Late season planting, advice requested.

[SaltPig]

So I have been growing a pair of hops for a few years, but forgot to label them so I only know that one is centennial and one is cascade.

Now that I am brewing, I want to make a more serious effort at this hop growing malarkey. I ordered 5 full plants from Great Lakes Hops (Cascade, Centennial, Nugget, Chinook, Northern Brewer). I also just built this:

The idea is that the hops will provide privacy in the summer, yield a modest crop for brewing, and make my patio feel like a beer garden.
That bed is 12' x 4' and the trellis is about 12' tall. Will that bed be big enough to support 5 plants or should I find another place to plant a few? I was also thinking of running twine from the bed to the top spindles.

Any advice before I plant tomorrow?

 

[dmtaylor]

Not big enough, not tall enough. What you have built will support about 2 plants, maybe 3 if you don't mind them getting mixed up, and they'll wish they could climb twice as high. It will still work but they'll be super bushy.

My only other advice is water water water. Don't drown the hops obviously, but let them take a good drink at least 2-3 times per week (if it doesn't rain much).

Don't expect much growth this year. Next year you'll have a monster crop.

 

[B-Hoppy]

Different varieties you should plant at least 6 feet apart as I've seen vigorous varieties grow rhizomes at least 3 feet in one season if you're concerned about underground growth (thinking two plants for that space and you should have great coverage by the end of next year). Generally, their plants perform pretty well so you should have a solid root system built up for next year by the time they die back this fall. This season, I would definitely let them dry out a good bit between waterings. The time they need tons of water is once they're established and growing a foot a day, yes ~ at that point they may require a gallon (or more) a day. Hoppy planting!

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Agreed, not enough room for 5 plants, but a great looking trellis. I have some paired that are similar, like fuggle and wilamette if the bines tangle at the top and the cones cannot be sorted if they look similar they can still be used, or so I think.

 

[brewcat]

The height is fine for home growing. You'll get some yield, just less. Your current spacing is adequate for two plants. I'd personally want them the same variety because it is compact. Then when the bines grow past the trellis a few feet and tangle up you'll still know what variety you are harvesting.

You'll want something stronger than twine. I use 3/8'' sisal rope.