Hemp is a wonder crop that helps to restore soil fertility in many ways. It requires very little fertilizers and no pesticides. It increases the microbial content of the soil. It also prevents weeds from growing near it. Its deep roots help to hold the soil together and prevent soil erosion. The stem and leaves of the hemp plant can be returned to the soil to rejuvenate the soil, leading to a richer crop the following year. Indeed, hemp is a super plant when it comes to its environmentally friendly properties.
Hemp is a strong plant that grows in almost any climatic zone. It can grow closely together, therefore, requiring less land area to produce a lot of biomass. Besides, hemp cleans toxins from the ground on which it is planted. Hemp increases topsoil formation, thereby increasing soil fertility levels.
A fast growing plant, hemp can be used in carbon sequestration – the restoring of carbon back to the earth.
Hemp fuel is cleaner than most fossil fuels. It releases less carbon dioxide into the air and negligible amounts of sulfur dioxide. This will not only make the air we breathe pure, but also protect the ozone layer from further damage.
Hemp also requires less water to grow when compared to wood and cotton. In this water-starved world of ours, this is a definite plus point for hemp.
Hemp is also a very fast growing crop. It can be harvested in three months as compared to a forest of trees that can be cut only once in 25 years. Again this will lead to enormous financial savings as well apart from the ecological savings.
As the hemp fiber is longer lasting that cotton fiber, clothes made of hemp will last longer – again reducing pollution and lessening the burden on landfills.
These great properties of hemp make it a wonder crop that should be cultivated all over the world.
Related posts:
