Hemp plants: how to grow them in 5 steps

The Enecta products:

they are not medicines;
they are obtained from hemp varieties registered in the Common European Register and in compliance with the other requirements provided by law 242/2016;
they have been duly notified in the European Cosmetic Products Notification Portal (CPNP).

Our blog articles are for informational purposes only and are not intended to qualify our products as medicines or to attribute therapeutic properties to them.

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Growing hemp plants can be a profitable and sustainable choice. After more than ten years of fieldwork, we have a lot of useful information to share with those who are thinking about starting to grow hemp. In this article, we reveal our tips and explain how to grow plants of hemp in 5 simple steps. Shall we start?

Choose the genetics of hemp plants

First of all, you will need to choose which type of hemp plants to grow and then select the genetics, keeping in mind that Italian regulations allow only certified seeds to be cultivated, which guarantee a THC content of less than 0.2%. In the event of inspections, growers are allowed a tolerance margin of up to 0.6%.

The law 242/2016 indeed requires to:

Use only certified seeds e regularly register in the Common Catalogue of Varieties of Agricultural Plant Species of the European Union.

Keep the documentation (seed labels and purchase invoices) for any checks.

Notify the local authorities: although it is not mandatory, it is advisable to inform the local law enforcement of the start of cultivation for transparency. Here is a fac-simile of the sowing declaration.

Obtained all the necessary permissions and once the bureaucratic hurdles are overcome, you can move on to the field.

Prepare the soil for hemp plants

The preparation of the soil is a crucial phase to ensure optimal growth of hemp. The plant adapts to different types of soil, but to achieve a productive crop, a soil is preferable:

Medium dough, neither too sandy nor too clayey, to ensure a good balance between drainage and water retention.

Deep, to allow for robust radical development.

Fresh and well ventilated, without excessive compaction.

Without water stagnation, to prevent root rot.

Rich in organic matter, essential to support growth.

Well exposed to the south: possibly airy and close to water sources.

To prepare good soil, certain operations are generally performed:

Plowing: to be done in autumn or early spring, depending on the type of soil and local climate, it promotes water drainage and the decomposition of organic matter present in the soil. In lighter or already well-structured soils, a shallower cultivation with a harrow or subsoiler is recommended over deep plowing.

Harrowing: is an optional operation but especially useful in very compact soils to refine the soil cloddiness and level the surface. It may be necessary to remove any crop residues or to incorporate organic fertilizers into the soil.

Milling: The milling machine pass is useful for further breaking up the clods and obtaining a soft and well-aerated seedbed.

Fertilization: organic fertilization is by far preferable because, in addition to providing nutrients to the soil, it also improves the soil structure, preventing root suffocation and allowing the taproot of the hemp to work optimally. In terms of chemical input, hemp requires the following content: 100 kg/ha of N (nitrogen); 50-70 kg/ha of P2O5 50 kg/ha of K2O. Hemp plants are sensitive to nitrogen availability and usually, when nitrogen is lacking, the plants appear yellowed, with stunted growth and uneven development. However, excess nitrogen is negative because it reduces the amount of fiber produced, increases mortality due to more intense self-thinning, and raises the likelihood that the crop will lodge in strong wind conditions. Before fertilizing, it is advisable to check the current state of the soil to apply the correct doses of nutrients.

Sow the hemp plants

The sowing phase determines the success of cultivation, influencing the yield and quality of the harvest. The choice of timing, density, and sowing method is essential to obtain healthy and productive plants.

The sowing of hemp is generally carried out between April and May, when the minimum temperatures consistently exceed 10-12°C and the risk of late frosts is avoided. A rapid and uniform emergence is indeed guaranteed by a soil temperature close to 10°C. However, in warmer regions, sowing can be anticipated as early as March.

Also the seeding density is a key factor in optimizing production, influencing both the quality of the stem and weed control. If the density is too low, the plants tend to branch out too much, compromising the fiber quality. If it is too high, there is a risk of an excessive competition among plants, reducing productivity.

40-50 kg of hemp seeds per hectare are sufficient to achieve good emergence, stems of excellent quality with a good fiber content, and good seed production.

To ensure uniform germination and good plant development, it is necessary to adhere to certain technical parameters during sowing operations:

Planting depth: the optimal depth to prevent seeds from remaining exposed or, conversely, taking too long to germinate is 2-3 cm.
Correct distances: aninterfila di 15-25 cm allows plants to grow densely and choke out weeds. For the seed spacing on the row, 5-8 cm between one seed and another ensure an even distribution and regular development of the plants. Row spacing refers to the distance between one row and another of sown plants. Seed spacing on the row is the distance between one seed and another on the same row.

The sowing of hemp is generally carried out with the mechanical seeders for wheat or corn, for precise and even distribution. Or with the pneumatic seeders, which ensure greater precision and control in seed placement. The use of appropriate machinery reduces the risk of uneven sowing and ensures uniform emergence.

Monitor the growth of hemp plants

After sowing, it is important to monitor the growth of the hemp to ensure healthy development. Theirrigation is necessary only in case of prolonged drought, as hemp is resistant to water scarcity. During the germination, the soil must remain moist to promote uniform emergence, while in blooming and ripening an excess of water could compromise the quality of the fiber and seeds.

The weed control is crucial especially in the first weeks. The rapid growth of hemp helps to smother them, but preventive treatments such as false sowing o mulching techniques. This is especially true in the case of late crops; if you cultivate in April, the risk of infestation is not so high.

Hemp is not very susceptible to diseases and pests, but it needs to be monitored to prevent attacks from aphids, moths and flea beetles, or the onset of mold in high humidity conditions. Careful management of these factors ensures a lush and productive cultivation.

Harvest your hemp plants

The hemp plant harvest is a crucial period for growers. Depending on the flowering time of the varieties, it can take place starting from August or, much more frequently, in the months of September and October.

The harvest can be mechanical or traditional/manual. That's right! The classic handpicked is still widely used. Being non-invasive, in fact, it is particularly suitable for harvesting flowers because it does not damage the delicacy of the trichomes, which contain the highest concentration of cannabinoids. The buds are cut one by one, in order to select the best and discard the damaged ones. Then the stem is removed. All the collected material is placed in special containers and prepared for the next phase, which is drying.

The mechanical type collection instead, which takes place through specific agricultural tools similar to combine harvesters, is well suited for harvesting intended for fiber production and certain types of biomass. However, even in this case, human intervention is necessary to carry out and monitor certain steps, such as cutting the stalks or checking the shredded material.

If you need further advice on growing hemp plants or wish to purchase certified seeds at a competitive price, write to us at info@enecta.farm