Hop Rhizome question

Hello,

Just received 2 hop rhizomes today from Willamette Valley Hops. I can't wait to get them in the ground! My question is this: How long can I keep them before planting them? I am assuming a couple days will be fine, but I was just wondering.

Also, any specific planting/growing tips would be cool too!

Thanks,

Taco

I'm waiting for my rhizomes, due in May; I asked the LHBS guy about this very question this afternoon, and he said a couple of weeks will be the upper limit of your use. Rhizomes are usually packed in plastic bags, which is never great for long-term storage.

What kind of hops, if I may ask? I'm getting Vojvodina and Magnum.

Hey thanks for the info. I bought Cascade and Centennial. I like IPAs and the hop price for making that style gets pretty high. Kits are ridiculous but hops by the pound are where its at and then I figured the home grown hops would be a nice touch for my brews.

Wait until after the first frost to plant them. They eat through a ton of nitrogen so get some fish emulsion. And FWIW, I'd order some hop crowns from Great Lakes Hops and save yourself 2-3 years. Those rhizomes will take that long to make a good hop crown and give you yielding bines.

KeyWest is right but I know people who have gotten some solid yields their first year with rhizomes and even better the following year. If you take care of them, I hear you can have a really solid crop the first year. I'm starting with four rhizomes this spring, two Centennial, one Chinook, one Cascade.

I don't mess with rhizomes any more. I buy my hop plants from Great Lakes Hops. They get here quick, I plant them, and they are off and climbing up my poles in no time. Love that place, and they have great prices.

bellmtbbq said:

KeyWest is right but I know people who have gotten some solid yields their first year with rhizomes and even better the following year. If you take care of them, I hear you can have a really solid crop the first year. I'm starting with four rhizomes this spring, two Centennial, one Chinook, one Cascade.

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While I do believe you can get a few cones off a first year rhizome I don't think you can get a solid first year crop, no offense. The plants going to put most of its energy into growing root mass otherwise it won't be able to support 10+ ft bines, sidearm growth, and eventually cones. With it focusing on root structure I don't see it putting out long enough bines to get many sidearms and cones. Or enough bines to equate to a solid harvest. Just my opinion.