Above ground planting

[Airborneguy]

I would like to have 2 plants. My yard has terrible soil so I want them above ground. How much soil depth would I need to keep the roots fully contained?

Would a 55gal drum cut in half (17” deep each half) be enough height to provide enough space for two root masses while keeping contained?

 

[redrocker652002]

My wife used some big bags she got at Ikea I think. She lined the bag with a cardboard box and then some burlap that she had. So, it was the box, burlap and then the Ikea bag. worked pretty good for her. One of the plants broke thru the bag and rooted itself between two pieces of cement. LOL. We are going to try the large white buckets that they sell at target, I think they are about 20 gallons or so, but I could be wrong. If that works, next will be garbage cans. LOL.

 

[Fhizzicks]

I've been growing in half wine barrels for several years and never had any problem. Production is less than what I've heard from others who have their plants in the ground, but I get enough for ~10 gallons of hoppy pale ale per plant.

 

[Airborneguy]

I've been growing in half wine barrels for several years and never had any problem. Production is less than what I've heard from others who have their plants in the ground, but I get enough for ~10 gallons of hoppy pale ale per plant.

Awesome thanks for the info. How high do they grow?

 

[Fhizzicks]

I usually train 5 bines per plant and they reach 12-15 feet.

 

[Apimyces]

I would like to have 2 plants. My yard has terrible soil so I want them above ground. How much soil depth would I need to keep the roots fully contained?

Would a 55gal drum cut in half (17” deep each half) be enough height to provide enough space for two root masses while keeping contained?

Unless the soil is contaminated, poor soil (structure/fertility) isn't really a good reason to grow in containers. You can just make a raised bed using better substrate.

Container growing has a ton of drawbacks. Although there can be uses (most of my plants are in pots, had hundreds culled to a few dozens currently), your plants will always thrive more with contact to actual soil.

Hops can be grown in very small containers, but yield will be proportional. They will not grow big in small pots, and will need ample rooting space to fully grow out. Half drums should do fine, but if you put the half drums on the ground with direct contact, they'll do even better.

 

[Airborneguy]

Unless the soil is contaminated, poor soil (structure/fertility) isn't really a good reason to grow in containers. You can just make a raised bed using better substrate.

Container growing has a ton of drawbacks. Although there can be uses (most of my plants are in pots, had hundreds culled to a few dozens currently), your plants will always thrive more with contact to actual soil.

Hops can be grown in very small containers, but yield will be proportional. They will not grow big in small pots, and will need ample rooting space to fully grow out. Half drums should do fine, but if you put the half drums on the ground with direct contact, they'll do even better.

My reason for going this route is the location I’d like to plant them in. The southern facing side of my house is 2 stories (+ attic) in height and has no windows. It’s also a small side yard isolated from the rest of the property, so they won’t be hassled at all. It’s also the only part of my yard with any wind protection.

But… from what I can tell, it’s where the builder back in the day dumped a ton of debris. To plant in that soil I’d have to dig it up pretty deep. I couldn’t find “clear” soil going down 6” in a few test sites.

 

[Apimyces]

My reason for going this route is the location I’d like to plant them in. The southern facing side of my house is 2 stories (+ attic) in height and has no windows. It’s also a small side yard isolated from the rest of the property, so they won’t be hassled at all. It’s also the only part of my yard with any wind protection.

But… from what I can tell, it’s where the builder back in the day dumped a ton of debris. To plant in that soil I’d have to dig it up pretty deep. I couldn’t find “clear” soil going down 6” in a few test sites.

Well, what I was trying to say, simply put, is that if the soil isn't contaminated, then you can take your half-drum, cut off the bottom/top, lay it on the ground (maybe dig a few inches for greater stability), and then fill with soil/substrate. It's almost the same as above ground planting, except that the direct contact between your drum's substrate and the ground means:

1. generally better drainage of excess water
2. better protection from drought via capillarity (ground humidity will wick into the drum)
3. allows the plants to grow some taproots reaching further down for better drought resistance

And if you ever need to move it, as long as it's not frequent, you can just tilt the barrel, cut everything growing between it and the soil, and roll it to the new spot. Less practical to move than a pot with a bottom, but hops are never really practical to move during growing season anyways due to their need for trellis.

 

[Airborneguy]

Good points/tips, thanks. Seems like I’d benefit from the best of both approaches by your explanation.

 

[TLaffey]

I have that same dumping going on in my yard. This page shows some pH and nutrients requirements that might be helpful.

+1 on a raised bed or mound to get the hops started, but letting them grow into the soil. "The rootstock is an underground structure consisting of both rhizomes (with buds) and true roots (without buds) which may penetrate the soil to a depth of 15 feet or more."

 

[Apimyces]

Well, what I was trying to say, simply put, is that if the soil isn't contaminated, then you can take your half-drum, cut off the bottom/top, lay it on the ground (maybe dig a few inches for greater stability), and then fill with soil/substrate. It's almost the same as above ground planting, except that the direct contact between your drum's substrate and the ground means:

1. generally better drainage of excess water
2. better protection from drought via capillarity (ground humidity will wick into the drum)
3. allows the plants to grow some taproots reaching further down for better drought resistance

And if you ever need to move it, as long as it's not frequent, you can just tilt the barrel, cut everything growing between it and the soil, and roll it to the new spot. Less practical to move than a pot with a bottom, but hops are never really practical to move during growing season anyways due to their need for trellis.

A caveat to this though is if you plan on moving the plant early. Once mature, the rootball will be firm enough to roll without significant damage, but a young plant would not be able to hold the soil together if rolled/tumbled.

Also, debris is often more a nuisance to the gardener than the plants. Though the roots may dislike immediate contact with some materials, overall the plants can still grow in between timber, bricks, concrete blocks, stones, or whatever might be there. Weeding becomes a pain though if you can't use tools such as a hoe due to debris.

 

[Kent88]

Have you settled on a plan yet?

I've been growing in containers for years. I just haven't wanted to commit to a spot in the yard. I finally bought a house where I felt good about planting in a spot, and it did make a huge difference in what I harvested once the hops got established in the ground.

I think a half a 55 gallon drum is far larger than anything I've grown in. You definitely should be able to grow some that way if you want. But I think it could also work to go with the idea of digging a few feet (or whatever you have the enthusiasm for) down in the spot in your yard, filling it with good soil, and making a raised bed on top of that.

But I'm not a professional.

 

[Airborneguy]

My brother was able to grab 2 drums from work, so I’m going to plant 4 varieties. I’m not certain which yet, though I was actually planning to order them later today.

I’m leaning towards cutting away the bottoms of the drums completely. I’ll sink each half a few inches into the ground, leaving about 18” above to fill with quality soil and compost (my grains).

I spoke to a landscaper who lives around the block and manages a bunch of my neighbors’ lawns and gardens. He recommended a raised bed for anything besides hardy bushes because of our crappy soil and “signed off” on my plan.

He also approves of the location I chose, though realistically it’s my only option anyway. Besides the height it provides and lack of windows on that side of the house, it’s the only location I can block my dog from gaining access to. I put up chicken wire about 2 months ago when I finished leveling and mulching it.

 

[Airborneguy]

After the drubbing I just received at a vet visit, I figured I’d do something for myself: