Hops in Las Vegas

[SEANone]

I just ordered three nugget hop rhizomes, was wondering if any Las Vegans have had any luck with this in our weird, acidic, sandy, rocky soil? I'm actually planning on starting out in plastic planters anyways but was still looking for info on what to expect. The temps get hot and dry here too and was wondering how much of a factor it would be?

Cheers

 

[david_42]

Keeping a hop plant alive can be a real problem down there. A raised bed, heavily mulched to keep the surface roots moist and automatic drip irrigation will help. I've had my hops turned into toast in two days and that's without the temperature going over 105F. One of these summers, I hope to see "normal" weather.

 

[SEANone]

Thanks for the advice

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Yeah the soil sucks.... plus the water is downright terrible (kinda tastes like the soil ). Can't drink the stuff when I go down to visit my parents. Get a reverse osmosis system!

And the heat will be a big factor. If you plan on them surviving through July and August I'd highly recommend lattices and whatnot for light/temperature control. I lived there for a long time and almost every year it would get close to 120*F... your hops would be toast in mere hours.

 

[SEANone]

I'm experimenting with using planters first, which is probably the only option anyways. I have the reverse osmosis system in the house and drip irrigation outside for the plants but what I've come up with is filling 22oz beer bottles with "good water", capping them and then punching a hole in the top of the cap and then shoving the bottle upside down (neck first) into the potting soil in the planters, i'll just refill those once a day-we'll see what happens, hopefully some pictures to share and some good crop to brew up!

 

[david_42]

Don't use any of the local "soil", it's way too alkaline. Potting soil is probably the simplest alternative.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Yeah, I'd go with Fox Farm ocean garden soil. It's the primo stuff and surprisingly cheap. Look for a hydroponics store, there has to be one. They're $12 for 25lbs here

 

[SEANone]

Cool, I'll definitley look for that, there are plenty of hydropnic shops around here, I think I should be able to get them going somewhat decent before the heat kicks in with the current conditions.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

By the way, whereabouts in N. Las Vegas are you? I grew up in the Rancho del Norte development, just south of the Eldorado master-plan community on Craig and MLK. Back before there was anything there

 

[SEANone]

I'm right around the corner, I live in Aliante master planned community

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Oh yeah, that was weird to see pop up after coming back from college to visit. Even weirder a couple years later when Aliante Station came about

 

[SEANone]

You wouldn't believe how cheap the houses are in the area now, just ridiculous!

 

[nosmo]

Bumping this to see what your results were or if you even tried it?

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Good bump! Yeah, I'd like to see how this worked out as well!

 

[SEANone]

I could not keep the dogs out of them  i might try again in april. The tallest one got to about 4'. It was encouraging to see that they could grow even in the dead of summer, I'll definitely give it another go in the spring in a better location out back