Transplanting Hops Question

[rthiessen]

Hello,

Due to some new landscaping I am planning, I need to move my hops plants to a new location. They will be moved next to my chimney so they can grow higher than they have been the last two years. However, they have already started to sprout out of the ground. My Nugget has some shoots about 12-16 inches long. My question is: Is it too late to dig them up and transplant them since they have already started growing this season? Will this disrupt their growth and damage my yield for this year?

Any advice or tips would be much appreciated!

Thanks,
Rob

 

[B-Hoppy]

You'll be fine just digging them up and replanting. That new growth you see is being fueled by the carbohydrates the plants produced late last growing season and sent back to the crown. This first growth is very explosive and erratic and is often removed by most growers so that the second flush of growth can take over and be the shoots you actually train to produce your crop. Just try to get the majority of the roots you see but don't sweat it if (and when) you lop a few off - they can grow for miles sometimes it seems. You may set it back slightly but once it recovers it'll be good as new!

 

[corkybstewart]

Just try to get the majority of the roots you see but don't sweat it if (and when) you lop a few off - they can grow for miles sometimes it seems. You may set it back slightly but once it recovers it'll be good as new!

This is the rootball from a 5 year old Cascade, it's the source of all my current hops plants. My hops had struggled where I originally planted them so when all but this one died I moved it. Use the opportunity to trim the rhizome and start new plants to expand your garden.