Questions On Harvesting Hemp

CBD For Sleep
CBD For Sleep
Harvesting Hemp Flowers
Harvesting Hemp Flowers

Hemp farming requires you to put in adequate effort to ensure crop yield and quality. Adequate care has to be taken throughout the cultivation process to optimize the cannabinoid content of the hemp crop.

Choosing unsuitable harvesting methods is like wasting all the efforts you took to grow the crops until they reached that stage of growth. If you are growing hemp for making CBD products, the harvest methods have to be carefully selected in order to make products that contain less than 0.3% THC.

In this article, we are addressing some of the common questions regarding the hemp harvest.

When Should You Harvest Hemp?

Hemp is not a perennial but an annual plant that takes about 90-120days to grow from seed to plant. The buds bloom just before the plants die off, signaling the start of the next planting season. The growth of hemp crops is significantly affected by seasonal changes, which is why the plants stop growing tall and start forming flower buds once the days become shorter.

The hemp harvesting season comes in the month of October in most states.

With proper greenhouse support, you can achieve harvests two times a year in places with warm climates.

Is It Possible To Harvest Hemp Crops By Hand?

Yes, although harvesting by hand is a time-consuming process, it may be the best option in some cases.  If you are growing hemp for extracting CBD or for obtaining smokable flower, you can collect the flower buds by hand to maintain the integrity of the buds. Harvesting by hand is an appropriate idea if your farm is not quite big or you do not have much machinery. Having said that, it is also important to know that harvesting by hand is a labor-intensive process, and if it is your first attempt in hemp cultivation, start with a smaller land area if you prefer to harvest by hand.

When Is Hemp Harvested With A Combine?

Hemp crops can be harvested with a combine if you are growing hemp for its seeds. Combines are suitable for large scale harvest but they may shatter the hemp seeds at moisture levels that are lower than 15%.  They may also increase the risk of microbial contamination during times of heavy rain or hail that could flatten the line of harvested hemp crops to the ground.

Hemp harvesting practices have to be carefully planned to avoid the risk of cross-contamination when you are growing CBD hemp and marijuana on close by fields.