Moving plants mid-season

So I have finally come to the conclusion that the area I planted my hops in just has to poor of soil drainage. I have 16 plants and I’m thinking of moving them all to a better draining part of the property. The largest plants are no more than 3’ at best so my thought was to just spade around them 1’ dia and as deep as possible and relocate the trellis. Is this a bad idea mid-season or should I wait till fall or early spring to do this move?

Bad as the location might be, you should wait until they go dormant. There are a lot of shallow roots right now. If you absolutely had to move them, you approach would work, but you wouldn't get many hops this year.

they are all first year so I wasnt expecting much from them as far as harvest. But my thought was to wait until fall after they go dormant and then move them before winter. But with so much growing season left I may just move them in the next week or two.

Anyone else have thoughts?

i would vote for allowing them to do their thing for the remainder of the season, then move them in the fall. they may surprise you. also, moving them at this point may stress them a little too much going into the hottest part of the growing season. this will allow you time to amend the soil in the new location. one other thought is to move some, and leave the rest to see the results for yourself.

Move half and see what happens. Personally, I would let them be. I have always moved them after the season.

+1 on leaving the move until the Fall, when the plants are dormant. I too am contemplating moving my plants, and I'm with you on trying to take as much root ball as possible. The root system is what the first year's growth is all about. I plan to let that root system grow as much as possible this year, then re-situate them after the bines die back in the Fall. Unless yours are in mortal danger of not surviving to the Fall in their current spot, I think this is the wiser course