Mitigating Production Risks in Hemp for Fiber, Grain, and Essential Oils

This is your quick-start guide to hemp production, covering topics such as equipment, soil prep, reducing transplant shock, improving seed establishment and in season management. You will also find resources* to gain more information and to make your production run more smoothly.

When Considering Production of Any Kind of Hemp Crop

• Check with your state department of agriculture to learn the regulatory requirements that apply.
• Determine the type of hemp crop that is right for you based on your farm.
• Learn if there are local processors and buyers of the type hemp you would like to grow. Contact them to learn what specifications they require and what ranges of processing costs and sale price you can expect.
• Decide what your rotation crops will be. Hemp should not be grown in the same field year after year. Contact your county extension office if you need help.

Essential Oil Hemp

Crop Timing

• Plant after risk of frost
• Consider staggering planting dates to provide varied harvest times
• Use cooler greenhouse temperatures to hold back plants
• Consider laying plastic and drip weeks before planting window

Weed Control

• Raised bed with plastic and drip irrigation is preferred since no herbicides are labeled
• No-till is an option
• Goal is to reduce hand weeding as much as possible

Irrigation Management

• Test your water source
• Lay drip line (with or without plastic)
    -Ease of fertilizer application
    -Insurance in case of drought
    -More controlled water and nutrient applications

Fertility Management

• Test your soils, think about a heavy metal test as well as a nutritional test
• Apply 50% of nutritional need pre-plant 
    -Following up with the rest in-season based on tissue testing
    -Utilize traditional or organic agriculture/horticulture fertilizers

Transplant Establishment

• Don’t let transplant get root bound
• Keep rootball intact
• Good soil to root ball contact
• Consider fertilizing with a high Phosphorus transplant solution

Learn what your processor and their buyers want!  This will drive your variety, crop management, harvest, and storage choices for any type of hemp crop.

Fiber Hemp

Field Preparation and Planting

• Ensure a weed-free seedbed by using tillage, cover cropping, or herbicide
• If tilling, prepare a firm, but fine seedbed
• Soil should be lightly moist under the surface, but time activities to avoid heavy rains between planting and seedling emergence
• Plant mid-April to early June (at least 50 F soil temperature); later planting may result in poor establishment
• Drill or plant seed ¼ to ½ inch deep
• Use a seeding rate of 55-65 lbs live seed per acre (fiber seed may cost $4-10/lb)

Soil and Fertility Management

• Deep, well drained soils are best
• Test your soil well ahead of planting
• Recommended fertility levels are 150 pounds of nitrogen (N), 20 pounds of phosphate (P₂O₅), and 20 pounds of potash (K₂O)

Harvest Considerations, Fiber

• Watch your crop beginning mid-July
• The best time to cut is at 20% female flowering, once males have flowered and are beginning to die

Once seed head begins to fill, the plant produces more lignin to support it.  The added structure makes it harder to process that fiber. Cut your fiber crop prior to seed set.

• Target window for harvest will vary depending on
    - Variety
    - Planting date
    - Weather

Retting 

• This is the process in which naturally occurring microbes break down the “glue" that holds the outer fibers to the inner hurd (May take 2 weeks to 2 months, depending on weather)
• Leave stalks in an even layer for more uniform exposure
• Aim to ted your straw 2-3 times to ensure even retting
• Monitor your hemp straw regularly to determine readiness for baling
• Be sure straw is dry when you bale (10% moisture), and avoid pulling in soil or weeds
• Keep bales protected from rain and other moisture in storage and transport

How do you know if your cut straw is ready to bale? Take a stem in your two hands, bring the ends together, then yank them sharply apart. If the barky hurd falls out easily, but the outer bast fiber remains strong, you are ready to bale. If the stem completely breaks when you pull it apart, retting has gone too far.

Grain Hemp

Field Preparation and Planting

• Ensure a weed-free seedbed by using tillage, cover cropping, or herbicide
• If tilling, prepare a firm, but fine seedbed
• Soil should be lightly moist under the surface, but time activities to avoid heavy rains between planting and seedling emergence
• Plant mid-April to early June (at least 50 F soil temperature); later planting may result in poor establishment
• Drill or plant seed ¼ to ½ inch deep
• Use a seeding rate of 30-35 lbs live seed per acre (fiber seed may cost $5-12/lb)
• Recommended fertility levels are 150 pounds of nitrogen (N), 30 pounds of phosphate (P₂O₅), and 20 pounds of potash (K₂O), subject to soil testing

Appropriately dense fiber and grain stands will prevent weeds, keep stalk diameter narrow, encourage single stalk growth rather than branching.

Harvest Considerations, Grain

• Target window for harvest will vary depending on
     -Variety
     -Planting date
     -Weather
• Don’t wait for complete desiccation
• 70% seeds should be ripe, shattering starting

 *Links in this document apply to Pennsylvania growers. Check with your own state entities to find similar information.

This material is based upon work supported by USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2018-70027-28588.
Northeast Extension Risk Management Education
US Department of Agriculture/National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA/NIFA)