CBD Hemp Cultivation
CBD Hemp Cultivation is a specialised high value agriculture type, with more in common with marijuana and horticulture than traditional industrial hemp (fibre and oilseed types). Growing industrial hemp for CBD oil production should be approached as a medicinal crop, and grown to suit the requirements of processors and buyers.
How to grow hemp for CBD Oil Production
Growing hemp for CBD oil extraction is currently one of the most possible crops available to farmers. Selection well drained fertile soil free from contamination with pesticides, metals and other agricultural or industrial chemicals is very important.
Types of seeds and clones for CBD hemp
Outdoor industrial hemp is typically grown from specially bred high CBD Hemp seeds or sometimes from clones.
As this is a new industry high CBD seeds are still expensive, so they are usually germinated and propagated in the nursery before transplanting to field conditions.
Seeds for CBD Hemp
Because only females are wanted in a CBD hemp crop, it is important to remove all male plants. This is made much easier by using feminised seeds which will be 99%+ female plants. Carefully checking all plants for male flowers (male plants or hermaphrodites) before and during flower is essential to prevent accidental pollination and seed setting.
Best Climate for CBD Hemp
Traditional industrial hemp is a temperate crop, but varieties of cannabis have evolved or been bred specifically for a wide range of countries, from Scandinavia and Canada down to the equator and subtropics.
In general cannabis does best when grown without frost with daytime temperatures averaging 20-25 degrees C, but is highly versatile and adaptable, particularly when it is irrigated and fertilised and well managed.
Mold and other pests are significant issues, and the requirements of processors generally prevent the use of pesticides.
This means selecting the right climate, and cultivars adapted to that climate (eg: heat or cold, wind, humidity etc). In general high humidity and rainfall during flower is the biggest challenge to optimal harvest quality.