There are a couple of reasons to grow hemp indoors over the winter months on a small scale. Some hemp farmers use the cold season to test grows several different strains of hemp to evaluate them ahead of a large-scale seed purchase. There are also those who buy hemp seeds Oregon for personal use, harvesting small quantities of flower. Whatever your motivation, we know you want these indoor grows to be productive, so today; we are reviewing some of the basics that will help you succeed.
Step One: Know Your Seeds!
Hemp plants are male or female. You can buy seed that is 50/50 or you can buy feminized seed, which will produce only female plants. If you want hemp flower, you will be better off buying the more productive feminized seed. If you want fiber, it makes no difference if you grow male or female plants. What you DON’T want is a plant that produces male and female flowers – called a hermaphrodite — which will reduce flower quality. Hermaphroditism can happen if the plants are stressed from environmental factors.
Step Two: Getting Your Seeds Started
OK! We’ve got our seeds and now we need to wake them up! They need moisture. A favorite technique is to lay seeds out on soaking wet paper towels and let them sit for about 24 hours with a temperature between 65-70 degrees. Keep an eye on them and don’t let the towels dry out. Keeping a spray bottle or a small water bottle handy is a good idea.
Plant your pre-soaked seeds in a moist growing medium, nestling them about one half inch deep. If you choose soil, make sure that it is sterilized, peat-free potting compost. Optimal soil-fewer options contain high quantities of coco coir and perlite. We prefer purple emperor seeds for sale in our operation as it reduces risks from pests and overwatering.
Step Three: Vegetative Phase
The vegetative phase – approximately 30-60 days – starts when the hemp seed germinates and starts to establish roots. During this phase, maintain the temperature between 68 and 77 degrees, and get set up to deliver 18-24 hours of light per day from high-output HPS or LEDs or T5 fluorescent grow lights. If the seedlings get “leggy”, lower the lamp closer to the plants. Get nutrients and water to your seedlings appropriate to the type of growing medium you are using. Emerald Growers published a terrific review earlier this year that provides a detailed breakdown of several nutrient products and their benefits. Note that nutrient needs of your plants will change from phase to phase.
Step Four: Flowering Phase
A large number of cannabis flowers of employee concepts of profuse cultivation, Commercial hemp farming in a greenhouse. Industrial hemp is grown to produce CBD oil and other hemp-derived products.
Now the fun begins! Indoor growers induce the flowering phase by reducing the light period to 12 hours a day. Those 12 hours of dark is critical to getting your plants out of the vegetative phase. The females will immediately start the flowering cycle because of the abrupt change in photoperiod and you should start to see flowers after week two.