Hemp flower farming.

[SpiritedFTM]

Trying to decide the best area to start a large-scale hemp flower outdoor grow operation, farm will start small but hoping to scale up with the addition of professionals to our team after proving its viability. In addition to this, trying to find some information on the specific nutrients we need, basically we're putting together a grow plan.

Any advice from seasoned farmers here? I currently work in the medical industry so a lot of this is new to me, my partner has a lot more experience in this area but he's unavailable currently.

Thanks in advance for any and all advice. Really appreciated.

 

[davieh3350]

Trying to decide the best area to start a large-scale hemp flower outdoor grow operation, farm will start small but hoping to scale up with the addition of professionals to our team after proving its viability. In addition to this, trying to find some information on the specific nutrients we need, basically we're putting together a grow plan.

Any advice from seasoned farmers here? I currently work in the medical industry so a lot of this is new to me, my partner has a lot more experience in this area but he's unavailable currently.

Thanks in advance for any and all advice. Really appreciated.

What do you use hemp flowers for?


How long is your partner away for

 

[Yale]

Maybe this is the wrong forum........

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Mostly you'll need good levels of soil Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Magnesium for decent yields.
Hemp is a high biomass crop and so unless this is returned to the soil as compost then you'll rapidly remove fertility, but in saying this it's got a wonderful root system for soil conditioning.

Depending on your temperatures etc you'll need about a 3-5 month window for your crops, and in similar fashion to cereals you need to get harvested before the wet season creeps in as moulds/mildews/rot can cause massive loss, it's the same as outdoor cannabis growing in this respect.

A few around here grow it hence the info I've gleaned from them - I'm too close to a village to get a permit for growing unfortunately. Obviously it is daylength dependent for flowering, and so you'd want to be planted by the summer solstice in order to have large plants flower around the equinox.

 

[Exfarmer]

You do need a licence in the UK to grow any form of hemp, but it is freely available.

 

[Bald Rick]

You do need a licence in the UK to grow any form of hemp, but it is freely available.

Only after being okayed by the Home Office though (iirc)

 

[egbert]

What do you use hemp flowers for?


How long is your partner away for

gone away, or put away?

Sorry OP, don't mean to joke, but you have to realise that this topic is a hardy perennial here.
Lots of wannabes seem to cling to the idea that anything to do with hemp must be brilliant (nothing to do with it's recreational properties whatsoever)
And they turn up on the forum with requests for info, and requests for land to use.

It seldom occurs to them that the profession is already constantly casting about for crops to profitably grow - and hemp growing for fibre is hardy new.

And indeed sometimes, occasionally members of our profession get involved with the production of skunky type hemp, then get caught, and risk going on holidays with the Windsor chain of hotels.

 

[Yale]

Historically I believe hemp growing for fibre has always suffered because of our unreliable weather patterns.

South and East may be OK however in the wetter west it is a non starter.

The big growth area now is with CBD oil however in the UK regulation makes it difficult to compete with foreign production where legal status and easier production give them the edge.

USA now seems to have a massive hemp related industry.

 

[Bald Rick]

Historically I believe hemp growing for fibre has always suffered because of our unreliable weather patterns.

South and East may be OK however in the wetter west it is a non starter.

The big growth area now is with CBD oil however in the UK regulation makes it difficult to compete with foreign production where legal status and easier production give them the edge.

USA now seems to have a massive hemp related industry.

Romans used to grow hemp on the Island I believe. Our moist climate was ideal for retting and so softening the fibres. It is only the modern trend for baling the swath that requires a DM of around 18%.
The Essex mill (never trusted an Essex wallah since then) rejected my bales on grounds of moisture and promptly burnt them - WTF - without any compo.

 

[egbert]

Romans used to grow hemp on the Island I believe. Our moist climate was ideal for retting and so softening the fibres. It is only the modern trend for baling the swath that requires a DM of around 18%.
The Essex mill (never trusted an Essex wallah since then) rejected my bales on grounds of moisture and promptly burnt them - WTF - without any compo.

Sorry you got done over, but I'm sure there's a gag in here somewhere...burning the hemp because it didn't hit spec....

 

[Yale]

Romans used to grow hemp on the Island I believe. Our moist climate was ideal for retting and so softening the fibres. It is only the modern trend for baling the swath that requires a DM of around 18%.
The Essex mill (never trusted an Essex wallah since then) rejected my bales on grounds of moisture and promptly burnt them - WTF - without any compo.

That’s the bit I remember that by the time in the season it has retted it is difficult to get it dry enough to bale.

To be fair Anglesey has reasonably low rainfall compared to most of the West UK.

 

[Bald Rick]

That’s the bit I remember that by the time in the season it has retted it is difficult to get it dry enough to bale.

To be fair Anglesey has reasonably low rainfall compared to most of the West UK.

pee'd down here today with a hooley thrown in for good measure

 

[SpiritedFTM]

Hey, sorry if the initial post was not as clear as it should have been.

We are planning to farm hemp for the flower, in order for combustion. We are going to be selling the flower by itself as well as considering a form of 'prerolls.' Also, we are not planning on growing in the UK we are currently deciding which country whether Canada/US and which province/legal state we should grow in. Definitely no plans to grow in the UK anytime soon! Trying to put together a 'farm plan' to cover the aforementioned acreage so we can present this to our investors etc.

Thanks for all the replies so far!

 

[Roger Perry]

Come to the San Luis valley of southern Colorado, its an ideal climate and the industry is just getting started. Legal to grow marijuana and hemp in Colorado.........

 

[Highland Mule]

Come to the San Luis valley of southern Colorado, its an ideal climate and the industry is just getting started. Legal to grow marijuana and hemp in Colorado.........

And it is a lovely part of the world too!

 

[steveR]

OOI, when you see "Hemp Oil" in a shop, is the oil produced from seeds, or the plant itself?

Later..

https://okcbd.co.uk/cbd-blog/all-posts/difference-hemp-cbd-oil/https://okcbd.co.uk/cbd-blog/all-posts/difference-hemp-cbd-oil/

Looks like oil can come from both seed and whole plant!

The above suggests the haulm after oil extraction is good animal feed... I wonder if stock can eat the hemp plant itself? All that biomass....

 

[steveR]

And indeed sometimes, occasionally members of our profession get involved with the production of skunky type hemp, then get caught, and risk going on holidays with the Windsor chain of hotels.

I used to communicate on a pretty regular basis with one of those caught up with Operation Julie. Good farming background and well educated, and now farming in Uraguay after a wee holiday with his fellows, in one of Her Maj's fine boarding establishments...

Uraguay was one of the first countries in the World I think, to legalise cannabis growing and use, which make is a fitting location for a retirements for him!!

 

[D14]

Trying to decide the best area to start a large-scale hemp flower outdoor grow operation, farm will start small but hoping to scale up with the addition of professionals to our team after proving its viability. In addition to this, trying to find some information on the specific nutrients we need, basically we're putting together a grow plan.

Any advice from seasoned farmers here? I currently work in the medical industry so a lot of this is new to me, my partner has a lot more experience in this area but he's unavailable currently.

Thanks in advance for any and all advice. Really appreciated.

Don’t bother the big players are on it. We’ve been asked by three companies if we’d grow a set area on a long term contract. Government backing apparently.

 

[Roger Perry]

OOI, when you see "Hemp Oil" in a shop, is the oil produced from seeds, or the plant itself?

Later..

https://okcbd.co.uk/cbd-blog/all-posts/difference-hemp-cbd-oil/https://okcbd.co.uk/cbd-blog/all-posts/difference-hemp-cbd-oil/

Looks like oil can come from both seed and whole plant!

The above suggests the haulm after oil extraction is good animal feed... I wonder if stock can eat the hemp plant itself? All that biomass....

OOI, when you see "Hemp Oil" in a shop, is the oil produced from seeds, or the plant itself?

Later..

https://okcbd.co.uk/cbd-blog/all-posts/difference-hemp-cbd-oil/https://okcbd.co.uk/cbd-blog/all-posts/difference-hemp-cbd-oil/

Looks like oil can come from both seed and whole plant!

The above suggests the haulm after oil extraction is good animal feed... I wonder if stock can eat the hemp plant itself? All that biomass....

About 22 gallons of oil per acre...give or take.
Seed costs' are anywhere from $1 to $5 dollars each..........120 acres being grown next door to me this yr, they planted on wide rows (36 inch) as they want to rogue out any males........planted 8500 seeds per acre.

 

[steveR]

About 22 gallons of oil per acre...give or take.
Seed costs' are anywhere from $1 to $5 dollars each..........120 acres being grown next door to me this yr, they planted on wide rows (36 inch) as they want to rogue out any males........planted 8500 seeds per acre.

Is that from harvested seed only, or the whole plant oil extraction?

 

[Roger Perry]

Yes, the seed is the valuable bit.