building a hops set up

I plan on planting hops and have been thinking about building a support structure. I have a green house in my yard about 20' in length with the length side facing south. It stands about 8' in height.

I was thinking of building some flower boxes on the side and running twine to the top of the green house. My thought was to train the hops along the twine giving them 20' give or take to grow at an angle.

I could build a support structure that is 20' high but this seems like it would be easier.

Does anyone have experience with something like this or think it would work? Thanks

That should be fine, you will have to train them to stay on the twine, but that will be some nice time with your hops. I would be more concerned about why you said you would put them in a flower box. they roots will be pretty cramped pretty quick. Why not, just in the ground?

flips

flips said:

That should be fine, you will have to train them to stay on the twine, but that will be some nice time with your hops. I would be more concerned about why you said you would put them in a flower box. they roots will be pretty cramped pretty quick. Why not, just in the ground?

flips

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My thought here is being able to better control the soil. My soil is very poor so I figured a good foot or more of really good top soil would the way to go.. I could be completely wrong of course.

I have no experience with green houses. I do know that the hop bine explosion of growth is triggured by the long summer days. (Not as simple as photosynthesis but some soart of photoreaction). Does the greenhouse material allow enough light through to achieve this?

Also, make sure to provide good drainage no matter how you plant the ryzomes. I hear "flower box" but I think "hop swamp".

beerinasippicup said:

I have no experience with green houses. I do know that the hop bine explosion of growth is triggured by the long summer days. (Not as simple as photosynthesis but some soart of photoreaction). Does the greenhouse material allow enough light through to achieve this?

Also, make sure to provide good drainage no matter how you plant the ryzomes. I hear "flower box" but I think "hop swamp".

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I am re thinking the flower box idea and may just replace and or fix the soil directly where I will plant them. As far as the green house material goes it is a really heavy gaged plastic. That should not matter though because the hops will be growing out side of it. Im just using the green house as a structure to wrap the twine around....thanks for the reply.

Ahh, gotcha. The flower box idea might not be too bad if you were to horizontaly place a few holy PVC pipes it the soil a foot or so down, leading to the outside of the box to aid in drainage.

The box would help combat gophers too.

beerinasippicup said:

Ahh, gotcha. The flower box idea might not be too bad if you were to horizontaly place a few holy PVC pipes it the soil a foot or so down, leading to the outside of the box to aid in drainage.

The box would help combat gophers too.

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I like the idea of the PVC. I did not even think about Bob...the Gopher that destroyed my yard last year.