Texas Hop Garden

[EdWort]

Update! I can now see tiny green sprouts coming up. Woo Hoo! I'll post pics when there's enough to see, but in the mean time, I'm a happy camper!

 

[EdWort]

Sweet! Two weeks later and it's time to poke up through the soil. Pretty soon, I'll be able to put the mulch down.

I'm stoked! It does have a cannabis look to it, doesn't it?

 

[kvh]

I've got a rope suspended about 12' high with pulley's on each end and I run twine down to the plants. That way when it's time to harvest I just let the rope down and start picking.. Man I can't wait for some "Fresh Hopped Ale"

That's basically what I'm doing, except with large screw-eyes instead of pulleys... Same concept though. Our contractor is coming by this weekend to pick up some equipment he left in our back yard, and I'll be borrowing his ladder to climb up on my neighbor's 2 story garage to install the eyes... Keep some lines connected to run the ropes up when they start, and plant on sunday I hope....

Very exciting.

k.

 

[Hopleaf]

I wish I had more of a backyard to do this too.. then again we'll probably move in the next few years..

With my luck I'd work hard to grow great hops and then the police would show up because my neighbors thought it was something else and they'd hack it pieces :cross:

 

[kvh]

My three rhizomes went in yesterday. I know it's almost silly, because I can't say for sure where I'll be a year from now, but for a $10 investment, I thought it was worth the risk - and anything that might flower this year will definitely go to good use. I'll post a photo when they crack the surface, but I just planted Chinook, Kent Golding, and Cascade.

Totally awesome.

kvh

 

[Brewiz]

My Cascade is at least 7-8 feet tall.

And my Centennial are doing great too!

I can already taste the "Fresh Hopped Ale"

 

[EdWort]

Looking good so far. The big plants are the jumbo Cascade rhizomes and the other 3 are normal sized Centennial rhizomes. Something has been nibbling on the leaves, but so far I have not done anything to prevent it. I'd prefer to keep it organic if possible.

I'll be adding a layer of mulch on top of the soil this weekend.

 

[EdWort]

10 weeks now and some are over 10 feet tall. They are doing well in spite of some bugs chewing on them. I'm done trimming them back as they start to go sideways and they get tangled up with each other. I imagine this will be one big green leafy thing at the end of the season.

 

[roofjump]

Looks awesome.

 

[Pedro-]

Looks great Ed! Great job!

 

[Ryan_PA]

What are the plans to bring the rig down for harvest?

 

[EdWort]

What are the plans to bring the rig down for harvest?

Untie the stakes and tip it over. Then I'm going to redo it with 4 legs and I'll install a pulley in the top and run some eye bolts down one leg for the polypropylene rope. That way I can pull up Christmas lights and make a massive Christmas Hop Tree and next year, the harvest will be easier.

In any event, I'm happy with the progress so far.

 

[98EXL]

wow, so you can plant and harvest all in one year....I was under the impression it took a few years to establish themselves. Interesting!

 

[EdWort]

wow, so you can plant and harvest all in one year....I was under the impression it took a few years to establish themselves. Interesting!

I don't know, but I harvested hops back in Utah the first year. Not much, but I had them. I imagine my jumbo Cascade rhizomes will produces something.

 

[98EXL]

wow, that's pretty sweet dude!

 

[Pedro-]

I was under the impression it took a few years to establish themselves.

I think the 3 year rule is more a guideline for optimal harvest. Your plants will still try to reproduce (flower) the first year I would assume, it just won't be as bountiful as it could be.

 

[EdWort]

Wow, I've been gone a week out at Summer camp with my son's Boy Scout Troop and it's amazing at what a week can do.

The jumbo Cascades are doing well and flowering.

My first Cascade Hop Cone! Sweet!

 

[homebrewer_99]

What size rope are you using?

I only went with 70 lbs considering it's the first year.

 

[EdWort]

What size rope are you using?

I only went with 70 lbs considering it's the first year.

That's hop twine I that I got from Fresh Hops when I got my hops. It's pretty thick stuff and the vines climb easily on it.

 

[runhard]

Nice Ed,
I'd heard so many people say that hops just don't grow well in Central Texas so I haven't even given it a second thought but your success has inspired me to try next season. We've had a very wet and mild summer to date and I'm now foot stomping mad that I didn't give it a go this year. Post more pics as more cones are formed.

 

[EdWort]

Thanks. We have had loads of rain this year so I have not had to water yet. All three of the Jumbo Cascade Rhizomes are producing cones. The Centennials are way behind. I need to get in there and trim again as it's getting pretty bushy. Notice how they've found the conduit pole and are climbing them as well.

 

[Schlenkerla]

Ed - Your hops are looking good. I would water your centenials with Miracle Grow for several days.

In fact you should water your hops everyday if they are flowering to boost the yield. :fro:

Here pics of mine today. I have them wanting to grow on the pole too, but upside down!!!

Here cascades with hop cones.

 

[Drunkensatyr]

you should water your hops everyday if they are flowering to boost the yield.

HAHAHA, haven't seen any news about Texas lately?

 

[Schlenkerla]

No I've haven't seen the news lately... You've had flooding right?

I have an aunt in Dallas/Ft Worth....

I was saying that the centenials need nutrients to boost growth. My hop garding book says to water daily because the flower production uses lots of water. You can also increase the rate of production by keeping them feed well and not just with water.

I'm battling some wilt issues. Yellowing leaves. So I'm dose 'em up with miracle grow.

 

[EdWort]

We've been getting loads of rain. Lake Travis is full at 681 ft. Here's a pic from last Sunday at 699. The Marina where I keep my boat is inaccessible as the road is flooded. The level now is 701 feet, so add another two feet of water to this pic for today's level.

 

[david_42]

Most of mine are at the top (14') and looking for somewhere else to climb. Not too many side arms yet, but it has been relatively cool until this week.

One minor plus, I can drive 30 miles inland and see how the pros are doing.

There's some old, old hops nearby. I'll probably make some Ditch Digger's D-Lite for my neighbor with them.

 

[Schlenkerla]

We've been getting loads of rain. Lake Travis is full at 681 ft. Here's a pic from last Sunday at 699. The Marina where I keep my boat is inaccessible as the road is flooded. The level now is 701 feet, so add another two feet of water to this pic for today's level.

Lake runneth over!!! 701' is pretty damn deep!

How's the boat?

 

[RadicalEd]

Just started reading this and I'm impressed by the growth you guys have gotten out of your plants! If I had any idea where I'd be living next year I'd plant some too. *grumble*.

Hey Edwort, you do the Scoutmaster thing? Sounds like fun; I got my Eagle Scout 5-6 yrs ago, right before I had to move. It's a great experience for all involved, it's great that you're doing it!

 

[EdWort]

Lake runneth over!!! 701' is pretty damn deep!

How's the boat?

That's the level above sea level. The lake is normally anywhere from 1 inch to 180 feet from what my depth finder says. The boat is floating I assume. Can't get to it, can't see it. It's a floating dock, so it should be OK.

 

[Schlenkerla]

That kind of flooding can be scarry. I went didy polin' for catfish the summer before last. My friend has a cabin on stilts next to the river. On his property he had a iron staircase leading down to the river. On that saturday it was ~ 12ft below the bank top.

It rained that might at 9PM for about 2hrs. We crashed all hammered at eleven or so. I go up to take a piss at 6 AM outside. I came running back in to the cabin saying time to go. The river rose about 10' overnight and was gonna crest soon.

Its amazing! There's no substituite for seeing it 1st hand.

BTW - it was easy getting the jon boat off the river this time.