Hops in Barrels

[bfinleyui]

So I'm going to be planting some hops in my father-in-law's backyard this year. Never done hope growing, never even used full-leaf (let alone whole cone hops). Had a few questions on planting in cut-in-half plastic barrels.

My plan is to get two drums, cut them in half, setting them about 10 feet apart. Put a big stake into each (whatever I find at home depot that's cheapest, pvc, steel pipe, whatever), and run some twine between the two pipes. Planting the same hop variety in each barrel, so I don't have to worry about them growing together and losing track of which hop is which.

1. This is going to be enough room in the soil, yes? I'm talking those big, 55-gallon drums, cut in half.

2. How many rhizomes should I plant in each barrel? Two in each (four total of each variety), or one in each?

3. Is there some massive hole in my theory that I'm missing?

Thanks

 

[Bensiff]

It might be manageable when they are young, but hops have significant root structures so you would always be fighting watering and fertilizing because the root system would not be able to spread wide and deep enough. While you can grow hops in a pot, I don't think its the best idea unless its just for the first few seasons before they go into the ground.

 

[bfinleyui]

I think that's fine. Right now I live in an apartment, but my wife and I will be buying a house around this time next year, or next fall at the very latest. So this might be the best option for me, at this point? Unless he's willing to give up some of his actual garden space, I suppose...

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

I'd go for it, just know that when your growing them in pots you have to be a lot more careful about things like over watering/fertilizing than those of us with it in the ground.

Stick to one plant per barrel, they may seem gigantic as a pot but my first year hops roots were already several feet long this year...when i was digging a small bit out to lay some pavers i found roots.

 

[vraftsman]

I think the barrels will be fine for your first year or 2, but your trellis sounds pretty sketchy. By the end of the growing season even first year hops can have significant heft. My first year plants grew up and over my 12 foot 4x4 structure, (probably 16' in all) before I cut the ends off so they wouldn't become unmanageable, and once they fill out you need to worry about weight and wind. Good luck!