98EXL's Hop Garden Build Thread

I do these all the time for my car forums, so I figured what the hell, I'll do a build thread for my hop garden since I think it should turn out being somewhat neat (at least that's what I keep telling myself).

So I'll start off with what happened during week one, which was last week. I am going to plant in an area which was all woods 15 years ago, and we whacked a lot of the crap outta there, and just mulched over top everything. The soil is freaking awesome there, and will be great for planting anything. I re-trimmed everything back there so I actually have room to plant. I burned a lot of sticks and branches in various piles way back in the woods so that I can till the ash into 'Hop Alley' as I'm going to call it. Also I ordered my plentiful bounty, 12 rhizomes: 1 Brewers Gold, 3 Cascade, 3 Centennial, 2 Chinook, 2 Fuggle, and 1 Magnum.

Week two, which is this week: Hops came in from Freshops on Wednesday. This weekend the ash will be spread in Hop Alley, and I'll till the whole entire area, including a plot for a vegetable garden. I figure that if I'm going to be spending some time with growing hops, I may as well grow vegetables and some herbs as well. I know I have at least 2 weeks to erect a support system, so I'm not worried about that right this second. One I get my rhizomes in the ground, I'm going to cut the grass with a mower that has a bag (I need to borrow one, ours mulches) and spread the grass on top of Hop Alley, and then put real mulch on top of that.

That's all for now, I'll have some pics of the progress this weekend, and the rhizomes to follow as well.

Tips and/or comments are welcome, I suppose most of this won't be 'cool' until I have some pics

let me know when ur gonna harvest, I know where u live

if there is any to harvest, you are the first on the payroll now come August

hhmm, payroll is almost as good as a midnight raid

Well here are some updates, and a few pics I snapped with my cell phone. The first two were of the little fire I built so I could get rid of some yard waste, sticks and branches, and spread the ash into the ground for all of the things I am growing this year. I really don't have to worry about the soil, it's awesome, SWMBO said no wonder why weeds and vines grow so well back there. Anyway, everyone likes fire:




Then yesterday, I borrowed my buddy's tiller, and just went to town. The skinnier longer row is for the hops, and then I decided on a giant (for me) vegetable garden right next to it.




(it's so gay you can only have 4 images per post)

Here is what everything looks like all raked out and smooth. There is a nice gentle rain falling as we speak so everything should be nicely compacted. Plus I can see how (if any) the rain washes around in the area

That is good looking soil-nice and dark. That should be a nice hops and veggie garden. How are you going to support the hops?

I dug a few holes yesterday-after six inches is was all red clay. I sweetened it up with compost, sand, peat moss and vermiculite.

You're going to put 12 rhizomes in that one little stretch? Seems like they'll be a little crowded.

plenty for 12..... looks to 20 something by 30+ feet long

it's pretty long (I wish that's what she said) I gave 1 away, and will probably give another away......eitherway, I'll have room....I'll just extend it if I need to.

I did do a soil pH test today.....6.0 I wonder if it was because I used soil on top and it had rain on it....and rain is a little acidic....I dunno.

I did 72 seedlings for the vegetable garden today as well.....things seem to be going well.....rhizomes are going in the ground tomorrow.

Looking mighty fine! I'm looking forward to harvest already! This thread will be one to watch.

EdWort said:

Looking mighty fine! I'm looking forward to harvest already! This thread will be one to watch.

Click to expand...

thanks, it seems like a lot of things is my brewery are coming all together this season....I finally have kegs in hand, and just now need to think up a stand design.

SWMBO thinks I should make the garden bigger.....for more hops and more veggies....she loves 'em both.

I'd read that 4 feet on either side of the plant was necessary. Any less and they start to crowd each other, making it difficult to determine which cone came from which plant and they choke out their sunlight. I've been planning my garden based on that and my area is massive compared to yours. Maybe I'm overdoing it? My area will be about 30' x 30'.

Fingers said:

I'd read that 4 feet on either side of the plant was necessary. Any less and they start to crowd each other, making it difficult to determine which cone came from which plant and they choke out their sunlight. I've been planning my garden based on that and my area is massive compared to yours. Maybe I'm overdoing it? My area will be about 30' x 30'.

Click to expand...

well, the one lazy aspect of this whole thing is I didn't measure everything out. If I need more room, I'll just bust out the tiller and make more room, it's that easy.

98EXL said:

well, the one lazy aspect of this whole thing is I didn't measure everything out. If I need more room, I'll just bust out the tiller and make more room, it's that easy.

Click to expand...

If you do, remember that where you had the fire, you inadvertently sterilized the top soil and nothing will grow there. You will want to dig down about 6 inches and remove the dead dirt and replace it with live top soil.

EdWort said:

If you do, remember that where you had the fire, you inadvertently sterilized the top soil and nothing will grow there. You will want to dig down about 6 inches and remove the dead dirt and replace it with live top soil.

Click to expand...

I just mixed some of the ash into the top soil as I tilled it.....I didn't do a 'slash and burn' so to speak

That's fine, but it was the heat from the fire that killed all the microbes in the top soil in the small area where the fire was. The heat will penetrate 6 to 8 inches into the soil and that's what sterilized the soil. Plants will have a tough time growing in that 4-6 ft diameter area (depending on how big the fire was).

Just an FYI.

WHere I had the fire is not a part of the garden....you can see it in that picture

yep, I know. I didn't mention anything till you talked about expanding the garden. You just want to be aware of that area should you decide to include it when you expand it.

EdWort said:

yep, I know. I didn't mention anything till you talked about expanding the garden. You just want to be aware of that area should you decide to include it when you expand it.

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ahh, ok...I wasn't going to expand it that way even if I did make it bigger, so seems like it would all just work out anyway, but thanks for the tip, I didn't know that.

I do plan on adding the 'fire pit' feature a little bit away from where it is now....I feel like we are going to spend a lot of time back there this summer!

98EXL said:

ahh, ok...I wasn't going to expand it that way even if I did make it bigger, so seems like it would all just work out anyway, but thanks for the tip, I didn't know that.

I do plan on adding the 'fire pit' feature a little bit away from where it is now....I feel like we are going to spend a lot of time back there this summer!

Click to expand...

Campfires are awesome and if you build a firepit, add 6-8 inches of sand or old dirt in the bottom and it will protect the soil below.

I'll just go find some old soil somewhere, this would not be a 'go to the hoe depot and spend money' kind of project.

Any other wise tips (about anything) you can spout off the top of your head kind sir?

Buy low, sell high.

Only drink good beer.

Get plenty of sleep.

Sex is a good thing.

......

EdWort said:

Buy low, sell high.

Only drink good beer.

Get plenty of sleep.

Sex is a good thing.

......

Click to expand...

I know all of that, don't really do the get plenty of sleep thing, oh yeah, teh sex is the greatest...but I meant more along the lines of the garden

98EXL said:

I'll just go find some old soil somewhere, this would not be a 'go to the hoe depot and spend money' kind of project.

Any other wise tips (about anything) you can spout off the top of your head kind sir?

Click to expand...

most cities will give you free compost....

claphamsa said:

most cities will give you free compost....

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I don't think I need any, but it's not like it would hurt to use

I would recommend running some soaker hoses down the line which will make it easier to irrigate during dry times.

EdWort said:

I would recommend running some soaker hoses down the line which will make it easier to irrigate during dry times.

Click to expand...

I had already looked into the ones made by Toro...seem relatively inexpensive

Well I did some more work on Hop Alley last night. I mounded up some soil for the rhizomes, and planted 3 Centennial and 2 Cascades. I did a mixture of ash, and Miracle Grow potting soil and top soil. After I got everything in, we got a nice rain storm to water everything for me. Here are some pics:




Notice my copper name tags?

ZOMFG, I have a HUGE problem

I ordered more...I said eff it.

So total I'll have 10, 3 Centennials, 3 Cascades, a Fuggle, a Chinook, a Magnum, and a Brewers Gold.
My buddy will have a Fuggle, Chinook, Cascade and a Brewers Gold
My Boss will have a Cascade

15 between the 3 of us....I have to till more tonight now....and the veggie garden is going to be bigger (not by much) as well too!

I guess it's better than smoking crack huh? :rockin:

any buds yet

I had 7/10 up when I checked saturday before I went out of town....I'm sure they are all doing just fine! It's raining here all day/night and we have no stinking power

Hey 98, I'm from Annapolis. Where you from dude?

Anyway, the project looks great!! I wish I had the space to plant that many, I have five the fifth broke ground yesterday, finally! it's been over 6 weeks on that one.

I'm up in severna park. I think I'm getting more from balto charlie...making it 12 or 13 total

the trellis needs to be done ASAP....but I've been kinda 'under the weather' and haven't had a lot of strength. I have a growth the size of a ping pong ball growing outta my neck

I have a pingpong table......

98EXL said:

I have a growth the size of a ping pong ball growing outta my neck

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Those are always fun times.... get that thing cut out!

Lookin good with the field. Figure out your design yet for a trellis or what not?

trelis is figured out....going to be pretty neat.

It's rained a lot the past two days, and I have to get a few bines started on poles because they have grown enough that the rain has beaten them down. They do seem pretty resilient though

so last weekend it rained...this weekend is going to rain....well, just tonight. Anyway, I started to get the weeds under control...found some leftover mulch and started mulching. I need to pick up some more, and some concrete...but here is what I did last night. You can kinda see in my crappy pic the temp stakes I have for them to climb up on.

wwo, thats a lot

a lot more to come!