Need to transplant first year hops

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

HoppyMaltPoet

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 12, 2010
Messages
319
Reaction score
3
Location
Long Island
So I need to transplant my first year hops for two reasons. One, I am only getting about 4 hours of sunlight and none of my plants are really growing except my Cascade. The other reason is SWMBO now wants to use the area as a shaded Gazebo. I had a trellis that covered an outdoor bar and thought it would be appropriate to have the hop bines growing around the bar. Wife wants a gazeebo and me to move my hops. I have one cascade (one rhizome died), 2 Zeus, 2 Northern Brewer and 2 Fuggles.

I have an area, along my fence line in the front of my house that gets like 10 hours of sun. This would be a better spot...as long as the neighbors (neighbors on that side is actually a church) don't complain.

Anyway, I read a couple of posts but would like any recommendations on transplanting these hops. I don't want to lose them. I guess I could kill them (I really don't want to do this), and order new ones next year, but if it is possible to have them survive I would like to save them.

My Cascade has a single bine about 8' tall. The Zeus plants have about 2 bines each at about 3' tall. 1 Fuggle plant is about 3' tall. The other Fuggle and 2 Northern Brewer are still under a foot. I have read that cutting back the bine and transplanting is probably my best bet. Is this right? If so, how will this affect my next year's hop production? Any info is appreciated. Thanks.
 
All I can suggest is that the bigger the root ball you take when you dig them up the greater the chance you can get some good growth this year. If you see 8' above ground then you have a lot more than that below ground, usually. I think you will be better off with a spot that has more light, those plants are pretty hardy and you should be fine for next year. I took all my first year plants from small planters last year and they are growing well in ground the second year.
 
So you don't see a need to cut back the bines, and/or wait until spring of next year? If I can transplant the whole plant this weekend that would be great.
 
Back
Top