I planted centennial, chinook and CTZ 4 years ago. The centennial never broke ground and I forgot which of these is which but one grows like hell and the other barely does ok. The last 2 years I’ve gotten enough for a 5 gallon batch which is all I really desired.
Growing hops in southern california
- Thread starter steloco
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk:
Mine are all over the place in heights, but it has been overcast and cold since Christmas in the South Bay of L.A. I am hoping they start jumping with the warmer weather this weekend.
Our YVH rhizomes were planted 2 months ago today. The Centennial is the slowest grower of the three varieties at around 4ft. The CTZ are about 6ft tall, and the Cascade is currently over 10ft tall. To date I have not seen any cones but that's fine, they seem very healthy.
Last edited:
Was out of town for a few days and when I checked the mail yesterday there were (finally!!) two packages of rhizomes from AiH, by way of Maine. Was supposed to get 4 Cascade and 4 Cashmere but the farm didn't have a great quantity of Cashmere so I asked for Chinook instead. None of these looked as good as any of the rhizomes I received from YVH but they did have some shoots on them, unlike last year. They were planted yesterday so we'll see what happens. I'll consider any yield at all a bonus.
Yesterday, just two days after planting these latest rhizomes, the first couple shoots popped out of the ground. Looks like at least something from AiH (via the Maine hop farm) is growing.
tarotmancy
New Member
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2020
- Messages
- 1
- Reaction score
- 2
I've got a comet, a cashmere, a chinook and an amalia in their 2nd year here in Bakersfield, but didn't get any cones. I've also got three unknowns from seed that have made it to their second year.
![Craft A Brew - Safale S-04 Dry Yeast - Fermentis - English Ale Dry Yeast - For English and American Ales and Hard Apple Ciders - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [1 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41fVGNh6JfL._SL500_.jpg)
I’m just up the hill in Tehachapi. I tried growing some cascade and centennial in Riverside (similar climate to bake-O) several years ago. The best I could do was 12-15 sad, small cones per bine.
Funny, Cascade was the only one I could grow years ago, finally gave up.
We have ground break! It snowed two days ago but this spot is covered by roof overhang.
Update:
I didn’t get any photos but my Chinook were harvested yesterday. It’s about a month earlier than last year but they were ready. My CTZ aren’t there yet. Maybe a couple more weeks.
Strange hop growing year for me. This is the second growing season for my Cascade, CTZ, and Centennial plants. This season the Cascade shot up quickly but are far less leafy than last year, and a couple feet shorter than last year's 22+ feet. Plus the cones seem to be developing at a different rate than last year too. Cones near the top look about ready to harvest (need to get up there and check), but cones closer to the ground seem to be two or three weeks behind. Last year they all seemed to be ready around the same time.
This year the Centennial plants stayed low to the ground until about a month ago, then suddenly shot upward and are now producing cones.
The CTZ plants look healthy but stopped growing at 12 inches with no cones. Ah well, maybe next year for these.
Last year we got quite a bit of Cascade cones, a smaller amount of CTZ, but no Centennial cones.
This year the Centennial plants stayed low to the ground until about a month ago, then suddenly shot upward and are now producing cones.
The CTZ plants look healthy but stopped growing at 12 inches with no cones. Ah well, maybe next year for these.
Last year we got quite a bit of Cascade cones, a smaller amount of CTZ, but no Centennial cones.
Nice! I think my Cascade are just about ready for harvest too. About a month early as well. I even see new growth and buds, so maybe even a second harvest.
How are you packaging your Chinook? Last year, I vacuum sealed fresh cones to take to a friend’s brew day a few weeks later. I think that worked out okay. I’d really like to get a day going where I can brew and just toss cones in right off the bine.
How are you packaging your Chinook? Last year, I vacuum sealed fresh cones to take to a friend’s brew day a few weeks later. I think that worked out okay. I’d really like to get a day going where I can brew and just toss cones in right off the bine.
I put them in paper grocery bags and dry them over box fans. My garage is about 80 degrees with a RH of about 10%. I dry them to 27-30% of their original weight and vacuum seal.
I didn’t plot my progress much last year, we had a baby in May.
Chinook broke ground about a month ago. The Centennial are always a little slower, they popped out last week.
Not pictured are my multi-head Amelia which are in my wife’s garden for “decoration”. They’re about 10 feet and VERY healthy.
Chinook broke ground about a month ago. The Centennial are always a little slower, they popped out last week.
Not pictured are my multi-head Amelia which are in my wife’s garden for “decoration”. They’re about 10 feet and VERY healthy.
2025 Backyard cascade. Long Beach, CA
I finally gave up.First of the 2025 crop due soon. I also have another set of bines that started later and are just now starting to bloom. Probably has something to do with our blasted constantly mild weather. Was more organized this year than most, but I still like to let things go a little wild and string up what looks good.
Yours looks further along and healthier than our Cascade plants, though ours are about 20ft high. I’m up the coast a ways in SLO county where we get sunny days but also some dense fog most mornings. I’m guessing that’s the main reason we’re lagging behind.
Do you fertilize? We use compost - broken down leaves, lawn clippings, spent grain, coffee grounds, etc. but no actual fertilizer. Just looking for tips to increase our yield.
@BongoYodeler Yes! This crown lives next to the compost pile. Pretty sure that is the main reason it’s so happy.
No pictures but mine are a little further along than they been the last 5 years. I typically harvest around 2nd or 3rd week of August. This year, it looks like I’ll probably be cutting them down around the end of this month.
Are you all seeing earlier maturity this year as well?
Are you all seeing earlier maturity this year as well?
Yep, Looking like end of July as well. The same crown also has a few bines just now starting to form cones, they will probably be ready before Labor Day.
