+1 on manure and leaves = instant compost. Your plants and beer will thank you later.
Dig a DEEP hole now 2+ feet x 3 feet wide ( you need well drained soil) and fill with sandy soil without too much clay, finely chopped leaves and grass clippings if you still have any.
Throw some rotted manure in and turn over really good. Also check your soils PH balance ( close to 7). Add lime if below this. Mound it up, like a raised bed. Cover with some more leaves and a piece of plastic and let it sit. Trust me I had 10 foot tall sunflowers lastsummer.
Also, This pile will heat up. Its natures fermentation process to convert all the leaves ( carbon ) to useable nutrients for the vines. Just like brewing and fermenting your own beer.
You cant replace nature when feeding your plants. Its better for the plant or vine and better for you. Commercial fertilizer is just a quick fix. This is alot better for the health of any plant.
Turn this every week after about 2 weeks of sitting for best and fastest results. You dont want to transplant when your pile is still hot. It WILL KILL your transplant. The temps will go down after a couple months, maybe sooner. So will your pile, it will breakdown and shrink. Add some more sandy soil if needed. Sprinkle some more lime if needed. Turning will help alot (dont forget about it!).
Make sure you install a very tall trellis! Do an internet search. A simple wire or string trellis will work. Find a tall tree with high primary limbs or tall pole. The tree method works, but the trees roots may rob nutrients from your soil and compost bed. Or build your own trellis if you can go high enough. If using a tree step back about 15- 20 foot away to the south from base of tree and angle trellis up to tree about 20- 30 degrees to the north. this will help the vine find the sunlight traveling through the daylight sky and helps the plant wrap itself around the string or wire. Anchor some string to the ground around your transplant and attach other end to the tree or pole about 15-25 up. Make one vine run up one string or do multiple strings like a big fan. You will need one long raised soil bed for this to plant more than one vine. Its up to you. Its all trial and error. Youll figure it out.
When your ready to put in your Hop Roots turn all that goodness together one last time. You may want to add more sandy loam at this time. You dont want it too wet and heavy. the plants wont get any oxygen and may die from fungus and mold. I like to use a rooting hormone when setting my transplants. It helps the plant develope new roots faster than just transplanting without.
When your vines hit about 2 foot this spring mulch with some hay( this is the key ), lots and keep it fluffy. Dont use leaves or anything that compacts down. This helps with all plants.
Sit with a homebrew and watch them grow!
