When Should I Plant Certified Hemp Seed?

Let’s talk about the optimal planting date for the two varieties we offer, Henola and Biaobrzeskie. Knowing the optimal planting date for a certified hemp variety is important to attain the best crop performance and the highest potential yield for fiber and grain.

Henola and Biaobrzeskie were bred in Poland at 52 degrees north latitude by the Institute of Natural Fibers and Medicinal Plants. With this in mind, Henola and Biaobrzeskie will perform best when planted in the first early spring planting slot, April 15th to May 15th for most of the United States. Planting before or after this window may still produce a decent crop but in all likelihood, there will be a decrease in yield.

Farmers in states in the Southern tier of the U.S need to plant certified hemp seed in the first early spring slot as soon as soil temperatures reach 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Industrial hemp prefers to emerge in cooler temperatures and can tolerate light early freezes. Planting earlier also allows the crop to get ahead of weeds.

Depending on the latitude, microclimate, and the desired crop end-use, the optimal planting window for States at Southern latitudes in the U.S. may be closer to Mid-February to Mid-March or mid-March to mid-April.

Henola and Bialobrzeskie are “long night” varieties. This means that shorter day length is needed to induce flowering, Therefore, it is not recommended to plant these varieties while the days are getting shorter. For the highest potential yield, it’s best to ensure a minimum of 35-45 days of vegetative growth prior to June 21st, the summer solstice in the Northern hemisphere. This is because the summer solstice kicks the cycle to flowering.

To learn more about the optimal planting date for your region and end-use, reach out to the International Hemp team at 833-937-4367 or info@international-hemp.com.