Moved into a new house last spring, and on the list was finding a suitable location for a hops garden. Didn't get anything in for last season, but I scouted a plot that has 7-8 hrs sun where I had room to grow up.
The first week of September 2014 I ordered 8 year-old plants from Great Lakes Hops. 4 Columbus, and 4 Horizon. Horizon is a Hybrid of Brewers Gold and Zattler that is somehow related to Nugget. I don't have much experience brewing with it, but I choose it for a few reasons: With 11-14% alpha, 6.5-8.5% beta, and very low cohumulones it seems like a powerhouse hop! It is said to have done well at the Great Lakes development plot in Michigan, (and I'm in Minnesota) and it is supposed to do well with more acidic soil, which I have.
I made a 6x12 foot box and tilled up the very sandy soil with a bunch of black dirt and compost. The plants were in the ground and watered for maybe 3 weeks before the first hard freeze shriveled them asleep. I covered them with leaf mulch and forgot about it for the winter.
The first week of September 2014 I ordered 8 year-old plants from Great Lakes Hops. 4 Columbus, and 4 Horizon. Horizon is a Hybrid of Brewers Gold and Zattler that is somehow related to Nugget. I don't have much experience brewing with it, but I choose it for a few reasons: With 11-14% alpha, 6.5-8.5% beta, and very low cohumulones it seems like a powerhouse hop! It is said to have done well at the Great Lakes development plot in Michigan, (and I'm in Minnesota) and it is supposed to do well with more acidic soil, which I have.
I made a 6x12 foot box and tilled up the very sandy soil with a bunch of black dirt and compost. The plants were in the ground and watered for maybe 3 weeks before the first hard freeze shriveled them asleep. I covered them with leaf mulch and forgot about it for the winter.