hop vine support structures... - Page 2

**sweetcell** · 02-06-2012, 09:19 PM

mthompson - in that last pic, i hope those hops were all of the same variety. otherwise it would be nearly impossible to distinguish between them when harvesting, no?

mthompson · 02-06-2012, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetcell

mthompson - in that last pic, i hope those hops were all of the same variety. otherwise it would be nearly impossible to distinguish between them when harvesting, no?

Yeah, it's the same type all the way around. It was a pain pick either way!

jkellner29 · 02-20-2012, 10:03 PM

Thanks again everyone for the ideas.

So I think I came up with something that I can easily remove after the season so its not out in the cold weather.

Making a "T" shape trellis.
2 inch 10' high pvc pipe by about 8 ' across on the top. Then going to run twine through eye hooks on the top in a V shape down to a square box, 2x6 where I will plant a rhizome on mob sides. Making a total of 4 plants in total. One side nugget and one aide cascade.

I'm stuck on the support for the main 2" pvc pipe going up 10'. I picked up a heavy duty metal T shaped fence post, 6 ft. Not sure it will go high enough up on the pvc to give enough support. I guess I need two feet in the ground, leaving about 4 ft of inside support.

Figured this would be a cool trellis that I can slide over the fence post and remove from the yard if I need too.

Thoughts, anyone try this setup before

**sweetcell** · 02-20-2012, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkellner29

Thanks again everyone for the ideas.

So I think I came up with something that I can easily remove after the season so its not out in the cold weather.

Making a "T" shape trellis.
2 inch 10' high pvc pipe by about 8 ' across on the top. Then going to run twine through eye hooks on the top in a V shape down to a square box, 2x6 where I will plant a rhizome on mob sides. Making a total of 4 plants in total. One side nugget and one aide cascade.

I'm stuck on the support for the main 2" pvc pipe going up 10'. I picked up a heavy duty metal T shaped fence post, 6 ft. Not sure it will go high enough up on the pvc to give enough support. I guess I need two feet in the ground, leaving about 4 ft of inside support.

Figured this would be a cool trellis that I can slide over the fence post and remove from the yard if I need too.

Thoughts, anyone try this setup before

i'm not 100% sure i understand your plan... any chance you could draw it up? or show pictures that illustrate parts of what you're doing?

jkellner29 · 02-21-2012, 01:20 AM

Sure, I'm not an artist, hope you understand the basic idea, cost about 60.00 for everything from lowes.

**CastleHollow** · 02-21-2012, 01:59 AM

Here's a picture at the end of my second season (2009.) I've use the same structure each year for my Cascades and Nugget mounds (2 each.) It's made out of PVC, sissel cord, and vinyl coated clothesline across the top which is anchored midway up the two corner base posts. The whole structure comes down at the end of the season except for the three base posts which are anchored pretty deeply in the garden.

**sweetcell** · 02-21-2012, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkellner29

Sure, I'm not an artist, hope you understand the basic idea, cost about 60.00 for everything from lowes.

Attachment 49009

that looks like a fine design to me! one thought is to anchor both ends of the "T" to the ground, to provide overall stability.

i would make sure that the same variety goes on one side, so when the plants reach the top they are mingling with the same variety. otherwise sorting them out once harvest comes is going to be a pain.

jkellner29 · 03-11-2012, 09:53 PM

Getting there... Put together my trellis, just need to string the line from my boxes to the top then wait for my cascade and nugget to come in from American brewmaster, raleigh nc.

**SGFBeerBuzz** · 03-13-2012, 09:27 PM

This has been an interesting thread. I plan on starting my hop growing endeavors this year, and have heard rumors of shorter hop trellises working well for some varieties. Does anyone have any experience using shorter trellises?

I was thinking of going with the same kind of theory some commercial hop growers are working with in which they use a 8-10' trellis using mesh rather than a single line from the ground. The bines then train themselves on the mesh and you simply pick them like grapes. At the end of the year, you don't trim back the remaining bines, but let them remain to support the next year's growth.

cram · 03-13-2012, 09:52 PM

I'd go taller whenever possible and use guy lines for support. Yes, some varieties will grow taller than others but most can get 15-20 feet pretty easily if cared for properly. For example, in CastleHollow's picture, I think it would be just as easy and arguably more effective to either screw an eyelet from the peak of the roof and string lines down teepee style from there for the bines to grow up. Or, better yet, to add a pole from the peak of the roof anchored with guy lines to the corners of the house to extend it up even higher. Keep in mind that a healthy, mature plant will weigh a bunch toward the end of the season, and wind/weather will tax a PVC set-up quite easily, especially as you extend it higher and higher. People in wide open sapces without structure to anchor them often find two 8-10' galvanized poles coupled together make a more lasting and weather-withstanding option but again a lot depends on your particular set-up. Consider if there are anchor points on houses or patio covers or trees that would work to help support or extend trellises from. I recall someone posted pictures of a well-made, heavy-duty steel setup last year. And when a hurricane blew by, even it came down...don't underestimate the weight of your plants and their ability to catch wind. Having mature bines fall down during the course of the season sucks--it's even worse to string them up again! Forethought now, and building soon, makes a lot of sense for the new growers because it's shocking how fast these things grow come May and June.