Rhizomes are in!

[Dude]

Got my hops rhizomes yesterday, going to plant today.
Can't wait!
I don't expect much yield in the first year but it will still be cool to say I grew the hops that went in my beer. If these work out I'm going to do more varieties in the future. Especially once I buy my own house.

 

[Rhoobarb]

Got mine yesterday, too! Two each, Cascade, Nugget & Willamette and I'm really pumped! Still too much of a chance for frost here in Northern Illinois, so I've got them in the fridge for right now. Probably have to wait another 3-4 weeks to plant.

 

[uglygoat]

these things grow like vines eh? i have clemantis all around the house, i like the climbing flowering plants best...

 

[Swervo Maneuver]

Dude, that's not Mount Hood.

You got ripped off.

Sorry, that's gotta be either cascade or rhododendron.

 

[ryser2k]

How can you tell just by looking at the root?

 

[Tony]

So once you buy the Rhizomes, do you just plant it like a seed by fully burying it, or do you treat it like a cutting and leave part of it exposed?

Kind of interested in grwoing them, but need more info.

 

[Swervo Maneuver]

How can you tell just by looking at the root?

You gotta smell it, man. Smell it.

 

[Janx]

So once you buy the Rhizomes, do you just plant it like a seed by fully burying it, or do you treat it like a cutting and leave part of it exposed?

Kind of interested in grwoing them, but need more info.

In my experience, you bury the rhizome and within a year or two you can't kill the things. The only trick is having some lines strung for them to grow up, and they need to be trained along those lines...first straight up about 8 feet and then out horizontally...

Also, they only can be trained to coil around the line clockwise...strange but true. Maybe it's different in the southern hemisphere.

 

[Tony]

Thanks Janx!!

Okay, now the tought question...Which hops would be the best all around one to grow for most Ales?

 

[Rhoobarb]

I would urge all of you potential hop growers out there (like me ) to get your hands on a copy of the current March-April 2005 issue of Brew Your Own . It’s all about hops and there’s some great stuff about growing your own hops. I‘d also recommend reading the information on Hop Gardening at the Freshops website. I bought my rhizomes, as well as some leaf hops, from them. Their service was top-notch!

 

[Rhoobarb]

You gotta smell it, man. Smell it.

Yes; that's right! Okay, put your nose right up against your computer's monitor. Now, take a great, big deep breath. Inhale! There. Smell the difference?!

 

[Brewman]

got mine a week ago, will plant it this week, the rain seems to have stopped for a few days........

 

[lalenny]

I ordered my Rhizomes last week, and they are not here yet. No big deal though because I can't plant for a good month. I thought that it was weird that I needed to pay this $15 Idaho Phytosanitary Certificate fee to get my hops shipped to Idaho; plus I only had a few varieties to choose from.

http://www.freshops.com/idaho_varieties.html

I chose Magnum, Sterling, Sunbeam, and Ultra.

I think that I might try to start the rhizomes in pots and put them outside on nice days to get a head start. Then I will transfer them to their permanent spot in a month or so.

 

[homebrewer_99]

My rhizomes arrived last week, but I'm still on a business trip.....soon....very soon....

 

[Dude]

Saw little buds growing from both plants today!!!
I'm growing hops!!!

 

[Kephren]

I just got mine into the ground on Sunday. Growing Centennial and Kent Goldings. Don't know what I'll make with them yet. Maybe a nice bitter. In any case, even if I just get one batch a year, it's cool to say that I grew the hops that are in the brew.

 

[DyerNeedOfBeer]

How far south has anyone had luck with a good healthy crop? According to the lattitudes they suggest, I am as far south as it gets. Im in Tennessee and was hoping to start up some hops next spring... Gonna start my homework on this one early

 

[homebrewer_99]

I planted my rhizomes yesterday....finally!

 

[Dude]

I planted my rhizomes yesterday....finally!

You should see a sprout within a week or two. Both of mine have 1 vine right now. I'm expecting more, but no big deal for first year hops I hear.
My Northern Brewer is about 3 inches high and the Mt Hood is about 2 inches high right now. I gave them some miracle-gro this morning.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I leave on another business trip on Sunday. I'll be in Dover/Rockaway/Parsippany, NJ for 2 weeks.

It'll be some time before I see them any way. It'll be best this way, I think.

I didn't have any horse manure for the hole, so I just fed mine plant food. I could get some from the neighbor.....hmmmm?!

 

[Tofteberg]

Does anyone have recommendations for what type of rhizomes to plant in a northern clime? I'm in Alaska.

 

[Rhoobarb]

I finally got mine planted last Saturday (5/21/05). Two plants each, Willamette, Cascades and Nugget. I'll probably water them again tonight (Monday 5/23), since we haven't had any rain since planting. Can't wait to see some action out of these little dudes!

 

[Dude]

I finally got mine planted last Saturday (5/21/05). Two plants each, Willamette, Cascades and Nugget. I'll probably water them again tonight (Monday 5/23), since we haven't had any rain since planting. Can't wait to see some action out of these little dudes!

I saw the first sprouts come up after about a week, maybe two. Buy some Miracle grow fertilizer spikes and put a couple near the rhizomes. You'll see immediate growth once they sprout up. It can't hurt to get them going either.

My Northern Brewer is about 5-6 feet long now and creeping up the ghetto-trellis more and more every day. My Mt. Hood got whacked off by 40mph winds a few weeks ago, so I cut the bine off and now I see a few more sprouting up as we speak.
I think NB is (currently) my favorite hop, so I cannot wait to brew with these suckers!

 

[homebrewer_99]

We had a freeze here last week and I was concerned, but I saw sprouts about an inch long popping up through the dirt.

About 12 years ago we went out to Yakima and I got some FREE hop rhisomes from one of the hop farms out there (friend of a cousin-in-laws farm).

I moved to NC and Germany, but before I did I transplanted them in my son-in-laws yard. I was looking at them yesterday and they are growing all over his fence. The leaves are larger than my hand.

 

[Kephren]

I planted mine a month ago and got nothing. Maybe some bad rizomes, but I doubt it. I'll try again next year by starting them in a pot inside.

 

[Rhoobarb]

... Buy some Miracle grow fertilizer spikes and put a couple near the rhizomes. ...

I was thinking about doing this as I was driving into work this morning! I'm glad to see you've actually done it with good results. I'll follow your advice. Thanks!

 

[Rhoobarb]

I watered these again last Monday night (5/30) and the Cascades and Nuggets were coming up nicely - a couple of sprouts on each plant about an inch high. But the Willamettes were doing nothing. I was beginning to worry.

But I checked them this morning and the Willamettes had finally broken ground. Now, I'm really pumped!

 

[bergerandfries]

Dyerneed, I live in Dallas, further south than the 35degrees North (Dallas is 33degrees), but my 4 plants are coming up very well. I havent' made it to harvest yet, and there's a long hot summer to clear, but I can tell you that the plants start out find down South...

 

[Brewman]

hmmm I have been wondering....... I am here on Long Island NY and mine have not surfaced at all yet......

is this normal, its been about 2 months now........ but it has not really warmed up much!

 

[Kephren]

hmmm I have been wondering....... I am here on Long Island NY and mine have not surfaced at all yet......

is this normal, its been about 2 months now........ but it has not really warmed up much!

I planted mine in the beginning of April. One just sprouted last week, and the other hasn't done anything yet. The first year is pretty much a wash- the plants are just establishing a root system. After this year, they will be up earlier (assuming it's warm enough)

 

[ssmif135]

Bought the rhizomes from fresh hops. They are coming out of the ground now. Putting up the support system was a lot of fun.

 

[Rhoobarb]

I checked my hops last night after kinda ignoring them for the last two weeks. To my surprise, the Cascades, which are the healthiest ones I've planted, had hops flowers on them! Pretty good sized ones, too. They look like what you see in all those pretty pictures you looked at last Spring when you were all set to buy rhizomes and start planting!

We had a lot of rain last weekend, followed by a lot of sun and that must have boosted them. I counted about 50. The Nuggets may give me a dozen or so and the Willamettes, alas, look to be a bust this year.

But still, I was very thrilled!

 

[Dude]

Reviving this thread from WAY back....

I just bought 5 more rhizome varieties to get planted this year! I had Mt. Hood and Northern Brewer from last year that I had planted in pots, I just transplanted them to a better spot this year.

I'm psyched.

The new ones are:

Chinook, Santiam, Glacier, Cascade, and Horizon. I picked some of those cause I don't know much about them. Cascade and Chinook were no brainers.

I might buy a few more different varieties if they sound interesting. Someday I'm gonna have a huge hop garden!!!!!!!!

 

[Boston]

How far south has anyone had luck with a good healthy crop? According to the lattitudes they suggest, I am as far south as it gets. Im in Tennessee and was hoping to start up some hops next spring... Gonna start my homework on this one early

I'm in Raleigh, NC and I've been growing hops for about 4 years. Here are a few tips I'd like to pass along to you guys who just got your rhizomes: Resist the urge to plant them until all frost threats have passed. I know you're excited but hold off for a few weeks, especially y'all in the northern climates. Make sure the soil in your hop garden drains well. Hops like water but they do not like to sit in it. Hops LOVE the sunshine, but mine only get 3-4 hours of sun a day and they thrive. I never fertilize them, instead I dump $hitloads of compost around them. Watch out for aphids (little translucent buggers), they LOVE hops. For aphid problems I use a seaweed extract insecticide found at Lowe's, it's safe to use on hops/vegetables.
Good luck
Jeff

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

Jeff, do you still have extra rhizomes? I'd be interested.

 

[Boston]

Jeff, do you still have extra rhizomes? I'd be interested.

Yeah, man, you can swing by on Saturday and cut your own....and sample a homebrew....or I can bring you a few if/when we visit Edenton Brewery.

Everyone else reading this.....I have NUGGET rhizomes that I'd be willing to trade for your rhizomes. I'm cheap, I'd rather barter than buy. Send me a PM and let me know what you have.
Jeff

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

Sounds good. I tried to ring ESB but no answer so I sent an e-mail. I'll know by the end of the day what the deal with the tour is.

 

[rewster451]

I posted this query once before but didn't get an answer, and although I've seen a lot of hints I'd like to know for sure. Is there a point to growing hops for only one season? I'm not going to be living here for long enough to harvest again, but I like growing and I like brewing, so this is right up my alley.

 

[Walker]

i've heard that you don't get any real usable harvest the first year, but maybe that's urban legend...

-walker

 

[Dude]

I posted this query once before but didn't get an answer, and although I've seen a lot of hints I'd like to know for sure. Is there a point to growing hops for only one season? I'm not going to be living here for long enough to harvest again, but I like growing and I like brewing, so this is right up my alley.

You can grow them in big pots and then transport them to wherever you go (and then transplant in the ground), but Walker is right, you won't get any type of yield the first year.