French hemp and its uses in the garden

Hemp cultivation is booming in France. I am not talking to you here about its destination for making CBD (cannabidiol), but about its other often misunderstood uses.

Today, cultivation occupies around 60,000 hectares in France. All parts of the plant are used: the upper part in cosmetics; the central part for insulation in buildings for example; the lower part – called the chènevotte – for mulching.

The company Géochanvre based in Lézinnes in Burgundy, manufactures hemp fabrics intended for the garden and landscaping companies. Gérald Bayette, its director, explains how to use it at home:

“Our fabrics can be used wherever you do not want weeds. In concrete terms, you can spread it in an aisle. The products are available in the form of slabs, discs 2 to 3 millimeters thick. We manufacture also rolls with a maximum weight of 20 kg. It’s easy to carry and unroll.”

“In the vegetable garden, you can surround your plantations of strawberries, tomatoes, all the vegetables”.

Gerald Bayette

at franceinfo

“We also work for agroforestry. In 2021, we provided canvas for 400 km of hedge plantings. The canvases are pre-drilled and you just have to slide the plants inside the holes.”

Hemp is an excellent insulator. It allows the temperature to be lowered enormously. Studies have shown that in the middle of a heat wave at 45°C, a slab placed at the foot of a plant causes the temperature to drop by 15°C!

Geochanvre also aims to replace plastic or any other oil-based material:

“En terms of ethics and line of conduct, it is for us the solution to replace the plastic used in gardens and green spaces. This reflection has also led us to manufacture by-products by creating, for example, vegetable bags that have a long lifespan.

At the end of their life, these products go into compost or green waste. We also emphasize the French origin of our product. Purchases and processing are guaranteed by the Origine Garantie France label.

The company Géochanvre is working on the opening of a second production site in the south-west of France. Because the opportunities are very numerous and in all fields.

A carpet has been developed to serve as bedding for pets. Car backboards are made from hemp.

The company also manufactures carpet for events. When a show is over, this hemp carpet goes to compost or ESAT (establishment and work assistance service). It is then recut to be used by market gardeners.