Potted hops. Leave outside or bring in to garage

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olotti

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I have my first hops in pots for the year. Cut the bines down a couple weeks ago and it's getting cooler here in Michigan in fact there was a frost this past weekend. I pulled up the pots and the roots have grown into the grass around them. Can I cut these without harming the plan? I'm going to be moving the plants to a permanent spot next year so I won't b using the same location. Can I just bring the pots into my garage?

I also see potash is popular to cover the soil with. Do I need to mix it in or just throw a layer down on the topsoil. Any need to water it in?
 
You can break the pots free from the roots, I do it every year with three Fuggles plants that I just haven't found a permanent home for, yet.

I bury mine deep in leaf mulch (deep enough that you can't even see the pots) which has gotten them through the winters for the last five years.

You could put the pots in an unheated garage, I suppose, but if you stuck them on the north side of your house that'd probably be at least as good. What you should avoid is exposure to the sun as repeated warming/freezing cycles are rarely good for any potted plant.

I don't fertilize after harvest, so I don't know about the potash thing...

Cheers!
 
day_trippr said:
You can break the pots free from the roots, I do it every year with three Fuggles plants that I just haven't found a permanent home for, yet.

I bury mine deep in leaf mulch (deep enough that you can't even see the pots) which has gotten them through the winters for the last five years.

You could put the pots in an unheated garage, I suppose, but if you stuck them on the north side of your house that'd probably be at least as good. What you should avoid is exposure to the sun as repeated warming/freezing cycles are rarely good for any potted plant.

I don't fertilize after harvest, so I don't know about the potash thing...

Cheers!
Click to expand...

I was thinking of cutting the roots that penetrated the pots and setting them aside maybe for future plants then moving the pots into my unheated garage.

How long would the rhizomes keep in the fridge or can you freeze them?
 
You only need like a tsp for every couple square feet with potash. You then water it. Follow the directions on the bag. You may even want to do less because of it being a potted plant.

I'd just leave the pots outside and mulch them good. Any roots you cut off could always be thrown in a trench and pulled out next spring.
 
brewcat said:
You only need like a tsp for every couple square feet with potash. You then water it. Follow the directions on the bag. You may even want to do less because of it being a potted plant.

I'd just leave the pots outside and mulch them good. Any roots you cut off could always be thrown in a trench and pulled out next spring.
Click to expand...

sorry but what do mean by mulch, like mulch wood chips? Sorry newb with potted hops and it gets mighty cold here in Michigan so I'd like them to be treated well. That's why I thought I'd just bring the pots into my unheated garage out of the elements but ultimately not the cold.
 
olotti said:
sorry but what do mean by mulch, like mulch wood chips? Sorry newb with potted hops and it gets mighty cold here in Michigan so I'd like them to be treated well. That's why I thought I'd just bring the pots into my unheated garage out of the elements but ultimately not the cold.
Click to expand...

I was thinking a pile of leaves or straw and covering everything up good. I think what day_trippr wrote earlier is the right idea. I'd guess the hops will be ok either way.
 
I had potted plants that I had out all winter in Colorado. Tried to add some mulch on top but it didn't help my babies still froze that winter. I didn't try again the next year so not sure the best way to keep them safe but I would definitely do something to help them make it through the winter. Above ground pots are a lot colder then the ground.
 
FoCobrewguy said:
I had potted plants that I had out all winter in Colorado. Tried to add some mulch on top but it didn't help my babies still froze that winter. I didn't try again the next year so not sure the best way to keep them safe but I would definitely do something to help them make it through the winter. Above ground pots are a lot colder then the ground.
Click to expand...

Were they salvageable? I'll prob just put mine in the garage and cover the topsoil with leaves for added insulation. At least this way they'll b out of the snow and bone chilling winds.
 
Nope I couldn't get anything out of them tried for like 4 months. Watering and transplanting and what not couldn't get them back. I did have them just outside and we do have warm cold spells so that could have been part of the problem. I have friends with them in the ground with no issues.
 

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