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Jeanne Schmitt

Customer Support

General Questions

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Joey Ryan

CEO Joey Farms

Paid Farming Inquiries

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Anthony Gualdi

CEO

Partnership Inquiries

Hemp CBD is quite the money-making crop but cultivating, harvesting, and processing CBD hemp requires the proper tools and procedures to make it work.

Hemp Germination Techniques

Hemp seed germination is the process whereby a dormant seed springs to life as a new generation of hemp plant. The process requires optimal conditions including healthy, aerated soil; precise moisture levels; and a carefully controlled climate.

Hemp seed germination is the process whereby a dormant seed springs to life as a new generation of hemp plant. The process requires optimal conditions including healthy, aerated soil; precise moisture levels; and a carefully controlled climate.

Hemp Plant Spacing

Plant spacing for CBD hemp plants is very different than spacing for industrial hemp plants. Unlike industrial hemp, which spaces plants between four and eight inches apart from their center stalks, flowering hemp plants must space about five feet apart on average, or about 1700 plants per acre.

However, hemp plant spacing varies by strain and harvest methods, as well. For example, while some small farms may choose to tend to their hemp crops by hand (which helps protect the integrity of the potent hemp flowers), more extensive cultivation facilities may need to calculate spacing for equipment, as well.

Also, bear in mind that CBD hemp is a female-focused crop. Because male hemp pollen reduces female hemp potency, no males should grow among females. Those growing “regular hemp seeds” may need to pull male plants at the first sign of gender, thus leaving significant gaps in the hemp field. For the highest ROI, hemp CBD farmers should only grow feminized seeds.

Hemp Irrigation

Hemp crop irrigation is the lifeblood of the hemp field. Without proper watering, the crop could quickly dry or rot, both of which to the detriment of the whole operation.

Planning a hemp irrigation system requires in-depth knowledge of both soil and strain type. For example, though clay soil retains a lot of moisture and therefore requires less frequent watering, sandy soil is the opposite. Likewise, some hemp strains require higher or lower moisture levels to grow their best. Hemp seed experts can help determine a strain’s average water consumption needs.

Feeding Hemp

The nutrient needs of CBD hemp plants change as the plant matures. For example, hemp seedlings have very different nutritional demands than flowering hemp plants. A miscalculation can stunt growth, slow cannabinoid production, and drop the value of the CBD hemp harvest by thousands of dollars.

Adding the correct nutrients but at the wrong time can also affect crop production. For example, though phosphorus is essential for root health, adding it to crop soil at the same time as calcium can cause liming (which helps reduce acidity). However, when adding these minerals at the same time as bone meal, they can all lock up, thus decreasing bioavailability to the root system. Proper hemp CBD feeding, therefore, requires careful calculations and precise timing throughout the entire cultivation process.

Harvesting Hemp

Harvesting hemp CBD requires careful handling to protect the flowers’ delicate trichomes. Though many smaller operations choose to employ human laborers for CBD hemp harvests, more extensive commercial facilities must use the proper machinery to harvest quickly and carefully. Because hemp harvests must move immediately into a drying chamber for curing, prolonged harvest times or delayed harvest transitions not only reduces product potency but increases the risk of mold and thus a contaminated harvest. Depending on the size of the crop, CBD hemp harvesting equipment may be necessary.

Processing Hemp

Post-harvest hemp processing is a vital – and often overlooked – step in the production of CBD and CBD products. Unlike industrial hemp processing, CBD hemp processing must happen quickly and under very controlled conditions.

Processing hemp flowers usually begins by hanging them in special drying chambers that control the rate at which moisture leaves the product. If dried too quickly, chlorophyll can become trapped in the plant leaves and flowers causing an unpleasant flavor and diminished cannabinoid content. If dried too slowly, the flowers may develop mildew rendering the whole harvest useless and unsellable. Hence, careful drying and curing are paramount to producing a quality CBD hemp harvest.

Distributing Hemp

The final process in CBD hemp crop cultivation and sale is its distribution to appropriate hemp buyers. Without the proper distribution channels, crops risk waste or below-average market prices. Whether securing a buyer pre-season or looking for additional buyers post-harvest, a strong network of hemp biomass buyers is critical.

CBD Hemp Crop Help

Fortuna is a major advocate for the hemp CBD industry. As such, we hope to help farmers just like you find success through hemp CBD farming. Schedule a call with us below to learn how we can help you, too. We offer a free introductory discussion and low-priced consultation services as needed.

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