Transplanting - Best Time?

[sorghumking]

I bought a house three winters ago. That summer, I was delighted to discover two hop plants growing on opposite corners of my pergola. Turns out I have a male and female plant, and both are clearly mature enough to get botanically busy - last summer I found hop seedlings all over my yard and garden!

The male is in a seemingly ideal growing spot. It gets sun all day long and grows *vigorously*. The female doesn't get morning sun - the bines are smaller and less numerous. I'd like to transplant the female to the male spot (and ditch the male unless there's some use for it?) as I'm sure it'll up the hop flower yield significantly. I have yet to determine what variety of hops it is, that's another project. Regardless of whether I can use them for brewing, the flowers are more attractive than a bunch of stamens spewing pollen all over my deck and patio!

These plants must be at least four-five years old by now. Can I safely transplant at this point? If so, when's the best time to transplant the female? We've still got snow on the ground here, but I'm thinking it should happen soon.

 

[beerand420]

I'd do it as soon as the ground thaws so your transplants have a full growing season in their new location. However, you could postpone a couple weeks if you anticipate more hard freezes in the next few weeks. I'm in Denver, my new ones are already in the ground, but no vines poking up yet. Hopefully they won't get frost bite, but if they do, you can cut the frost bitten vines back and new ones will come in.

 

[B-Hoppy]

420 said it all. If they're established, you can wait until you have some good weather to work with and not worry about harming them because they've got a ton of stored up energy just waiting to go, also a ton of buds. You'll be in good shape whenever you can get to it.