Oaky
Well-Known Member
So I got a number of species, from local sources and also from the Internet.
In order of success here are the ones that seem to grow best (for me) in Southeast Michigan. I should provide a caveat that not all have similar exposure and that certain had been started a month prior in dirt containers prior to going into ground.
Tettnanger - the noble bavarian hop is doing great. I have bines that go in excess of 20 feet. They have numerous horizontal shoots - which are now bearing roughly dime sized hairy cones. The cones look like hairy puff balls atm. There are easily 50-100 for each of the two mounds. The horizontal arms start as low as 6 feet but most seem to be happening higher up 10-14 feet and above.
Nuggest and Horizon are second best. they both have 6-7 feet atm - which is nowhere near the Tettnang. The Tettnang were all started in pots 1 month before. The Nuggets werre local and were also transplanted from pots to earth. Horizon came as a rhyzome and is doing better than Cascades, Centenial and Columbus.
So - either the 1 month start in the bucket gave a very strong headstart to Tettnang or Bavaria and Michigan share similar climates making it a good environment for Tettnanger growing.
As far as method, I dug an 18 inch hole, filled it with humus and gravel/sand and some slow fertilizer. I planted plants in mounds of 2. I used bricks all around them and used twine to make them climb to my deck. I put moss all around the hops to retain moisture.
more on this as I get closer to harvest!
(if anyone wants to trade hops rhyzomes in the fall let me know.)
In order of success here are the ones that seem to grow best (for me) in Southeast Michigan. I should provide a caveat that not all have similar exposure and that certain had been started a month prior in dirt containers prior to going into ground.
Tettnanger - the noble bavarian hop is doing great. I have bines that go in excess of 20 feet. They have numerous horizontal shoots - which are now bearing roughly dime sized hairy cones. The cones look like hairy puff balls atm. There are easily 50-100 for each of the two mounds. The horizontal arms start as low as 6 feet but most seem to be happening higher up 10-14 feet and above.
Nuggest and Horizon are second best. they both have 6-7 feet atm - which is nowhere near the Tettnang. The Tettnang were all started in pots 1 month before. The Nuggets werre local and were also transplanted from pots to earth. Horizon came as a rhyzome and is doing better than Cascades, Centenial and Columbus.
So - either the 1 month start in the bucket gave a very strong headstart to Tettnang or Bavaria and Michigan share similar climates making it a good environment for Tettnanger growing.
As far as method, I dug an 18 inch hole, filled it with humus and gravel/sand and some slow fertilizer. I planted plants in mounds of 2. I used bricks all around them and used twine to make them climb to my deck. I put moss all around the hops to retain moisture.
more on this as I get closer to harvest!
(if anyone wants to trade hops rhyzomes in the fall let me know.)