transplanting hops...how?

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kenb

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I am moving in 2 weeks and want to take my 2nd year hops plants with me. They had no hop cones the first year, but this year there are several cones starting on a single 15 foot high bine. I have them climbing a rope. Can i just dig them up with roots and all, and replant them at my new home a couple hours later? Leaving the bine wrapped around the rope? Should they continue to grow this year if i do that? Any advice on moving them is appreciated.
 
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that probably won't work. The tiny hairs on the roots do most of the work, and they tend to break off when transplanted. It is often difficult just to get a plant to survive a transplant. Hops are hardy, but I really doubt they would finish off production of the hops on the bine, or even keep a 15' bine alive. I would just cut the bines, harvest what you can. Replant the rhizome at your new home, and have a strong, healthy plant next season.
 
I'd agree, but I'd just cut the bine down to 5' and transplant. The bine might die anyway, but if it survives, it will be able to plump up the root for next year.
 
SO cutting the bine back and losing this year's production will be better for the plant next year?
 
Cut back and get as much of the roots as you can. Stick them in a pot for the rest of the year and plant them next year. You'll basically have bigger rhizomes than the ones you started out with.
 
Yeah. The rhizome/ root is the plant's heart. Without it being healthy- the plant is dead. You are about to damage the heart by moving it. It will be hard for that damaged heart to pump nutrients to your bines and hops.
On the other hand, the leaves can crank a little juice back to the rhizomes, so try what 42 said and cut all but 5' off.
 
I moved during June last year with my 1st year hops. I did move the bine and rhizome. The bines did die off but started again at the end of season. I would try digging up ALOT of ground around the rhizome and leaving the rhizome in the middle. Hopefully this will help the plant to survive. I feel for ya that you do not want to trash the harvest this season so give it a try. What is the worst that will happen the bine dies?
 
Perhaps the new folks moving into the house are beer drinkers who will keep the hops growing for ya in exchange for a brew or three made from said hops?
 
I feel for ya that you do not want to trash the harvest this season so give it a try. What is the worst that will happen the bine dies?
The rhizome could use up its energy reserves for winter trying to keep 1 bine alive. Could kill the plant. When transplanting, err on the side of caution.
 
Man this is going to be hard to accept. Today i looked and i actually have about 50 1" cones on my Mt Hood plant. And am moving in 72 hours. So they are not ready to pick yet....Do i really need to chop it down to 3 feet and lose all my crop this year in order for the zome to survive? If i transplant the whole thing, small cones and all, what is the chance that the cones will keep growing? i think i am only about 1-2 weeks from harvestable cones?...
 
my guess would be that the rhizome would survive either way, i mean hops are practically a weed, it's a hearty plant. Examine the worst case scenario, if you cut to 3 feet and you loose all your hops the plant may or may not live and you have no hops. If you don't trim it back and some how up-root it and transplant it, you may not get any cones either and the plant may or may not survive next year.

If it were me, and these were 1st year rhizomes, i would dig up as much of the root area as i could w/o trimming and hope for the best. Then i would be sure to order more rhizomes next spring in the event of the worst.
 
kenb,

What was the outcome? I would have done what TSU wrote above. I also would have buried some of the bines in some planters and tried to have them grow a root system. That has got to be hard. I know I put tons of time and energy into mine and would hate to have to start over again in another years time. Hope it all worked out for you!

- WW
 
I ended up cutting it back to about 1 foot a week ago, is still in the planter as i am trying to figure out where to plant. Too much shade at the new house....
 
I'll go (too late for your move) with the observation that they are tough and practically weeds.

I got my rhizomes from a local guy where I used to work. He just ripped up some bine and the attached rhizome and popped them in plastic bags and brought them into work. I got all concerned and fussed with getting some damp newspaper in there with them (no dirt, roots left dry, bad for plants) until I got them home to plant. Having grown the things for over a decade, I have a better understanding of his approach - While you can fuss over the things as you might with a delicate plant, they are not a delicate plant.
 
So what if I keep the rinzomes in a pot, would that help with replanting? Or should I leave them in a bag in the fridge until I have a place to plant permenantly?
 
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