New 100 Rhizome hop farm

[RoughandReadyRanch]

Like Dan from Pleasant Valley said, with new rhizomes you don't want them to be too wet until they are more mature. The rhizome cutting will rot. If you have multiple that haven't come up yet I would suggest checking one to see if there is any growth and if the rhizome is "soggy". Hops really don't need a lot of water until they are established. If it is soggy it most likely is done.

If I were to start hops in desert conditions, I would start them in pots prior to planting and keep them slightly mosit and with a tarp strung a few feet over the pots until they push ground. That way you can regulate the mositure content.

Sounds logical. Not really in the desert though. Just hot this week. California as a whole is pretty dry right now. I just watch Air Attack fight a fire from my home yesterday which had a bit of a pucker effect if you know what I mean. I am definitely not over watering as the ground is pretty dry and I am trying to simply keep it moist. I am already committed and it has only been a week in the ground so I am not so sure that I should expect to much at this point. If I don't see anything after two weeks I will really start panicking and may did a bit to see what is going on but for now it is simply water and wait.

 

[PleasantValleyHops]

Sounds logical. Not really in the desert though. Just hot this week. California as a whole is pretty dry right now. I just watch Air Attack fight a fire from my home yesterday which had a bit of a pucker effect if you know what I mean. I am definitely not over watering as the ground is pretty dry and I am trying to simply keep it moist. I am already committed and it has only been a week in the ground so I am not so sure that I should expect to much at this point. If I don't see anything after two weeks I will really start panicking and may did a bit to see what is going on but for now it is simply water and wait.

Yea a week in the ground i wouldnt be worried "yet". Our additions this year we saw growth at a week and then over the following week or two we had growth everywhere. Ended up this year with 99% growth out of 400 rhizomes so liking this year for new guys. Keep an eye on them and id say we can give this thread back to basementbrewbrad whos doing pretty well for first year grower!

 

[basementbrewbrad]

Was going to post new pictures today but we are supposed to get between 2 and 3 inches of rain today. Hopefully this massive amount of watter doesn't bother them

 

[basementbrewbrad]

Got some pictures... Sidearms forming everywhere on the cascades. Cascades, columbus, and centennial, showing signs of the start of cones. The columbus have finally started to make up some ground with a few plants around 7 feet tall. The Willamette and Cascade plants are huge... almost all of them are near the top. The largest of the Willamette plants is climbing on its extension now. The centennials are starting to go nuts; each plant has 5 or more bines and are getting quite bushy. I think these boys are going to produce quite well for first year plants, minus the columbus. We have very high hopes for the cascades... they are the ones with burrs and sidearms in the pictures.

Its looking good

cascade

Cascade

Cascade

Big Willamette

Columbus

Columbus

 

[basementbrewbrad]

Anyone know what could cause this? My guess would be a nutrient deficiency or downy mildew.. Please help

 

[basementbrewbrad]

In other news the plants that don't have any infection are huge. Cascades have 3 plus foot sidearms that you can see in the pics. Only about 4 plants are the off color so I want to get it taken care of before it happens to more

 

[basementbrewbrad]

Think the off color was just caused by the massive amount of rain in the last several days. It got better as the day went on.

 

[basementbrewbrad]

I will take some pictures when I am out today. There are cones all over a good portion of the plants

 

[basementbrewbrad]

 

[basementbrewbrad]

Pics today

 

[RoughandReadyRanch]

Now you're just rubbing it in! I have 24 up and the tallest one is maybe 3/4'! They look pretty sweet though

 

[basementbrewbrad]

Now you're just rubbing it in! I have 24 up and the tallest one is maybe 3/4'! They look pretty sweet though

They are really doing well and I am pretty sure we will have a decent harvest... Especially for a first year

 

[basementbrewbrad]

Pic of my month old nephew chillin out in the hopyard. Notice how tall the mutant merigolds are! The hops are not the only plant enjoying all the fertilizer and compost rich soil.






On a side note some plants will have cones ready To be harvested this week.

 

[Weezy]

It looks like he's devising a recipe in his head and counting on his fingers!

awesome project and good luck.

 

[+HopSpunge+]

Cool. He is like "what shall I do with all these hops" devising a master plan.....

 

[basementbrewbrad]

Some huge cones forming on these guys

 

[nextgenxx]

Love all your hops growing!! But what is your drying setup consist of? I hope it's more than just screens and the sunshine!

 

[basementbrewbrad]

Screens, fans, and a dehumidifier in a temp controlled area.

 

[PleasantValleyHops]

Love all your hops growing!! But what is your drying setup consist of? I hope it's more than just screens and the sunshine!

No sunshine!! U actually want to get them out of the sun as quickly as possible once picked. U know skunky beer. Well that comes from hops. If u leave hops in the sun they wilt just like lettuce!!!


And everything looks great here man. U should be very happy with your first year results!

 

[basementbrewbrad]

Yep no sunshine. Our spare garage will turn into our drying room

 

[basementbrewbrad]

 

[basementbrewbrad]

More pics... Harvested a little but most are not quite ready

 

[biggben]

Wow, that looks amazing! How much did it cost to make the trellising system that you have there? I am going to definitely do something similar.

 

[funnycreature]

This is so awesome! I must have done something wrong since I only get tiny cones and not many of them. But I also don't have full sun, only until about 4pm. I should be fertilizing more too I guess. Anyway, that looks really good!

 

[basementbrewbrad]

Wow, that looks amazing! How much did it cost to make the trellising system that you have there? I am going to definitely do something similar.

The cost is listed somewhere on this thread I forget off the top of my head. Glad you guys appreciate it. There are a few people on this forum that don't appreciate it but we are all entitled to our own opinions.

 

[basementbrewbrad]

Looper to answer your question the lumber, bolts, screws were $1737.00.

Here is the cost in total

 

[basementbrewbrad]

 

[PariahVineyard]

Man, I am amazed at how good these look for first year plants from rhizomes. Keep up the good work.

 

[basementbrewbrad]

Man, I am amazed at how good these look for first year plants from rhizomes. Keep up the good work.

Thanks... We are pretty amazed as well. I can't imagine what they will look like in 2years

 

[Sheldon]

They look really healthy. Are first year hops really good enough to brew with?