Florida now has an established hemp regulatory program allowing farmers to join the ever-growing industry. With more and more local farmers entering the hemp industry, it’s important to understand the differences between cultivating high CBD hemp and industrial hemp. Industrial hemp can be grown in order to produce hempcrete, textiles, and the thousands of other applications made possible by hemp. However, high CBD hemp only has one purpose– it is cultivated in order to produce CBD products. For farmers that are interested in growing hemp in order to gain access to the lucrative CBD industry, here are eight tips for planting CBD seed in Florida.
What Mistakes to Avoid When Planting CBD Seed In Florida
- Not doing enough research: One of the biggest mistakes you can make is not doing enough research. Cultivation requirements are based on each strain, making it crucial to do your research. While Google can be a great resource, it’s important to reach out to your reputable CBD seed dealer and find out the exact cultivation requirements needed. Also, finding an experienced hemp farmer to consult with can offer really beneficial guidance you won’t be able to find anywhere else.
- Overwatering hemp crops: Overwatering can be an easy mistake for anyone to make. However, constantly overwatering your plants leads to significant issues. This can deprive your roots of oxygen and make your plants susceptible to root rot, mold, and even fungus. Hemp can often bounce back from the occasional underwatering but make sure to stick to a consistent watering schedule.
- Missing the signs of incorrect pH: pH levels need to stay consistent for hemp plants. While the signs of incorrect pH often come with experience, once you understand the pH requirements for your plants you’ll have the opportunity to test your soil. If your soil requires any amendments, you can use either wood ash or lime to increase pH while sulfur or aluminum sulfate lower pH levels in the soil.
- Incorrect nutrient regimen: Strains vary based on nutrient requirements, making it important to learn the right amount of nutrients your hemp plants require. Always stick to a consistent feeding schedule and make sure to avoid overfertilizing your plants. An imbalance in your fertilizer can lead to further concerns.
- Planting in inadequate soil: There are essential macronutrients that are required for cultivating CBD seed. Make sure to always have your soil rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Research your strain that you’re planning to grow in order to create the right composition of nutrients in the soil. Make sure that your soil is airy and light– this allows proper amounts of oxygen to enter your soil while creating a balanced foundation for water drainage.
- Improper lighting: Lighting needs actually differ from strain to strain. You’ll also need to research how the lighting needs change during the different plant growth cycle. Make sure to ask these necessary questions from your Florida CBD seed supplier. When hemp receives too little light, it causes the plants to grow further towards the sun. This causes tall, lanky plants that aren’t able to support their own weight. Plants that receive too much sun can experience sunburn and overheating issues.
- Improper germination technique: While there are always advantages and disadvantages to directly planting your seeds into soil, this is a significantly less labor-intensive method and often does work well. However, it’s crucial to know the proper germination technique so that your efforts don’t fail before you even begin. CBD seed tends to like humid environments that range between 71 degrees and 77 degrees. Always keep your seeds free from contamination to boost your germination efforts.
- Unknown, poor, or incompatible genetics: One of the most important investments you’ll make is purchasing the right CBD seed. Unknown genetics causes a lot of issues since you won’t be able to properly plan sowing dates, genotype, expected flowering time, lighting requirements, nutrients, and more. Poor genetics often don’t contain a high CBD to THC ratio, which is not ideal when your purpose is to produce CBD. Incompatible genetics refers to purchasing industrial hemp seed for CBD production– industrial hemp seed is quite a bit less expensive but it will not contain the CBD content needed for a successful harvest and biomass sale.
Work with Florida’s Trusted CBD Seed Supplier
CBD Seed Co. is honored to be the trusted CBD seed supplier serving the state of Florida. Our team of industry-leading hemp farmers would love the opportunity to help consult with your farm. Gain access to our incredible resources that range from grow guidance to potential CBD producers. For more information regarding tips for planting CBD seed, please contact us!