dp69_2001
Well-Known Member
has anyone ever tried growing a bonsai hop plant? Or is it simply out of the question? I love house plants. especially one's I can use.
bonsai?
- Thread starter dp69_2001
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
lapaglia
Well-Known Member
according to this website this hop will work as a bonsai. I used to have a bonsai and its a LOT of work. it was cute but a LOT of work. I wonder how much yield you would get from a tiny plant? One maybe two flowers?
ben the brewman
Well-Known Member
the one mentioned above is not a hop plant at all its acutaly a tree that is in the beach family but it does have cones that look like hops.
cbg96
Well-Known Member
I think you'd have a really hard time doing it. Hops are bred to be pretty big vines. Even if you could bonsai it, I really doubt you'd get anything at all useful by way of cones.
The issue (besides vines not making great bonsai) is that it is a perennial and needs to go dormant in the winter to make it thrive and produce.
OP
OP
dp69_2001
Well-Known Member
damn, it seemed like a great idea.
bearduncle
Active Member
I think it is a great idea! I'm a recent transplant to Boston and deal with the short growing season by apt-growing everything I can get my hands on.
This summer I had a serious hop-curtain on one of my bedroom windows. The thing loved being inside. I grew it from seed and it must have been a male, because I got no flowers
but the effect was pretty cool. Waking up to sun filtering through beautiful green hopleaves made me happy to be alive!
I could also see keeping it like a true bonsai and keeping a woody stalk stunted... but doubt it would produce much.
This summer I had a serious hop-curtain on one of my bedroom windows. The thing loved being inside. I grew it from seed and it must have been a male, because I got no flowers
but the effect was pretty cool. Waking up to sun filtering through beautiful green hopleaves made me happy to be alive!I could also see keeping it like a true bonsai and keeping a woody stalk stunted... but doubt it would produce much.
OregonNative
Well-Known Member
I'm pretty sure ALMOST all plants can be bonsai'd. The biggest deal would be keeping it root bound.
I have a good friend who has bonsai'd tons of different species. You need to find a way to get it root bound (having the roots use up the space in the container). You would occasionally need to trim the roots back to give it more room to grow.
The only problem I see with attempting to bonsai hops, is that they build large root systems (if I understand correctly). I'm sure its possible, but it might be tricky. Good luck man!
I have a good friend who has bonsai'd tons of different species. You need to find a way to get it root bound (having the roots use up the space in the container). You would occasionally need to trim the roots back to give it more room to grow.
The only problem I see with attempting to bonsai hops, is that they build large root systems (if I understand correctly). I'm sure its possible, but it might be tricky. Good luck man!
OP
OP
dp69_2001
Well-Known Member
I don't know if I'm going to try it... maybe next year... It's hard to find rhizomes until next year anyways.
denimglen
Well-Known Member
If you're growing a full size plant just take a cutting from one of it's side arms and grow a second plant from that, it works well and you haven't wasted your money on the experiment. I took a cutting last year and it rooted quite easily.
I don't know anything about bonsai but I would use as big as a pot that you can fit into the space. And maybe try and grow it at least 4 - 5', not really a bonsai but would still be a neat inside plant. I think anything under 4' wouldn't produce anything.
I don't know anything about bonsai but I would use as big as a pot that you can fit into the space. And maybe try and grow it at least 4 - 5', not really a bonsai but would still be a neat inside plant. I think anything under 4' wouldn't produce anything.
