Hemp is a hardy crop that’s easy to plant, grow, and harvest. It has a variety of uses, from medicinal to industrial. Hemp is commonly grown for industrial uses, but it can also be grown as a standalone plant in your backyard. You can choose to grow hemp seeds by following hydroponic gardening process.
Planting and Growing Information:
It’s crucial to plant hemp seeds in late spring and in full sun with well-drained soil. Be sure to wait 2 to 4 weeks after the last frost when the soil temperature is above 46°F to plant hemp seeds. Check the temperature 1 inch deep with a soil thermometer to make sure it’s above 50°F. You may plant your seeds once the temperature has remained consistent for a few days. Normally, hemp grows the best when the outdoor temperature is between 60°-80°F and with well-aerated soil with a pH between 6-7.5. To ensure the soil has the proper growing conditions, be sure to check the pH of the soil with a probe or paper test strips. To aerate it, break up the soil using a hoe or tiller. Poorly-drained soil could cause damage to your plants, though hemp grows in most soils. To test the drainage, dig a 1×1×1 ft hole and fill it with water. Time how long it takes for the water to completely drain; if it’s longer than an hour, find a different location to plant.
Plant the seeds ¾ -1¼ inches deep. The proper row spacing for hemp plants should be at least 4 inches. To evenly space your seeds, use a seed drill attached to a lawnmower or tractor and cover them with soil. Pour the seeds into the hopper and from there, the machine will do the work for you. Furthermore, the machine will bury the seeds to the correct depth to prevent birds and pests from disturbing them. If you want to grow hemp for fibers, keep the seeds closer together since this will make them grow up opposed to them branching out. If you want to harvest seeds, spread the seeds further apart; this encourages the plants to branch out and grow shorter.
Throughout the growing season, water your hemp 12-15 inches. Stick your finger down to the first knuckle to check the soil’s moisture. Be sure to water the hemp until the soil is damp 1-2 inches deep if it’s dry and it doesn’t rain. Within the first 6 weeks of growth while the plant is still young, watering is the most important factor. After that, hemp is drought-resistant and can survive without water for a few days. Use a garden sprayer filled with pre-emergent herbicide on your hemp once it germinates, though most hemp crops will block any weeds from growing. If you have problems germinating hemp seeds, there may be many causes and courses of action you can take.
Fertilization:
Use a nitrogen-rich fertilizer over your plants. To prevent the fertilizer from sticking to the plants, work on a warm, dry day. Once the seeds have germinated, only apply fertilizer once. Rather than directly on the plants, put the fertilizer down between the rows of hemp. Immediately water your hemp after you apply the fertilizer so it absorbs into the soil.
Harvesting:
As seeds begin to develop, collect the stalks with a sickle. To get the most fibers, cut the stalk as close to the ground as possible. If you have a small crop, use a handheld sickle in a back-and-forth motion to slice the stalks. Consider buying or renting a sickle bar attachment for a tractor for larger crops. Leave the stalks in their planting and growing area for 5 weeks. In order for the outer shell to rot slightly (a process known as retting), pile the stalks on top of one another. Retting will not take place below 41°F or above 104°F. Microbes and moisture will work to separate the bonds that hold the stems together during this time. This process can take up to 5 weeks.
