Ihemp: What Is It And What Is It For?

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_hoverbox image=”15528″ primary_title=”” hover_title=”What is Ihemp?”]iHemp is a commonly used term for high growing varieties of the low THC Cannabis plant and its products which include fibre, oil and seed. iHemp is refined into products such as ihemp seed foods, ihemp oil, wax, resin, rope, cloth, pulp, paper and fuel.[/vc_hoverbox][la_divider height=”lg:25px;”][vc_column_text]iHemp is a commonly used term for high growing varieties of the low THC Cannabis plant and its products which include fibre, oil and seed.  It is refined into products such as ihemp seed foods, ihemp oil, wax, resin, rope, cloth, pulp, paper and fuel.

Industrial Hemp (iHemp) is made up of varieties of Cannabis Sativa that contain less than 0.3% Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). It is an annual broad leaf plant with a taproot and is capable of a rapid growth under ideal growing conditions. The female flowers and seeds are indeterminate, meaning that there are both ripe and immature seeds on the same plants at the time of the grain harvest.

Hemp grows in 90-140 days depending on the end use, For fibre the harvest date is earlier as you do not want the seed to develop, requires minimal if any agri chemicals

Pollen drift from low THC industrial hemp crops will reduce the potency of any marijuana growing in the area and pollen can drift across the Mediterranean. By growing iHemp we are helping the police control illicit outdoor cannabis crops.

Seed crops are harvested once seed has set which takes a little longer, (harvested in March and April)  recreational and medicinal crops are harvested before seed set and any male plants need to be controlled.

It grows best in well prepared lose soils and does not like wet feet.

Ideal in rotation, hemp is planted October/November and left in the ground until February/march depending on your latitude within in New Zealand.

Irrigation tends to improve yield, but as long as it gets sufficient water at the right times, it can survive on minimal water. Minimal pest problems have been noticed in New Zealand and the crop requires little if any pesticides, fungicides or herbicides.

A Better Picture of What an iHemp Is

Fiber hemp plants will grow 2-4 meters tall without branching. In dense plantings, i.e., seed drilled, the bottom leaves fall off due to lack of sunlight and the male plants die right after shedding pollen, generally 4-5 weeks into the growing cycle, lasting approximately 1 week.

The stem has an outer bark that contains the long, tough bast fibers. They are similar in length to soft wood fibers and are very low in lignin content. Hemp rope, textiles and clothing is made from these fibres. The core contains the “hurds” or “shives”. It is similar to hardwood fibres and these are used for building, particle board, pet bedding, as well as plastics.

For grain production the plant may branch and reach heights of 2-3 meters. Tall plants do not mean more grain and shorter plants are preferred for combing. In well structured and drained soil the taproot may penetrate 15-30 cm (12”) deep.

In compacted soil the taproot remains short and the plant produces more lateral, fibrous roots. Seeds of the Cannabis plant are used to extract iHemp oil. However, the iHemp oil does not carry THC, the prominent psychoactive compound in Cannabis.

iHemp oil has been extracted for many centuries, but it is always in controversy because of its association with the Cannabis species having THC.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]