2010 Hops Gardens

[coastwx]

I had a great first year Cascade plant that a friend gave, so I decided to get a few more plants this year including a Sterling, Nugget and Centennial. A few years ago my boat sold, but I forgot to give the guy the 20+ ft outriggers so they laid along my fence for a few years. I got the idea to use them as hops poles. I'll post pictures when I get them set up, but think it will work well. At harvest or for inspection or high wind conditions, I'll be able to drop the main line near the ground like a flag on a flag pole.

 

[Rick500]

Rick -- are you using plastic trash cans over the winter or is that your hops' permanent home?

I'm growing them in containers. Those are 18 gallon Rubbermaid type storage bins in which I've drilled a bunch of 1/2" holes for drainage.

Worked great last year.

 

[Randar]

So do any of you have neighbor issues?

My bored old lady neighbor called the village on mine. When I told the inspectors (a couple of 50 year old guys) that they were hops, the one guy says "he grows his own hops... he makes his own beer... it must be awesome!"

However, they still had to get utilities and planning commission to approve. It was all fine int he end but it was a non-trivial amount of tax dollars spent because my neighbor is a *****.

 

[Okiebrewer]

My bored old lady neighbor called the village on mine. When I told the inspectors (a couple of 50 year old guys) that they were hops, the one guy says "he grows his own hops... he makes his own beer... it must be awesome!"

However, they still had to get utilities and planning commission to approve. It was all fine int he end but it was a non-trivial amount of tax dollars spent because my neighbor is a *****.

No beer for that neighbor

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

However, they still had to get utilities and planning commission to approve. It was all fine int he end but it was a non-trivial amount of tax dollars spent because my neighbor is a *****.

This makes no sense. since when do the Utility and Planning commissions have any say as to what you can plant on private property so long as it's not a controlled or quarantined plant.

Or did you build a trellis in an easement and they argued if it could be considered a Living fence?

 

[AlterCow]

Great thread! You all are making me glad I have rhizomes on the way. This will be my first year growing hops, so wish me luck at 8000 feet elevation. Any ideas, other than guns and bear traps, to keep deer away? I have oodles of dear that love to claim my property as theirs daily.

This year I am growing Cascade, Centennial, Willamette and Tomahawk hops. I will be putting them in 10 gallon pots, but I am unsure about what I want to do as far as a trellace system...everyone's systems look pretty cool and I can see the pros to each of them.

 

[LexusChris]

Chris -- that is one helluva project!! G'luck with it. are you planning on selling them or just wanting to grow them for personal use and to kill some time?

Originally, just wanted some for my own brewing. But this project could generate a few pounds of hops. Will start offering them out to my homebrew club... then see what happens from there.

--LexusChris

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Oh boy! all 13 plants have broken ground. A few of the older crowns (4 year) have put out hundreds of shoots already 6 Inches long.

I so plan to do some steamed hop shoots this year. Almost time for harvest too. Another week maybe.

 

[Randar]

Or did you build a trellis in an easement and they argued if it could be considered a Living fence?

There was some question about the boundaries of the easement and the height of the trellis (it's along a fence line with a public sidewalk on the opposite side of the fence) being a safety or other hazard.

Luckily it didn't get to the point of hearings and whatnot, more of just code, safety, and easement verification and such.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

There was some question about the boundaries of the easement and the height of the trellis (it's along a fence line with a public sidewalk on the opposite side of the fence) being a safety or other hazard.

Luckily it didn't get to the point of hearings and whatnot, more of just code, safety, and easement verification and such.

Ahhh. Gotcha. I work in a permits department and made sure my trellis was acceptable before I broke ground. My neighbor can bitch all he wants caus ethere is no restrictions on garden structures in OKC and no permit required. Plus, I have taken great efforts to ensure my plants don;t invade his property.

 

[Randar]

Ahhh. Gotcha. I work in a permits department and made sure my trellis was acceptable before I broke ground. My neighbor can bitch all he wants caus ethere is no restrictions on garden structures in OKC and no permit required. Plus, I have taken great efforts to ensure my plants don;t invade his property.

Yeah, I checked my plat of survey, easements, and local codes and found no restriction on garden structures and required no permit. Didn't matter to the neighbor because she would rather be an "anonymous" PITA and waste time and tax dollars than to walk over and ask me about it.

 

[HoppyDaze]

More pictures folks!

less chatty, chatty...;-)

 

[Randar]

Well, if my daughter will go down for a nap before sundown I can get my 100mm macro lens out and get some detailed bine shoot pics and maybe a generic trellis pic (although it ain't much without bines growing up yet!

 

[carndog]

My hops are on order, hopefully they come in soon. I plan on growing them on this arbor I build last year.

If all goes well, I will post more pics of the arbor covered in hops.

 

[sethful]

very nice carndog!! how tall is that?

 

[sethful]

My Chinook... they were literally a half inch a week ago.

Cascades

 

[carndog]

very nice carndog!! how tall is that?

It's 8ft tall.

 

[coastwx]

Recycled outriggers. It hard to see them from just about all angles, which may be a good thing. Question: is jute strong enough to support a bine?

My two year old cascade was 6 inches last weekend and now 3 ft and starting to grab a hold of its line.

 

[johnnyc]

2nd year fuggle and cascade. These things are tough as nails! I didn't do ANYTHING then walked out one day a couple weeks ago and the cascade was going gangbusters. For scale the cascade is around 16-18" tall. FYI the wife's small vegetable garden is in the center, she just hasn't gotten around to it yet.

Wide angle

Fuggle

Cascade

Cascade2

 

[Niederhofer]

Planted two Cascade rhizomes last Wednesday. When I returned from a weekend away, I found them already through the soil. Can't wait for some big growth!

 

[Rockchalk]

Where do you guys buy these and what would grow best in Kansas?

 

[Vtbrew]

Do any of the the box/hardware stores sell hop twine? If not does anyone substitute other twine?

 

[fred_zepp]

Do any of the the box/hardware stores sell hop twine? If not does anyone substitute other twine?

I use tysal twine. I got a box from the local Ace Hardware store for $37. It was 7000 Ft!!!! but then i have about thirty plants....

yes, its synthetic.

yes, i used it last year.

yes, the hops climbed up just fine.

 

[Rick500]

I just use sisal twine from Lowe's, but I only have four plants so I don't need a ton of it and don't have to be too cost-conscious.

 

[Atl300zx]

ive already trimmed and trained one of mine. 4 bines already over 4' tall

 

[johnnyc]

ive already trimmed and trained one of mine. 4 bines already over 4' tall

Lets hear it for Atlanta weather! My cascades are about 3' already too.

 

[Battery_BreweryNJ]

Recent "summer" like weather here in NJ helped pop my nugget up!

 

[GIusedtoBe]

Here's my hop garden but theres no garden yet. They've only been in the ground for four days. I've got three Cascades and one Willamette planted at the corners of this pergola. It was a pain to build but I hope it along with the hops can provide a nice shady spot to enjoy a nice homebrew.

regards,
Alan

OK when I figure out how to add a pic I will post it. THey are in my profile if interested.

 

[extra_medium]

planted zeus, brewers gold and cascade using these:

from Lowes drilled a few small holes in the bottom for drainage just over $6 for a 20g container, add 160 pounds ($5.20)of top soil and rhizomes . can't wait! added wood tomato stakes for the trellis. will post pictures later.

here is how i am planning on putting up the trellis. 8' tomato stakes with hooks a the top so i can feed the twine through to allow them to continue to grow up. ( drilled a pilot hole to avoided cracking the wood, the screw driver just helped screw in the hook.)

 

[Randar]

Lets hear it for Atlanta weather! My cascades are about 3' already too.

Hell, mine are almost that long in Chicago! Global warming to the rescue!