What's going on with my hops?

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YoungBrew

YoungBrew

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Hi all, so I planted a couple rhizomes about 2 1/2 weeks ago and the Mt. Hood had a nice little shoot coming up, about an inch or two and the Newport still has nothing. The Mt. Hood has begun to wither for no apparent reason other than just not liking me. The leaves are turning yellow... could it be too much watering or maybe the Las Vegas heat? It has been hovering around the 100F degree mark but these things should love all that sun!

Thanks!
 
How often are you watering? You might want to pick up a water meter to make sure the roots are getting watered. How's the soil? Get some good rotten manure on there if you can.
 
It may be the heat. Depends on how moist the soil is. If the rhisome have only been in the ground 2-1.2 weeks they likely have little root system available to pull in water and you may need to water lightly and frequently.

If the soil stays soggy under a layer of dried crust, the rhisome may be bogged and could be beginning to rot.
 
1. What did you plant them in? Hops like loose, slightly acid soils The caliche in Las Vegas is more like concrete than soil. When I lived there, I dug deep holes for everything and back-filled with a mix of compost, peat-moss and vermiculite. No native soil at all.
2. They should be shaded for the first couple months.
3. Yellow is a nutrient problem. Nitrogen or potassium or the soil is so alkaline the roots can't absorb anything.

Good chance your water is also alkaline.
 
Yeah Im having the same problem some of mine sprouted but died back, I have pretty much given up. I used top soil and organic humus, manure mixture. Oh well hop prices are coming down :rockin:
 
I am watering 3 times a day with a 2 liter soda bottle and a little spout on the end that doesn't allow for all the water to dump out at once. They are planted in 2 individual plant pots. I can't remember the size but they are about 2 feet tall and 1 foot across. We had some garden soil from previous planting so I used that and a combination of some other top soil. The water is running out the bottom so it isn't getting to boggy, and the soil is moist but not wet.

So putting them in the shade might be a good idea since it will be well over 100F for the next couple months?
 
YoungBrew said:
I am watering 3 times a day with a 2 liter soda bottle and a little spout on the end that doesn't allow for all the water to dump out at once. They are planted in 2 individual plant pots. I can't remember the size but they are about 2 feet tall and 1 foot across. We had some garden soil from previous planting so I used that and a combination of some other top soil. The water is running out the bottom so it isn't getting to boggy, and the soil is moist but not wet.

So putting them in the shade might be a good idea since it will be well over 100F for the next couple months?
Click to expand...

Perhaps larger containers or more water. That size container, with that dry of a climate could be tough. I remember when my brother used to live in Vegas and I'd go visit him, by the time I got my towel after a shower I was dry. :D Saved on washing towels I guess. Perhaps get a water mister to keep them moist. I know they sell those systems for under awnings or porches to help keep the air cool.
The Pacific Northwest is where water is born and Vegas is where it goes to die. :D
 
I was able to get my hands on a couple more rhizomes just in case these guys don't make it. I figure if I plant them it couldn't hurt since we don't have a real winter here. Our "Fall season" isn't until December. I think I'll pick up some larger planters and some better soil mix and see what I can do about misters. An options right now couldn't hurt! :)

Thanks for the advice!
 
If you can place them where they get morning sun, but are shaded in the afternoon, that would also help. Since you are using pots, once the roots are strong, you could move them to get more sun.

Hops are very sensitive to day length and will die-back in the Fall regardless of where you are located.
 
david_42 said:
If you can place them where they get morning sun, but are shaded in the afternoon, that would also help. Since you are using pots, once the roots are strong, you could move them to get more sun.

Hops are very sensitive to day length and will die-back in the Fall regardless of where you are located.
Click to expand...

OT: Are you "in the industry" in some manner. You are very knowledgable of the plant indeed and cross over to virtually every aspect of it's use. Just curious.

Not to be contradictory but, I have read several times that it's not actually day length that the plant is sensitive to but more specifically night length by means of Chromosperes and the ways they affect the plants Circadium Rhythm. I haven't had much time to read much into this tho'.
 
david_42 said:
Good chance your water is also alkaline.
Click to expand...

I wonder often if my plants would see greater benifit from my not using muni waters. pH at the tap is 9.3 but soil pH according to my cheap anode based probe hovers around 7 to 8 which, IIRC, is optimal for hops. However, if you read this ( http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pdf/fg/fg79-e.pdf )the topic becomes clearer on the pH specificity and nutrient bonds with the soil.

At any rate, I have been considering a rain barrel system for just my hop yard.
 
good luck. i too am trying to grow in vegas. i planted mine about a week ago or so, in pots with morning sun and afternoon shade.
 
Where did you get rhizomes this late in the season? Virtually all of them are sold in the beginning of March.
 

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