First Year Hop Growers

[davebstock]

Those are some good things to think about. I am going to research what has been grown in Nebraska and what I would personally want. I'll try a few plants from 4 varieties or so this spring qhile I research and go from there.

Thanks!

 

[Darwin18]

I was looking around our property this weekend while we were enjoying the nearly 70 degree weather, and noted some promising growth around the base my Cascade hops. This is their 2nd year and I was pleased to get about an ounce of cones last year. I planted four rhizomes and three sprouted last year - I'm hoping to see an increase in growth and yield this year and so far it looks very promising.

 

[IanJ]

For those of you've had success your first year with planters or pots, which one of the following would you recommend? Ideally I'd prefer the ground, but it's not an option here in NYC... so, I'm limited to a small space, facing South West-ish in a planter.

These were all available at the Lowes nearby:

Unknown size (smaller than 20 gallon):

30 gallon container:

20 gallon "all purpose" basket:

My other option is one of those larger red plastic planters at a local hardware store, but not sure what size they have, they weren't labeled and seemed rather expensive for what they were.

As for trellis system: Do you think using a cross with twine, and two screw-eyes on each end more stable than say, one of those cross-hatched trellis fence things?

 

[+HopSpunge+]

I would pick bucket #2 the largest. Filled with potting soil. With a cheap pole of any kind stuck in the middle. With holes drilled in the bottom.

 

[IanJ]

I would pick bucket #2 the largest. Filled with potting soil. With a cheap pole of any kind stuck in the middle. With holes drilled in the bottom.

Thanks! Do you think that type of tub would be too flimsy though? I can't imagine how much weight the potting soil and water will add.

Edit: Also - would 2 plants (same type) per pot work, or would that be extreme overcrowding for the roots?

 

[GVH_Dan]

In general, the bigger the better but as you pointed out it needs to be able to hold the weight of the soil and you need to be able to move it. I haven't had good experience with large tubs like #2 because they break down in the sun as well as the roots push through and tear it apart.

I have gone with #3, successfully for a few years. Eventually, they always need to be re-potted.

 

[IanJ]

In general, the bigger the better but as you pointed out it needs to be able to hold the weight of the soil and you need to be able to move it. I haven't had good experience with large tubs like #2 because they break down in the sun as well as the roots push through and tear it apart.

I have gone with #3, successfully for a few years. Eventually, they always need to be re-potted.

That makes sense as well, it was my main concern with the quality of the larger container. This isn't (hopefully) a permanent place, but something that may last 2 seasons, and then require movement elsewhere, re-potting, etc.

In either container, would planting 2 rhizomes be too much? I've seen a few contradicting sources, some say throw 2 into one spot, some say space them apart by a few inches. This is all the same variety of course, I was planning on two types, 2 per planter.

Thanks

 

[B-Hoppy]

Most commercial growers stick a few rhizomes in each hole to make sure they'll have enough vines to train from each hill in case there's a dud or two in the bunch. Two rhizomes per pot are gonna fill up the volume of soil a little quicker than just one. At the beginning of your third season you're probably gonna want to remove them and cut them back anyway. This will help you control the underground mass somewhat without really setting them back. Either way you'll most likely have success.

 

[GVH_Dan]

Like B-hoppy said, the 2 per hill rule is insurance against a dud. The one thing I wanted to add is make certain they are the same variety. It seems obvious but I can't count the number of times someone has put a cascade and nugget in the same pot and then sends me pictures of leaves asking which is which. You'll never know.

 

[BigGoat]

So, where do you guys get your hops rhizomes from. Looking to plant some this spring and I want to get off to a good start.

 

[B-Hoppy]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f92/where-find-specific-rhizomes-382305/

 

[sweetcell]

great lake hops. get the crowns instead of rhizomes and save yourself a year.

 

[IanJ]

great lake hops. get the crowns instead of rhizomes and save yourself a year.

From a look at the Facebook and eBay pages, it seems like they're actively shipping crowns. Can this really be true?

 

[sweetcell]

From a look at the Facebook and eBay pages, it seems like they're currently shipping crowns. Can this really be true?

based on a user comment on FB it does indeed appear that they are shipping, but i wouldn't be ordering them yet (unless i lived in florida or hawaii, maybe). you want to plant them as soon as you receive them, and it's too early to plant. so hold off until your frost date has past. there is no advantage to ordering them now.

 

[Ddubduder]

I just bought some from them, three crowns.... But Like Sweetcell said

unless i live in florida or hawaii, maybe).

I do live in Florida so my planting season is now. Plants showed up looking healthy, large root system and still very moist even after being shipped cross country. Great operation they have there.

 

[IanJ]

Of course

Although I was considering an experimental indoor start, but seeing as how these are already a season old, they probably wouldn't like being transplanted in 1-2 months when the growing season is about to start here.

 

[Ddubduder]

I only planted mine on Thursday and I already have a bine that's 2-3 inches long and little buds shooting up all over the place. I have a feeling once they wake up out of hibernation, they explode. Not sure how well they would do inside for two months, they might get too big for you. But there is really no harm in trying

 

[danielz1]

I planted 4 rhizomes along a livestock fence last year, hoping to train them to grow horizontally. Being their first year and the drought conditions, I was happy to get growth out of three of them and a handful of hops from one.
This year, I want to move them to grow on rope trellises up the side of the barn.
My question is: will the radiant heat on the south side of a red barn be too much for them? I'd hate to find out in three years that I'm burning them up and have to start over in a new location.

 

[B-Hoppy]

I got to pick some hops growing up the side of a barn way back in the late 80's and from what I remember they almost took the barn over! Actually, the ones that grow up my brick chimney do very well but the additional heat from the brick seem to attract mites in very hot Summers. I don't think you have anything to worry about.

 

[krenshaw]

i received my crowns from great lakes about a week ago.. i plan on planing them this weekend once i get some more soil to amend with my compost.. they even sent a free one.. all of them look pretty healthy and are just relaxing in my fridge until the time is right

 

[sweetcell]

did GLH suggest storing them in the fridge? that's what you want to do with rhizomes, i wasn't aware that's what you should do with crowns too.

heed their advice to acclimatize them to the sun slowly. let them spent a few days in indirect sun, the shaded/partial sun. i gave mine 2 days before planting them and they lost all their leaves. they grew back, but it probably stunted their growth for a few weeks. i don't know fir sure it it was the sun that did this to them, or something else, but i suspect it was the change in in lighting.

 

[SudsyPaul]

Lots of great info. My backyard is TINY (600sq/ft) and most of that is covered in deck. I'm only at this house for another 2 years, or so... so I'm gonna try to use a GIANT bin to plant my rhizomes from a local hop grower. I'll see if they have crowns, but they don't advertise that.

I was planning on planting Cascade along a fence that faces South and Nugget along my fence that faces West.... Both get 8-10hrs of sun per day.

I'm also planning on trying to plan along a chainlink fence. Plants won't grow high, but they can grow about 30ft along the length of the fence (this is a buddy's yard where he wants to cover the back chainlink with any vine - so why not hops that I can farm!

 

[krenshaw]

did GLH suggest storing them in the fridge? that's what you want to do with rhizomes, i wasn't aware that's what you should do with crowns too.

i was unsure as well, so i sent them a facebook message and that's what they said to do.. they ship their crowns with moist soil in a bunch of rice hulls.. they suggest to remove most of the hulls and wrap the crown/soil with a couple wet paper towels and stick them in the fridge until ready to plant.. they come basically cut down to the soil so i'm not to worried about sunlight shock.. i dont' really have a place to acclimate them so it'll be all or nothing

 

[guru_newbie]

First time grower here. I'm interested in hearing of other's experience growing on chain link. I started a centennial this spring a few feet from a chain link fence, which is also a few feet from a post. I am wondering if chain link is really bad to remove old growth from. As the crown grows, does it spread shoots orstays where initially started? I want to run ropes on pulleys up the singular post and train it away from the fence, or should I let it grow over the chain link?

Also, once the bine dies back, if not removed, what happens the next spring?

 

[Cbaddad]

I am by no means a pro as I just started growing them too. That said, I would think the chainlink would be a PITA to deal with. Also, I think you want to try to get them growing veritcally as much as possible.

 

[krenshaw]

excited that 2 of my 3 crowns have multiple bines popping out of the ground.. i have to get my rope up this weekend now!

 

[Jayhem]

Good stuff!

I am planting 10 plants this year for my first attempt at growing. I started my rhizomes in potting soil in large pots and will transfer the entire thing to the beds once the shoots are all about 12" tall and I have good root growth to stabilize the potting soil.

 

[ledhead72486]

Thanks for the info!

 

[sweetcell]

First time grower here. I'm interested in hearing of other's experience growing on chain link. I started a centennial this spring a few feet from a chain link fence, which is also a few feet from a post. I am wondering if chain link is really bad to remove old growth from. As the crown grows, does it spread shoots orstays where initially started? I want to run ropes on pulleys up the singular post and train it away from the fence, or should I let it grow over the chain link?

Also, once the bine dies back, if not removed, what happens the next spring?

chain link fence will be a bit of a PITA. the hops want to grow upwards, so once they go over the top of the fence you'll have to manually wrap them around the top.

if you can run ropes up pulleys, i'd suggest doing that.

by the end of the growing season the bines are pretty thick and woody. removing them from a chain-link fence is quite do-able but is a bit of a pain. i had some wrapped around the chicken wire cages i use to protect them, they were too dry to pull in one go so i had to un-wrap each bine manually. i had other ways i could have spent that 15-20 mins per plant

 

[Eshorebrewer]

First year hop grower here, waiting on my crowns to come in from greatlake hops, should be tomorrow. Thanks for the shared advice.