1st Year Container Hops!!! We've got cones...yeah!!

JMO · 06-03-2009, 01:28 AM

Planted these babies back in the first week of March. I really didn't know what to expect with this being the first time I've done this. From the left is Magnum, Fuggle, and Hallertauer. The Magnum came up first, but the Hallertauer grew the quickest. The Magnum vine broke after it got to about 7 feet. It's also the first to start showing cones. How soon will I be able to pick them? Can I tell by the way they feel, or by smell? I can't wait to try a brew with them.

**QueenCityALER** · 06-03-2009, 01:33 AM

Man, that looks nice!! Congrats!

**cuinrearview** · 06-03-2009, 01:40 AM

Didn't see a pic of a cone but you'll want to harvest when they feel dry and papery and the tips of the "cone leaves" start to brown. If you carefully lift up the leaves you'll see the goodness; the golden lupulin glands. They'll swell and turn darker gold when they're ripe.

Good job starting the root system for next year. Now get to work on an in-grown set-up because those totes are FULL of roots.

JMO · 06-03-2009, 01:43 AM

Sounds good. You think I'll be ok leaving them for the next 2 years in those containers? I know it's not ideal, but we'll be on the move again by then. Try picture 3 again. I tried to get a close up of the start of 2 small cones.

bashe · 06-03-2009, 01:45 AM

How are you keeping the roots wet enough in a container? The regular plants I have in pots I have to water twice a day or they dry out and start dying.

JMO · 06-03-2009, 01:47 AM

I've been soaking them until I see water coming out of the bottom pretty much everyday, sometimes every other day. I've also been giving them a diluted liquid fertilizer every 7 days or so

kaiser423 · 06-03-2009, 01:52 AM

I would imagine that he has a reservoir system in there, ala those earth box thingy's.

I did the same thing to the huge 12' wide, 2' tall guys I built and without any water the soil will be moist for about 5 days...

pilotdane · 06-03-2009, 04:24 PM

I imagine the plastic conainers help reduce evaporation since the bottom and sides are sealed. The only way out for the moisture is up the bine and to evaporate from the surface.

Here in NC I've had trouble with container grown plants in late July and August. Sitting in the sun the soil temp gets so hot it kills many plants. It is the heat, not lack of water. I've had to shade the pots to help keep the soil temp down.