DAV3
Member
Does anyone have any info on what types of hops grow best here in VA? Also when to plant and harvest and all else? I have some property now and would like to add hops to my gardening. Any info/advice is appreciated.
I took my first shot at growing this year. I planted 2 Cascade and 2 Nugget rhizomes at my folks' garden in Leesburg this last April and had good first-year yields for all four plants. About 1.5 lbs of wet hops per plant, 6 lbs. total. I harvested all cones in late August/early September. Looking back, I probably would have done a few separate harvests to make sure that each and every cone was ready. All of the plants were in a spot where they got lots of daylight and I think we had a pretty good weather year for them...aside from those few weeks of scorching temps mid August. Rhizomes were purchased at freshops.com.
I pulled the cascades out of the freezer for a single-hop ale last week and they smelled great. Will be dry hopping with the last ounce of the cascades this weekend. Nuggets are next up once I can figure what grains might compliment them nicely. Hoping to plant some different varieties next spring.
Good luck, looking forward to hearing how yours go.
according to my handy-dandy spreadsheet, Sunbeam actually prefers partial shade. i would try mixing that in with whatever else you're growing. Bianca (AKA Bianca Gold) is another variety that supposedly does well with filtered sun, but i haven't actually seen it for sale anywhere hence i didn't include it in my research.I'm going to try planting some Kent Goldings in the spring and cross my fingers. My property's pretty shady, but I heard they might be able to manage it.
just put in my order last night: i got one each of nugget, sterling, santiam, spalter select and centennial from greatlakeshops.com. my choices were based mostly on disease resistance (we have both bugs and wilts here), ability to grow in heat, flavor/use profiles (i.e. looked for a variety across my selection) and storability. varieties that didn't make the cut only because of lack of space (i.e. could have been on the list) - chinook, vojvodina, wye challenger, and newport.
just thought i'd share in case anyone was looking to make a choice and wanted some input. then again, maybe i took way too a scientific appraach to this decision. many people have said "just grow what you like", so YMMV.
(yes, i realize i'm not in VA but i live within a few miles of the potomac... MD, VA - it's not that different as far as hops are concerned )
They all grew well, but the Willamette is the only one that produced - just under a pound of dry hops.
I was just over at Blue Mountain a couple weeks ago talking to one of the brewers. He said they're still growing the Centennials. They do however have a larger area set aside for the Cascades though. By the way hogwash, I'm glad to hear Chinook is doing so well for you. I'm planting a few Cascades this season and hope to plant some Chinook next year.
They seem to have survived the DC/VA winter well.
Psh, what winter?
Also piggybacking. Going to try Centennial and Cascade in Richmond the spring and maybe Mt. Hood and Kent up here if I get brave.
All riIGHT THE RIZOMES ARE FREE IT COST POSTAQGE AND ALSO 0.01 TO GET THE hALIFAX Archery teeam to Loisburg and back, Therere are 24 member Hotels, transportationets. Every donation I will give free from the Cascade rhizomes to if yoy pay postage.
Any one ofe loisville? that wants 20 high scoolers at there house shooting bows Iif not ssgtredhotmail.com also my paypl.
Ray
Just went out on my balcony to check on things since I'm working from home today.
Only one Magnum seems to have come back - though two each of the cascade and tettnang came back and they're going apes--t.
I need to go get a trelace from Home Depot, stat.
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