Hello Everyone. I just wanted to start this by saying that growing down south can in fact be done, if you do it right!
Before I planted my hops I was looking for some information on growing in southern latitudes and the information was spotty, I saw some posts from growers in the south but their results were inconclusive, and their advice was mysterious.
Most people suggest the "northern growers approach" for us folks in the south, and I think this is flawed. First-off the "12-14" hours of sun light reasoning, I think, is necessary only in the northern states. The sun down here is very intense, and those who have been here know that standing in the sun during the summer (at any time of day) it feels like your skin is peeling off sometimes. If you plant hops in direct sunlight all day it will torch them! Many of my club mates have had this very experience.
Anyway, My hops get morning sun, and afternoon shade. They get about 4.5-5 hours of direct sunlight a day. I am limited on space, living in a condo, so I only have two plants; nugget and cascade. The nugget is not growing as hardily as the cascades, and haven't produced any full cones yet.
My cascades however are growing like crazy, I have probably at least 1 pound of wet hops right now and they haven't stopped producing burs and cones. I get new shoots and growth on a daily basis.
So here are the pictures, what everyone was waiting for I'm sure:
hops on the left are cascades and nugget on the right.
Cascades!! the photo doesn't do it justice, there are cones everywhere
more cascades:
close up shot
and maybe some mutations?? this one looks like it will be sprouting burs all over? Anyone know?
Before I planted my hops I was looking for some information on growing in southern latitudes and the information was spotty, I saw some posts from growers in the south but their results were inconclusive, and their advice was mysterious.
Most people suggest the "northern growers approach" for us folks in the south, and I think this is flawed. First-off the "12-14" hours of sun light reasoning, I think, is necessary only in the northern states. The sun down here is very intense, and those who have been here know that standing in the sun during the summer (at any time of day) it feels like your skin is peeling off sometimes. If you plant hops in direct sunlight all day it will torch them! Many of my club mates have had this very experience.
Anyway, My hops get morning sun, and afternoon shade. They get about 4.5-5 hours of direct sunlight a day. I am limited on space, living in a condo, so I only have two plants; nugget and cascade. The nugget is not growing as hardily as the cascades, and haven't produced any full cones yet.
My cascades however are growing like crazy, I have probably at least 1 pound of wet hops right now and they haven't stopped producing burs and cones. I get new shoots and growth on a daily basis.
So here are the pictures, what everyone was waiting for I'm sure:
hops on the left are cascades and nugget on the right.
Cascades!! the photo doesn't do it justice, there are cones everywhere
more cascades:
close up shot
and maybe some mutations?? this one looks like it will be sprouting burs all over? Anyone know?