Depth?

[Hounds]

OK. Not sure where to post this but here goes.

At what minimum depth must the hops be growing at ? I have 3rd yr. Cascades in "pits " that are 2 feet by 2 feet. But that is 'small scale' and less than 30 plants. What about 100 to 200 plants? Is it feasible to go down to 24"? We have crappy soil with only 12 inches til you hit clay **** soil.
So, going to mix in tons of composted manure and compost.

BUT, heres the real question.

I am going to expand to 100 plants and will dig 'rows' of sorts. 8 feet apart and 3-4 feet between plants. 40 X 60 foot area and additional 20 X 100 foot area.

Problem: most common plows only go down to 10 inches or so.

Do I need to go down 18" to 24" or can hops grow nicely in less than 12" of soil? Should I get a backhoe and dig 'trenches' per-se ?



Thanks.

 

[Hounds]

I have mediocre soil here and only 2 feet down til we hit clay. Rock is further than that.
Is tilling in manure and compost, peat,etc. to help the soil going to do any good whatsoever within the top layer of soil? Say 8 to 12 inches? Do nutrients get down to the roots this way or not really?

When folks are adding nutrient rich soil,etc. are they only adding it to the first several inches or deeper than that" ?

Are large hops fields/farms tilling deeper than the subsurface and are they tilling in nutrient rich soil or additions if needed? If so, I would think it does minimal within the first 8 to 12 inches.

Thoughts? Comments?

Thanks.

 

[nagmay]

This might not help, but is something to think about...

Clay soil means compact, but not necessarily nutrient deficient. Hops prefer fluffy soil at the surface, but mature plants will happily send tap roots down into the hardest of clay. This can even be beneficial as, in the dry months, they can pull moisture retained in the subsoil.

Mine are in raised beds over clay. The topsoil is only about 12" deep.