winter hops transplant (or storage?)

I have a variety of 2-year old hops plants, which did pretty well this year, but are not cut back for the NY winter.

I will be moving in a month or so, and hoping to figure out how I can save these plants to take to my new home. Temperatures are currently hovering at or below freezing, and who knows what late January and February will bring.

Any recommendations on how I can dig these rhizomes up and take them to my new home? Can I put them in "storage" until the ground warms up enough to dig them into their new location?

I originally bought the rhizomes by mail order, delivered in zip-lock bags. Is this a potential storage solution - maybe keeping them in the refrigerator?

You know, you have a good question. And, just in case you don't know, now isn't a good time to transplant. (No offense,just covering the bases) There should be a BIG difference between what you bought two years ago and what has developed in the ground at this point. Right now, you've got a ton of excess energy stored up in the crowns as opposed to the little rhizomes you bought originally, so I would think that if you were able to dig them up and just stick them into a large container (filled with soil/compost/peat moss) in a protected area, you'll probably be fine. You may set them back a little bit by moving them now, but I'd bet you'll have success. I'd just make sure the growing medium isn't BONE dry and they most likely won't need to be watered as they're sleeping contently at this point. If you add water, you may drown them as they aren't really 'breathing' at this point and have no way to get rid of excess moisture. I'd say 'thumbs up', unless you can come back and dig them up in the Spring - then I'd say 'two thumbs-up'. Let us know what comes of the situation.