Planting Developed Plants in the Ground - Need Advice

[NothingRhymesWithCurtiss]

My wife bought me 2 developed Cascade plants from a local garden shop for Father's Day and I'll be planting them in a garden bed alongside our garage in a few days.

My plan is to space them about 3 feet apart and put tomato cages around them, running 3 - 4 lines per plant of twine/rope from the cages to the eaves of the garage (about 10' at the lowest point).

In addition, I was planning on planting some tomatoes in the same bed about 5 feet away from the hops.

My questions:

1. Should I skip the tomato cage for the hops and anchor some eye hooks in a board at the base of the hops? I know this is the preferred method, but I have some cages already, and I'm trying to save a few bucks.
   
2. What is the best method for "untangling" the hop bines? You can't really tell from the photo, but the 2 plants have started growing together.
   
3. Is there anything wrong with planting hops next to vegetables, so long as care is taken to ensure the hops don't encroach on the vegetables?

Any and all advice is appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[jakeasaur]

1. Yes or at least that's what I would do

2. Slowly and patiently

3. I've grown tomatoes approximately 5 feet from my hops for years with out issue. Just make sure to fertilize well and keep the hops off the tomato cages

 

[sfish]

you only want 3 or 4 bines on these first year so you may look to trim off the tangled ones.

 

[NothingRhymesWithCurtiss]

you only want 3 or 4 bines on these first year so you may look to trim off the tangled ones.

Thanks. Should I untangle first to determine how many bines I actually have, rather than just start snipping away?

 

[brewcat]

you only want 3 or 4 bines on these first year so you may look to trim off the tangled ones.

No. First and even second year you let grow. Third year, when the plant is established, you start picking out the best bines.

Personally on the first question. I would keep the tomato cages around the hops but stake the rope in between. Then train up the rope.

 

[NothingRhymesWithCurtiss]

Personally on the first question. I would keep the tomato cages around the hops but stake the rope in between. Then train up the rope.

So should I run the bines out of the top of the cages, and still stick with 3 - 4 lines per plant? Or can bines share a line/rope?

 

[GVH_Dan]

1. the easiest is to just drop a piece of twine down from the eaves and forget the tomato cages all together. That said, the cages won't hurt anything.

2. No best way. If you want, train them all and then cut the thinnest ones back down by the crown. They'll just die in place.

3. No problem with other veggies as long as there is enough fertlizer to feed all. Just make sure you aren't giving much after June 21st or you'll get "angel wings" from excessive vegetative growth.

 

[brewcat]

So should I run the bines out of the top of the cages, and still stick with 3 - 4 lines per plant? Or can bines share a line/rope?

Bines can share a line. So 2 lines per plant is the norm.

I have my hops fenced off to protect against any curious critters. Then I train the bines up two ropes out of the fence. The short fence is a protective measure for me. It also gives me the area where my crown is so I can cut back any growth out of the area.

 

[DurtyChemist]

you only want 3 or 4 bines on these first year so you may look to trim off the tangled ones.

Wrong. You want to let the first year grow and establish roots in the ground even with a hop plant. It's well discussed.

 

[thaymond]

Wrong. You want to let the first year grow and establish roots in the ground even with a hop plant. It's well discussed.

You'll want to let it all grow first and second years, whether it's a rhizome or an established plant. Your primary focus in year one is root development, not yield. Once your roots are established, you can begin trimming back the extra growth. Cut back extra growth once you have runners and rhizomes.

That said, you're not going to hurt your plant if you trim back bines in years 1 and 2. Your yields may diminish, but you're certainly not going to kill anything by trimming.

 

[NothingRhymesWithCurtiss]

Thanks for all the advice, everyone. I got them planted yesterday.