Removing Hop Rhysomes

[snooky]

So everything on here is about growing and well maintaining hop rhysomes. Well, I want to remove some. Any thoughts on how to do this? Just dig up the ground in early/mid April and take them out? I'm guessing I just need to make sure I get all of the roots since its a rhysome. Is that correct?

Before any one here judges me for removing hop rhysomes, they will be transplanted into the backyard of my new house from their current location for ease of harvest.

 

[Rbeckett]

You can dig them up anytime after they have lost all green foilage and place them in sawdust and keep them in a cool dry place till time to plant again. If you are in a zone that allows early planting then so much the better. You will probably get a small crop this year, but subsequent years should yeild nicely. Just remember that hops will run too, so if you are taking the time to move them you might also sink a 5 gallon bucket with the bottom cut out to contain them and prevent running into other species area. Have you decided what type of trellis to use yet? I am working on a string style A-frame trellis that will allow raising and lowering individual bines. It should top out at about 15 feet and have adequate strings for about 4 bines per Rhizome. First year rhizomes should be kept at 2 bines for the first season.
Good luck with your transplant.
Bob

 

[B-Hoppy]

How long have they been in the ground in their present location?

 

[CentralWABrewing]

I am not going to criticize at all. As a matter of fact, I am going to be "thinning" out my front yard this season. The hills I'm going to work on are going onto their 4th year and are taking over everything
I find the crown, take some cuttings from that, and follow the "runners" and remove them as well. If you want to totally remove the crown, dig around it and pull the runners. Remember, the crown will have a vertical drilling root that could be several feet down depending on soil and age of plant.
It has been recorded that a hop plant(not sure on age) along a river went through a high flood and the river bank washed away exposing the roots measuring 25ft down into the soil.

 

[snooky]

How long have they been in the ground in their present location?

They western planted in spring 2010, so the roots will be established, but hopefully not too deep. Hopefully a couple feet at most.

 

[B-Hoppy]

They western planted in spring 2010, so the roots will be established, but hopefully not too deep. Hopefully a couple feet at most.

You don't have any thing to worry about with the roots. If you miss some of them they'll just decompose and add to the organic matter of the soil. If you miss a portion of a RHIZOME after you lift the crown, you can easily go back at a later time (when and if you see some new growth coming up in that area) and dig around and remove them. They can run, but they can't hide as the roots of an 'escape' rhizome shouldn't have developed too well in that short of a time. The roots of the main crown will probably have gone down a few feet though. It's really not rocket science and as long as you pay attention to what's going on, you'll be fine.