If you don't plant a Cascade you're crazy

[B-Hoppy]

i found some info. for the CTZ folks out there:
http://www.hopsteiner.com/history11.htm
at the bottom of the page you'll find an explanation that zeus is genetically different than columbus/tomahawk.

 

[JMass]

Can't recommend:

Hallertau: Maybe it's my placement but it's never seemed that interested in growing over two seasons.

We've recently moved and all of the plants except the Sterling(my "interested" boss grows it for me) will be coming with hopefully this fall or next spring so growing conditions will change dramatically despite only moving 10 minutes away.

If a new grower were to ask what I'd recommend for our area I'd pick CTZ(Zues in my case), Sterling, Cascade, and Centennial in that order. But a different yard with different soil conditions could change my order.

I grow Hallertau - I don't think I get a whole lot but I don't need a whole lot. Most recipes that use Hallertau only use small amounts.

 

[HokieBrewer]

So how much hops do these plants actually produce? Do they produce cones in the first year or is it something you have to wait a few years for?

 

[Randar]

i found some info. for the CTZ folks out there:
http://www.hopsteiner.com/history11.htm
at the bottom of the page you'll find an explanation that zeus is genetically different than columbus/tomahawk.

Not that this person isn't reliable, but it is just one website. So be careful what you chose to believe.

Here is a thread:
http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=75988

Columbus and Tomahawk are certainly identical, nobody disputes that. However, I have seen many mentions that the lawsuit over the strain revealed identical genetics and any difference in characteristics were simply based on the different growing conditions of the growers.

 

[svengoat]

So how much hops do these plants actually produce? Do they produce cones in the first year or is it something you have to wait a few years for?

I got several ounces from each of my plants first year (one bine each) wet.. This year there's no telling, I have 6 bines all over 8 foot and side growth already Most folks don't get first year cones, the hop puts most of it's energy into root development..

 

[uechikid]

I got several ounces from each of my plants first year (one bine each) wet.. This year there's no telling, I have 6 bines all over 8 foot and side growth already Most folks don't get first year cones, the hop puts most of it's energy into root development..

I also got a couple ounces from each plant. I got a late start last year and the plants are looking good early this year. I hoping for about a pound each.

 

[mithion]

I grow Hallertau - I don't think I get a whole lot but I don't need a whole lot. Most recipes that use Hallertau only use small amounts.

I think it's pretty funny. The first year I planted hops, I planted a cascade, a willamette and two hallertau rhizomes. The hallertau were the only ones to survive. I was surprised that the delicate noble hop strain trumped the other two varieties. I planted them late so last year I only got maybe 5 or 10 cones per plant. I'm hopping for a bit more this year.

 

[Randar]

I got several ounces from each of my plants first year (one bine each) wet.. This year there's no telling, I have 6 bines all over 8 foot and side growth already Most folks don't get first year cones, the hop puts most of it's energy into root development..

I'll be taking some wet and dry weights this year for the first time. I think I am going to have drowning quantities this year with 14 crowns. Bines are pushing 10 ft and have grown 4 ft in the last week.

 

[svengoat]

As a proud papa I used to take weekly measurements , but with the 2nd year spurts I'm seeing there's no way I can hold off for that long .. And I was toying with counting the flowers.... No way my GF would let me hang out on a ladder all day doing that..

 

[cuinrearview]

I grow Hallertau - I don't think I get a whole lot but I don't need a whole lot. Most recipes that use Hallertau only use small amounts.

Agreed. I just feel that for the purpose of this forum(mostly new growers with questions) I can't recommend this variety. I'd love to have it produce like my other plants. And maybe at the new house it will. And maybe in MI it won't. I've had the plant for two seasons now and for how healthy the leaves and bines look it just doesn't grow very tall or produce many cones. Here's to year three

 

[cuinrearview]

i found some info. for the CTZ folks out there:
http://www.hopsteiner.com/history11.htm
at the bottom of the page you'll find an explanation that zeus is genetically different than columbus/tomahawk.

At this point I'm sold on this variety. It kicked a$$ last year and the IPA I used the oz. and a half I had to bitter turned out amazing. It's a keeper in my yard, male flowers and aphids aside.

 

[schreck]

< 2 weeks in containers. (taken tuesday.. willamette has grown quite a bit in the 2 days since, and the others are following suit.)

great spot with 8+ hours of sun, unfortunately i cant put up a permanent trellis or plant them in the ground in this spot (gonna be putting the house on the market soon). I am scrounging around for larger planters to transfer them to. The trellis set up will be similar to the BYO method, using a ~10 ft stake of wood and an adjustable length of twine, i will lower the bine as it reaches the top. If i can find wooden planters/make my own from shipping pallets/aquire some half barrel planters i will drill the wooden stake to the planter (otherwise those will sit in-ground).

i have some rubbermaid bins, but i am currently holding out for planters similar to the plastic, faux terracotta ones pictured above. go easy on my old fermentation buckets... used them once before i got some much nicer ones from the Sam's Club bakery!

p.s. quality is pretty poor on these pics.. seems that my camera is always running out of batteries when im trying to take some pics for hbt!

 

[Randar]

It's a keeper in my yard, male flowers and aphids aside.

If you have male flowers, then you have no cones on that plant. Not sure what you saw, but I hope it wasn't male flowers.

 

[JMass]

go easy on my old fermentation buckets... used them once before i got some much nicer ones from the Sam's Club bakery!

No way, I think that square fermentation is cool and very British.

 

[cuinrearview]

If you have male flowers, then you have no cones on that plant. Not sure what you saw, but I hope it wasn't male flowers.

Nah, I have a couple plants that throw a handful of male flowers in amongst the cones every year. It's a bit of a nuisance pulling them as they appear but I haven't had a seeded cone yet.

 

[Randar]

I've never seen hermaphrodite hop plants before (I know it happens in cannabis). Did not know it was even possible. Are you certain that's what you're seeing?

 

[friday]

I've never seen hermaphrodite hop plants before (I know it happens in cannabis). Did not know it was even possible. Are you certain that's what you're seeing?

It happens with cascades occasionally. I haven't had it happen but from what I can gather the male flowers are sterile.

 

[B-Hoppy]

there is a chance for many to produce some male bloom but certain varieties (zeus SERIOUS, brewers gold/bullion somewhat serious, and cascade occasionally) have shown that they can go both ways in my gardens.

 

[CaliBrewin]

this is my first year and i planted 3 rhizomes (kent goldings, centennial, cascade). after 3 weeks i have 2 ~1in bines on both centennial and kent goldings. still nothing from the cascade. after what i read on the forums i was expecting the goldings to be a late bloomer and the cascade to leave the other two plants in the dust. centennial is kicking butt though. i find it to be a strange situation..

 

[schreck]

Cascade finally broke soil about 2 days ago.. roughly 2" now. No longer worried... itl take off running in no time - if this crazy NY weather ever picks up (we have a cold front that moved in, in addition to pretty strong winds!)

 

[Pick]

I've got 6 Cascade growing. All planted at the same time. Best plant is at 3' and worst is at about 8". All are climbing the string, now.

 

[HalfPint]

I bought two cascade rhizomes for my first hop growing experience this year, and HopsDirect.com sent me three! So from the beginning, things were looking good. I planted them in a couple of half wine barrels with manure/potting soil mix about a month ago. Each rhizome has about 4-5 sprouts and range from 4-5 feet. They are growing up some nylon mason twine that I hung on the fence. Yesterday alone, one of the bines grew around 3".