1st time grower - EKG and Cascade - Central TX

[jmill]

After failing miserably last year, I decided to give it another go. This time, doing a little more than just throwing them in the ground and hoping for the best. (The late plant time and probably dead/free rhizomes didn't help.) And since I'm bad at keeping garden logs, I'll hopefully keep this as a record.

I did a proper pre-order this time, getting 2 rhizomes from Home Brew Supply. They arrived yesterday and just got into the dirt. I'm using some large containers since we may end up moving in the next few years. Filled the containers with a bag of standard garden soil, half a bag of compost, and a healthy dose of fertilizer. After mixing together, I sat the rhizomes on top and just covered with excess soil. (After seeing health rhizomes, I'm pretty sure last year's batch were DOA.)

Should have good, strong sun all day. One (EKG) is planted on the south side of the house. I'll attach some hooks and run twine up. If they grow at all, should provide some much needed shade for the bedroom during the hot TX summer. The other (Cascade) is near our raised beds. I'm hoping to train it up the chain link fence and have it take over before the other horrible smelling vine that was 10 ft high when we moved in starts growing again this summer.

 

[Zuljin]

I grow hops in Texas, too. Water. They need water. I water them top to bottom.

They also get Eastern Comma caterpillars. Lots of them. I pulled off countless numbers one years. They eat a lot.

 

[jmill]

I grow hops in Texas, too. Water. They need water. I water them top to bottom.

They also get Eastern Comma caterpillars. Lots of them. I pulled off countless numbers one years. They eat a lot.

Thanks for the tips! I'll have to keep an eye out for caterpillars.

First sign of the cascade. Still waiting on the EKG to emerge. Had a very rainy early week, so hopefully enough to get a good start.

 

[Yooper]

The cascade should do well if you water well.

I would be very surprised if the EKG grow well, though. They are from England, and a cool damp climate without much sun is better for them.

I am above the 46th parallel, zone 3/4, and have them on the west side of my garage and they are doing ok. They'll probably fry to a crisp in Texas, particularly on the south side of a house.

 

[jmill]

I would be very surprised if the EKG grow well, though. They are from England, and a cool damp climate without much sun is better for them.

Challenge accepted!

No, I was pretty sure it was a pipe dream that the EKG would do well, but it is one of the hops that I use the most, so though I'd give it a go.

 

[jmill]

The cascade has taken off. EKG is growing, but may need a spot with more sun.

 

[dyqik]

Challenge accepted!

No, I was pretty sure it was a pipe dream that the EKG would do well, but it is one of the hops that I use the most, so though I'd give it a go.

My EKG failed in their first year (easily the weakest plant of cascade, sterling and EKG), and rotted over the last winter up here in New England. We had a drought last year, but we still probably got more rain than you guys did - and about the same annual rainfall as Kent, although it's much more concentrated here than you get in the UK (I'm from Sussex, next door to Kent). It's also much hotter in summer, even up here. It's also not just the weather, but the daylight hours needed for mature cone production. EKG is bred for 15-16 hours of sun in the summer (and 8-9 in winter - England sucks in winter, even the south coast, because it gets light after breakfast and is dark by 4pm).

 

[dyqik]

I grow hops in Texas, too. Water. They need water. I water them top to bottom.

Watering top to bottom may be bad if you mean that literally. Plants only really pull water in through their roots, so watering leaves is mostly pointless. But what it can do is spread disease, encouraging downy mildew and the like, encourage scorching (water droplets can act as lenses, focusing sunlight), and (at least in tomatoes, not sure if this happens with hops) watering from above can cause disease vectors in the soil to be splashed up out of the ground onto the plant (blight spreads this way in tomatoes).

 

[jmill]

The Cascade has taken off and started wrapping around the fence. EKG isn't growing as quickly...we'll see if it takes to the newly added twine. Pics coming soon.

 

[Senormac]

The Cascade has taken off and started wrapping around the fence. EKG isn't growing as quickly...we'll see if it takes to the newly added twine. Pics coming soon.

My EKG used to be my slowest grower, but now that they are well established, they are leading the pack

 

[jmill]

Update time finally...Cascade is growing nicely. Taking over our fence and growing a bit each day. Can't wait to see it start flowering later.

EKG is officially dead. Not because of the climate, but because of some squirrel who can't remember where he buried his nuts.