growing hops in VA?

[Tantalus]

Will definitely be following this thread. Has anyone had any luck from Goldings, Fuggles, or Challenger hops yet in our climate?

 

[hogwash]

Will definitely be following this thread. Has anyone had any luck from Goldings, Fuggles, or Challenger hops yet in our climate?

My Goldings have struggled in their first two years. I'm going to try to baby them more this year so hopefully I'll get something out of them. Can't speak on the Fuggles or Challenger.

 

[ao125]

From the 12th floor...

 

[BasementBrewmistress]

Thanks for posting the pictures. I was afraid we'd have to invest in a few livestock watering tubs, but the pot size is way more reasonable than I'd expected. What a cool example of urban agriculture

Sadly, I'm still waiting on my Great Lakes order, talk about torture!

 

[VaBrewer]

This is a pic I took today of my second year Willamette. I actually harvested hops off this last year, so this year I am expecting it to get huge. I have it in a half whiskey barrel.
This plant got 20' tall last year so it's probably going to take over a lot more space this year.

 

[ao125]

This is a pic I took today of my second year Willamette.

I know it's hops but damn... that *so* doesn't look right

 

[VaBrewer]

Oh I know, some of those leaves make you do a double take lol. But the bigger they get the more they change.

 

[BasementBrewmistress]

I know it's hops but damn... that *so* doesn't look right

Too funny! I just thought the same thing. At first I was going to rethink planting some at my parents' house, but then I saw this:

Oh I know, some of those leaves make you do a double take lol. But the bigger they get the more they change.

Phew!

 

[hogwash]

The first year I had my hops our neighbors thought I was growing weed.

 

[ao125]

Oh I know, some of those leaves make you do a double take lol. But the bigger they get the more they change.

True nuff. My cascade and tettnang have big, fat leaves.

 

[jskinner10]

Just got four Cascades (from Thyme Garden Herb Co.) and two Centennials (from a friend) in the ground this afternoon. Combine that with getting a Hefeweizen brewed and I'd say I had a fairly productive day.

 

[ao125]

They see me growin...

 

[Olifant]

I got my bed prepped today, including a complete soil makeover, raised both 25' poles with rigging. Plant should be here by the weeks end. I a first time grower trying out six varieties, two plants each. Very excited!

 

[Olifant]

One more pic of the finished set up. Question- once the bines start their vertical climb, how long will I need to continue to train them to the sisal? A few feet?

 

[tchuklobrau]

when they are abround 2' train em clockwise. should only have to mess with 1-2 times.

 

[verbarin01]

@Olifant: nice setup - looks like it took a bit of elbow grease! All 3 of my plants from last year are popping up with leaves now. Good luck with your new venture!

 

[DAV3]

looks great! that's what i need to do.

 

[BasementBrewmistress]

Y'all are making me jealous! I'm impatiently waiting on my spring pre-order from Great Lakes :S

 

[ao125]

I wish I had the room to do a big run of vines. Sadly, I need to stay semi-mobile in pots since I'm moving this summer.

 

[Olive Drab]

From the 12th floor...

were almost neighbors

 

[sweetcell]

I'm impatiently waiting on my spring pre-order from Great Lakes :S

me too. just got in touch with GLH, they said they will be shipping my order next monday. yeay! they also swapped out a variety for me, so going that extra mile makes up for any delays. guess i'll be digging up the garden this weekend.

 

[Olifant]

@Olifant: nice setup - looks like it took a bit of elbow grease! All 3 of my plants from last year are popping up with leaves now. Good luck with your new venture!

Thank you! Those poles are 25' with 4 1/2' in the ground. My wife and I walked them up until they were vertical enough to fall in!
I hope my return is worth the effort....

 

[ao125]

were almost neighbors

Howdy, neighbor

 

[strumke]

I'm just across the lovely Potomac...any concerns about the hot noon sun baking the bines? My tomatoes always seem to burn up in this area

 

[LKABrewer]

Hops love sun

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

OILFANT,
Do yourself a favor and pack the base of the poles with gravel to keep the bottoms drier, and they shift less. I had to re-position all of my poles last year (leaning) so take it from my mistake. If you need anymore Rhizomes let me know.

 

[Olifant]

It is a bit late for gravel, I'd need an excavator to get them out! I debated gravel prior to excavation, but decided it was unnecessary due to the soil composition at that depth. My profile had 18" of a balanced loamy clay and sand mix, which was followed by a 12" layer of heavy red clay. Once I got past the heavy clay the remaining layer I worked in was a sandy clay which drains really well.

 

[DAV3]

i have 20 acres and have big dreams of lots of hops one day! I need to learn more about them and how they grow on my place before i go buying a ton.

 

[rexbanner]

i have 20 acres and have big dreams of lots of hops one day! I need to learn more about them and how they grow on my place before i go buying a ton.

It's far from rocket science. Hops like sunlight and height. Other than that expect to get lower yields living here, it's just the way it goes. Just pick an area with full sun and put down a trellis that can handle 20 feet. Let 'er rip. Last year I grew cascade and EKG, and after deciding to expand I ordered cascade, nugget, CTZ, and sterling this year.

I'll post a pick of my ghetto bamboo trellis soon. It's not about how it looks, it's about how high you can build it for the least amount of money possible.

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

Dav,
PM me I can help you out. I am not to far in pa so the conditions should be similar.

 

[hogwash]

Everybody watch out for the cold the next couple nights. Supposed to get below freezing here on Monday night I think.

 

[Olifant]

How do you protect your plants- just a simple draping or something more substantial?

 

[hogwash]

I'm just gonna plop a large upside down tupperware container on each to keep any potential frost off. Just as long as they are covered i think they should be fine.

 

[Polarbeer]

I'll post a pick of my ghetto bamboo trellis soon. It's not about how it looks, it's about how high you can build it for the least amount of money possible.

I'd like to see it. Thinking of doing bamboo myself. I have alot of it in my yard... cheap!

 

[BasementBrewmistress]

me too. just got in touch with GLH, they said they will be shipping my order next monday. yeay! they also swapped out a variety for me, so going that extra mile makes up for any delays. guess i'll be digging up the garden this weekend.

Did you get the shipment notice? I can't wait!

I saw a post from Original Gravity that used 5 gallon buckets as planters, and plan to give that a try.

 

[sweetcell]

Did you get the shipment notice? I can't wait!

I saw a post from Original Gravity that used 5 gallon buckets as planters, and plan to give that a try.

Yup, I got an email informing me that my hops had been shipped. Sent on Wednesday, received on Friday. Packed in rice hulls just got them in the ground late last night, will have to post pix next weekend.

5 gallon buckets should work fine. I'd suggest getting white or light colored buckets, so they don't heat up too much in the sun. Putting some sort of skirt, or providing some shade to the bucket, is generally a good idea.

 

[BasementBrewmistress]

Ah well, guess I'm just farther down the list.

The plan is to pickup some of the white Lowe's buckets today or tomorrow. Figured I'd make skirts and cute signage (to ward off our busybody neighbors -- have zero interest in getting popped off by some wannabe vigilante).

Seriously, my real dilemma is to decide whether to go for south-facing space and a shorter trellis or west-facing and a taller trellis. Thoughts?

 

[hogwash]

Ah well, guess I'm just farther down the list.

The plan is to pickup some of the white Lowe's buckets today or tomorrow. Figured I'd make skirts and cute signage (to ward off our busybody neighbors -- have zero interest in getting popped off by some wannabe vigilante).

Seriously, my real dilemma is to decide whether to go for south-facing space and a shorter trellis or west-facing and a taller trellis. Thoughts?

South facing = more sun = better 'cuz they love sun. If you have space to get creative, they don't have to go straight up. I kind of zig zag mine on a 6' high fence. I run them out on the diagonal then run them back on the horizontal and probably get about 15 feet of growing space this way.

 

[sweetcell]

Ah well, guess I'm just farther down the list.

The plan is to pickup some of the white Lowe's buckets today or tomorrow. Figured I'd make skirts and cute signage (to ward off our busybody neighbors -- have zero interest in getting popped off by some wannabe vigilante).

Seriously, my real dilemma is to decide whether to go for south-facing space and a shorter trellis or west-facing and a taller trellis. Thoughts?

GLH shipped my hops earlier than originally predicted. they initially told me that my hops would go out today (3/26), then last wednesday i got a surprise "went out early!" announcement. i also got an automated message through paypal that informed me that my package had been shipped.

brewmistress, where are you located? if its somewhere relatively south, a half-day's sun might be plenty. that's a tough call. how much shorter would the south-facing trellis be? are we talking 12 vs. 15 feet, or 10 vs. 20?

 

[BasementBrewmistress]

I'm near Haymarket. Just double-checked the two locations @ 2:25 and the south spot has had sun since just before noon; the westerly site has only had sun for 15-20 minutes. The difference in trellis height is 15' (south) vs ~20' (west). Additionally, the southerly spot sits directly under a bird-feeder on the top floor, so seeds, bird waste, etc are a problem (unfortunately, I don't get the option to move it or stop feeding the birds). I'm considering a SW spot (almost identical sun to the south site), but would have to get creative as I'd only have 10' of vertical space.