You already know a lot about marijuana in the U.S. and how it’s slowly becoming legalized across the country. What you’re not hearing enough about is hemp cultivation and CBD extraction as an equally growing business.
If you’re unfamiliar with CBD from industrial hemp, it’s become a popular health product alternative for those who don’t want a marijuana high. Growth in this industry is also exponential, and it’s expected to reach $3 billion by 2021.
With this comes a new career opportunity for many: Hemp farming.
Take a look at this emerging industry and what’s involved. For those with farming backgrounds, it could become a major business venture that lasts a lifetime.
What’s the Difference Between Growing Hemp and Marijuana?
Growing these two plants has very different processes. Consumable cannabis is always harvested for cannabinoids in its flowers. When growing hemp, the CBD comes from seeds or stalks and flower. Hemp is also farmed for its use as a durable good – think twine and fabric. Hemp can even be used to replace plastics and concrete.
These differences still confuse people who think hemp and marijuana are the same. However, growing hemp has more benefits compared to marijuana plants.
One of the greatest advantages to hemp farming is that hemp grows more vigorously. You also have different varieties of hemp that produce varying seed qualities and fiber. Plus, oil composition can differ based on the plant type.
The greatest aspect is you can start harvesting hemp after just a four-month growth period.
The Environmental Benefits to Hemp Farming
As Forbes notes, you can grow hemp in different types of climates, making it a viable farming option across the country. You can also grow it in differing soil types, something not possible in the marijuana industry.
Even more attractive is hemp is resistant to pests and weeds, eliminating two common challenges for farmers. With this alone, you can see why hemp farming has become such a popular alternative to the marijuana market.
You’re also able to pulp hemp plants using fewer chemicals thanks to low lignin content. A naturally bright pulp won’t require chlorine bleaching as a result.
While it’s easier to farm hemp organically than other crops, how do you go about choosing the right hemp plants?
Tips for Growing Hemp
When buying hemp seeds, take the genetics seriously. Breeding methods for the seeds determines how you’ll use the hemp plant. Are you going to harvest from the seeds or the stalks?
Despite growing well in many soil types, look for soil with good alkaline quality and a pH level above 6. What’s most helpful is hemp has deep tap roots, giving it ability to find water in the ground. Nevertheless, you’ll still need to water often for a healthy crop.
Some other growing tips that yield healthier plants:
- Avoid growing hemp indoors since it’s going to cost you more to do so. The point is you can grow hemp outdoors at a lower cost compared to other crops.
- Plant your seeds close to each other so you can grow as many plants as you can on your land. It’s going to resemble a cornfield when they’re at full growth, with a single stalk on each plant.
The Uses for Hemp Are Exponential
To give you more incentive to consider hemp farming, hemp now has up to 25,000 uses, beating marijuana usage by a mile. While you’ll find hemp being used as a health product in various forms (including skin products and dietary supplements), it’s also applied to clothing and numerous accessories.
More education continually proves hemp benefits, hence hemp farming likely becoming a career you’ll see increase tenfold in all legal states.
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