Another week, another challenge for Alabama’s hemp producers. The excessive rainfall that some areas in the state experienced because of Hurricane Sally, should impact the hemp crop, according to Katelyn Kesheimer, Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist. “The issue is there’s that 15-day testing window. So, you have to get an Ag inspector to come take a sample of …
Alabama Hemp Producers Need to Apply Bait to Avoid Fire Ant Problems Next Season
Fire ants continue to be a problem for Alabama hemp producers. It started early in the season and has not let up with more young plants being put in the ground at the end of July. “We have a real staggered kind of planting date going on because hemp’s a new crop and everyone’s getting their land prepped and seeds …
Alabama Hemp Producers Tripled From Last Year
The number of Alabama hemp producers has tripled this year. However, that does not necessarily mean acreage has increased as well, says Katelyn Kesheimer, Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist. “Last year we had, just for comparison, about 150 licensed growers approved for 10,000 total acres. According to the (Alabama) Department of Ag, they think about 7,000 of those …
Corn Earworms Remain Key Pest for Alabama Hemp Producers
Alabama hemp producers are tackling one pest after another this growing season. They started with fire ants not long after the crop was planted. Now, according to Katelyn Kesheimer, Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, the key insect is corn earworm. “They’re really hard to control because they start small. Then they’ll be eating and eating and eating and …
New Pesticides Approved for Use on Alabama Hemp
By Katelyn Kesheimer, Alabama Extension According to an Alabama Extension blog, new pesticides have been approved for use on hemp production in Alabama. The Alabama Cooperative Extension Service worked with the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) to release an approved pesticide list for use on hemp in Alabama. Several more products have been recently approved for legal application …
Alabama Hemp Producers Need to Protect Against Caterpillar Damage
Alabama hemp is at a stage in the growing season when it is vulnerable to caterpillar damage, says Katelyn Kesheimer, Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist. She said a lot of the hemp in the state is starting to flower, which is when it is most susceptible. “We’re gearing up for corn earworm for caterpillars. A lot of the …
Alabama Hemp Producers Need To Plant Crop Now
By Clint Thompson Alabama hemp producers need to plant their crop now to ensure it is in the ground and growing by the July 31 deadline. According to the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI), if you are a first-time outdoor grower and do not have green plants up and growing by July 31, ADAI will need to know …
Alabama Hemp Applications ‘Slowly But Surely’ Moving Forward
By Clint Thompson Applications to grow hemp in Alabama this year are “slowly but surely” moving forward, says Katelyn Kesheimer, Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist. “I got approved for a couple and I’m still waiting on a couple more to get some plants in the ground. It’s a little bit later than I would have liked. We are …
Ant Swarms Continue to be Problematic for Hemp Producers
By Clint Thompson Ant damage on young hemp plants remains a problem for growers in the Southeast. Katelyn Kesheimer, Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, fears ants will continue to be a nuisance since hemp plantings will continue through July. “I think it’s going to be a struggle all season long because there’s so many different plantings going in. …
Alabama Hemp Planting Under Way, Just Not Fast Enough
By Clint Thompson Less than half of hemp producers in Alabama have the go-ahead from the Alabama Department of Agriculture to plant this year’s crop, according to Auburn University Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist Katelyn Kesheimer. “A lot of people are still waiting on, can’t even get your seeds or your clones until you get approval from the Department of …