There’s plenty to see on the Harviala estate on the morning of the interview. The sun breaks through the clouds behind the company’s historic main building, and last night’s rain lingers as sparkling droplets of water on the leaves of young birch trees.
Olli Latvus, the foreman at Harviala, explains that the company has a history that spans centuries. Over the years, Harviala has cultivated extensive tracts of land and operated more than forty garden centers throughout Finland. The company’s historical chronicle was recently published.
Today, Harviala is one of the largest horticultural companies in the country, dedicated to meeting the needs of the public sector and landscaping professionals. The company offers a diverse range of products, including tree seedlings, roses, and turf.
Mulch Material from Oilseed Hemp Hulls?
Harviala is conducting a unique trial in the field of landscaping. The company is evaluating the suitability of hemp bran—a byproduct of oilseed hemp dehusking—as mulch for tree seedlings.
In the trial, mulch has been applied on a small scale around the base of the seedlings. The aim is to assess how effectively hemp hulls suppress weed growth, reduce the need for irrigation, and help stabilize moisture levels in the soil, thereby improving the growing conditions for the seedlings.
In addition to the mulching experiment, Harviala is cultivating oilseed hemp on a small scale to investigate its potential as a soil-improving and intermediate crop.
Hemp Bran Could Save Time and Money
Harviala’s interest in using hemp bran as mulch stems from a purposeful comparison. Latvus notes that he discovered oilseed hemp while exploring databases from the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke).
Key properties being evaluated in the mulch trial include the effectiveness of hemp bran in preventing weed growth and retaining soil moisture. Until now, Harviala has primarily relied on mechanical and chemical methods for weed control. However, there is a significant need to reduce both labor and chemical usage.
“Using oilseed hemp would save time and money if we didn’t have to protect the seedlings with chemicals multiple times,” says Latvus.
That said, hemp bran cannot solve every problem; preventing deer from damaging the vegetation still requires human oversight.
“For now, the job outlook for deer watchers is quite promising,” Latvus says with a big smile.
Byproducts of Hemp Processing Show Promise for Landscaping and Horticulture
The byproducts generated during the processing of oilseed hemp may have potential applications in the horticulture industry. In addition to Harviala, many other companies are also exploring effective mulch solutions.
“For instance, organic berry and fruit farms in Finland receive subsidies for using biodegradable mulches. In general, naturally produced mulching materials are gaining increasing interest in the horticulture sector,” Latvus explains, proceeding to list a dozen other potential uses for hemp bran. While further testing is necessary to confirm their effectiveness as mulch, the possibilities are numerous!
Interested in oilseed hemp? You can request product samples through the form below!