When it comes to cannabis, 12% of all American adults enjoy marijuana regularly. And if you enjoy marijuana, chances are that you've considered hemp farming too.
Here's the thing: As marijuana regulations continue to ease, hemp farming is becoming more popular. Do you want to grow some herb? Here's a comprehensive guide on growing ganja and harvesting high profits!
Step Number One: Look up Local Laws
If you want to start a hemp farm, the first thing that you should do is look up local laws in your area. Of course, hemp is a legal crop to grow in the United States. Not to mention that it's legal to grow and farm hemp in Australia and Canada too.
But before you toss on your shade hat and overalls, make sure that you cover all of your technical paperwork before you get started. First things first, get in touch with your county or city zoning agency to be sure that your farm is compliant. Also, see if the state that you live in will require you to apply for a hemp growing permit as well.
On top of that, you have to make sure that the hemp seeds you buy will create a crop with less than .3% THC. Why is this so important? Because it will help your hemp crop meet the federal requirements.
Pro Tip: Buy hemp seeds from a verified vendor to make sure that your crop is legal!
Step Number Two: Find the Greatest Genetics
The next step is to find hemp seeds with the greatest genetics. When you have this part down, every plant should flower at the exact same time. For fruitful farmers, this means that your harvest will improve over time.
Besides this, growing a crop with strong genetics can help you to avoid crop management issues like inconsistent plant sizes and flowering. Otherwise, your hemp crop can become hot, meaning that its THC levels will be too high to be federally legal.
If you're new to the hemp farming game, hemp plants are part of the cannabis sativa plant family. As a matter of fact, most hemp plants have a naturally low level of THC. However, the best way to make sure that your crop doesn't turn hot is to make sure your seeds have been genetically tested.
Step Number Three: Spot Supportive Soil
If you already have your hemp seeds ready, you've got to find the best area to grow them. Our general rule of thumb is to space each plant about two inches apart. On the bright side, hemp crops are extremely easy to grow in terms of weather conditions and soil.
However, if you live in an area with heavy rainfall, you might want to think twice about your hemp farming journey. If you live in a warm environment, though, your soil will most likely have a lot of organic material.
To make sure, get your soil tested before you begin your hemp farm. That way, you're almost guaranteed that your hemp seeds will survive.
Other factors to consider are the following:
• PH levels
• Sulfur levels
• Potassium sulfate levels
• Rock phosphate levels
Once you've got that down, ensure that your pH level stays below 6.5. But how do you get your soil tested in the first place?
To get started, ask your local state university if they have an agricultural laboratory that will provide a soil test for only a few dollars. If you've got more money to spend, think about contacting a commercial laboratory instead. On the other hand, those who like to do it themselves at home can buy a self-test soil kit.
If you get a bad soil report, you can always make it better by using sustainable and organic methods such as composting. Then, you can retest it to make sure that it gets a better report.
The next part is to get your clones or seeds ready. For beginners, buying clones is a wonderful way to begin your hemp farm because the plant is already grown partially. This will put you one step ahead of the growing game.
Be sure that you plant your seeds between March and May if you live in the northern part of the hemisphere. If not, planting hemp seeds between September and November in the southernmost part of the hemisphere should do the trick. Within about 3 to 4 months, prepare to harvest!
Step Number Four: Tend to Your Crop
At this point, you should know that hemp is a very durable plant. Thankfully, that means that it isn't going to be too difficult to care for your crop, which is great news. But if you're a new farmer out there, keep in mind a couple of rules that will maximize your odds of a successful crop.
For the first couple of months after you plant your hemp seeds, you should irrigate them regularly. Next, make sure that you water your hemp seeds often since they need several feet of rainwater every year. Also, keep an eye on your hemp plants to figure out what is best for your local growing conditions.
Last but not least, we suggest that you choose organic hemp seeds for your farming project. That way, you won't have to worry about pesticides or extra nutrients. Happy farming!
Curious about how to harvest hemp?
Don't forget to do your research first on cannabis growing!
Have Fun Hemp Farming
Curious about how to farm hemp?
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