A controversial plant that is gaining popularity and what you need to know about growing it yourself. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
Hemp is growing in popularity because it can be used to make many products including rope, clothing, shampoo, foods, and supplements like CBD oil. Many State Departments of Agriculture are promoting Hemp as a profitable crop for farmers. Since Hemp was only recently legalized, seeds are a bit hard to come by.
It grows just about everywhere in the U.S. as an annual, except in extreme desert conditions. Hemp grows similar to corn and has high nutrition and water needs. Like corn, it cross-pollinates via the wind. Hemp is a short day plant. This means that hemp will develop flowers when the daylight is less than 12 hours.
Seeds typically ripen about six weeks after the plant flowers. Harvesting the seeds in the proper window is important. The plant spreads its seeds by shattering, which means ripened seeds will fall to the ground. The key for the gardener is to harvest when the seeds are ripe but before the mother plant disperses them. After harvesting the seeds store them in a cool dry place. They will keep for up to one year.