Growing hops in Mississippi.

[maf58d]

Been four weeks since last post on hops, how time flies! Cascade at home about ready for second picking, Cascade at store about ready for first picking.

---Mark F.---

 

[maf58d]

Thought I would have picked by now, they look ready, but don't feel ready yet, maybe next week.
--Mark F.--

 

[tdbc2011]

I just picked 17 oz of cascades today. Looks like that I may get another pound in a couple of weeks. Plenty of cones left but they are pretty small at this time.

 

[maf58d]

Got around to picking hops at store front, had to have a ladder to get them loose at top before letting them down. Picked 44 ounces, over 4 gallons, have drying now, will see dry weight in a few days, then pick some more at home.
--Mark F.--

 

[BadDeacon]

Sadly mine are still struggling. Hopefully next hear they'll take off. I got mine late in the spring and think they just got too late of a start. Longest bine is about 12 feet.

 

[tdbc2011]

I got another 3.5 oz dried this week. I am brewing a red ale with 100% my hops. Pretty excited to see how it will turn out!!

 

[maf58d]

Good to see yours doing good tdbc2011, and sorry to see yours are not BadDeacon. Mine dried out to an even 12 ounces, and I vacuum bagged them Sunday. I made an all Homegrown Cascade hopped AIPA late last week with Some of my June pickings.
--Mark F.--

 

[maf58d]

Picked second round of hops at home. Totals are 38 ounces of Cascade and 5 ounces of Nugget, should dry to about 10 ounces and 1.5 ounces I think.
--Mark F.--

 

[maf58d]

Last pickings dried to 9.7 ounces of Cascade and 1.6 ounces of Nugget.
--Mark F.--

 

[maf58d]

Have made a good many batches of beer with all homegrown hops, all cascade and nugget bittering, cascade late additions, but 3 weeks ago, I made my first homegrown, all nugget APA. I kegged it this morning and took a 1 ounce taste sample before dry hopping and it was better than I expected looking forward to tasting finished product.
--Mark F.--

 

[tdbc2011]

I picked the last of the cascades this past weekend and hope to get 4oz dried.

I will tap my all homegrown cascade red ale next weekend and see how it turned out.

 

[tdbc2011]

The red ale turned out great!

 

[Alpotun]

Planted Centennial and CTZs for a first-year crop, they grew to about 10-12 ft, very few cones, though.
Should I let them die out over the winter and cut them back in early spring, or cut back after first frost?

 

[maf58d]

Hey Alpotun, Let them go till they are completely done and died back, then cut the bines an inch or two above the ground and burn or compost the dead bines.
A light frost will not necessarily kill it, but several light frosts or one heavy one will. ("Kill it" in this context means the bines above ground as the roots are alive and storing up for next year.)
--Mark F.--

 

[wfu900]

I was told by several people that growing hops in Mississippi was a lost cause and that even if by some miracle they did grown and survive I wouldn't get any production. Please see the following blog where I prove "them" wrong. Go for it. Grow hops!

http://brewingoutofbounds.blogspot.com

 

[Krutzed]

Mark, awesome thread! I'm moving to Kessler AFB in Biloxi this summer and want to try my hand at hop growing, any pointers? Looking forward to your hop grow this year!

 

[maf58d]

Hey Krutzed, cascade is by far the best hop to grow in the southeast. Needs as much sun as you give it and enough moisture to keep it cool in that sun. Well draining, rich, loamy soil, (a good mix of clay, compost and sand) with good watering and a little fertilizing like Miracle Grow, and they should be happy.

--Mark F.--

 

[Krutzed]

Thanks Mark!

Keep this thread alive!

 

[msbrewblog]

Amazing...17 pages of comments about growing hops in the Sip.

That being said, I'm thinking of relocating mine (central MS) to a new location in the yard and build some sort of Trellis. Right now they're on the side of a building growing up to the roof edge.

 

[BrotherGrim]

Anybody showing any signs yet? Mine are still dormant, no signs at all.

 

[tdbc2011]

I have not weeded mine yet, but checked this afternoon. There are numerous sprouts on the cascade. I did not check the centennial but the centennial will be replaced with cascade transplants

 

[BrotherGrim]

I am showing a few sprouts, very small so far and not from all the plants yet, but looks like I will have some again this year.

 

[BrotherGrim]

I have at least 4 out of the 6 plants showing signs of life. That means I will have Cascade, Nugget, and Goldings this year!

 

[maf58d]

The cold spell we recently had seems to have moved em back a bit, but they are coming on now.
1st picture is of a Nugget.
2nd picture is a Cascade.
3rd picture is of Cascade in front of store.
--Mark F.--

 

[maf58d]

Has only been 6 days since last post, but rain is forecast for Thursday.
Same plants, same order as last week, 6 days growth

 

[tdbc2011]

My hops have taken off! The five gallon bucket is for reference for the height of them. The center picture is of the sprouts between "hills." I plan on transplanting them.

 

[Alpotun]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1427757954.287232.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1427757980.609357.jpg

My 2nd year CTZs and Centennials are finally comin' around.

 

[maf58d]

Tried loading yesterday , but couldn't so trying again today.
First is Nugget.
Second is Cascade.
Third is same Cascade after pinching off and cutting some rhizomes.
Good to see tdbc2011 and Alpotun going good.

 

[BrotherGrim]

Here are mine as of yesterday evening. They are coming on pretty good for second year hops.

 

[maf58d]

Before and after, pinching off excess bines on Cascade in front of store today.