Oh why oh why did I have to find this.... (hops for sale year round)

[_JP_]

http://stores.ebay.com/Great-Lakes-Hops

Looks like they're propagating by rooting cuttings; which is OK, as long as they survive shipping.

Now to decide which ones I can make room for......

I'm envisioning pots of these overwintering in my kitchen so they'll have a good root structure for spring planting, which would also give me all winter to prepare the bed outside. That should make the wife real happy.

Someone talk me out of this - it might save my marriage.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Overwintering inside not necessary..........

Wait til march or so and order and plant out.

Overwintering inside only causes the little cutting to send out delicate shoots that WILL break off upon transplanting and waste a BUNCH of energy, lessening the chance of survival.

 

[_JP_]

Overwintering inside not necessary..........

Wait til march or so and order and oplant.

Doesn't underground growth continue during the cooler months? That's why it's recommend to transplant trees during the fall/winter, so the root structure has time to develop for the growing season.

Seems like overwintering (especially indoors) would allow a good root structure to develop, and would do better in the spring than a single rhizome with no root structure. Am I wrong?

 

[ptra1004]

http://stores.ebay.com/Great-Lakes-Hops



Someone talk me out of this - it might save my marriage.

I think we all know we aren't going to do that Good luck brother, and thanks for helping me ruin my marriage!

 

[cheezydemon3]

How cool is it in your kitchen?

45F?

Didn't think so. It will think it is spring and go into full swing.

do you overwinter trees in your house?

 

[_JP_]

How cool is it in your kitchen?

45F?

Didn't think so. It will think it is spring and go into full swing.

Length of daylight (along w/ temp) triggers dormancy. These would live by a window over the winter.

do you overwinter trees in your house?

No, but I do bring tropical ones in my garage for winter, where it rarely gets below 40°F. Avocado, "elephant ears", etc. If I had some citrus I'd do the same.



Sounds like you've done this before and it's a bad idea. Maybe I'll just wait for spring. Plus, this guy says I'd get inconsistent results:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Grow-Hops/message/368

 

[cheezydemon3]

Yeah, buried hops don't see the light. They sense temps over 50 consistently and send up shoots. Then you need artificial lights and the shoots end up breaking off and sucking off precious energy for no return.

I admire your enthusiasm!

Even in my cool basement in the dark, they sprout like crazy.

Refrigerate until planting.

 

[bottlebomber]

Pack them in moist wood shavings and throw them in the vegetable drawer in the refrigerator. It works for forcing bulbs...

 

[Jagdad]

Guys - it doesn't matter when you order cause the plants are growing as you speak - they just keep getting beefier. Fall planting does typically give you a head start. I don't advocate trying to keep a hop inside over the winter - they do better in our greenhouses. Check out my gallery pics and thanks for the mention

 

[_JP_]

So maybe the best way to use these now would be to set them outside, in the ground, and when the bines die back, maybe cover with mulch for the winter?

Our winters down here are fairly mild, there are only a few days where it doesn't get above freezing. (Not like Western Michigan - my parents are from Baroda and Stevensville, just south of you guys)

 

[Jagdad]

JP - you've got the idea right!
I have plants available year-around because southern states can plant them year around and we can export to other countries. I am a commercial grower of certified stock and this ebay thing is a type of marketing test that helps me determine if there is enough demand at the retail level to pursue. If things stay on track, I will be doing a full blown retail rollout in the spring. Marketing is talking with HBT now.
Anyway- fall planting works well where plants have 4-6 weeks to acclimate before the ground freezes. Soil temps are warm, moisture levels more consistent, and pest levels are low - all good things. The plant has time to form a "crown"; which is a ring of dormant buds just below the soil surface. Spring planted rhizomes don't have a chance to form these- hence, no cones the first year is typical. Hop plants on the other hand, will typically throw cones the first season because they don't have to re-build the whole plant structure like a rhizome. Hope this helps explain the some of the differences between rhizomes and plants. Don't be thrown off by those who say plants propagated from above ground stems are inferior to plants propagated from underground stems - cause that's BS and should be kept for fertilizer.