Hops, up and across?

I didn't want to put a 15-20 foot pole in the middle of my yard so I was wondering if it is possible to do the following with some materials I already have on hand?

http://i32.tinypic.com/23rx3wj.jpg

I like this idea if it will work better then just a pole as it will create a nice effect over a seating area in the garden. I was just wondering how screwed up the hops will be if they dont climb straight up all 20 feet?

Thanks!

That will be fine. Many people use trellises which are a similar shape...

this is how i'm doing it. also because I didn't want a 15-20 ft pole in my yard. plus I wanted to be able to reach and pick the cones as they become ripe.

Thats really nice looking Carl! I would love to do something that good, but I think mine will end up a little simpler this year. Good to hear its an acceptable way to grow them!

Thanks guys!

thanks, we'll see how it works. being in south GA there are several things that may go wrong. so far so good though.

So if there is no room to grow up, will hops grow out? I have some 5ft chainlink fence through my backyard that my neighbor put up and it is horribly ugly. I want to cover it in ivy or vines, so naturally I want to use hops if they will fill it in. But I don't know if they will grow out and fill it in or if they will just grow to the top and them stop. I am not going for high yield here, any flowers would just be a bonus, I am really just going for foliage here.

From asking around, I have found hops will creep along almost any structure they are stuck to off the ground. If they are trained horizontally along something instead of vertically, they tend to become more bushy. But should still yeild a decent crop once mature. This is what I was told anyway. I think the main thing is they are off the ground for air circulation which helps avoid rot and mold issues.

But of course I could be dead wrong!

Awesome, I am getting a couple of Cascade rhizomes to plant this weekend then. The only thing I have heard is that you will get a smaller yield and a woodier stem if you just let them grow instead of trimming to the one or two best. I don't really care though, as long as they cover the fence good.

Tonedef131 said:

Awesome, I am getting a couple of Cascade rhizomes to plant this weekend then. The only thing I have heard is that you will get a smaller yield and a woodier stem if you just let them grow instead of trimming to the one or two best. I don't really care though, as long as they cover the fence good.

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Well ya, I wouldn't trim at all then if your doing it for decoration. Let them go crazy! And post pictures! :cross:

I had mine go up 3 feet before training them across

Chimone said:

I had mine go up 3 feet before training them across

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This will work?

The reason I ask is because I don't really want to put a 15' pole in my yard either so if I can get away with running them horizontally, I'm all for it.

Great idea!

So it seems, I have found tons of people doing this now since I asked. Like I mentioned and another poster above, it seems to lower yeild slightly and produce a more "bushy" vine. But the hops come out fine.