Has anyone grown Neomexicana hops?

[pietowndude]

These are pictures I took a few minutes ago of one of my Neomexicanus fields. These are all Neomexicanus, no idea how many accessions. 1,2,3,4 and 5th year growth, we have been adding to the collection for 5 years. Our DNA lab will be arriving in November. That should help greatly with identification. Then we plan to brew 2.5 gallon single hop batches using a session IPA recipe with our Zymatic PicoBrew system throughout the winter to determine brewing characteristics of each hop. I'm really curious about the vines that starting starting out Raspberry colored. They are late forming. I haven't seen this before. And my luck is changing, at least in this field. Only one hermaphrodite out of 450. Better odds than last year.

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[Dave Sarber]

Just ran across this thread. Sounds like the ideal hop for southern Arizona's high desert country. Found a dormant crown (Neo1) from Great Lakes hops. Will see what happens.

 

[pietowndude]

I planted NEO 1's, Amalia and Multihead this past spring on my property in New Mexico at about 7700 feet elevation. The NEO's have done well I think. Once they got to about 4 feet tall the elk started eating the leaves. So this winter I need to fence as best I can. I get up to my place about every 2 weeks to water and give each plant about 5 gallons. We have not had much rain this summer. I planted both rhizomes and plants. Both seemed to grow about the same in height. Then the elk get them.

The Multihead grew to 10 feet or more, with the cow elk eating the leaves around 4-5 feet, the bines were not damaged and the plants kept growing and grew more leaves above about 6 feet or so.

I grew Willow Creeks down in Las Cruces, NM they had small cones but grew to 8 feet or so. The 2 NEO's I grew here in Las Cruces had small cones too but the plants grew about 8 feet also.

So now I have some hops and need to make some brew. Just need to experiment with a recipe. Hoping that these hops will work to make an IPA

 

[pietowndude]

The top 2 pictures above are NEO's from my place up north. The bottom 2 pictures are from the Willow Creeks in Las Cruces.

Hopefully next year will be better as I learn more about how to grow these

 

[Dave Sarber]

Well, my climate is just about identical to Las Cruces, so if they do all right there, they should be fine here (about 30 miles NW of Tucson), USDA zone 9.

Was just looking at Great Lakes website, considering some of those Willow Creeks myself.

 

[Sylvain]

 

[corkybstewart]

The top 2 pictures above are NEO's from my place up north. The bottom 2 pictures are from the Willow Creeks in Las Cruces.

Hopefully next year will be better as I learn more about how to grow these

I moved from Carlsbad(elev 3100') to Silver City (elev 6200') and brought all my hops crowns with me-mostly Cascade, Centennial and Magnum but I also had 2 Neo's. The soil around here is not suitable, even though the climate is. Everything I've planted here has died within a month, including about 60 hops crowns. So now I have to decide whether to take a small piece of our property and totally rework the soil from scratch to grow some hops.

 

[Dave Sarber]

^^^Thought about raised beds?

 

[pietowndude]

I moved from Carlsbad(elev 3100') to Silver City (elev 6200') and brought all my hops crowns with me-mostly Cascade, Centennial and Magnum but I also had 2 Neo's. The soil around here is not suitable, even though the climate is. Everything I've planted here has died within a month, including about 60 hops crowns. So now I have to decide whether to take a small piece of our property and totally rework the soil from scratch to grow some hops.

I dug holes for each of my 20 hop rhizomes and plants. I used bagged steer manure from Lowes and mixed it with mulch from under the cedar and pinion trees on my property and soil from the holes I dug. 4 out of 16 rhizomes did not come up. My mixture was approximately 50%manure, 25% mulch from under cedar trees and pinion pines and 25% local soil.

 

[corkybstewart]

T

^^^Thought about raised beds?

That's what I use for my garden, but hops rhyzomes grow enormous. I have a pic somewhere of a 5 year old Cascade that completely fills an adult sized lawn chair. That's not the answer for 40 or 50 hops plants.

 

[Dave Sarber]

Just received a Neo-1 field grade from GLH. Put in a 6" pot to overwinter. Now I'm committed to a raised bed and a pipe trellis.

 

[Sylvain]

salut à tous

Hi all
some of them know or follow my little adventures in crossing and selection of hops since 2018.
well know that my "efforts" have paid, I have a female seedling (germination in March) that gives me cones (fifty).
the aromas have evolved, from citrus with floral notes and green tea, it ended up stabilizing in something tropical enough intense and sweet, with a very earthy olfactory return.
I did not do that, I just knew where to look for genetics and take care of the seeds and their growth.
the mother is the Amalia variety, a cultivar selected from wild New Mexico plants Todd Bates (subspecies "humulus lupulus var neomexicanus") and unknown father.
I did not expect to get a potential new variety from my first year of testing.
assessment: either I am very lucky, the subspecies neomexicanus is really an unavoidable and obvious asset of the selection work.
thank you Apimyces for sending.

"salut à tous
certains de vous savent ou suivent mes petites aventures dans le croisement et la sélection du houblon depuis 2018.
eh bien sachez que mes "efforts" ont payés, j'ai un semis femelle(germé en mars) qui me donne des cônes (une cinquantaine).
les arômes ont évolués, d'agrumes avec des notes florales et thé vert, ça à fini par se stabiliser en quelque chose de tropical assez intense et sucré, avec un retour olfactif très terreux.
ce croisement ce n'est pas moi qui l'ai fait, j'ai juste su où chercher la génétique et prendre soin des semences et de leur croissance.
la mère est la variété Amalia, un cultivars sélectionné parmi des plants sauvages du Nouveau-Mexique (sous-espèce "humulus lupulus var. neomexicanus") et père inconnu.
je ne pensais pas obtenir une potentielle nouvelle variété des ma première année de test.
bilan : soit j'ai beaucoup de chance, soit la sous-espèce neomexicanus est réellement un atout incontournable et évident du travail de sélection."

 

[pietowndude]

anyone experimented with propagating neo-1's by using clippings in water? I took 4 clippings and got 3 of them to root. Took about a month. Just put them in soil yesterday . Hopefully they will take in the soil. Have cut 4 more to try

 

[bpgreen]

anyone experimented with propagating neo-1's by using clippings in water? I took 4 clippings and got 3 of them to root. Took about a month. Just put them in soil yesterday . Hopefully they will take in the soil. Have cut 4 more to try

I haven't done it with neomexicanus hops, but I've taken part of a bine while still attached to the main plant and stuck it in a pot with soil in it. I've found that it works best to bury part of the planned where leaves are forming. I leave it attached until fall and plant the following spring. I would think it would work the same for neomexicanus hops.

 

[Dave Sarber]

I just planted a young Neo-1 about 2 months ago in a pot for the winter. Keep waiting for the above ground bines to die back, but it ain't havin' none of that!

 

[Apimyces]

I don't have Neo-1's, but I've found that the success rate on water cuttings (and all cuttings) is very genotype-dependant. Some of my seedlings will root readily, some are a real pain in the ass.

 

[CodeSection]

Can anyone describe the Willow Creek aroma and possible beer style it is used in? Currently, I am planning on buying Amalia for darker ales and Multihead for my Pale and Cream Ales and IPAs.

 

[Sierra brew club]

The Willow Creek hop that I grew here in the Sierras reminds me of lemon zest, Pine needles, resin and just slightly grassy.
Keeping in mind that every micro climate terior will give hops slightly different flavors and aromas!

 

[Sierra brew club]

 

[Sierra brew club]

First hops to pop
Neomexican
Amalia
It's been warm here this winter

 

[Sylvain]

magnifique

 

[CodeSection]

First hops to pop
Neomexican
Amalia
It's been warm here this winter

What zone are you in?

 

[Sylvain]

male Neomexicanus (France)

 

[Sierra brew club]

What zone are you in?

Zone 8b
15°F to 20°F

 

[friarsmith]

Circa 2013-2015, I grew the multi-head variety for a few years in Indiana and gave a curious neighbor a few rhizomes after the first year. They went bonkers at my neighbor's house along a fence row-- not fertilized, watered or otherwise cared for, but they were on the edge of a short embankment/slope which leads me to believe they liked the extra drainage. They did ok for me on a trellis in a sunny, pretty well drained and amended spot in my (flat) garden. Turns out I really didn't like the peach/canteloupe/melon flavor for the styles I make and eventually I gave away the root crown to another local home brewer. I think he still grows them as he recently told me of a beer he brewed with NeoMex.

 

[Dave Sarber]

This is a Neo-1 rhizome I bought late last year, and overwintered in a pot. I live in USDA zone 9a (25-30°F). Getting ready to transplant against a trellis.

 

[CodeSection]

Circa 2013-2015, I grew the multi-head variety for a few years in Indiana and gave a curious neighbor a few rhizomes after the first year. They went bonkers at my neighbor's house along a fence row-- not fertilized, watered or otherwise cared for, but they were on the edge of a short embankment/slope which leads me to believe they liked the extra drainage. They did ok for me on a trellis in a sunny, pretty well drained and amended spot in my (flat) garden. Turns out I really didn't like the peach/canteloupe/melon flavor for the styles I make and eventually I gave away the root crown to another local home brewer. I think he still grows them as he recently told me of a beer he brewed with NeoMex.

I ordered a Multihead plant from Great Lakes Hops because I read it gave a peachy flavor when added to the boil early....just what I was looking for. Thanks for posting your experience.

On another note that I hope someone can comment on. I'm planning on planting different varieties and I only bought one plant of each variety. Should I have bought an extra plant in case a plant dies when transplanting? I'm not sure how sensitive they are when transplanting.

 

[Dave Sarber]

From my experience (not with hops, but other rhizome type plants), rhizomes are pretty tough and hard to kill.

 

[CodeSection]

From my experience (not with hops, but other rhizome type plants), rhizomes are pretty tough and hard to kill.

We are in the same Zone 9a....actually probably within 10-15 miles from each other. I was planning on planting them in 10 gallon grow bags (to contain them from spreading), and have two spray stakes per plant which will be connected to my irrigation system. Then I'm guessing with the high heat in a couple of months, I will be watering them at least twice a day.

Are you planting in some type of container or in the ground?

 

[friarsmith]

I've ordered a few times from Great Lakes and always had healthy cuttings. They usually come with a small plug of soil and actively sprouting rhizomes wrapped in sawdust.

 

[Dave Sarber]

We are in the same Zone 9a....actually probably within 10-15 miles from each other. I was planning on planting them in 10 gallon grow bags (to contain them from spreading), and have two spray stakes per plant which will be connected to my irrigation system. Then I'm guessing with the high heat in a couple of months, I will be watering them at least twice a day.

Are you planting in some type of container or in the ground?

Actually I took a blue plastic 55 gallon barrel, cut the bottom 12" off, and drilled a bunch of 3/8" drain holes in the bottom. Then I put it up on bricks, and filled it with our local organic garden soil from Home Depot.
I placed this against a trellis in an area that's shaded in the morning, and full afternoon sun, and conveniently close to my hose bib.
Whatever you do, make sure you have good drainage. The baked clay soil we have here isn't conducive to much except cactus and mesquite.

 

[Sierra brew club]

Actually I took a blue plastic 55 gallon barrel, cut the bottom 12" off, and drilled a bunch of 3/8" drain holes in the bottom. Then I put it up on bricks, and filled it with our local organic garden soil from Home Depot.
I placed this against a trellis in an area that's shaded in the morning, and full afternoon sun, and conveniently close to my hose bib.
Whatever you do, make sure you have good drainage. The baked clay soil we have here isn't conducive to much except cactus and mesquite.

I do the same either white or blue 55 gallon drums cut in half for my mother's.

The rest gets put out in my hop yard.
Those big barrels allow plenty of root structure. But also keeps the hops contain to their barrels. I use a big hand cart to move them if I ever have to. but say I'm moving him into a different greenhouse for pollination Winter weathering what have you.
I also feel if you can dig them into the Earth, bury them about halfway into the soil they seemed to really do better in hot weather that way.

 

[CodeSection]

….I placed this against a trellis in an area that's shaded in the morning, and full afternoon sun, and conveniently close to my hose bib.
Whatever you do, make sure you have good drainage. The baked clay soil we have here isn't conducive to much except cactus and mesquite.

Originally, I was going to have them face eastward toward the morning sun but then that spot would have full western sun exposure. Since then I found a north/south exposure that I hope will work out. I'm planning on using 30-40% shade cloth once they start to flower to reduce the scorching hot sun's southern exposure.

…. I also feel if you can dig them into the Earth, bury them about halfway into the soil they seemed to really do better in hot weather that way.

As @Dave Sarber insinuated, our soil is super dry and super hot. I'm thinking of watering two or three times a day for about 10-15 minutes each time during the hot summer. I have been told the hops will get an evaporative cooling affect with the growing bags. Maybe not. But I know the soil will suck out any moisture.

 

[Sierra brew club]

It's worth a try. Watering a few times A-day is a good idea anyways. It won't bog down your soil and allows plants access to water different times A-day specially when it needs it the most on those very bright and hot days.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I can't imagine what it must be like to garden in your climates, but here in the UK at least the mantra is one long soak is worth several small waterings that don't get down deep and then just evaporate. Ideally at dusk so that the water doesn't get the sun on it until it's soaked right in.

But follow local advice appropriate to your conditions.

 

[bpgreen]

In general hp's benefit from deep soaking so they develop deep roots, at least once they're established.

Since neomexicanus hops are native to arid areas, I'd expect that to be even more true. But I've managed to kill 3 of 4 plants I've bought from great lakes, so maybe your best bet is to do the exact opposite of what I think is good.

 

[CodeSection]

I can't imagine what it must be like to garden in your climates, but here in the UK at least the mantra is one long soak is worth several small waterings that don't get down deep and then just evaporate. Ideally at dusk so that the water doesn't get the sun on it until it's soaked right in.

But follow local advice appropriate to your conditions.

I agree with a long soak. I was planning on using two of theses Plum PC spray stakes per grow bag.... https://www.netafimusa.com/bynder/5...43D8AE65AB0-g014-pc-spray-stakes-brochure.pdf. Since each spray stake flows 3.2 gph, the combination of two will cover the total area in the 10 gallon grow bag and deliver 6.4 gph.

I do not know if watering twice a day for 10-15 minutes will be enough. Nor do I know if the watering needs to be like at 6:00 AM and then at 2:00 PM (roughly the hottest time of the day) as opposed to every 12 hours or maybe every eight hours.

Other than @Dave Sarber, I do not know of anyone in my area growing hops. I found some old threads regarding growing hops in southern Arizona. Unfortunately, those HBT members are no longer active. I have had messages with someone in Arizona that has had some success with hops, but they are located at an elevation of 4400 feet whereas my elevation is 2520 feet.

 

[CodeSection]

In general hp's benefit from deep soaking so they develop deep roots, at least once they're established.

Since neomexicanus hops are native to arid areas, I'd expect that to be even more true. But I've managed to kill 3 of 4 plants I've bought from great lakes, so maybe your best bet is to do the exact opposite of what I think is good.

I suspect you are at a higher elevation and cooler zone than zone 9a. What killed your plants? Too hot and not enough water or too much water?

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Nor do I know if the watering needs to be like at 6:00 AM and then at 2:00 PM (roughly the hottest time of the day) as opposed to every 12 hours or maybe every eight hours.

Again I can only comment from a UK perspective, but in general (not just for hops) you should be trying to maximise the amount of water that soaks in and gets down to the roots - which means minimising evaporation, so high noon is the worst time for that. Dusk is best, before breakfast the second best.

You should try to avoid encouraging lots of shallow roots that are in a zone that naturally gets little water, you want to encourage them to go deep.

Also droplets of water act as lenses concentrating sunlight and scorching leaves, you want them to have evaporated off before the hottest sun.

 

[bpgreen]

I suspect you are at a higher elevation and cooler zone than zone 9a. What killed your plants? Too hot and not enough water or too much water?

I'm at about 4500 ft elevation. I don't pay much attention to the USDA zones because they only tell how cold it gets during the winter. For some plants, I have to act like I'm in a hotter zone because of how hot and dry it gets in the summer. For other plants, I act like I'm in a colder zone because of the short growing season.

We get almost no precipitation from about mid June until mid September. Average highs in July and August are around 90F, but we get a fair number of 100+ days.

I think I planted the first two too late and they didn't get established well enough to last through winter. I also fertilized the first two during the first year and apparently that's a bad idea. I don't know what killed the third.

I don't remember when I bought the first two. I think last year was the second year for the plant that lived out of the ones I got to those the first ones. I watered more often at first, but gradually cut back frequency and watered more deeply once they were more established. Since they're native to New Mexico, I'd think I should be able to let them go without doing anything, although watering occasionally will probably increase yield.