Two per hill?

[Doog_Si_Reeb]

I was reading the Homebrewer's Garden book (excellent book btw) and it mentions that you can put a couple rhizomes of the same variety in each hill. Does anyone do this? I would imagine it increases your growth and output per hill in the first year. I'm just curious if it is worth it.

I built my trellis and planted my Mt Hood and Centennial this weekend, but I'm contemplating buying one more of each and putting them in the corresponding hills. What do you all think?

 

[david_42]

Good idea. Never know when a hungry gopher might tunnel through. I gave four rhizomes to someone last Spring and all of them got 'et.

 

[JarrodH]

I think that the idea behind that was that if one of the rhizomes dies, you still have a backup growing in that spot.

 

[GearBeer]

I think that the idea behind that was that if one of the rhizomes dies, you still have a backup growing in that spot.

+1

I don't think it will increase your yield unless you train 2x as many bines. Most likely one of the two rhizomes will eventually die off because they're competing for the same resources (light and mineral) and only 3-4 bines are going to remain through the summer.

 

[Hopfarmer]

I am doing it commercially and have been doing 4 to 8 depending on size. More means more but you will get ,do 2 or more if you can if not burry a little of a bine to really kick them off for next year Glen

 

[Doog_Si_Reeb]

Thanks for the input. I'll shoot for one more of each in each hill.

Last year I did a single rhizome in each hill and they did pretty well. This year those ones are going nuts already. I cut off at least half a dozen shoots from the Cascade and three off of the Willamette on Sunday.

 

[tac0meat]

I planted two per hill. I figured this would increase my chances of having at least one viable plant. My rhizomes looked very healthy and many of them had already started to sprout, so now I am thinking they all will end up growing. My thinking is that as long as I can keep enough nutrients in the soil, then both should remain viable and grow healthy.

 

[CentralWABrewing]

I plant a MINIMUM of 4 rhizomes per hill. Typically 6.
I go for extensive vertical growth. Last year I had 21 hills and this year I'm pushing it to 30 hills. I don't own enough land to do that number with only 1 rhizome per hill.
I would suggest it. No harm done. After the first winter, you can carefully and successfully harvest some new rhizomes from last seasons root system( I would suggest after the second year, then you have a crown).

 

[Homercidal]

I've laid down a couple of bines last year (1st year) and it was amazing how they sprouted roots and took off. It was late in the year and I haven't seen any sign of them so far, but I've only got purple sprouts peeking out so far on the hills.