Wondering how to grow hemp seeds? You’re not alone!
Hemp may have been the first domestically-grown plant. Cultivation of the crop spans thousands of years and is grown in several countries around the world.
Now that the crop is making a comeback, more people want to learn how to start a hemp farm on their own. Check out our detailed guide below for some great tips on growing hemp seeds!
Getting Started: How to Grow Hemp Seeds
New to hemp farming? You’ve just entered one of the most lucrative industrial and textile crops in the US. The 2018 Farm Bill fully legalized the growth of CBD and hemp, opening up growers to billions in market revenue.
You can grow hemp for fiber production, raw seeds, grains, or tinctures and oils. If you want your profits to grow, though, you’ll need a reliable harvest.
Hemp’s growth cycle is around 108-120 days. You’ll want to keep growing conditions stable throughout the season.
Gathering Harvesting Supplies
The first thing you’ll need to do is determine your water source. Adequate watering is key to growing big, healthy hemp plants.
New to growing hemp plants from seed? You’ll use some of the same tools and methods you’d use to grow tomato plants. You can choose from a variety of cannabis pollen or buy seed packets in bulk.
Your planting supplies should include a garden shovel and hoe to move soil. You’ll need buckets, a tarp, garden shears, and a refrigerator come harvest time.
Additional supplies like a humidity dome can help you manage germination humidity. You can also invest in a seed-starting mix for a moist, nutrient-rich growing environment.
Choosing the Right Soil
Wondering how to start a hemp farm? Hemp grows well in most environments.
If you live in a warmer area with well-draining soil, you’ll have a much easier time growing hemp seeds. Look for areas with low weed pressure.
It’s difficult to tell exactly what’s going on in your soil before planting. High levels of sulfur, rock phosphate, or potassium sulfate can affect the quality of your harvest. Reliable soil readings are your best bet for finding the right soil for growing hemp.
The best soil readings happen when you test in late autumn or early spring. You may want to do several tests to get the best information possible.
Don’t forget to monitor the growing area for pests. You’ll want to know what to expect when your plant starts to flower.
Prepping the Soil
You may find limited options in the way of herbicides when planting hemp. If you don’t use an herbicide, not to worry: take a little extra time to till the soil before planting.
Create a firm, shallow plant bed for uniform seeding depths. If you are planning ahead, you can even plant a crop prior to your hemp-growing season.
Some great cover crops include buckwheat, which smothers weeds and retrieves phosphorous from the soil. Later crops will show better fruiting, flowering, etc.
It’s ok if you don’t have time to plant a cover crop. Supplement with organic mineral content from a nearby agriculture supply store, and your soil will be ready in no time!
Soaking seeds in water helps seedlings get ready to take root. Soak your seeds for up to 12 hours for proper germination. The ideal germinating temperature is around 68 degrees F.
Planting Your Seeds
Plant seeds 1-inch deep in the seed-starting mix. You can use a heat mat to control soil temperature. Your hemp seedlings may take a week or two to root to the bottom and sides of the pots.
If you’re growing vegetative hemp plants or starting indoors, aim to plant in early May. This gives you several weeks before you’ll have to transplant.
You can always transplant into pots under lamps. The bright light will keep your plants from flowering and provoke more leaf growth.
When growing as a crop, plant hemp seeds between April-June. Note the conditions, as these are more important than the actual planting date.
Space seeds out 4’x6′ in the ground. The mature plant will need the added space; plus, you’ll want some extra room to harvest plant material. If you plant densely, weeds will struggle to find a growing room. You’ll also have a bigger harvest this way.
Monitoring Plant Growth
Follow up on your planting process with deep watering. If you planted without germinating, you’ll see seeds sprouting up in one to two weeks. Don’t be discouraged if some seeds take the full two weeks to sprout.
Monitor the amount of sunlight your hemp plants get. Full sun is best for proper growth. The ideal temperature is around 50 degrees F.
In 8-16 weeks, you should have mature hemp plants. This depends on the plant species, of course. The longer you wait to harvest, the stronger the hemp fibers become.
Harvesting Hemp
How long does it take to grow hemp, you ask?
You can harvest hemp fiber as soon as seeds begin to show. To harvest hemp fiber, use shears to cut stalks several centimeters up from the soil. Allow the stalks to dry out before you store them.
To harvest hemp seeds, cut right below the lowest-hanging seed pod on the stalk with shears or a scythe. Cuttings can sit on a tarp or in a bin with enough ventilation.
Once you’ve harvested each plant as a whole, you can thrash off the seeds onto the tarp or containment bin. Pour the seeds into large buckets.
Remove debris and residue by pouring seeds from one bucket into the other several times. Once the seeds are clean, you can store them in a lidded container in your refrigerator.
Growing Possibilities with Hemp
From hemp drying to growing hemp for CBD, the possibilities start with you. Now that you know how to grow hemp seeds, you can experiment with different species!
Check out our site for all things hemp. Whether you’re new to hemp farming or looking for fresh tips, we’ve got you covered!
