Anchoring Hop Twine

[sundaybrewingco]

Hi all,
Just poking around to see what everyone does to anchor the hop twine to the bed/dirt/ground?

Currently, I have the twine dangling freely on the ground and letting the hop vine climb up it, but i'd like something a little more taut for the summer...

Cheers.

 

[Frankiesurf]

I haven't done it yet but I was going to try wrapping it around a brick and burying it a few inches under ground.

I would also like to hear a few ideas.

 

[Grantman1]

subscribing. First year growing mine. I'm planning on tying the twine to a short stake right next to my plants.

 

[suds_zville]

I'm using stainless hop anchors because they look cool but for a more economical use many folks are using tent stakes.

http://www.hopmarkers.com/product/hop-stake-stainless-steel

 

[Randar]

Tent stakes.

 

[smurfwar]

http://www.hopmarkers.com/product/hop-stake-stainless-steel

+1
Good site.
Good guy.

 

[idahobrew]

I'm going to use steel tent stakes and coconut based twine and hope that works.

 

[konrad]

I just use a stick. Probably 3/4 inch diameter. I leave it on the ground for the winter and it rots away so a new one goes in the spring.

 

[_JP_]

I grow in wooden raised beds. I have an eye bolt screwed into the top.

 

[Rbeckett]

I went to the local ace hardware and found a box of 12 inch stakes. I use 4 per plant site so each bine will have it's pwn seperate line to climb. This also sperads the bines and allows for good air circulation. I sort of box in the plants. 2 on the inside of the row and two on the outside for each plant. It zig zags the line and actually helps stabilize a wobbly set up like my PVC system. The down lines get snugged up and with the legs well anchored with a line to pull on each end and it is very sturdy and stable now. I'm happy because it was all recycled except one fitting and the fibre string that I got a bulk 2500 foot roll of for way cheap. Hope this helps.
Bob

 

[Rbeckett]

I grow in wooden raised beds. I have an eye bolt screwed into the top.

How deep do the rhizomes grow roots? Is a 12 inch deep raised bed deep enough or do they need 18 or more inches? Just wodered since they are perenial and could be contained more easilly in a box than in the ground spreading at will. Thanks for any input.
Bob

 

[Wobbegong]

I went to the garden section of Home Depot and bought a few wooden plant stakes. They are around 3/4" x 3/4" x 3 feet. I cut them into 1 foot long stakes on the table saw, cutting at an angle to make then easier to drive into the ground. I then drilled a pilot hole into the side of each stake near the top and added a screw to act as a rope holder to prevent the rope from slipping off after its tied to the stake.

 

[Rugrad02]

I had several tomato cages(the conical looking ones) that the legs were too long, making it difficult to stake into the ground each year. I used a Dremel tool to cut about 8 inches off each leg. I used a pair of pliers to bend the metal into"J" hooks. I just push them in the ground and tie my twine to the hook.

 

[_JP_]

How deep do the rhizomes grow roots? Is a 12 inch deep raised bed deep enough or do they need 18 or more inches? Just wodered since they are perenial and could be contained more easilly in a box than in the ground spreading at will. Thanks for any input.
Bob

Bob - My raised beds sit on top of tilled ground, so they can grow as deep as they want. Plants that spread like hops do (rhizomes) usually stay near the surface, which makes sprouting easier.

My boxes are only 6" high. Keeps the hops from spreading (so far), and keeps the mulch from flying away.

 

[ctrlpabrewer]

I welded a big lock washer to about a foot of 3/8" rebar - drove that in the ground and tie the rope fast

 

[GVH_Dan]

Some of the big PNW hop farmers use a metal W clip to shove it in the ground. Others just take a shovel and shove the twine into the ground.

We run a single wire about 12" above the ground and attached to our trellis system. We attach our drip irrigation system to it and tie the twin off. It can stay nice a tight and doesn't rot in the ground or leave metal behind. Wouldn't work for 1 off guys, but anyone with two poles for your hops could do this.

 

[Randar]

I welded a big lock washer to about a foot of 3/8" rebar - drove that in the ground and tie the rope fast

Overkill solution of the year nominee!

Some of the big PNW hop farmers use a metal W clip to shove it in the ground. Others just take a shovel and shove the twine into the ground.

We run a single wire about 12" above the ground and attached to our trellis system. We attach our drip irrigation system to it and tie the twin off. It can stay nice a tight and doesn't rot in the ground or leave metal behind. Wouldn't work for 1 off guys, but anyone with two poles for your hops could do this.

It also makes a sweet trip-line for the kids and dogs. hehe. Actually, that sounds like a sweet idea paired with the drip irrigation.

 

[BBBF]

I've been using plastic stakes, but this year I'm going to try some old window weights that I pulled out of my house.

 

[solbes]

I had some galvanized 1 foot long spikes laying around. So I used those. No issues holding the 3 nylon ropes up last summer.

 

[sethwar]

Overkill solution of the year nominee!



It also makes a sweet trip-line for the kids and dogs. hehe. Actually, that sounds like a sweet idea paired with the drip irrigation.

Dude you're funny

 

[tchuklobrau]

I've been using plastic stakes, but this year I'm going to try some old window weights that I pulled out of my house.

not sure I'd want the lead sitting in my yard or leeching into my hops. stick with the plastic stakes. Or as has been mentioned +1 on the tent stakes. what I use when not tying to the top of the picket fence.

 

[feenaughty]

I was planing to buy a bale of hay baler twine from tractor supply .the heck with any fancy not made in USA twine.

 

[BBBF]

not sure I'd want the lead sitting in my yard or leeching into my hops. stick with the plastic stakes. Or as has been mentioned +1 on the tent stakes. what I use when not tying to the top of the picket fence.

They're cast iron.

 

[tchuklobrau]

They're cast iron.

that will do then, u got lucky there. all the ones I've ever removed here were lead(made great bullets for my muzzleloader though)

 

[Hockeyhunter99]

i thought i would drill a hole in a piece of wood and push it into the ground. not like they are going to pull the stake "up". it will more or less be supported by the top of the trellis. the stake is to keep the rope from swinging in the wind, right?

 

[jessox80]

Ideally, there will be very little, if any, weight on the bottom of those ropes.
I used thin bamboo reeds sunk 1 or 2" last year and they held through Irene. I tied the coir right to the bamboo, and then to the trellis. The bine thickness at the base by the time my newports were mature was pretty impressive (which is likely why hurricane winds didn't upset my rinky-dink setup); I don't know whether that is universal to all hop species.
My concerns regarding secure connections are at the top, which will bear the weight (ideally) of thousands of delicious cones.

 

[wrench]

+1 on big tent stakes. Last year I brought the coir right down to the stakes and they started to rot through before the season was over when the very bottom got covered in mulch. This year I'll put a rot-resistant "spacer" rope between the stake and coir, about 6" long.

 

[elproducto]

I use tent pegs.

 

[Randar]

+1 on big tent stakes. Last year I brought the coir right down to the stakes and they started to rot through before the season was over when the very bottom got covered in mulch. This year I'll put a rot-resistant "spacer" rope between the stake and coir, about 6" long.

I have found that coir in-contact with the ground will deteriorate very quickly. If kept dry and just above the turf, it will remain viable for up to 2 growing seasons (most I have gotten out of a freshhops coir rope is 2 season and have since switched over to sisal twine that I braid using 3 strings to save $$$)

 

[Growerssupply]

http://growerssupply.net/index.cfm?id=9