Quick Question, Possible Myth

[cuinrearview]

They take the path of least resistance, so they will generally be pretty shallow unless confined. Once they become root-confined they start getting "desperate" to break out. You see the same behavior in bamboo.

Although we are relatively close geographically, our conditions are very different. Your soil is pretty sandy and as you pointed out, you are very close to the water table. I have intensely fertile black dirt/clay about 24" above the hard clay base and our water table is not a real consideration to gardening.

Dowling, knew I recognized that name. My family is from the Gun Lake/Shelbyville/Hastings area. My grandfather was a dairy farmer on the west side of Gun Lake and my great-great-grandparents were the original owners and proprietors of Bay Pointe Inn. Still have family in the area and get back there a couple times a year, but not as often since my grandfather passed away 2 years ago.

I'll be trimming some 3 yr's this fall or next spring and will try to remember to take some picks for comparison.

No need for pics, I have many other plants to compare that one to. My intention of that thread was not to "show off" my plant but to help others who were considering doing the same thing. While I don't have education in gardening I do feel confident in sharing experience in hop growing. When I speak on this topic I try to use personal experience and not of things I've read. I knew that the plant was not in ideal conditions and the results before and after speak for themselves. The only breaking out the original plant tried to do was send the tap root as far as it did looking for less wet conditions. I actually have a picture of this plant under a foot+ of water one year when we flooded! It was crazy.

My wife's family is from Orangeville so I know the Gun Lake area well. Lots of rumors around here about a famous Chi-town gangster and the O-ville area. Hmmmm.....

I believe Bay Pointe closed for a spell recently but as far as I know has re-opened. Too $$ for me though. I prefer a pontoon beached on the island in Gun Lake.

If you plan to come up this way give me a holler. We've actually moved (closer)recently and I need to update my location to Delton. Despite our disagreement on this topic I love to share a brew with all HBTers and people in general. And I promise I won't make fun of what you're compensating for:cross:.

 

[Randar]

Yeah, they tore Bay Pointe down about 7 years ago I think and rebuilt a nice new place (but it is spendy, as you say). We stay there no usually when we come up for a weekend to try to save my grandma from having to host us 24/7.

I understood the point of your picture posting, I was just trying to point out what I have seen as well that contradicts your observation, and as discussed, local conditions may vary and be the root cause of this difference (bad pun intended).

Delton is where my white trash cousins live, LOL!

Pontoon boat on the island is about my style. Need to stay out of the shallows in the summer, those sand bars in Yankee Springs feel like bath water in the summer.

Edit: I should say "where SOME of my white trash cousins live". Have a bunch on the other side of the family just outside Hastings. So we have you surrounded.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

This is why these plants are listed as invasive and practices/mindsets like some of the suggested here are why they are eventually qurantined.

Brewer wants to grow hops. Brewer grow hops. Brewer moves and leaves root system behind. Lot goes vacant or root system energes in a poorly maintained area and the plant booms and takes over.

I applaud the OP's concerns for not wanting to leave a nuisance behind to an unknowing new tennant.

One trick is to collect the rhisomes you want to keep and then lay part of the plant in a dish of Round-Up so that it can soak it all in. Good results have been achieved this way in eradicating all parts of the plant from the surface and from deep underground.