indoor hops

foyboy · 03-28-2011, 02:06 PM

Anyone ever here if you can Hydroponiclly grow hops.Is there a way like many plants to basically grow a short stocky plant that bushes out and gets very heavy flowering? Was in Disney and took a tour and a backroom tour of the Hydroponics they grow and it is UNBELIEVABLE!

**MalFet** · 03-28-2011, 02:33 PM

I have done a fair bit of apartment based hydroponics, but the trouble you'll face with hops is getting sufficient light. Those vines are sun-greedy, and not getting enough light will only make them try to trellis even more.

DaksBrew · 03-28-2011, 04:02 PM

The light problem can be fixed... Though expensive, Metal Halide lights (MH) and High Pressure Sodium lights (HPS) put out a lot of light... Also with enough flourescents it is possible as well...

I don't know what spectrum or exactly how many lumens Hops would need, but I'm
Positive it can be done

ryandlf · 03-28-2011, 04:33 PM

I'm sure it could be done as well, but taking advantage of mother natures light bulb is going to be the far cheaper option. I myself have always wanted to get into hydroponics. Its funny you mention Disney. I was absolutely blown away by their greenhouse as well. Its pretty cool to know they use most of that food they grow in their restaurants etc.

**MalFet** · 03-28-2011, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaksBrew

The light problem can be fixed... Though expensive, Metal Halide lights (MH) and High Pressure Sodium lights (HPS) put out a lot of light... Also with enough flourescents it is possible as well...

I don't know what spectrum or exactly how many lumens Hops would need, but I'm
Positive it can be done

Sure, it's possible, but have you tried using MH grow-lights on a trellising vine? Not only will the OP consume enough power to run a small freight train (earning him some visits by the DEA), he'll also make that part of his house uninhabitably bright and hot. All the downsides of hydro-growing, with none of the upsides.

Perhaps he can figure out how to keep the plant short and bushy like he mentions, but I wasn't able to.

Lamarkid7 · 03-28-2011, 04:53 PM

i can see indoor hop growing drawing som unwanted attention from the local PD. They monitor the power consumsion for things like that.

DrJerryrigger · 03-28-2011, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalFet

I have done a fair bit of apartment based hydroponics, but the trouble you'll face with hops is getting sufficient light. Those vines are sun-greedy, and not getting enough light will only make them try to trellis even more.

What did you grow them in, and what pH, ppm, how much light did they have, what light cycle did you use, were you able to force flower them.... ???

One thought I had was to train them around a 4ft T12 florescent bulb that was hung vertically. HID lighting has good output per watt, but next to impossible to direct at a bine.
What I think is the key to any of this working; is to determine if we could force them to flower sooner, so they don't get to an unmanageable/unlightable size. It maybe possible, with properly timed lights, to get them producing at 2ft rather than 20.

**MalFet** · 03-28-2011, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrJerryrigger

What did you grow them in, and what pH, ppm, how much light did they have, what light cycle did you use, were you able to force flower them.... ???

One thought I had was to train them around a 4ft T12 florescent bulb that was hung vertically. HID lighting has good output per watt, but next to impossible to direct at a bine.
What I think is the key to any of this working; is to determine if we could force them to flower sooner, so they don't get to an unmanageable/unlightable size. It maybe possible, with properly timed lights, to get them producing at 2ft rather than 20.

None of my attempts to grow hops were successful enough to merit repeating them. I haven't researched this, but I suspect flowering is triggered in part by light color, as is the case for many plants. You could try tweaking your balance of MH and HPS to simulate changing seasons, but I very much doubt that you'll be able to get them to flower at only 2ft. I'd love to be proven wrong, but I'm skeptical this can work.

I got some feeble plants growing with natural light, but my apartment has got a full-wall south-facing window ten stories above everything else around me. Even with that, I ended up pulling them out because they were stunted.

**Kegerator** · 03-28-2011, 06:45 PM

I work in an office that is open 24/7. Every spring I plant a hop vine in a Large pot by my desk. It grows up a wire I wrapped going up one wall, and around the tops of the three walls of my cube. It never flowers since it never knows what season it is (the lights are on 24/7). It grows to about 18 feet long. Then over Christmas and New Yeas break, it does not get watered and it dies. It is as easy as a weed to take care of, fresh soil and a new root segment in the spring, water good 3 days a week, and keep it wrapping around the wire.

foyboy · 03-28-2011, 06:59 PM

But I do know that some "other" plants can grow 15' but they have (strains) that allow them to sprout-grow,and then by switching to a different type light they begin to mature super fast and producing flowers.If hops could be able to do this I think it would work and still be small enough to direct light .They even have foil paper that bounces all the light around.You might even be able to produce sticky SUPERHOP flowers with tons a AA.