Hops Growing in GA

So I am planning to start growing some hops next season. I'm starting to figure out what I need and how I'm going to set things up. there are a few things that I need some advice on:

1) Is the red mud of GA a reasonable growing medium or do I need to put down some good black soil for them to grow in? I figure I'll start them in a bucket with good potting soil then transplant into the ground.

2) What is the best time to get them in the ground in NW GA? I am in Woodstock GA.

3) Any particular varieties of hops that grow best in GA?

4) The hop leaves look a little like the leaves of some other plants that are very illegal. My wife is a little paranoid that our neighborhood nazis will have the cops knocking on our door. Is this an unfounded fear? She is imagining the cops showing up and busting down the door with a no knock warrant, taking the kids and getting into a shootout with me. (yes if someone kicks my door down and bursts into my home I plan to defend) I am thinking I'll put a sign that labels them as hops. Any experience someone in GA has had with this might help set her mind at ease. (I'm not really worried.. just need to settle her fears)

theonetrueruss said:

4) The hop leaves look a little like the leaves of some other plants that are very illegal.

Click to expand...

Don't look anything like it IMO

I'd check with your local extension to see if they have any recommendations on which varieties will do better. Freshops.com also has some good descriptions as to which varieties do well in different conditions (e.g. hot/dry versus cool/wet weather).

Hops prefer well drained soil with lots of organic matter. That said, my soil has a lot of clay so not the best drainage...but my hops seems to be doing fine. I usually add a few bags of composted manure in the spring to up the organic matter. If you have really poor drainage, you can plant the rhizomes in hills.

Re when to plant, I'm in Utah so I plant as soon as the ground thaws enough that I can work the soil. Rhizomes are typically available in March so I'd plant them as soon as you can get them.

Re people mistaking the hops for something else, I've had some people tell me they look similar but I've never had anyone ever call the cops on me. Can't say that it will never happen, but if it does I'm crossing my fingers that the cops will be reasonable.

To answer your questions:

Yes, you'll need a good growing medium. Georgia Red Clay ain't gonna do it. Hops like well drained soil, otherwise they'll rot. A good potting mix will do it, but dig a pretty good sized hole, discarding the red clay, and fill it up with good dirt. Hops like a lot of nutrients, so you'll need to fertilize regularly and possibly add compost from year to year.

You can pretty much plant them any time spring or summer...just depends on how much watering you want to do. It's better to plant them as soon as possible after the last frost of winter. If you plant them mid summer, you'll need to water them a lot more (this really isn't ideal, but just saying you *can* do it)

Cascade's grow pretty well in all of the lower 48, as well as most of your other "American" hops (cenntennial for example). Your European varieties won't fair so well but that doesn't mean they won't grow. I planted some Mt. Hood and Nugget this year to see how they'll do.

Hop vines don't look anything like what you're thinking of. No one will be confused. It'd be like confusing that with a maple leaf.

Keep it mind the first year will be all about developing the root system, so you won't see a ton of growth (maybe a few shoots, not too many) and very few cones. By the 3rd year you'll see good production.

I live in lawrenceville, my cascade kicks butt every year. My williamette and haullertau not so much.

I'm in Woodstock also (off hwy 92 toward Roswell).

My first year hops in raised beds:
Magnum: 1 bine, 9' tall
Cascade: 2 bines, 8' tall
Willamette: Died when 6" high (rotted)
Chinook: by far the most vigorous grower. 1 bine, 12' high
Zeus: 2 bines, 5' high
Centennial: 1 bine, 2' high (has been nibbled on by rabbits, so he's not too happy missing all those leaves)
Nugget: Died back when 4" high. Dug up, 1/2 rhizome was rotted. Trimmed off rotted part and replanted in more shallow soil. We'll see.
Brewer's Gold: 9 bines (yes, nine), 8' high (was a "jumbo" rhizome)

All are planted in 1 part clay, 1 part $1/bag "topsoil", and 1 part bagged "soil conditioner" (compost). Water at most twice a week, when dry.

My advice:
Plant shallow, amend the soil, and maybe plant the varieties listed above that are doing well in my yard. I planted them deep, at a 45° angle, being afraid they'd dry out. I should've planted horizontal, 1" deep, and let the roots go deeper if they want.



To answer your questions:

1 - see above.

2 - I planted first 3 varieties above in March, the rest in April. I have 2 more on the way to replace my dead ones.

3 - see above for my opinion

4 - I grow mine on the side and back of my house. No worries about neighbors that way. Maybe invite them over to taste some homebrew and explain what the plants are then.


PM if you'd like to drop by and see the setup.

thanks! this is exactly the info I was hoping to hear. I'm not so worried about the neighbors but wanted to be able to calm the wife's fears on that. now to decide which hops to grow... probably only room for a few.

JP- I'll PM you later- I am definitely interested in taking a look. thanks! (time to deal with the kids)

amazing.. I never started my hop growing... thinking about it again... did a google search and this is what I found. I love the internet.

Anyhow... I think I can start some in the spring. Going to go for some cascades. good hops and seem to grow well. My plan is to run a two cord line to a second story window with some weaving in between. Going to use a big planter and buy some soil.

LEt me know if you know a good local source for healthy cascade rizomes.