water retting
- Dew retting
- Chemical retting
- Green retting
So, now that you know how you can grow hemp keep the above tips in mind and grow green and healthy hemp.