2014 Hop garden photo thread

[RTChoke]

New poster here, new grower giving it a try on a SC Sea Island. Farmer neighbor prepped a strip of his land and put in a trellis system (4in plastic net on 2x4s set about 9ft high) maybe 200ft long. He put in plastic on a raised long bed and ran irrigation for us. We planted ( a week ago) 3 rhizomes each of 6 types to see what happens. Checked the plantation yesterday and had one (a Centennial) sprouting so at least we know one is growing!

Will keep the internets advised!

 

[MrNic]

Well, it's been snowing here all day today. We have probably 5 inches so far and it's still going strong. I'm hoping my rhizomes survive.

 

[Bluesfastduce]

here are mine from Reno as well.

 

[bristela]

Freakin new puppy chewed 5 bines at the base of my 15' tall nugget that had burs. SOB. I kicked that bstrd. 6 weeks of growth down the drain.

Just want to second that about not kicking dogs! Did you actually see the dog do this? We have a dog but he's never shown any interest in my hops. Last year I thought he'd dug up my Galena. I subsequently found out that we'd just had a groundhog move in who was much more likely to be responsible. If it was your dog then the hops will most likely have made them ill so it's not likely to do that again in a hurry. I've also read that many commercial growers cut everything back after about six weeks so as to synchronize harvesting. I'm sure yours will recover. The dog is a different matter though.

 

[kirbcheck]

My dog snacks on my plants occasionally. Sucks but all you can do is cut it at the ground and wait for more chutes... They'll come unless he dug up the whole crown... Ive guarded them now with short fencing and that seems to have fixed the problem mostly... as to being poisonous it's true, but don't worry too much.

 

[Coppinburgh]

Northwood N.H.
Second year Cascade, Willamette and Mt Hood are just starting to take off due to a chilly spring in the northeast.
First year Sterling and 6 more Cascade just went in the ground last week. Regretting not starting them in pots.

 

[RosiesPapa]

Not sure if it was breakage or insects, but I've lost 3 6' bines off one of my Willamette crowns. A couple other bines in the patch appear to be dead as well, so I'm suspecting insects. Thankfully it hasn't been the really healthy plants, and there are other bines waiting to take over from the dead ones. Last year everything went into the ground May 1, so I'm ahead of the game either way.

 

[inkedfireman]

Got the new hop trellis up this last weekend, just in time! Bines are starting to go crazy, now they have somewhere to go!

 

[svenness]

Typical Colorado weather, 80's last week, snow the past two days, 80's in the forecast for this upcoming weekend.

These are first year hops. I read somewhere that cutting the plants back following a frost is beneficial for the overall health of the plant. Anyone have any experience with doing this to a first year plant?

 

[ChefRex]

My second year Willamette grew a solid foot today.
Saaz is looking good. Have a couple "C"hops in the first year, nothing to look at yet.

 

[kirbcheck]

Svenness, I would cut it at the ground. It'll love you for it.

 

[sablesurfer]

Svenness, I would cut it at the ground. It'll love you for it.

For a first year plant I would disagree. You want all the initial growth you can get the first year. That will help establish the rhizome for the next year. I left mine alone first year, just let them grow as they wanted. This year, my second, might have even been a bit too early to cut back because a couple of them really took the shock hard.

(Willamette and centennial took it as a challenge though and are going crazy.)

 

[kryptonite1055]

First year grower, and I wanted to show some of the progress of hops here in the St. Louis area. First pic was taken on 4/27 and the 2nd was taken yesterday (5/12). From left to right Willamette, Centennial, and Zeus. I know the spacing is close, and I will be fighting that fight all season to keep them narrow and long.

I can definitely tell a difference in how much they grow once they have some heat. The past week has been in the mid to upper 80F and in that week they have grown 30". We will see the difference in growth over this week with highs only in the 60's.

The hops have had it pretty rough so far with hail, tent caterpillars and high winds. Twine has been beefed up with the addition of mason line twisted together.

I will be adding a simple wood box around the SIP's for a couple of reasons.
1: So I have something a little better to look at than the lovely plastic.
2: Try to keep direct sunlight off the boxes in the extreme heat of summer.

 

[bristela]

For a first year plant I would disagree. You want all the initial growth you can get the first year. That will help establish the rhizome for the next year. I left mine alone first year, just let them grow as they wanted. This year, my second, might have even been a bit too early to cut back because a couple of them really took the shock hard.

(Willamette and centennial took it as a challenge though and are going crazy.)

Have to say I agree, for a first year plant you want as much growth from it as possible. Perhaps cut it off if it's looking as if it's dying off (so it's not putting energy into that) but otherwise leave it. Even second year plants you might want to make a judgement about how bushy they are. I've only thinned out one of my three second year plants as I think the other two could do with establishing themselves a bit more.

 

[kirbcheck]

I knocked all my plants down to 4 vines. Even the first years, but I planted Hop Plants, NOT Rhizomes. Which technically are 2nd years when they go into the ground. So that may be why I've never had negative effects. Sounds like you shouldn't cut it afterall Sven. Hope you waited for more input buddy!

 

[McRoth]

Here are my hop babies! Got them from Halifaxhops this spring. They are Magnum, Willamette, cascade and Kent golding. They're coming up great so far!

 

[501irishred]

New poster here, new grower giving it a try on a SC Sea Island. Farmer neighbor prepped a strip of his land and put in a trellis system (4in plastic net on 2x4s set about 9ft high) maybe 200ft long. He put in plastic on a raised long bed and ran irrigation for us. We planted ( a week ago) 3 rhizomes each of 6 types to see what happens. Checked the plantation yesterday and had one (a Centennial) sprouting so at least we know one is growing!

Will keep the internets advised!

That neighbor is a keeper! Can we assume he likes homebrew?


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[basementbrewbrad]

Just one one here. The rest can be seen on my thread. Pic was as of Sunday. Around 50 percent of the plants are already 16 feet tall. Pretty solid second year starting for my 96 plants


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[badwhale]

Today the nugget and cascade are 6-7 feet tall. One Chinook is making a go of it. The other, I don't have high hopes for.

 

[TrickyDick]

Mine looking kinda shabby in comparison.
Second year, for all but one, which died. I suspect a lack of water. I installed a timer to a hose so they get regular water. I suspect they probably need more.
Someone mentioned pH. What is the optimal pH for hop growing?
Not the best pic, but not much to see yet.
Centennial, Chinook, Columbus, Sterling front to back.

Hmm. So much for posting a pic. The iPhone to iPad photo stream doesn't work in real life as it does in their tv commercials...


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[sablesurfer]

Someone mentioned pH. What is the optimal pH for hop growing?

My reading says 6-7.5 if you want to be picky about it. Around here our tap water is >9 so that really messes with the plants.

 

[sablesurfer]

Mother of nature! DAMN that is impressive. You going pro at this? Are you going organic or how do you deliver all the nitrogen necessary? Do you have a watering system for the hot months? How are you going to do pest control and mildew control?

Come on, spill!

View attachment 199452
Just one one here. The rest can be seen on my thread. Pic was as of Sunday. Around 50 percent of the plants are already 16 feet tall. Pretty solid second year starting for my 96 plants

 

[pelop777]

I had 4 varities (Cascade, N. Brewer, Galena and Chinook) all except the Chinook on their second year of growth and going up lines to a single pole last year. Come harvest time I realized that was a mistake since I couldn't make heads or tails of what cone was from which plant so I dug them up last winter and split the root balls to double the fun and spread them out. The one going strong in the middle was the one I was able to leave as is.

 

[bristela]

Seems like right now is a good time to be getting into commercial hop production:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-27421779

 

[Spartan1979]

These are my Chinook from Sunday:

My Cascade from the same day:

 

[fuzzy2133]

These are my Chinook from Sunday:

You need to buy a taller house! :rockin:

 

[NathPowe]

These are my Chinook from Sunday:

Damn man, that thing is a lunker. I was just thinking I should post a pic of my 6 week-old Chinook, but now I have Hop Insecurity.

*hangs head in shame and walks away*

 

[basementbrewbrad]

Mother of nature! DAMN that is impressive. You going pro at this? Are you going organic or how do you deliver all the nitrogen necessary? Do you have a watering system for the hot months? How are you going to do pest control and mildew control?



Come on, spill!

We have a quick connect spicket near the hop yard we use for watering. Haven't had to hand water a single time this year with all the rain we have had. For mildew if we see any sign spray it with a backpack sprayer with 1tsp baking soda to 1 quart of water. Nitrogen is delivered through nitrogen rich compost as well as blood meal. For pests we use dish soap in a backpack sprayer to fend off June bugs/Japanese Beatles which are our only major pest.

Hope this answers all of your questions. Our entire harvest this year will be purchased by adventure brewing company in stafford. Expansion is a possibility in the future.



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[sablesurfer]

CRUD, I need to move to a different part of the state!!

But, did you do any trimming? I am still on the fence about whether it is really worth it for a home grower.

These are my Chinook from Sunday:

My Cascade from the same day:

 

[sablesurfer]

Hope this answers all of your questions. Our entire harvest this year will be purchased by adventure brewing company in stafford. Expansion is a possibility in the future.

Yes it does! Baking soda became part of our arsenal for both GF's veg and hops this year. Not doing soap, but doing neem oil with a drop of soap to break up water surface tension.

Congrats on the buy and good luck!

 

[basementbrewbrad]

Japanese Beatles used neem oil as salad dressing on my hops last year. The most affective method we found was going out early in the morning when it is still cool and they are slow and knocking them off of the plants into large cups/buckets of soapy water. Neem oil just didn't do it for us


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[dfess1]

Here's a shot of my three varieties.

Nuggets are growing well, as are the cascades. Centennials are coming along, better than last year. This is second year growth.

 

[501irishred]

Here's a shot of my three varieties.

Nuggets are growing well, as are the cascades. Centennials are coming along, better than last year. This is second year growth.

Looking good! Do you have a pic of the rest of your trellis system? What do you have the other end of horizontal lines tied to?


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[Mleytevidal]

I'm getting hops already but I also have issues with beetles eating my leaves at night. Anybody else have to deal with this? Solutions?


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[FuzzeWuzze]

All 3 of my 2nd year plants are taking off now...

Farthest is CTZ, then Cascade, then Newport

Cat was busy playing "How do i get to you without touching the ground" game...

All of them are about 10-12 feet now.

 

[2BeerSpeer]

Finally getting my deck built so my plants have somewhere to go

 

[Mleytevidal]

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[thaymond]

Wait....

 

[thaymond]

Stupid phone... Here's my garden.

 

[1fast636]

The start of mine just finished them today, still have to bury my boxes and get eye hooks to string my lines then I'm golden hopefully