Hemp Guide - 2020 - 10

YOUNG PLANT PRODUCTION
TRANSPORTATION AND DELIVERY
Another key step in the transition of greenhouse
grown clones to the outdoor producer is transporting
the trays to the customer's location. To make this
process stress-free for the hemp liners, and for the
customer, Raker-Roberta's delivers via temperaturecontrolled
trucks right to your location. Working off of our
traditional young plant business model, we already have
the logistical process in place to make this feasible.
Upon delivery, the liners should be placed in an area
convenient for frequent monitoring until ready to go into
the field. Hemp liners dry quickly and their moisture will
need to be managed in the trays prior to transplanting.
Liners are grown in Blackmore trays designed to airprune
the roots. If a farmer receives a shipment and runs
into a weather delay, the liners will not girdle or become
rootbound. The air-pruned liners maintain a healthy root
system. Well-rooted and toned liners are better able to
tolerate stressors associated with transplanting and
acclimatization to outdoor conditions, creating quick
establishment in the field. It's important to minimize
environmental stress on the young clones whenever
possible. Similar to other field transplants, planting on
an overcast or cloudy day is less stressful than a hot,
sunny, dry afternoon. Liners should be well hydrated
before going into the ground.
ESSENTIAL RESEARCH
As the harvesting of hemp can be a labor-intensive
period, our lineup of varieties provides strains for early,
mid and late season harvest. By selecting multiple strains
with different harvest dates, the harvest period can
be scheduled for a longer window instead of having to
harvest everything at once.
The hemp market is young and growing, with many
Hemp cuttings are taken from mother stock, stored in a cool
chamber overnight and then moved to a sticking line to
transform into a clone.
A special propagation zone ensures the cuttings make
the transition from unrooted cuttings to rooted clones
within three weeks. Computer-controlled greenhouse
environments provide ideal conditions for propagation.
Lighting, humidity, mist and airflow are programmed to
ensure cuttings root quickly. In their second week, liners
are weaned off mist and undergo a grading process.
Similar to many bedding plants, the hemp clones are
subjected to daylength-extension lighting to ensure the
plants remain fully vegetative during the rooting process.
By week 3, an extensive root system is established and
the trays are ready for delivery.
10 | 2020 GUIDE TO HEMP PRODUCTION
opportunities and gaps to fill. An important area is
understanding genetics and having knowledge of a
strain's performance in different regions of the country.
To help educate hemp producers on field production and
performance, our 2020 field trial will showcase genetics
grown in our Midwestern location. Just as our ornamental
trial gardens are used to compare and showcase
performance of bedding plants, field days specific to the
hemp trials will give farmers in the region an opportunity
to view the plants first hand, ask questions, and make
knowledgeable decisions for the 2021 planting season.
Additionally, weekly testing throughout the harvest
season will provide results on cannabinoid profiles and
percentages. Biomass yield records will be available
after harvest.
Information gained through firsthand experience and
regional trial data will help producers become more
familiar with hemp and useful in making decisions for the
following growing season. HPN
Jarvis Green is the quality manager at Raker-Roberta's in
Litchfield, Michigan. Green can be reached at jarvisgreen@
raker.com
Hemp Guide - 2020

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