Deepwater hydro hops

[bent]

Well i figured i would post some pics of my setup.

 

[ryandlf]

I'm very interested in this! Could we get some more pictures and maybe a write up of how and why your doing this? Pretty please PS, i'm in NC too...Charlotte here.

 

[bent]

Ya i will get more pics in a lil bit.

 

[bent]

Here's some more pics.

Simply put. Pump air to airstones. I got the pump, air stones, netpots, and hydroton from the grow store. Nutrients are added straight to the water. And viola. Looks like it's time to set up a trellis.

 

[bent]

The first post's pic was taken bout 2.5 weeks ago. The rest are today. deepwater is the ****.

Oh ya, the tubs are 18gallon rubbermaid containers.

Here are some dirty pics.

 

[HokieBrewer]

Where in NC are you?

 

[bent]

Saluda NC

 

[ryandlf]

So the water just recirculates over and over, and you just add nutrients as they are needed? Do you top off to compensate for evaporation? Do you mean air stones like typical aquarium stones? What are the benefits of hydro over just putting them in the ground?

Sorry for all the questions. This is so frigin' cool though!

 

[bent]

The only ciculation is from the bubbles. Add nutes as needed.
Top off water as needed.
Yes airstone like in an aquarium but i use the big ones from the dro store cause they are heavy duty.
I did a single system a few years back and got about a pound from two first year ryzomes.
I am not sure what i am going to do with the root balls after harvest. Anyone have suggestions?

 

[bent]

Benefits? Well, i'm hoping that the yeild will be tje biggest benefit.

Cheers

 

[HokieBrewer]

I am not sure what i am going to do with the root balls after harvest. Anyone have suggestions?

Give a few to me? :rockin:

 

[bent]

Lol i meant how am i going to store them for the winter?

 

[bent]

Here's an update.

 

[bigljd]

How are the roots looking now that the weather has heated up? I've done some hydro growing with some vegetables before and know that in deep water bubblers you need to keep the reservoir temps under control as the roots need oxygen and the warmer the water gets the less O2 the water can hold, and that can lead to root rot and all sorts of nastiness. Looks like you have a pretty solid air pump though, so that may be enough to offset the heat? What nutrients are you running in there?
You can't beat the growth you get from hydro, but I've gone back to good old organic soil and home made compost for all my vegies and hops.
Edit: I'm also wondering what you'll do with the plants after this season? How will you store the rhizome over winter? Seems like after a while the rhizome will bust right through the net pots too.
Cool experiment though.

 

[bent]

Roots r kikin a$$. Never had a prob with root rot. Still not sure wut to do with em for the winter. I will prob transplant to dirt.

 

[bent]

Happy hoppy roots

 

[bigljd]

Those roots look healthy to me - nice work

 

[Misfit]

Woo DWCwith something other than illegal plants. I'm curious on the amount you will harvest compared to a soil grow

 

[Hopfarmer]

I am wondering if anyone has done this long term.Usually the roots(rhizomes ) if too wet

 

[Misfit]

Any update?

 

[bent]

Starting to flower

 

[bent]

Oops duplicate

 

[hopplease]

Curious, How did this turn out? I plan on doing a winter indoor garden this year and this looks like a nice/cheaper way to start playing with soil less setups. I can't wait for fresh tomato's in January!

 

[KevinM]

In addition, have you tried continuing the growth indoors using the same process? From what I understand, most farmers don't grow these indoors and that like other plants, growth ceases in the winter, as triggered by light and temperature levels.

However, much like we grow any other plants in a hydroponic green house like lettuce, tomatoes, basil etc, we can use the hydroponic system, heating and lights, so I believe the full cycle could be possible.

Not to brush too closely on the more or less taboo subject, we do know that a close relative of hops is capable of growing, and I think flowering indoors with proper heat and lighting, so I don't believe it's too farfetched to view it as a possibility. However... I do believe you would want to keep your recipts and botanical names out as a precaution.

I've only used a miniature system for growing basil and whatnot throughout the year since I'm in an apartment without any growing sunlight, so I'm curious. (Even the balcony has an overhang.)

 

[bovineblitz]

In addition, have you tried continuing the growth indoors using the same process? From what I understand, most farmers don't grow these indoors and that like other plants, growth ceases in the winter, as triggered by light and temperature levels.

However, much like we grow any other plants in a hydroponic green house like lettuce, tomatoes, basil etc, we can use the hydroponic system, heating and lights, so I believe the full cycle could be possible.

Not to brush too closely on the more or less taboo subject, we do know that a close relative of hops is capable of growing, and I think flowering indoors with proper heat and lighting, so I don't believe it's too farfetched to view it as a possibility. However... I do believe you would want to keep your recipts and botanical names out as a precaution.

I've only used a miniature system for growing basil and whatnot throughout the year since I'm in an apartment without any growing sunlight, so I'm curious. (Even the balcony has an overhang.)

It'd take a LOT of very expensive lights to give a hop plant enough light, they're pretty big... maybe you could start it indoors and train it along something that would keep it in a relatively small area, but that'd be very labor intensive.

 

[Retrofit]

I agree this method spends $5 to produce .50 in product. More power to the guys doing it, but it's for bragging rights, not profit. It certainly isn't "green" or energy efficient.

 

[jessox80]

Pretty sweet setup!

 

[KevinM]

True, it would likely be expensive. It's more a question about possibility, and whether or not someone who has the capacity to try it, has tried it. There are likely to be many situations where the growing ability outdoors does not match up.
I mean heck. I can't even grow cucumbers on the patio because there's not enough light. And it's always a labor of love and the process of experimentation, sometimes out of necessity, sometimes not, that's why we do anything we do for this hobby, otherwise why grow at all?

 

[MmmmBeer]

So bent, did you have a good harvest last fall? I am interested in trying this next summer if the results were good. Please share.

 

[ASublimeDay]

The most expensive part of growing these indoors is the hydroponic nutes. I use dirt and a 275w HPS light. The light costs are actually pretty negligible, unless you're using a 600 or 1000 watt, which is absurd overkill