Growing Hops in Pots

[Apimyces]

Now, hardly a novel idea. I'm looking for input from those who have been doing it. I'm growing many plants in pots, themselves partially dug into the ground, but they are still young and thus I can't tell how viable a solution this is. The advantages I'm seeing to partly entrenched pots are: as with raised mounds, excess water flows away from the crown, the plastic offers a physical barrier to contain rhizome spread, both from the hops outwards, and from weeds inwards, it allows to easily replace and contain a new (artificial) substrate (to replace the heavy clay I have), while still allowing water to go up into it by capillarity and for the roots to explore deeper into the soil for water and nutrients. As a bonus, it allows growing of plants in a very dense space to then easily move them into the growing spot with reduced root disruption.

So the big questions are: what pot size are ideal for the long term, and what substrates are best? I've mostly used all purpose potting mix, so far, mixed in with some native clay and extra perlite, in two gallon pots. I'm thinking something with more vermiculite could help retain moisture during dry spells, reducing the need for irrigation.

 

[Grod1]

pot size- as big as possible- no joke 55 gallons? larger...
substrates in sunk pots/raised beds are always best mixed with the your native soil.You can base your substrate off of peat but it sucks so much in the long. i dont know what products you have in Quebec but in the states i would suggest a product called "bumper crop" mixed with any potting soil that is not miracle grow.
vermiculite is great. but you mentioned you had clay soil so adding some sand into the mix might help loosen things up.
i use these terracotta water bottle things in my large buckets and the hops love em.

you can always go all out and just buy fox farms soils online its the best for growing weed and hops love it.get a few bags and mix that into everything else. fertilize with a equal npk fert a few times a year with with less then the recommended dose.

 

[Apimyces]

Yea... 55 gallons ain't feasible. 5 gallons top I reckon, else costs, ease of handling and such will start making it not worth it. Do you think such a "small" pot could do the job if sunk in? Or is the entire idea not worth it in the long term?

Yea native soil helps spread the microbiome into the pot. Plus, it's free. Everyone loves freebies.

What are those clay bottles for? What's bumper crop?

What's wrong with peat for the long term?

I think I've been using half clay, quarter potting soil and quarter perlite to seemingly good results, though I'd switch the perlite for vermiculite I think.