Hops Soil and Watering

[winstonofbeer]

Today was a good day!!
Bought 4 10ft poles today and some wire and got everything ready for my hops that should be on there way.

I am planing to put my hops into buckets...10gal size, So i didnt have to worry about them when i rotto-till the garden and hit rhizomes and spread them all over.

So, I was planning to fill these 10 gal buckets with holes drilled in bottom so they can drain, With 1/2 of my current garden soil and the other half full of store bought soil.

Reason for this, From what i have learned...if i am not mistaken.. That the rhizomes spread outward not tap root like.

So bottom half of the bucket doesnt need to be high quality soil...Top half i want the best for my new hops.


SO, What is the best soil to buy?
Miracle-Gro has like potting soil, moisture control, garden soil, garden soil for veggies also with and without fertilizer.

Do hops ever need to be fertilized?
If i am using the miracle grow tomato and veggie liquid fertilizer already for the tomato's and peppers...Other than not making them organic...Will it hurt them? With tomato's and peppers you can fertilize them like mad and they just grow...

Sorry lot of questions...But kinda excited to get them in the ground.

Also, I know not to flood them...But how much water do they need?
For my tomato's and potato's i give them a really good soak in the morning so when it hits 75-110 they wont dry out.

Would this hurt or be fine?

Thanks Again

 

[pilotdane]

I grow mine in 75% composted cow maneure, 25% my native crappy soil. The bines did very well with the very organic soil. I started one Cascade in a pot and it did very well on the normal Miracle Grow brand potting soil and it would go several days between waterings.

Despite everyone saying how often hops need watering I stunted my bines early last season with too much water. My hops soil has so much organic matter that they can easily go a week without wattering during our mid-upper 90's summer days. Once I resorted to the old "stick your finger in the dirt" test the bines really took off.

 

[SOB]

From what i have learned...if i am not mistaken.. That the rhizomes spread outward not tap root like.

So bottom half of the bucket doesnt need to be high quality soil...Top half i want the best for my new hops.

I would have to disagree. I think theoretically when they are in the ground they tend to stay towards the surface more but in a bucket (10gal is small too) the roots are going to grow wherever they can. They will also grow out the bottom holes as they grow down there and will eventually grow into the ground. My first years last year grew well into the ground and I had a 25 gal bucket.

 

[Randar]

They put down tap roots but the runners stay within a foot or 2 of the soil surface. This is how rhizome barriers for things like bamboo and hops work, by allowing downward growth but blocks lateral reproductive runners from migrating.

 

[pilotdane]

I forgot to mention that the Cascade I started in a pot with 16-18" deep soil had several large roots growing out the bottom of the pot and into the ground by the end of the season. After seeing that I knew why it was doing so well. Prior to that I did not know how the pot could contain enough roots to support so much top growth.

 

[winstonofbeer]

Thanks for your help

I cant wait to get the hops going.
Haven't been this excited about gardening in a long time.

Once i get them, how deep do i need to plant them?

 

[SOB]

Place the rhizomes about 3-4" under the soil. If there are any shoots showing when you get them (white buds or stems) try and plant those so they are pointing up. If there is nothing showing put the rhizomes in horizontally. Good luck!

 

[jgoette]

Once I resorted to the old "stick your finger in the dirt" test the bines really took off.

sorry to resurrect this thread, but can anyone elaborate on the "stick your finger in the dirt" test?

should my finger be completely dry up to my 2nd knuckle like some sites say?

i def. don't want to over water my hops... they just broke ground the other day!