My Hops Garden Project

[tchuklobrau]

Man Hoppy gotta contradict on thing Its not all about them doing strange things to get a drink. Again only going by what i did 2day. I moved 11 original plants today with moving the crowns and plantinfg rhizomes and storing some for my buddy I have 50 awesome rhizomes. Soil composition has the most to do with it(and yes they want a drink as they move through the soil). where my beer garden was there where many variables. 1. silty soil. 2. solid cement wall(similar to house foundation. 3.black plastic to block weed growth from under the pea gravel i placed down. 4. silty/gravely soil.
where roots hit the wall they started doing what gridlock showed(no actual shoots from the roots yet but they were facing up.
in silt they went much further from the crown than in the gravely soil.
and where the plastic lay on the ground with peagrave on it i have roots and rhizomes 5-10 foot from the crown. so ease of growth has alot to do with it as well. sorry for being a windbag.

 

[B-Hoppy]

t,
I'm with you on the soil types but there are so many variables when it comes to growing plants that it's hard to cover all in this type of forum. My main point was the difference of planting them 'up and down' as opposed to 'sideways'. Sure, the looser the soil type, the easier it is for them to spread. But, just trying to get the point across that it's easier to control that lateral spread by planting them vertically. Hop on! I've been doing this for a while and just wanted to share some of my mistakes so maybe some of the newer growers won't have to live through the problems I went through. Just to let you know, I got my first roots from a wild plant I found growing up around Spencerport back in '85. It's all good - Grow,Grow,Grow!

 

[Gridlocked]

I like this discussion! Oddly enough, these shoots came up on the patio-paver side of the main plant (away from the house) rather than being pushed up by the house. They were all between 8"-12" from the bricks. It seems to me that they just popped upward on their own accord, they were not forced up by some kind of structure. But, now that I look at the picture, I suppose the plant could have hit the block a foot below the surface and sent the shoot up and backward, away from the bricks. When I found the first one, I thought it was from a different plant. I exposed more and more of the root and it was the same color ad the rest of the root structure. The strange thing is that in all three cases, the shoots had grown more than the main crown. This was new, un-packed soil last year and all three plants in this area sent up these things. They're all about the same size. The two plants that I have out in the "normal" yard to grow up the fence didn't have anything like this.

What amazes me is that I put a stick in the ground last year about the size of a pencil or Sharpie and now the root structure is amazingly huge. There are roots the size of my thumb or bigger. With that in mind, here's a question for you guys. I couldn't find any good size rhizomes on my Chinook that was planted by the fence. I found some tiny ones that had some shoots heading toward the sky. I cut out two sections that were about 10" long and planted those in pots last night. I was as careful as I could be not to disturb the hair-like root structure. They were MAYBE 1/8" thick, and from what I've read, the thicker the rhizome, the more energy it's stored up to start growing. Do you guys think that these little guys have a chance?

Below: Green "x" marks where the main crown is, red "x" marks about where I pulled the shoots that I pictured earlier.

In your opinions, do you think that the finger-size roots that I found growing horizontally, 4-5" below the surface were rhizomes? I realize you can't see them, I should have taken a picture. I didn't see any nubs or anything that looked like it would send anything up skyward. Will the roots grow down and the rhizomes grow horizontally?

 

[B-Hoppy]

Ted,

Like I said before, if there is a bud on it, it is possible to regenerate a new plant. I've tossed small bits of rhizomes out in the yard while performing my yearly pruning and came back a week or so later to see them beginning to grow. Some varieties like Mt. Hood, Hallertau, Tett., Fuggle tend to have big fat rhizomes every spring. Chinook, Centennial and my most vigorous variety, Canadian Redvine tend to have smaller rhizomes (like a #2 pencil). Sure, there are some big goonies you'll find, but the majority are usually of a certain size. What you saw when you went to dig up your year old 'sticks' should give you an indication of how efficient these things are at converting light energy into food energy stored in the crown.

Once you have a few years of digging them, you'll be more familiar with the difference between the rhizomes and roots. If you aren't sure, clean it off with some water and look very closely at the structure and lightly run your fingers along the side. About every 4-6 inches you'll feel (if you can't see them) some little 'bumps'. Look with a magnifying glass if you want. Some times the buds are much less developed that others and are very hard to see. The size of the rhizome does give you indication of the amount of stored energy, but these things have a way of surprising you. If you are uncertain, you can stick them in a pot and within a couple weeks you can see if anything has developed. If so, stick them in the ground. Keep playing around and have fun. It takes time.

 

[Gridlocked]

Cool. I really wanted to get Paul a Chinook for his garden this year and I just wasn't sure due to their puny size. I really enjoyed getting outside last night to get my hands dirty and I brew quite a bit and am really looking forward to the harvests so I didn't want to poke around too much even though I know that these things are nearly indestructible. I just about got two harvests out of them last year and that was their first season. I hope that these plants force me to get a dedicated hop freezer this year.

 

[rollinred]

To answer you question about those two Chinook's you took out. I can almost promise one of them will take root but I would not be surprised if both do.

If you want to greater your chances you could always go buy a rooting agent when doing this. I used a rooting agent on a couple shoots last year that took off almost immediately. I didn't save them because I have like 20 experiments going from a bunch of different cuttings.

I plan on taking pictures of my rhizome harvest when my first shoots start coming up this year. The only think I am unsure of is how long I should wait to dig them up.

Maybe I will hijack your thread and put some posts of growing cuttings and rhizome harvesting.

Hopefully my pictures from the rhizome harvest will give you an idea for what method I am talking about. I also plan to use the pot layering method to show.

 

[Gridlocked]

Since I already planted them, can I sill add the rooting agent to help? If so, how does that work?

I think that a rhizome harvest thread with pictures - or a YouTube video would be awesome! It's amazing to me that if a video does exist about rhizomes, it's nearly impossible to find. I'm much more a visual person and I think that the whole deal is fairly visual as well. I look forward to the pics!

 

[rollinred]

Since I already planted them, can I sill add the rooting agent to help? If so, how does that work?

I think that a rhizome harvest thread with pictures - or a YouTube video would be awesome! It's amazing to me that if a video does exist about rhizomes, it's nearly impossible to find. I'm much more a visual person and I think that the whole deal is fairly visual as well. I look forward to the pics!

I will make one in a week or so when I dig them up. I will let you know when it is there.

The rooting agent I used is a cream like substance. You take any cutting and just dip it in there and put it in a planter. Then transplant when it grows.

I would just ask your local market if they sell any rooting agent that you mix with the plants water so that you don't have to dig it up. They will know more about chemicals than I do. But I do highly recommend rooting agent to get these roots boosted quickly.

 

[Gridlocked]

nice, I'll see if the local gardening store is open on the way home.
Yes, let me know when it's made!

 

[Gridlocked]

I planted crab grass so I removed the pic.

 

[jangelj]

Not to be a scab, but if anyone has an extra rhizome that they'd be willing to send to me, I'd love to try my hand at growing some hops. Any variety that is somewhat heat tolerant (I live in N. Florida) would be great.

I'll paypal $$ for shipping or whatever, and next year I promise to pay it forward when I can dig up some rhizomes of my own for someone else who needs it.

If no one can help, that's fine. I'll just add a rhizome next time I place an order online, I just don't need anything else right now so don't plan on any orders anytime soon.

 

[rollinred]

Not to be a scab, but if anyone has an extra rhizome that they'd be willing to send to me, I'd love to try my hand at growing some hops. Any variety that is somewhat heat tolerant (I live in N. Florida) would be great.

I'll paypal $$ for shipping or whatever, and next year I promise to pay it forward when I can dig up some rhizomes of my own for someone else who needs it.

If no one can help, that's fine. I'll just add a rhizome next time I place an order online, I just don't need anything else right now so don't plan on any orders anytime soon.

I should be getting a bunch of centennial rhizomes but that is not a promise. Most of them were going to be thrown out so if I do have an extra I will let you know.

Problem is that I won't be digging them up for a little bit yet. At least another week, maybe more.

 

[unfnole23]

I am also in N. Florida, what strains of hops would be the best to plant down here?

 

[jangelj]

nole, i don't know, but I came across a site awhile ago that listed heat-resistant varieties. I'll try to find it again this weekend and post back. I don't have much vertical space to grow, but I do have a long wooden fence to grow horizontal. Not sure if that will work.

Roolinred, thanks for the offer. I have no idea if centenial will grow down here, but I'll give it a shot. Let me know if/when you dig them up and we'll make a deal.

Thanks!

 

[Gridlocked]

2011 work:
2' x 2' x 12" tall boxes built and dug in around my 4 plants (One Magnum Rhizome added to the garden

And a 2' x 6' x 17" tall planter constructed and set in place. I still need to level it, fill it with dirt and figure out how I'm going to trellis or run rope toward the sky.

 

[kbuzz]

are you doing this to contain them? Is 2x2 enough space?

 

[Paulasaurus]

Looks really good Ted. Those boxes should contain them for at least a couple years

Not so sure about your choice of tools though.

 

[Gridlocked]

are you doing this to contain them? Is 2x2 enough space?

Yep, I don't want them taking over my garden. Yeah, I think 2x2 boxes should be enough. If not, I can make them a bit bigger next year or whatever.

Looks really good Ted.
Those boxes should contain them for at least a couple years
Not so sure about your choice of tools though.

I got that at my LHBS as a rhizome harvesting tool. It was expensive!

 

[jangelj]

Props to Gridlocked for sending me a cascade rhizome. It's in the ground and I am excited to see how it does this summer.

 

[Jaysus]

this thread is great! I love the new avatar photo too!!

 

[rollinred]

Here is the video of digging rhizomes.

Please keep in mind this is my first video and it likely is everything you already know. Quality is bad and it is boring. But be honest about what I need to work on to improve on my upcoming propagation videos.

 

[Gridlocked]

Man, I think that video was great! I was expecting a grainy, terrible sounding action-scene but it looked great to me! That is awesome. Great job!

 

[Paulasaurus]

Man, I think that video was great! I was expecting a grainy, terrible sounding action-scene but it looked great to me! That is awesome. Great job!

I'd have to agree! After watching the video I ran out and starting ripping out rhizomes left and right! There were a lot in there and the box was getting very crowed so good thing I cleaned it out a little.

Thanks for putting the video together.

 

[Gridlocked]

I leveled the new raised bed tonight and it's time to get the dirt to fill it. I have seven rhizomes planted in buckets and pots in the basement and as soon as I have places for them, out they'll go. New additions this year: Zeus, Fuggle, Two Nuggett, Tennang and Willamette (and another Chinook). No pics today of the Cascade and Chinook on the fence.

Far end Cascade:

The Centennial that grew to a towering height of 3' last year:

The new Magnum:

And the near end Cascade:

 

[Paulasaurus]

I don't know, those look a bit photoshopped to me

 

[Gridlocked]

HA! I posted them because you asked for updated pics! I need to get my tail-end in gear and get rope, hooks and pulleys. I'm running four ropes per plant this year to see what happens.

 

[Paulasaurus]

I'll have to get pictures of mine up soon here. They grow up so fast, sniff sniff.

 

[Gridlocked]

I ran rope this year which is a significant improvement over the kite string that I used in 2010.

I have four ropes for the two Cascades on the ends, and 3 ropes for the other two.

The Centennial on the fence:

The Chinook on the fence:

And the seven plants I have started in the basement:

 

[Paulasaurus]

That looks great Ted! Hopefully all the hop weight doesn't pull your roof off!

Itching to get my new trellis up as i've got some bines wanting to climb something in the worst way as well.

 

[NuclearRich]

Far end Cascade:

That is quite a cluster! Do you trim any of that mess at all?