South Florida Hop Growing

[Trombly128]

Yes I leave those up(side garage door, not used).

The cone development just started a week and a half ago and I would say there are about 50 so far. They are all at different stages but it looks like there are a lot more to come. If these make it through the summer heat without developing some type of fungus from the heat I plan to try many different varieties. I'm glad to see other people are tackling this in Florida even though everyone says they can't grow here. I was amazed at how limited information there is for growing in the south.

 

[shataway]

Ive read that you use 5x the weight if they are still wet.... Other than that I assume you would use the same amount of dried whole leaf cones, in weight of course, as you would pellets. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

I listened to a Brewing Network podcast where it was stated that fresh wet hops are 60 to 80 percent water if I remember correctly. That means 2.5 to 5 times the weight of dry hops if using wet.

 

[Thirstease]

Found a video on YouTube of a guy growing hydroponic hops in Arizona. His Nugget looks to be doing quite well.

 

[shataway]

Sri Lanka Weevils have attacked my hops! $&@/:;!!

Ok just two leaves chewed on yesterday but it seems like it ate a lot for one day. I am trying dish soap spray to keep him away. Any thoughts?

Dish soap may not be enough for these guys. Since I am considering a real pesticide while I have cones/flowers, does anyone have an approximate harvest time for South Florida hops? I want to pace the applications so I dont use too much and it is gone by the harvest.

I have seen vids that suggest when the cones are crackly like paper they are ready. I am looking for an approximate time of year for South Florida hops.

Thanks!

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

Propagating 2 sidearms from my Cascade today giving me 5 plants, 4 of which will have been propagated from the 1 I was given. I dont know why more people dont do this.

 

[shataway]

Propagating 2 sidearms from my Cascade today giving me 5 plants, 4 of which will have been propagated from the 1 I was given. I dont know why more people dont do this.

I tried this but not very seriously. I cut a few sidearms a couple of days ago and just stuck them in the ground.

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

Thats what I did with my first 2 but today I used some rooting hormone and potted it with some plant tone mixed in.

 

[Trombly128]

Dish soap may not be enough for these guys. Since I am considering a real pesticide while I have cones/flowers, does anyone have an approximate harvest time for South Florida hops? I want to pace the applications so I dont use too much and it is gone by the harvest.

I have seen vids that suggest when the cones are crackly like paper they are ready. I am looking for an approximate time of year for South Florida hops.

Thanks!

Not sure on the harvesting, I've read once they have produced lupulin glands. As for the bug issue- try an actual soap insecticide product like soy soap, the key is multiple applications till they are gone. Best to apply in the evening as most pest like this feed at night.

 

[shataway]

Not sure on the harvesting, I've read once they have produced lupulin glands. As for the bug issue- try an actual soap insecticide product like soy soap, the key is multiple applications till they are gone. Best to apply in the evening as most pest like this feed at night.

I definitely need to apply something stronger. I came home and thumped 6 of them off. The damage is more obvious now.

My cones are only dime size, are starting to get crackly, but dont appear to have glands yet. After handling the cone i smelled my finger ( ha ha) but no hoppy smell. I am going to apply insecticide tomorrow pm and wait the prescribed time before considering harvest.

Thanks!

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

Just get organicide from home depot. It's natural and safe. It's worked great for me.

 

[edecambra]

With the pests why dont you wait to see if they are eating any cones or sticking to the leaves, if they don't eat your cones maybe you shouldn't worry too much.

Unless they are really taking over and killing the whole plant. I have seen bite marks on my leaves in the past but no damage with worrying about.

 

[shataway]

Double post

 

[shataway]

These Sri Lanka Weevils eat a lot. I have several large leaves which are half gone. That is a good portion on the first year hops.

 

[305HomeBrew]

hey edecambra,
Just wanted to let you know that this thread of yours is great for us growers in south florida. I'm located in the miramar area which is right around the corner of sunrise area. I also saw that you are in a homebrew club how does that work? what do you guys do? and how could i take part? great job on showing everyone the progress of your awesome plant too!

 

[Crito]

I live in a hot climate. So far I am using neem oil for the bugs. Copper fungicide for leaf protection. BT for caterpillar. Killer. Seems to do well. Neem oil seems to be greatly used. The others, not so much. Soap may strip some protective coating from the leaves if used to much. BT is good. Once the caterpillar eats an infected leaf, they stop eating and die a few days later.

Once the bugs were so bad, i had to use seven dust. This was right before cone growth

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

More Hop Porn...

 

[edecambra]

hey edecambra,
Just wanted to let you know that this thread of yours is great for us growers in south florida. I'm located in the miramar area which is right around the corner of sunrise area. I also saw that you are in a homebrew club how does that work? what do you guys do? and how could i take part? great job on showing everyone the progress of your awesome plant too!

Hello, I'm in the FLAB (Fort Lauderdale Area Brewers). We meet at Geronimo's in Davie on the second wednesday of the month, at 7. PM me for some more details.

 

[edecambra]

Also finally an update on my "sudo" second year plants. So my first year plant died shortly after I trimmed the crown to transplant. I went all Cascade this time and the trimming took off like gang-busters, growing way better than the original rhizome (that died). So I have both trellises covered from the one crown of Cascades and they look great, good yield and strong bines. I have since conditioned my soil with the "pro-biotic" fertilizer instead of the traditional ones. It looks like the yield is a bit larger than last years, but not substantially so. Also I have taken the lazy approach this time and just let the bines grow where they wish mostly, where only occasionally I encourage a bine in another direction.

I'm glad so many people have found this thread and are contributing, glad to see so many SoFlo Hop growers. Now for pics:

Just too roots for so much growth,

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

Nice pics man.... Why not attach another trellis to your current one? I think it would increase your harvest. Your plants look real healthy.... But Might be time to see if you can get them to reward you with more precious conage.

 

[edecambra]

I sure wish I could but I'm in a villa and the hoa doesn't want us doing too much landscaping. Some day if and when I have a real yard it will be a real victory garden.

These bines will probably give me about two to three ounces of dried hops, but I'll post back to let you all know. If I had two plants going instead of just the one big one I bet the yield would be better too

 

[305HomeBrew]

Hello, I'm in the FLAB (Fort Lauderdale Area Brewers). We meet at Geronimo's in Davie on the second wednesday of the month, at 7. PM me for some more details.

Nice.. Thanks! yea I will definately have to get out there. Great Pics of your plant! too

 

[mojito65]

Glad I found this thread, it has inspired me to give this a shot.

I need to make these movable (I plan on remodeling the house soon and am concerned that all the construction could damage the plants and make this whole adventure worthless), so I was thinking of using these planters with a 10' pole to help trellis the plants.

Looking at cascade and one other type centennial or chinook (from morebeer.com).

One question: should I plant 1 or 2 rhizomes in each of the planters?

Any other suggestions/recommendations?

Thank and Cheers!

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

Glad I found this thread, it has inspired me to give this a shot.

I need to make these movable (I plan on remodeling the house soon and am concerned that all the construction could damage the plants and make this whole adventure worthless), so I was thinking of using these planters with a 10' pole to help trellis the plants.

Looking at cascade and one other type centennial or chinook (from morebeer.com).

One question: should I plant 1 or 2 rhizomes in each of the planters?

Any other suggestions/recommendations?

Thank and Cheers!

Save your self 2 years worth of time and order hop crowns from Great Lakes hops instead of rhizomes. They send you huge crowns(hops root ball that rhizomes become) and I know a few people here on HBT who have been very pleased with theirs.

Plant one crown per planter.

 

[Dusk2dust]

I had been wondering about growing my own hops and after reading this thread I bought myself two cascade rhizomes. They have been in the ground about 3 weeks now and one is already 2 feet tall. Hows everyone else doing so far this year

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

I had a bine that never died back so last week I finally cut it. Now I already have a new shoot about 3-4 inches tall. I'm probably going to be moving soon so I don't want to let it start rockin yet. Probably gonna keep clipping everything for the next month then let em go. Seeing how late the season went for me last year I should still have a ton of time.

 

[Crito]

All of mine are about a few inches tall except a nugget which is about four feet tall. The others haven't started to grow.

 

[shataway]

My second year Cascade has not sprouted. I think I overwatered over the "winter" in Palm Beach County.

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

My second year Cascade has not sprouted. I think I overwatered over the "winter" in Palm Beach County.

Are they getting good sun? Are you still watering the crown and if so how often? Have you tried giving the crown a water/fish emulsion combo to give it some nutes?

 

[shataway]

KWB,


I never backed off the sprinklers after the weather got cool and the growth slowed down. They get filtered light as they are in the shade of other plants. I fertilized twice since in the last 6 weeks. I see some bud like things but they seem to turn black.

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

KWB,

I never backed off the sprinklers after the weather got cool and the growth slowed down. They get filtered light as they are in the shade of other plants. I fertilized twice since in the last 6 weeks. I see some bud like things but they seem to turn black.

Give them direct sunlight if possible for the majority of the day and water as normal but not too heavily. See if that helps. I basically didnt water mine for 2 months over the winter and once I started to again after cutting the bines I had left it put out new shoots in like a week. I don't think you watering over the winter should have killed them.