Hop Rhizome and What I Should Do With Them

[Imburr]

I live in VA, winters do freeze, getting chilly now- in the 20s. A guy gave me 4 rhizomes from a cascade plant. He told me to freeze them, but I read online that is a bad idea- he swears they will be fine.

Do i grow them in a pot in my basement, which stays above freezing and has 2 windows? Or do I let them dormant in a ziplock with wet paper towels some place cool? I just need to get through winter until I can plant them in my garden.

 

[day_trippr]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=595815

 

[Imburr]

Thanks, but that thread is the same as most i see- yes freeze, no freeze. Has anyone actually freezer them for 4 months then planted successfully?

 

[dyqik]

The instructions repeated from the seller on that thread are to freeze them. But maybe you can split the difference and use a very cold fridge or ice compartment in a minifridge if you have that kind of thing around for other brewing activities, and aren't so sure on that?

I kept mine in the back of my keg minfridge that's set to 36F - close to the cooling coil, so probably around freezing - for the month of so between receiving them and planting them. Right now they are in the ground and much colder than that, it was 3F this morning when I left for work.

 

[rhys333]

Can't you plant them anyway? They should pop up after the thaw.

 

[nick_a]

My recommendation would be to get them in the ground before we have a hard freeze (I'm also in VA), and move them in the early spring if need be.