Every farmer is always learning on the go, but it is even more substantial for the relatively new hemp farmers. As cannabis products gain popularity, more farmers are getting into the commercial cultivation of hemp. This is due to many factors, the main one being that hemp cultivation is quite lucrative. The fact that hemp cultivation is legal for all farmers in the US, including the inexperienced ones, also promotes commercial cultivation of hemp.
However, this new wave of increasing hemp farmers brings with it a litany of questions concerning commercial cultivation. By 2022, the value of CBD is predicted to have grown to $2 billion with $646 million of the total belonging to hemp-derived CBD. This super-crop is one of the oldest cultivated crops in history. For manufacturers to get high-quality hemp locally, more farmers need to be aware of the plant, how to grow it, acre for it, harvest it, and store it.
What you need to know about growing hemp
- Before you start commercially cultivating hemp, you need to settle on the type of hemp you are going to cultivate. There are three types: oilseed, fiber, and hybrid (for seeds and fiber).
- Every hemp farmer should use seeds that have been certified for low THC level to avoid any legal issues.
- Hemp is a short-day plant, which means that it develops flowers only when the day length is less than 12 hours.
- Hemp is dioecious i.e., it can either be male or female. Male plants flower and die earlier, while female plants have more seeds and more fiber. This can be attributed to the fact that male hemp plants do not set seeds, and they die after flowering. To avoid loses, commercial hemp farmers go for monoecious cultivars which more females an a small percentage of male plants for pollination.
- Hemp thrives on loose, well-aerated sandy-loam soil which has a lot of organic matter and is highly fertile. The soil should have a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. and a temperature of 46 degrees to 50 degrees Fahrenheit is favorable.
- For watering, moist soil promotes germination and growth. The most crucial period is the first six weeks, where 25 to 30 inches of rainfall are needed.
- After plowing and preparing your field, plant your seeds at o.75 to 1.25 inches. For more information, your seed supplier will advise on the row width required and the growth rate. However, the growth rate is specific to each variety.
- Custom modified farm equipment is needed for harvesting to prevent the plants from clogging the machine.
Hemp is an excellent commercial sustainable crop because it can grow organically under harsh conditions. In the US, most farmers use the rotation method (recommended four years) instead of insecticides, herbicides, or fungicides, therefore lowering the cost of cultivation. It is important to note, however, that hemp should never be grown in the same field as sunflowers, canola, edible beans, or soybeans.
