Growing hops on a arbor

[airmoses83]

Can you grows hops on a arbor like this?

 

[TeeJo]

Yes.

You can grow hops almost anywhere.
The need to string hops up on a very tall structure has almost everything to do with getting optimal production and utilizing the growing land to it's greatest extent. And having the best possible bines to feed through a picking machine. Commercial practices are done the way they are, to enable the commercial producer to get maximum yield on minimum labor/machinery costs.

 

[SWK]

How would you go about it? Grow one vine up each side? I am putting an arbor up and figured hops would be nicer to grow then just vines with flowers

 

[Leezer]

I think you can, you just need to train the bines to go where you want. I grow some on an obelisk and train the bines to grow on twine that is wrapped around it, although the bines also grow on the obelisk itself. For an arbor it's probably best to plant some on each side since it will be hard to get the bines to grow back down a side once they reach the top. These are a couple pics of mine in year 4. Years one and two were more sparse but in years 3 and 4 they really filled in nice.

 

[ba-brewer]

Some of the European hops are a bit harder to get started but they can be grown on shorter trellis. There are also some dwarf varieties but I don't think they are available to home growers.

My cascade throws lots of off shoots and it seem like they might work well to fill in a trellis like the one shown in the OP.

Someone on HBT grows hops horizontal on their fence.

 

[Steveruch]

Some of the European hops are a bit harder to get started but they can be grown on shorter trellis. There are also some dwarf varieties but I don't think they are available to home growers.

My cascade throws lots of off shoots and it seem like they might work well to fill in a trellis like the one shown in the OP.

Someone on HBT grows hops horizontal on their fence.

I used to grow hops along an unused clothesline in the backyard.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I can't say in other countries, but First Gold (aka Primadonna) is the only readily available dwarf hop in the UK. Works well in smaller gardens.

 

[SWK]

I think you can, you just need to train the bines to go where you want. I grow some on an obelisk and train the bines to grow on twine that is wrapped around it, although the bines also grow on the obelisk itself. For an arbor it's probably best to plant some on each side since it will be hard to get the bines to grow back down a side once they reach the top. These are a couple pics of mine in year 4. Years one and two were more sparse but in years 3 and 4 they really filled in nice.
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That looks awesome, how many bones do you have growing on that trellis?

 

[Leezer]

Thank you. I’m not sure. I try to have 2 per each of the four strings, but more start growing on the obelisk and then side arms start growing out so I just let it go.
As noted above some varieties would work better than others for growing like this or on an arbor. The one in my photos is a cascade. I also have a goldings and it would never fill in like that.

 

[mashpaddled]

As long as the arbor is sturdy enough to support the weight of the bines and the pull from the bines then it's fine.

I don't even think you need a dwarf variety. If this is tall enough to talk under then the bines will be 7-8' at the top which is tall enough for most varieties to produce cones. The bines will keep growing up and around the top so they will get longer than that. You won't get the production of a tall 20' trellis though.

I would plan on growing the same variety on both sides. When the bines reach the top they will weave together and it will be a real PITA to try to separate them.