Limited space

jhuyser · 12-22-2011, 07:11 PM

Anyone have pics of good back yard hops growing ideas for someone with limited space? Also how the heck do you guys/girls harvest those hopes when you have them growing up a 15ft pole?

**runningweird** · 12-22-2011, 07:54 PM

I have a twenty three foot trellis, there are eye hooks at the top, I run twine from anchor points in the ground near the rhizomes up to the hooks, then back down and tie them off about three feet off the ground on the trellis. To harvest I untie the string and let the bines drop.

**slomo** · 12-22-2011, 08:22 PM

I use 10 ft 2x4 and space them about 2 to 3 feet apart and then do a zig zag pattern of rope. It gives me about 20 to 23 feet of growing space. At harvest time I get my ladder and start harvesting.

**wardenwheat** · 12-22-2011, 10:19 PM

These are my hop trellis's. They are 16 ft. poles 4 ft. in the ground. They take up about 6 ft. by 6ft. The top lowers for harvest in the fall.

day_trippr · 12-22-2011, 10:35 PM

Wow. Did you do anything special to anchor those poles - or did you just dig four foot deep holes and plant them?

Cheers!

**wardenwheat** · 12-22-2011, 11:04 PM

I got a 4 foot plastic post sleeve from Lowes, dug a hole, i guess it was about 3 feet deep by seeing the sleeve sticking up, put a little gravel in the bottom, put two bags of quikcrete in there and made sure the sleeve was level and plumb until it set. I then put the poles in. This way if the pole ever rots or spilts, I can take it out and replace it without digging another hole.

**wardenwheat** · 12-22-2011, 11:08 PM

I planned on taking the poles out in the winter, but they are heavy!!! The pipe is 1/2 emt. You can get all the lengths thread and screw them together, but I cut an welded mine because it was much cheaper. Two pulleys at the top on each pole and a lenght of rope. Not my idea totally, I saw a youtube video from another Iowa hop grower.

**B-Hoppy** · 12-22-2011, 11:43 PM

I grow them on poles(trees) which are lashed to pipes that are driven about 3-4 feet into the ground. At harvest you just untie the poles and pick. Check out the last two photos in my photo gallery. Works for me!

jhuyser · 12-23-2011, 01:12 PM

Im only looking at starting 4 plants. Is it a big deal if you have more room for them to grow horizontally than vertically?

jhuyser · 12-23-2011, 01:16 PM

Also do they wrap around and grow good on plastic PVC pipe?